Tag your animal immediately!

[BRI]

http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyl...cle_0528c589-8e85-5d00-a2be-df219ebf1d2d.html

Pretty sure there are a lot of people guilty of this every year!

 

[smarandr]

I'm guilty of it. In fact, in Idaho you not only have to validate it immediately, but also attach it to the carcass:

The appropriate big game tag must be validated and
securely attached to the animal immediately after the kill.
The validated tag must remain attached to the carcass until
the meat is processed and reaches the place of final storage
or personal consumption

I try to remember to validate, but I never attach it--I'm too worried it will get lost during the pack-out. I'd much rather find a warden at the bottom of the trail with a validated tag in my pocket than a validated tag someplace back up the trail.

 

[Nameless Range]

I feel bad for the hunter, as he seems like an honest guy who didn't understand the importance of immediately tagging your elk, but his logic that the animal doesn't need to be tagged until you are transporting it doesn't hold water.

By the time you have your critter in the truck and are transporting it you may very well be headed to your garage to unload it. Poachers are most vulnerable in the field, before they have got their critter in the truck (under a tarp, under a topper, etc) If the minute you approach your animal you cut your tag, there is not doubt or chance that you're up to no good.

Before the hero shots, the gutting, and most definitely the pack out, tag the animal.

 

[Oak]

but his logic that the animal doesn't need to be tagged until you are transporting it doesn't hold water.

Just FYI, it would hold water in Colorado, as that is what the regulation says. You must void your license immediately, but you do not have to attach the tag to the animal until you are transporting it (in a vehicle). Doesn't excuse him not knowing the MT regulation.

 

[BRI]

"Knarr called the time between when Jim Latvala shot and when the elk was tagged “substantial” — roughly 20 to 25 minutes."

Seems petty to me and I'm surprised a warden would take something this far.

 

[smarandr]

Seems petty to me and I'm surprised a warden would take something this far.

Maybe he's a real Hard Eddy, but my guess is the TV cameras had something to do with it.

 

[Bambistew]

What a joke. Following the wardens logic of "immediately" how many MT hunters punch their tag immediately after pulling the trigger and watching the animal go down? I've killed animals that took longer than 20 minutes to get to, but didn't notch my tag until I was there.

I could see giving the guy a ticket if the elk hadn't been tagged when the warden asked to see his license, but they watched him tag it (I guess?) 21 minutes after the trigger was pulled. It was tagged! I think a warning would have been sufficient.

Good thing he wasn't African American, he probably would have been shot or strangled.

 

[brymoore]

I always cut my tag before I do anything else once I reach the dead animal. The tag usually doesn't get attached until I have a rear quarter separated.

I think the most common error in Idaho is forgetting to leave proof of sex on an animal that's quartered.

 

[opyff]

I try to remember to always tag my critter right away but when the adrenaline is flowing, the sun is going down and it starts getting cold, sometimes that is the last thing on my mind when I want to get them quartered and start packing. But the big question I've always had for our game wardens and have learned it is up to interpretation depending on the warden is when I am packing an elk out on my back where does that carcass tag go? With the meat I am transporting, in the truck once I get there, leave it with the critter with the possibility of it getting removed by another hunter. Is it more important to have it with the antlers or the meat. And most often I will get an answer that it needs to be with the majority of the animal, which I guess is also up to interpretation

 

[Art Vandeley]

I'm guilty of it. In fact, in Idaho you not only have to validate it immediately, but also attach it to the carcass:

I try to remember to validate, but I never attach it--I'm too worried it will get lost during the pack-out. I'd much rather find a warden at the bottom of the trail with a validated tag in my pocket than a validated tag someplace back up the trail.

Just FYI, not very hard to carry a small roll of electrician tape to attach a tag, which would solve your problem.

 

[Randy11]

Good lord, what a joke. Twenty minutes is enough to lose your elk?

I've forgotten to tag an animal many times until I go to start loading meat in the backpack, guess I'm a poacher. What a crock, I think the state owes this guy an elk.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Not that a tag on an antler ruins a picture, but I always take some pics before attaching the tag. I notch and attach tags before gutting the animal. A guy should get the critter tagged properly before you start any kind of packout. If these guys were gutting the animal in the same location it died in, but still had not notched the tag, then the warden should probably check things out closely. However, if everything else checks out and they're still in the same spot the bull died in then a verbal warning/reminder should take care of things. Obviously, not every detail is here, so maybe the warden had additional reasons why he thought the ticket was needed. Maybe the camera did change things?

 

[Nameless Range]

It's tough to tell from the article how this exactly went down. I don't think you should have to notch your tag immediately after you shoot, but I do and have immediately when I approach the animal. That's what I as taught, and adrenaline isn't an excuse.

Did this guy see the warden in the distance, and then throw his tag on the elk? I doubt it, but Wardens deal with chitbags all day, and they don't know a hunter's intent.

To me 20 minutes is a long time to not tag your animal, especially near a road. The whitetail I shot this year was gutted and in my truck in less than a half hour. Crappy situation.

 

[BRI]

I believe the tag is supposed to be attached to the largest portion of meat or quarter with evidence of sex.

Several years ago a friend shot a nice mule deer buck. We had the caped out head in front of the tent and the meat about 75 yards away in the shade. The tag was with the meat like it's supposed to be. The next day we got back to the tent after hunting only to find the head gone with a note from the warden stating we had to bring the meat/tag to his house to prove legality. His house was 60 miles away!!!!! Reaffirms my belief of Guilty until proven innocent.

 

[elkantlers]

I would get tickets left and right. I always tag before leaving the kill site but never tag before field dressing.
I think the hunter should be pissed and should be compensated for the loss of meat. The "Warden" ( I use the term loosely) should have used some common sense and gave the guy a verbal warning if anything. Sounds like he wanted to be a movie star.

 

[Rat Fink]

I have personally dealt with Warden Drew Scott on a few occasions (nothing bad or illegal) and he has been nothing but an upstanding and honorable warden. If there was a just reason to write a ticket then he would do so in my opinion. He is not the kind of warden that likes to write the easy pickings tickets and be a jerk about stuff. I think the guy might have a point about the TV show needing some good footage, as this seems out of line from my interactions with this warden.

 

[RobG]

A citation maybe, but pretty incredible they confiscated his animal and gave away the meat. Guilty before proven innocent.

It is ironic the only time I agree with that *#$@ poacher/liar Randy Vogel is on a situation involving an overzealous FWP.

 

[sra61]

I believe the tag is supposed to be attached to the largest portion of meat or quarter with evidence of sex..

That is what we have been told. I will often attach the tag to the rack initially, but when I get to the truck I will make sure it is attached to the hind quarter with the evidence of sex. If it's right there will never be a problem. I can't stand that Wardens show. It seems to me that most of those wardens on the show have a bit of an ego. To me this hunter had no bad intent. To steal his elk is wrong. It seems to me a warning would have served the purpose much better that to make enemies of how many people that read that story, or can stand to watch their stupid show.

 

[BuzzH]

The whole tagging thing in Montana is a joke...theres so many ways to interpret "transporting", etc.

A bud of mine, an LEO himself, received a $135 ticket for having an untagged elk hind quarter in his truck. He packed the quarter out the first trip, threw it in his truck, and was on his way to camp to get his Dad and Brother to help him with the rest. He left the tag on the remainder of the elk that he left.

Warden scratched him for transporting an elk without a tag...

 

[Ben Long]

Overzealous policing and nit-picky regs are a good way for any wildlife agency to squander their credibility and public good will. Why would anyone stop at a check station if they fear getting their hard-won elk confiscated by an overzealous warden on a technicality? That said, it's the hunter's responsibility to know the law and toe the line.