Tagging dead Elk??

[dustin862]

So I've seen various videos and Cam Hanes new video where they find elk dead. Can you throw your tag on that elk if you were interested in taking the antlers? I've seen others do it on video but never in person. Not sure on regulations. Stories??


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[ILbowhntr]

Why would you want to if you didn't shoot it?

 

[cohunter14]

That's an interesting question. I assume the elk had died recently? I know if you find a dead head in Colorado you can typically just take the antlers, but if it's in season and was a recent kill, that certainly makes it interesting. I definitely wouldn't tag it as you risk being blamed for the meat loss. The best bet, again assuming it was a recent kill, is to ask around at nearby camps and see if someone lost a bull. Even though they might loose the meat it might help them get some closure.

 

[dustin862]

That's what I'm talking about cohunter. Finding a dead fresh elk in the woods and deciding to tag that animal. Reasons to tag it may be its your last day and you are walking out. I'd be tempted to tag that animal and make a sweet euro mount. I'm not the kind of guy to try and claim the kill though but wouldn't mind the mount. Kind've like shed hunting from my perspective but getting to keep the skull also.


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[Lark Bunting]

I got pulled over this year after coming out of our hunting area. The DW officer was a no-bullshit-guy. He asked to see mi license, carcass tag, driver's license and hunter's safety card. He checked the evidence of sex and made sure that's where my carcass tag was attached. He wanted to hear the details of the hunt and then went through each game bag to see that we took all of the required meat. At one point he wanted to lay hands on each inner loin. (We boned it out and my son bagged most of it as evenly as possible so we had no idea of where anything was except the separate bag with the evidence of sex attached to an inner thigh chunk.


I was fine with the process but I would NOT have wanted to try to talk my way out of why I just had an elk head in the truck!


My advice...GPS it and go retrieve it in the off season. I have two full heads marked that are 15 yards apart.

 

[dustin862]

Appreciate the story Lark. I'd love to be able to go back to try and retrieve the antlers but I'm out of state from where I'm hunting. Might be a better idea to call a game warden on the spot if not to far in. I just read it's not illegal but wouldn't want to worry about getting blamed for wasting meat.


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[Bowfreak]

We are all different but I would never put my tag on any animal I didn't shoot for any reason.

I can't see why there would be anything legally wrong about putting your tag on that animal though.

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[Lark Bunting]

I'm not sure how to take this as I asked about heads that were old, white, no skin and heads still attached to the body.


"Thank you for contacting Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It is legal to collect found 'dead-heads' and sheds, with the exception of occasional restrictions in specific units during certain dates. It is always good practice to contact the Area Office and ask for permission to remove the dead-heads. You can find their phone numbers on the Contact Us page of our website.

Thanks again for your inquiry. Please feel free to contact us with any further questions!-- "

 

[cohunter14]

I'm not sure how to take this as I asked about heads that were old, white, no skin and heads still attached to the body.


"Thank you for contacting Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It is legal to collect found 'dead-heads' and sheds, with the exception of occasional restrictions in specific units during certain dates. It is always good practice to contact the Area Office and ask for permission to remove the dead-heads. You can find their phone numbers on the Contact Us page of our website.

Thanks again for your inquiry. Please feel free to contact us with any further questions!-- "

That definitely doesn't sound correct. Did they give you their contact information? If so, I would forward that along to the CPW so they know this person might not know what they are talking about. Either that or there is some brand new rule that I am completely unaware of...

 

[MT_mulies]

I wouldn't tag it. But I would gps it and then call a game warden when I had the chance and tell them. I picked up a 6 point bull head last year during the rifle hunt. I gps-ed it and took pictures of it then packed it out. I have a fish cop that goes to my church and I told him. He was fine with it. That's here in Idaho. I think if your honest and not hiding anything most fish cops will be ok with it. This year I'm hunting in one state, but I'm going to access it through another state. So when I go I'm gonna call the local fish cop from the state I'm coming in from to let them know in case anyone reports me or thinks I'm being suspicious. Then I will gps and photograph the animal after it's harvested if I get one.

 

[Lark Bunting]

I'm not sure how to take this as I asked about heads that were old, white, no skin and heads still attached to the body.


"Thank you for contacting Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It is legal to collect found 'dead-heads' and sheds, with the exception of occasional restrictions in specific units during certain dates. It is always good practice to contact the Area Office and ask for permission to remove the dead-heads. You can find their phone numbers on the Contact Us page of our website.

Thanks again for your inquiry. Please feel free to contact us with any further questions!-- "

That definitely doesn't sound correct. Did they give you their contact information? If so, I would forward that along to the CPW so they know this person might not know what they are talking about. Either that or there is some brand new rule that I am completely unaware of...

Which rule are you speaking of?

 

[cohunter14]

Sorry, I am an idiot and misread your post. I thought it said it was illegal to collect dead heads and sheds, not legal. See what happens to my brain when all I can think about is getting back out in the elk woods?