I keep it with the piece meat that has the sex organs on. Now weather that is the first last or inbetween piece that gets packed out just depends.

 

What I have done in the past, and has ALWAYS worked is,
Pack the largest part with the sex organs first.

The Utah DWR officers are generaly very easy to work with on these issues.

 

I tag the head.

 

I tag the head becuase I hunt Anterless or antlered. Nothing like that is between the legs.I save no sex organs and pack out only meat and the head with the tag on it.

 

Tagging, transporting and exporting big game
Tagging requirements
Utah Code § 23-20-30 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-17
After you've taken a big game animal, you must tag the animal before moving the carcass or leaving the site of the kill.
To tag a big game animal, completely detach the tag from your big game permit and completely remove the three notches that indicate the date the animal was taken and the sex of the animal. Then, attach the tag to the animal so that the tag remains securely fastened and visible.
You may not remove more than one notch indicating the date or sex, or tag more than one animal, using the same tag. Also, you may not hunt or pursue big game after any of the notches have been removed from the tag or the tag has been detached from your permit.
Your tag must remain with the largest portion of the animal's meat until all of the meat has been eaten.

I agree with goofy elk, stick to their guidlines and the DWR are very good to work with. I used to tag the head and I got informed otherwise one year. :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

 

Well now that does provide fodder for an argument.
point # 1. If you boned out your kill then the head is the biggest part of the kill.

# 2 when you transport your kill there are the following to consider.

Transporting big game within Utah
Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-18
You must obey the following rules to transport big game in Utah:

1. The head or sex organs of the animal you've taken must remain attached to the largest portion of its carcass.
2. If you take an elk on a spike bull unit, the antlers must remain attached to the animal's skull plate, and you must transport the skull plate and antlers with the carcass.
3. You must accompany the carcass of any big game animal you've harvested, and you must have a valid permit that corresponds to the tag that's attached to the carcass.

Which really confuses things as the sex organs do not prove it's a legal kill.
If I have an anterless tag and shoot a young calf bull and don't keep the head I can only prove that I shot a bull based on the sex organs.:sad:

So I submit that the rules could be better defined.

 

Sure u can tag the head, ASLONG as it's atched to the body.

TRUST ME, If you leave A PORTION of the sex organs atched to a hind
quarter, boned or not. TAG that portion, U will never have a problem ...

One other note, if spike hunting, keep the head or horns ..

On antler-less, the FG know calves are legal, and calf bulls are defined
as Antler-less.

 

I just called my CO buddy. He said the first thing you do is validate your tag. Then after you bone out your animal, tag the biggest portion and take that to your truck first. Be sure to save some kind of evidence of sex on one portion of your animal whether it's the one you take first or last. He said they understand how it goes with packing out animals and as long as you have the tag validated and evidence of sex at the kill site or your truck you're good to go. He also said "we're hunters too, we understand".

 

I will change my practice and tag the meat,Keep the head still (it's in the regs) and will keep the sex attached.
Now how many of you keep your tag until all the meat is eaten?

 

I have every tag, license, duck stamp both federal and states that I have purchased since I started hunting in the mid 60's. Both validated and unvalidated.

Just a fyi for some but it doesn't pertain to Utah is that other states say to place the tag on the meat. If you place it on the antlers you are subject to a ticket.

 

I never see the tag again once I drop the carcass off at the processor.

I have always attached to the antlers in the first place, but I have also always moved the animal whole. When quartering I will be sure and follow the regs of keeping the tag with the bulk of the meat. I suppose I could attache the tag to the "Proof of Sex"....wouldn't leave much to question!

 

I will change my practice and tag the meat,Keep the head still (it's in the regs) and will keep the sex attached.
Now how many of you keep your tag until all the meat is eaten?

I keep all the tags in the freezer with the meat that pertains to them. Just spray with water and freeze to the side or the inside of the lid. Then when you take the last package out, just use a hot rag to remove.

 

This is a good discussion here, one of the best I've seen in a while.:thumb: