Leave Evidence Of Sex Attached To Big Game Animals

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Hunters heading out for Montana’s upcoming big game season opener on Sunday, Oct. 24 should be aware that they are required by law to leave proof of the species and sex of all big game animals they harvest attached to the carcass. According to Beate Galda, Administrator of the Enforcement Division for Fish, Wildlife & Parks, evidence of an animal’s species and sex must remain attached to the carcass until it is processed (cut up). This evidence must remain attached from the site of the kill to the processing location, or to an FWP-authorized collection site. Quartered or "boned out" meat is not considered to be processed, she said, and thus, evidence of the species and sex must remain attached to the meat. Galda said evidence of sex and species is best determined by leaving an animal’s head attached. If a hunter takes an antlerless deer or elk or a doe or fawn antelope, removes the head and wraps its carcass in sheets or places it in a cheese cloth bag, another type of evidence of sex, such as the udder, must remain attached. In all cases, the game tag for the species harvested must be properly validated and must remain with the animal’s meat. Once the meat is processed, the tag can be taped to the top of the box containing the meat for ease in checking. If the meat or any portion of the meat is given away, the tag must remain with the largest unconsumed portion of the meat. Game wardens recommend attaching a copy of the tag or including a note specifying the successful hunter’s name, phone number and the date the game was taken whenever a portion of a game animal is given to someone else. If a game animal or any portion of it is sent with or to out-of-state friends, a similar procedure should be followed. Doing so makes the wardens’ task of determining that the game was legally taken that much easier. For more information about evidence of sex and species or tagging requirements, hunters should contact their local game warden or the nearest Fish, Wildlife & Parks office.