# Is it legal / ethical to tag a found carcass?



## yelnek_mcwawa (Sep 9, 2009)

Here's a question I haven't found an answer to on this forum or on the DNR web site, or in the Utah Code.

Knowing - you can only tag legally taken animals and it's a crime to wantonly waste meat.

On the last week of the archery hunt, We are hiking way back into the woods and meet a hunter on his way out. We chat, he says he hit a Bull 3 days ago but couldn't find it. 
We ask for his name and where he lives incase we find it we'll call him, he doesn't answer and seems not to prefer that option - ok, whatever.

We hunt the area and after 2 days in the area we find a dead elk hit high in the back, it has started to bloat and being eaten by flies / scavengers and predators. 
The loss of an animal is sad. It will go to the coyotes, vultures and worms.

However, it has a fair 5X5 rack. This is the last day of our hunt and my tag will go unfilled.
The question is: I have a valid tag. Is it legal / ethical to tag the antlers, remove them and take them home? 

I didn't kill the animal. It was legally havested, but unfound until the meat was already spoiled. I can not save the meat. I have a valid tag, can I take the antlers and leave the carcass to return to mother earth?

Is there any statute ?
What is your opinion?


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

I think if you were questioned by the game warden you would have a hard time proving your story. Think of it from their point of view if you get pulled into a game check station and all you have is the head. I don't know the legalities on it however. Don't forget you still have the extended seasons.


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

I would probably call the person that shot it since you took his number I am sure he would be happy to get the horns.


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

Sorry I misunderstood you dont have his number I think I would call and see what the wardens say I bet they would say that you cant but its worth a shot.


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## yelnek_mcwawa (Sep 9, 2009)

I thought There would be more opinons on this.

So if you came accross a dead animal that wasn't yours but had a nice rack and you have a tag, what would you do?

Take the antlers with your tag

Leave it there intact?

Thanks,


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## East_Fork (Apr 22, 2009)

A few years back we were hunting an area my dad and younger brother had killed 2 bulls in. One previously that week and the other on the youth hunt in an any bull area. It was the last day, and Me and my older brother were sitting in the truck waiting for our friend. By then it was dark, and the hunt was over for that year. We finaly got a hold of our friend via walky-talky and he said he found a dead bull (gut shot). I guess he decided to tag it, cut the head off and brought the head and antlers back to the truck. His light was a ways off, so I got out of the truck to meet him. However, I smelt that rotten head way before he got to the truck and started to hurl! Hence I decided to look at it through the window of the truck. It was a small 3. He said that that thing stank to high heaven, and someone had all ready taken the ivorys. He figured it had been there for at least 4 days. So, he did it, I do not know if this is legal or not. All I can say, is there is nothing in this world that would make me want to touch any set of antlers that came with that stank! Although, now that I think about it, I can't see a difference in if you were the one to shoot it and somehow lost it and then found it in the next few days. It is sad, and it brakes my heart to come accross an animal that died from a gut shot never to be found again, and to think all that meet is waisted because someone took a quick shot in the trees, if you don't have a kill shot, then don't take the shot.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

I look at it this way- although you have a tag and can legally use it to take the antlers, how does it look to a fellow hunter, warden or passer-by to see an elk/deer laying there without the head? I'll tell you what it looks like to me...poaching! Poachers will often kill the animal, and cut off it's head or antlers and leave the rest there. 

So for anyone finding the mess later, that doesn't know there was no foul play, it seems like poaching. If I found something like that, I would call it in. Perhaps they'd be able to figure out exactly what happened later, but you could be implicated in a possible poaching case until that time. Not worth it to me. 

I imagine you could make some precautions in a case like this to make sure you aren't implicated though. Call the F&G and tell them what you found. Then at least they know how it went down. They might want to investigate, so leave things alone until they do, but if they give you the go-ahead, then you're good!


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