trphyhntr Report post Posted May 5, 2015 how do you know the original hunter didnt take the time to find it str8shot? Did not say not taking the time to look ...I Said, taking the time to actually recover ... Can you legally tag an animal once the hunt is officially over without contacting game and fish ? From what I have been told by officers is "No" .... I am sure most give leeway when closing day bleeds into the next but I am pretty sure it is up to them. It could be a guy with knots in his stomach that did not even attempt for another animal to tag or it could be a guy that said screw it and took another animal .... as someone else stated lots of what ifs .... I think the regs say it pretty clear on finding downed animals in the field and the proper way for an individual to claim a deadhead or any part of it .... when a majority of flesh or hide is still present versus dry exposed bone... Game and fish should be contacted before anyone removes any part of the animal... I do not understand why so many have a hard time reading the rules they publish every year. After winter in some areas the carcass may still have more flesh and hide than dried bone ... in these cases even the guy who may have wounded the animal would have to contact G&F to legally try to possess it . Of course he or she could just Mark the spot and keep coming back until it is mainly dried exposed bone, but then who is to say another would not find it and remove it ... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murfys69law Report post Posted May 5, 2015 Hunting unit 7 years ago I found a downed spike. It was getting bloated and starting to stink a little. Smell is how I found it. Called G&F and told them about it. There answer was and I quote, "Probably lost by some hunter who couldn't find it. (duh) If it is starting to stink there is nothing we can do anyway. Thanks for letting us know". Seemed a little non concerned to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Str8Shot Report post Posted May 5, 2015 Lance plenty of areas where an elk hit during the late hunt 2014 could easily still be more flesh and hide than dry bone this time of year .... as with all laws it is up to the discretion of the officers that end up stopping you .... I would bet that if you were pulled over by a G&F officer driving out of the forest with a deadhead of a 6x6 in the bed of your truck this time of the year and there is more hide than bone exposed ( keep in mind the amount of dry bone exposed is what determines fresh , not if the hide is dry) you are going to be asked a lot of questions and the head would be confiscated. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rageinthesage Report post Posted May 5, 2015 Hunting unit 7 years ago I found a downed spike. It was getting bloated and starting to stink a little. Smell is how I found it. Called G&F and told them about it. There answer was and I quote, "Probably lost by some hunter who couldn't find it. (duh) If it is starting to stink there is nothing we can do anyway. Thanks for letting us know". Seemed a little non concerned to me. If it was a trophy class bull I bet there would have been a different outcome... 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sneaker Report post Posted May 5, 2015 Lance throws down the law! If the animals don't get to it while fresh, the hard dried carcass on the exposed/air side can be mostly intact for a quite a long time. I went through the process of calling G&F out with such a find last year, they inspected and I ended up getting to keep the unique bull. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Str8Shot Report post Posted May 5, 2015 Lance throws down the law! If the animals don't get to it while fresh, the hard dried carcass on the exposed/air side can be mostly intact for a quite a long time. I went through the process of calling G&F out with such a find last year, they inspected and I ended up getting to keep the unique bull. I know several who have went through the process with G&F and never had any issue getting to keep the antlers after G&F inspected the animal.. The officers I know we have spoke too said people get confused with the word fresh thinking meat still on bone, but clearly stated that if the hide was dried and leathered up covering the bone removing it would be against the law. Of course here you will get the guys who only bash G&F making it seem like they do not care, but it has been my experience that even a spike or cow found they come out to inspect to try and determine the cause and if the animal was poached... People like to interpret laws to suit themselves and then discount them because they feel they are not enforced ( kind of like a guy cutting up half alive tree to hang a stand in ) .. to each their own but I will continue doing it the way I was taught and the way I have had it explained by the guys who can actually enforce it. As stated earlier ... may be just a good way to do some e-scouting I am all for trying to help during the open season where a guy or gal may still have a chance to put a tag on it legally, but once seasons close up as Hunters in Arizona I think it is our responsibility to assist our G&F in their efforts by following the regulations... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murfys69law Report post Posted May 5, 2015 Lance throws down the law! If the animals don't get to it while fresh, the hard dried carcass on the exposed/air side can be mostly intact for a quite a long time. I went through the process of calling G&F out with such a find last year, they inspected and I ended up getting to keep the unique bull. I know several who have went through the process with G&F and never had any issue getting to keep the antlers after G&F inspected the animal.. The officers I know we have spoke too said people get confused with the word fresh thinking meat still on bone, but clearly stated that if the hide was dried and leathered up covering the bone removing it would be against the law. Of course here you will get the guys who only bash G&F making it seem like they do not care, but it has been my experience that even a spike or cow found they come out to inspect to try and determine the cause and if the animal was poached... People like to interpret laws to suit themselves and then discount them because they feel they are not enforced ( kind of like a guy cutting up half alive tree to hang a stand in ) .. to each their own but I will continue doing it the way I was taught and the way I have had it explained by the guys who can actually enforce it. As stated earlier ... may be just a good way to do some e-scouting I am all for trying to help during the open season where a guy or gal may still have a chance to put a tag on it legally, but once seasons close up as Hunters in Arizona I think it is our responsibility to assist our G&F in their efforts by following the regulations... And if you follow the regs and call and they don't come out or give you a "I don't give a chit attitude" then why call and waste my time. This was during the hunting season. This elk was fresh according to their interpretation. I did my due diligence and they didn't care? Neither do I. Some young hunter I am sure would have loved to have shot the spike I found and eat the meat. Even a food bank or some other charity organization may have used it. But to not even look at it or even take the info where it was I find that irresponsible on G&F. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murfys69law Report post Posted May 5, 2015 I have reported game violations (or suspected violations) many times. From downright witnessing poaching to finding game with just the head removed (wanton waste of game), to finding fresh kills out of season. I have had both immediate responses from G&F and the brushoff. I am sure G&F are busier than heck, so I just do my part and can't do any more. Just because you report it does not mean you will get a response. I have had the same happen with other branches of LEOs as well. They all have to pick their battles by level of importance as they see fit. Then that tells me they are understaffed. I appreciate a lot of what they do and have met some nice G&F rangers. It's always been on their time tho and not mine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 300ultramag. Report post Posted May 6, 2015 how come people don't post up when the find a dead cow elk.. Poor cow elk they get no love 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5guyshunting Report post Posted May 6, 2015 how come people don't post up when the find a dead cow elk.. Poor cow elk they get no love and nobody wants to help on a trophy cow hunt, what gives? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
