Quartering Deer- NYS Regulations

[Keanedog]

Guys- I have been following the site for awhile and finally got around to registering! I had a question that hopefully someone can give me a better answer than our DEC did.  Due to the location of where I hunt, I want to start quartering deer out and processing myself.  The days of hauling out a deer over a mile up and down steep terrain are OVER. My question is: Besides front shoulders, rear quarters, backstraps, and tenderloins, what other usable meat, if any, is required by law for me to pack out.  Also, in terms of identifiable sex organs, do those need to accompany the animal if I plan on packing the head out as well?  When transporting, will a tag on top of the cooler be sufficient enough to legally tag my animal? I emailed the state and they simply replied with links to their website.  Just want to make sure I am in compliance with the law. Thanks for taking the time to respond.Bob  

[WNYBuckHunter]

You need sex organs, theres no wanton waste laws here, so no requirement about what meat you take. Tag has to be attached to the animal, not the cooler, so Id just zip tie it around a lower leg or the head if youre taking that.

Figure out which region you are in, and email the office directly. That usually gets you better info that emailing the general DEC address. If that doesnt work, call one of your local Encon officers, their contact info is available on the DEC website.

[moog5050]

Why sex organs with head?  Anterless and antlered not male and female.  Rack determines which tag. 

[Fletch]

9 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Why sex organs with head?  Anterless and antlered not male and female.  Rack determines which tag. 

I'd of thought the same, we do not have female/male tags here.

[mowin]

15 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Why sex organs with head?  Anterless and antlered not male and female.  Rack determines which tag. 

Believe the thought process is you can shoot a doe, and a buck take the buck out then go back for the doe.. with the bucks head. 

[moog5050]

6 minutes ago, mowin said:

Believe the thought process is you can shoot a doe, and a buck take the buck out then go back for the doe.. with the bucks head. 

Can do the same thing with sex organs.  Return with head and coyoles.  Lol

Edited June 11, 2018 by moog5050

[mowin]

6 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Can do the same thing with sex organs.  Return with head and coyoles.  Lol

I believe the sex organs need to be attached. Just can't hand em over.  

[moog5050]

5 minutes ago, mowin said:

I believe the sex organs need to be attached. Just can't hand em over.  

Darn.   Might as well toss out the buck package I carry around just in case.  

I guess that is some justification mowin.  Still seems odd.  Could argue he shot the elusive antlered doe too and still return with head but I will stop the what if’s.  

[WNYBuckHunter]

36 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Why sex organs with head?  Anterless and antlered not male and female.  Rack determines which tag. 

You have to leave a buck's twig and berries attached when you field dress it and take the whole animal out. Why wouldnt you in this case?

[mowin]

9 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Darn.   Might as well toss out the buck package I carry around just in case.  

I guess that is some justification mowin.  Still seems odd.  Could argue he shot the elusive antlered doe too and still return with head but I will stop the what if’s.  

Lol.  There's always what if's.  Guess I can leave the screw-in horns home too.

 

[Robhuntandfish]

Just what WNY said.  Most of the local DEC guys are pretty helpful.  But if you can email one, you then have it in writing.  

[moog5050]

5 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

You have to leave a buck's twig and berries attached when you field dress it and take the whole animal out. Why wouldnt you in this case?

You sure that is the rule John?  Being honest, I am pretty sure when I field dress, I often cut those off.  Its obviously an antlered deer (well most bucks I shot it was obvious). 

[WNYBuckHunter]

[WNYBuckHunter]

5 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

You sure that is the rule John?  Being honest, I am pretty sure when I field dress, I often cut those off.  Its obviously an antlered deer (well most bucks I shot it was obvious). 

Yes, they went over it during Haleys hunters ed course that I sat through with her a few years ago.

[moog5050]

All I read was that a deer carcass may be transported without the head but then evidence of sex must be attached.  He will have the head.  Not seeing anything that says even with the head, the sex organs must be attached.  Maybe I am missing something. 

[Keanedog]

Guys thanks for the responses.  Under transporting it says "if transporting without a head the sex organs must be intact." When I've field dressed the animal they are never left on- usually the first to be removed and discarded.  I will email my local DEC Officer so its in writing.

[WNYBuckHunter]

7 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

All I read was that a deer carcass may be transported without the head but then evidence of sex must be attached.  He will have the head.  Not seeing anything that says even with the head, the sex organs must be attached.  Maybe I am missing something. 

Ive been trying to find it on the website. They talked about it in Haleys hunters ed course, and I know Ive seen it somewhere else before as well. Its in their field dressing how to section if you can find that. I always leave that junk attached to any buck I take, always have, as thats what I was told during my hunters ed class many many moons ago.

[moog5050]

4 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

Ive been trying to find it on the website. They talked about it in Haleys hunters ed course, and I know Ive seen it somewhere else before as well. Its in their field dressing how to section if you can find that.

Like the great Scalia, I am a strict constructionist.  If it doesn't specifically say so, I refuse to read it in!

[WNYBuckHunter]

8 minutes ago, Keanedog said:

Guys thanks for the responses.  Under transporting it says "if transporting without a head the sex organs must be intact." When I've field dressed the animal they are never left on- usually the first to be removed and discarded.  I will email my local DEC Officer so its in writing.

Post up a copy of the reply you get

[WNYBuckHunter]

6 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Like the great Scalia, I am a strict constructionist.  If it doesn't specifically say so, I refuse to read it in!

Remember, the guide you get with your license, and what they have on their website, is nowhere near a complete listing of NY game laws. Ive heard it in 4 different hunters ed classes (gun and bow class for me and haley, as I sat through hers with her), so it could be buried somewhere, who knows. Leaving it until I skin them causes no issues, so I just do it regardless of what the guide says.

[moog5050]

That transporting section you quoted stands on its own John!  Cut em off, I will defend you.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Nah, Ill leave em. Usually when Im skinning a deer, the kids are out in the garage with me watching. Its fun when I say "hey guys, check it out, Im cutting his wiener off". It always gets a reaction lol.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

  § 11-0911. Procedure  on  taking  wild  deer and bear; transportation of
               wild deer.
    1. a. When a wild deer is taken the taker shall immediately  fill  in,
  using  ink,  ball point pen or indelible pencil, the deer tags issued to
  the taker as provided in regulations of the department. The taker  shall
  immediately  cut  out  or mark the month and date of kill on the tag and
  shall attach it to the deer, except that it need not be attached to  the
  deer  while  it is being dragged or physically carried by the taker to a
  camp or point where other transportation is available. The  taker  shall
  report  details of the location and date of harvest and data on the deer
  as required by regulation.
    b. When a bear is taken, the taker shall fill out the bear tag  issued
  to  taker  as provided in regulations of the department. The taker shall
  report details of the location and date of harvest and data on the  bear
  as required by regulation.
    c.   The  department  shall  adopt  regulations  for  the  tagging  or
  designating by self-locking metal seals or other means of deer of either
  sex taken in Westchester county pursuant to the provisions of  paragraph
  c  of subdivision 1, of section 11-0907, in addition to the limit of one
  deer in a license year.
    2. The taker shall remove his deer out of the woods or open country to
  a camp or other inhabited location by midnight of  the  day  immediately
  following  the  expiration of the open season in the county or part of a
  county in which the deer was taken.
    3. A person licensed to hunt deer pursuant to  this  chapter  who  has
  filled  all of his/her valid deer tags may assist and/or supervise other
  licensed hunters in hunting deer, except  that  such  person  shall  not
  shoot or attempt to shoot deer.
    4. a. The taker may transport the entire carcass of his deer, with the
  head  attached  in  a  natural  way  and his license tag attached to the
  carcass.
    b. He may detach the head  of  a  male  deer  for  mounting  only  and
  transport  it  to  a  licensed taxidermist. If the head is detached, the
  taker shall immediately attach to it a tag supplied by  himself  bearing
  his  signature,  address and license number, the name and address of the
  taxidermist and the number of points on each antler, and the head  shall
  be shipped to the taxidermist immediately. The tag shall remain attached
  to  the  head continuously until the head is received by the taxidermist
  and retained by him for six months after the head is mounted. If at  any
  time  during  transportation the head is in possession of a person other
  than the taker or a carrier, his name and address shall  be  written  on
  the tag at the time the head comes into his possession.
    c.  The  head  of a female deer with antlers not less than the minimum
  legal length may be detached for mounting.  The detached head  shall  be
  handled  in  the manner provided in this subdivision with respect to the
  head of a male deer.
    d. The taker may transport the carcass of a male deer, from  which  he
  has  removed  the  head,  if  the  carcass bears evidence of sex, or the
  carcass of a female deer from which the head has been  removed,  if  the
  metal tag is attached thereto, provided in either case that his deer tag
  is  attached  to  the  carcass  and on the reverse side of the tag there
  appears the name and address of the taxidermist to whom the head  is  to
  be delivered and the number of points on each antler.
    5. a. The taker may transport by carrier, except parcel post, one deer
  to  which  his  deer  tag  is  attached, together with an additional tag
  supplied by him stating the name and address of the consignee. He  shall
  be  in  personal attendance on the carcass of his deer while it is being
  transported by any method other than by carrier, except that if the head

 

  has not been removed, and if there  are  attached  to  the  carcass  the
  taker's  deer  tag and a tag supplied by him on which is written legibly
  in ink the name and address of the person transporting the deer and  the
  name  and  address of the consignee, the deer may be transported for him
  by another.
    b. The taker may cut  portions  of  the  meat  from  the  carcass  and
  transport  or cause them to be transported to consignees for consumption
  as food only, provided that his deer tag remains attached at  all  times
  to  the  portion  of  the carcass retained by him, and that each portion
  transported has attached a tag supplied  by  the  taker  and  personally
  signed  by him, on which he shall write legibly in ink his name, address
  and license number, the date when the portions were cut,  and  the  name
  and  address  of the consignee. If at any time during transportation any
  such portion is in possession of a person other than the  taker  or  his
  consignee,  the name and address of such person shall be written legibly
  on the tag in ink. The tag shall remain attached to the meat until it is
  prepared for consumption. Where such portions are transported wrapped or
  boxed, the outside of the package shall bear the word "venison"  and  be
  marked  as provided in this paragraph for tags.  Portions of deer tagged
  as provided in this paragraph, and packages containing portions of deer,
  so marked, may be transported by carrier except parcel post.
    6. a. The taker may  transport  the  carcass  of  the  bear,  for  the
  purposes of harvesting the gallbladder and/or bile, only if the bear tag
  is attached thereto.
    b.  No  person  taking,  possessing or transporting bear shall fail to
  comply with the mandatory  requirements  of  this  section  and  section
  11-0917 of this title.
    7.  No  person taking, possessing or transporting wild deer shall fail
  to comply with the mandatory requirements of this section, and no person
  shall possess or transport wild deer or  any  portion  of  a  wild  deer
  except  as  provided  in  this  section,  or  at a time not permitted by
  section 11-0917.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

In typical NY fashion they can make things as clear as mud. I think you can get into the whole processing into meat section and start questioning when that would actually be considered in this process but it really would be up to the officer you have in front of you as to whether you get a ticket or not.  Let's be honest. if you debone a 3.5 year old buck and take hinds, fronts, tenderloins and straps with the cape and the head you are under 100# and packable by a person in one trip. If in season, legally licensed and tagged and no other infractions I can't see a ticket getting written for a  tallywacker being left in a gut pile. 

I have processed deer right into portion sizes and into ziplocks on the tailgate of the truck in the field and then into a cooler with ice because of the high temps. At what point does it change?. I would think the western states with larger game and where this practice is the norm, would have better written laws. 

[ATbuckhunter]

NFA-ADk and my self asked a DEC officer a similar question last year. He basically said that if they catch you in the field with it quarterd, theyll either ask to see the sex organ or ask to see the kill site/ gut site. If you are already in the car and a distance away from the kill site, he would just let you go if the tag is properly filled out.