I've been looking into going to CO to hunt elk and came across this tid bit on page 13 of the reg book where it talks about leaving evidence of sex attached to the carcass.

"4. If a carcass is cut in pieces or deboned,
evidence of sex only needs to be attached
to a quarter or another major
part of carcass. All portions must be
transported together."

If I read and understand this right a guy hunting solo back packing his elk out in multiple trips would not be legal....Is this right?

You might want to check with the DOW, but I don't think carrying the animal out of the woods is considered transporting.

Maybe just me, but I feel that CO is a VERY hunter friendly state and I think if you walked back to the area of the kill with sex evidence it would be OK.

But, better safe than sorry, call DOW, they are very firendly and knowlegable.

You can make more than one trip, way I understand it though, it is advisable to pack out the piece of meat with evidence of sex attached to it on the first trip and put it where it is safe, then bring the rest of the meat out, that way if critters get to the carcass before you have it all packed out, you will have evidence of sex for trasnporting it down the highway, and antlers don't count for evidence off sex. That was a really long sentence:) Glad we don't get graded on here for grammar!

yes the evidence is to be attached to one of the hind 1/4s. Hauling the meat out of the woods in packs will take a numbers of round trips.   And then all the meat needs to be kept together while transporting home/to the processors.
You will love hunting elk.

If the CO has a problem invite him up the hill to give you a hand!

Str8jct - That sentence is not written very well. From harvest site to camp evidence of sex does not need to be on EVERY quarter. However, once the meat is centrally located IE camp or vehicle there must be evidence of sex on one quarter of your animal.

Injoy yourself but beware it is very additive. As long as you have it attacted to one hind leg you will be fine and yes Co is very out of state friendly that is one of the reasions I hunt there. The real trick is geting one into stickbow range I have no problem getting them into compound or muzzle loader range but stickbow is harder for me but I keep trying someday it will happen will I guess it already did I passed up a 8yrd shot at a calf two years ago.   Widow

Rosco thats what I was thinking.  Thanks for the input guys, Im adding this to list of questions to ask when I call.

Check this out it's a real good video and Fred explains it well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGCAY5Amvn4

My 3 DYI trips this issue has yet to come up as I did not get close enough (though I did get 50-80 yd range each trip).  I think just get it down the hill the best you can.  As long as it is attached on one of the hind quarters you are ok.  They did not specify in what order you bring it off the mountain.  As long as it is somewhere.  On the other hand talking to different locals about this they give me a blank stare.  No local I have talked to abides by this rule.  That being said just because locals don't do it  doesn't mean you should be an outlaw.

I want to add one more thing.  The first couple years I hunted my unit you had a choice of a cow tag or for more money an either sex tag.  The last few years it has been an either sex tag only.  If you have bought the more expensive either sex tag "Who cares?". As long as it is an elk you couldn't have broke a law.

You can shoot either with an either sex tag, but trust me, you still need to abide by it.  Its probably the one of the most commonly broken and ticketed  wildlife laws in Colorado.  

If you get checked with a carcass, its very likely they will check evidence of sex.  Its their discretion as to a warning or citation, but they usually check it from what I've seen.

Easy enough law to follow, but I've accidently disconnected the evidence a couple times.  After dark, on the side of mountain, dressing a critter by headlamp, it's easy to cut just a little more than you intended.

Not much you can do at that point other than put it in with the meat and hope for the best if you meet the wildlife officer.

I totally agree you need to abide by it.  But your senerio of quartering an elk on the side of a remote mountain rings true with me. Every time I elk hunt in the back of my mind I wonder how in the #%^* am I going to get an elk out of here.  In fact I have passed up on some great spots as I know I can't do it.  I just question a law that states you have to show evidence of sex when you have the more expensive either sex tag?  if you carry a cow only tag it makes perfect sense.  With an either sex tag who cares?  You would be legal either way unless you are trying to pass off a mule deer or a bear as an elk.

Brazos, you have to do it so you don't go back and shoot a cow after you have shot a bull, or more likely scenario, you shoot a cow and see a bull packing it out. Plus you can debone your meat and leave the proof attached to a large chunk of meat, I make sure I have a big ziploc for this piece of meat and keep it segreated from the loose meat in the canvas bag. I won't pack bones out of the hills unless they have a whopper set of antlers attached to them and that ain't happened yet.

That was a cool video...

How would taking two elk out at once and only keeping proof of sex for one elk be any different then shooting two elk and filling out your either sex tag saying it was one or the other?  Neither of us work the CWD so arguing doesn't do any good.  I still stand by my statement that keeping proof of sex when you hold an either sex tag is stupid.  Think about it.  If you shoot a cow and have an either sex tag why would you lie to the game warden and say you shot a bull?  If you shot a bull and had an either sex tag why would you lie and tell the warden you shot a cow?  Taking multiple elk out with one proof of sex is exactly no difference then taking out multiple elk out with one license/tag.  Either way it's illegal.  Again just do what CWD says and you will be fine.  I just think its stupid if you hold an either sex tag.  If it went to court what are they going to charge you with?  Shooting a bull with an either sex tag or shooting a cow with an either sex tag?

your preaching to the choir:) that's just the only thing my mind has come up with since I started hunting here 5 years ago to explain it. Thought that just crossed my mind though is that they just want to make one rule for transportation for all the types of seasons. Most rifle tags are for one sex. That probably makes more sense than my original idea. Some of the seasons do overlap too. And also in some areas, you can get an either sex tag and a cow tag, that might play in it too.

...Or maybe they just want to keep track of the animals killed.

QuoteOriginally posted by SCATTERSHOT:
...Or maybe they just want to keep track of the animals killed.

NAH! They do that with after the season (scientific) polls! There's no check in stations or anything, just occasional email polls.