tagging

[stack]

So I have been watching a few of the deer killing shows on TV, not hunting just killing, and I have noticed that when they kill a deer and recover it right away they make a big deal about tagging it. When they have to wait over night and then find it was eaten by yotes they never say anything about putting a tag on it. Do you think they tag it or just grab the head and try again? Seems to me they should tag it just the same, they did kill it.

[kevsuperg]

hmmmm thats a tough one.
i've never run into this myself but it would seem that ethics and  morals would dictate that you tag it.
 i'll be interested to read the responses.

[aim small...release]

I saw just this same thing last night. the guy said he was happy to.put his tag on this trophy even though it had been eaten.

[centaur]

I would tag it if I killed it.

[Wandering Archer]

I've heard rangers tell hunters to keep the tag since an animal got it and they didn't. Of course, that's hearsay, laws and your own morals may say differently.

[Thumper Dunker]

If you take any part of it home you better tag it.

[macbow]

I've know guys that tagged large bucks even when found,a,week later. If,it was a,lesser,rack or a,doe I know it would not have been tagged.

I'm more of a meat hunter, if I lost a deer,to a,poor shot placement or elements or coyotes I probably would not use my tag. If I gave it as much effort as possible to recover the animal I would feel OK about saving the tag.

[Cwilder]

In Maryland we get a bunch of tags and I have burned one on a deer that was found by animals before I found it.

[mgf]

If the critters eat it, let them tag it.

[aim small...release]

I saw just this same thing last night. the guy said he was happy to.put his tag on this trophy even though it had been eaten.

[Jerry Jeffer]

If I'm taking any of it, I tag.

[Matty]

I would think that the TV personalities would do the right thing and tag it. Being that there was an actual documentation of the whole thing. If there was an "audit" so to speak couLdnt they be punished for poaching otherwise...?

[Cavscout9753]

I'm on the fence. Down here we get a lot of "tags", as in we just fill the date in on our card, no physical "tag" on the animal. With 10 antler-less and 2 antlered deer, I would fill it in regardless. But growing up in NY you got one buck and a lottery for doe, sometimes 1,sometimes 2.  Thats a bit trickier. Growing up we also counted on the meat for the year, these days I do not. So the circumstances are a little different. Now if you shot a doe, and then found it eaten by coyotes and you did not salvage it I can see not tagging it. Though if it was a buck and you even just wanted the antlers I would say you tag it. Like said above, once to claim and remove any portion of the animal, tag it. If its a good buck and you just want the antlers I would call DNR and ask if its ok to not tag it. Worst case is they say no and that you have to tag it. To me the risk isnt worth it, the only thing worse than blowing a tag is getting your hunting license revoked.

[Bowwild]

Matty,
You are correct that video evidence is used to make cases. I know of one made in KY a few years ago.

[drewsbow]

I have tagged and will tag any deer I kill even if I don't get anything from it , I still killed that deer period.

[RAU]

Here in pa if you can show a warden that an animal is unfit for consumption they will issue you a replacement tag. That would be what I would do if most of my meat was eaten by predators. I'd tag and take the carcass to game commission headquarters and see if they wouldn't give me a new tag. If not id just scavenge all I could from what was left after they told me no

[Whip]

If you can't salvage the meat but do take the antlers and thus use a tag, you had better document why you didn't take the meat.  Otherwise you might open yourself up to a fine for wanton waste of meat.  It is illegal in most states, and rightfully so, to only keep the antlers of animals shot.  Make sure to have photo evidence of why you cut off the antlers and didn't take any meat.