Well on this past quota I shot a buck, there's not a check station and I wasn't near home so I did what I've done countless times. I shucked his drawers, quartered him up and threw him on ice. Well two days later at camp we get a visit from the Warden. He was a real nice guy while thoroughly checking us out and gave me a warning citation for untagged deer meat. Now I've read that in the regs before but have never really understood it and never heard of anyone enforcing it. Heck, there's normally not a lot of time during most seasons when I don't have a deer on ice riding in my truck and Ive never taggged meat. Anybody on here ever tag your meat in the cooler or got any hassle for not doing it.
Well there is such a thing. In citrus wma when you get a deer, they do place a tag on the deer similar to a cites tag used for alligator hunting. When hunting WMA and there is not a check station, you call it in. How do I know this, I was storing some deer meat in my camper on a wma for someone else and guess who the game warden visited. He asked who shot it, address, weight of animal etc. I did not have it so I got a lecture and a warning. Where as the party I was camping with clouded there stories so they would not go through the same thing.
So you call the FWC, and they will give you a number.
And anytime someone gives you deer meat make sure you get there name, address, date of kill, location ( county and WMA if necessary), weight and male of female of the animal. Otherwise you are in for a long lecture.
If you are on a lease, get the tags from the owner or club president.
Been there, done that. Cover thy butt from now on.
Never have I called one in not a law yet to do so.Tagging is only putting your info on the deer as to who shot it- info. you still need to keep the evidence of sex- antlers- organs.
This is the rule
Deer and turkeys may be dismembered in the field or camp, however tags must be attached to each portion identifying names, addresses and hunting FWC customer ID numbers (if hunting licenses are required) of the persons who harvested them with date and location at which they were taken. These tags must be readily traceable to the portion of the animal bearing sex identification. On some WMAs, deer and hogs cannot be dismembered until checked at designated check stations. Bear may be field dressed (gutted) but not skinned, quartered or otherwise dismembered until after the bear is checked at an FWC bear check station. After being checked, a bear may be dismembered in the field or camp, however tags must be attached to each portion identifying name, address and FWC customer ID number of the persons who harvested it.
Yeah I have checked numerous bucks in at Citrus and several other areas with stations and got the little FWC plastic snap tags. But I agree with Ted, I have never heard of calling one in nor is there a law for it. Like I said I was aware of the rule for tagging just never heard of or see anyone really doing it. I told him I had shot a doe in there during archery and handled it the same way and he pretty much said had he checked me and I didn't have the head to prove its sex we would have been visiting the gut pile for verification. I definitely see the reasoning behind it and I'll be sure to have my crap straight next time to avoid any confusion. It seems like if this is what they want that they would provide us a source for the proper tags . That would eliminate a lot of problems.
