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Quartering deer in Iowa?

flugge

flugge

Well-Known Member
Anyone know the actual law on this? We’ve been told no by the local CO. But can’t find anything more than his word.


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Can you quarter a deer out to get it out of the woods?


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Ive been looking at regs, just says deer just be properly tagged before processing. I would assume that if you tag it properly, get your harvest number, and have both tags attached you can cut and quarter that bugger??
 
Yeah that’s what we thought... I mean it beats trying to drag a big one out. We do have a hilarious video of getting one out. Some of me wonders if they said no because if CWD scare. I don’t know. Have a few other calls in because I want a true yes or no, but I start hunting by myself tomorrow and won’t be able to get one out of the hills up here by myself unless it’s Bambi



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I called my local CO and he said it was fine. He essentially told me to tag it and quarter it, but you can't process it in the field and leave anything behind besides the gut pile.

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meyeri said:
I called my local CO and he said it was fine. He essentially told me to tag it and quarter it, but you can't process it in the field and leave anything behind besides the gut pile.

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This was 2 yrs ago.

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Before the hunting regs became so vague it did say a deer had to come out whole.
I know of one case where a DNR officer did grant a hunter permission to do the gutless method on getting a deer out.
The decision is probably up to each CO if permission is granted or not.
This law was on the books way before CWD was even a issue here in Iowa.
 
One officer has told me absolutely not and I'd get a ticket, never said what for he was just adamantly against it. Another officer one county over told me it was fine. Both were NE Iowa counties
 
Polk county CO said it was fine as long as the deer was registered and 2nd tag is attached.
 
This is an example where the regs are not super clear and depending on which CO you ask, you may get a different answer. While overall I admire and appreciate the job that all DNR Officers do...I find this type of ambiguity very annoying. I think I have cut and pasted the relevant language in the IDNR regs that govern tagging and movement of deer, etc.

If you follow the stated regs below, and I think you can and still quarter a deer out and transport it from the field to the freezer, etc., then how can you be fairly fined for quartering a deer? It is not, that I can find, expressly forbidden in the regs. What basis would a CO have to cite you?

TAGGING REQUIREMENTS
The head and antlers (if any) must remain attached to the carcass until it is processed for consumption.

MANDATORY HARVEST REPORTING FOR DEER AND WILD TURKEY
Hunters who harvest a deer or wild turkey must report the harvest to the DNR by midnight on the day after it is tagged, or before taking it to a locker or taxidermist, or before processing it for consumption, or before transporting it out-of-state, whichever occurs first.

Transportation Tag
A Transportation Tag with the date of kill properly shown shall be visibly attached to the deer or turkey within 15 minutes of the time it is located
after being taken or before the carcass is moved to be transported by any means, whichever occurs first, in a manner that the tag cannot be removed without mutilating or destroying it.

This tag shall be proof of possession and remain affixed to the carcass until the animal is processed for consumption. The head, and antlers if any, shall remain attached to the deer while being transported from the place where taken to the processor or commercial preservation facility or until the deer has been processed for consumption.
 
Is there any case law? Has anybody ever been given a ticket for quartering for the purpose of getting the meat out of the field? What did the judge say?

Maybe ask about cutting it in half instead of quarters?

Personally I'm all about doing things the right way to avoid any problems, BUT, I'd cut it in halves or quarters and get it out. What is the alternative? A ticket for wanton waste? If push came to shove and the CO is suspicious that you have parts of 4 different deer I'd politely request they do a DNA test to prove their suspicions. There is no "intent" in your scenario.
 
it doesn't make much sense..because you can do the gutless method like you would do out west and not waste a bit of meat, but here we can't leave anything behind.. so even if you quarter it out you still have to go in and carry everything out.
 
Daver said:
Ok, but if you have phoned it in and double tagged it...wouldn't you be in the clear?

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Yes, that is what I meant. Once called in and double tagged you can start processing for consumption which quartering or deboning is that process.
 
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