Attaching tags to deer/elk

[Power]

I've found Zip ties work great for this as well as closing the bags for heart & liver. They have dozens of uses out in the field from creating blinds to replacing a broken lace on your boot. I usually carry a dozen or so and they hardly take any room at all.

[boneguru]

they are beginning to rank in uses only surpassed by hundred mile an hour tape, (duct tape), Raymond

[Tony D]

Sorta related to your topic:  I read in a book about deer huning where the author, as a young man had killed a nice buck.  He tagged it, field dressed it and went for help.  When he returned, there was a group of "hunters" posing for pictures with his deer.  Because they were outnumbered, he backed off and called a game warden.  The warden told him there wasn't a lot he could do - their word against his.  The warden then told him a little trick:  Cut the tongue from the deer and put it in a baggie to keep with you.  Now when you get the game warden, you have proof!

[Power]

I do a similar trick especially with the Elk hunting around here. Usually I have some bite-size candy bars in my pocket. When I get an animal down first thing I do is shove one of those rappers as far up it's nose as I can get it. Then I notch my tag and begin dressing out the animal. If anyone ever tries to take it I'll get a warden (programmed in my cell phone) and confront the guy later. Although the DNA of the tongue is a good 2nd-ary idea too in case it ever went that far.

[Robert]

Chances are the other guys aint carrying fresh cut Ivories around in the woods with them, they might not even notice they are gone when they are claiming your Elk.  When you return with F&G they will have a very rude awakening when he asks them where the Ivories are....Busted...

[Big]

What are Ivories?

[Power]

Ivories are the two "Eye" teeth from (usually) an Elk. The canines. They are the teeth you see in the back of Bugle magazine that they make so much jewelry out of.

[savageT]

Here's one I just learned to ID your trophy.  Place a coin of your choice deep inside the ear before leaving.  That way only you know its there and if by chance you should lose the tag, or someone else has claimed the prize you can tell the conservation officer it's yours.  I placed a "quarter in the left ear".


Jim

[SLAVAGE]

zip ties are great but now they got clear duck tape so its still gona be
#1 for a few more years lol

[weasel]

I like the zip ties too, works good to get them too long, that way you can wrap it around the horn twice, if the warden checks you, cut it off in front of the eye, then you can reuse it

[52bagman]

Here in WV we have a two tag system, a field tag and after check in a checked tag. Before doing anything to my downed beast I fill out and place the field tag in the mouth. By the time field dressing and such is done the jaw is set.
Never have I lost an animal but have heard stories locally of people that have.

[LanceR]

I carry an extra pin on orange back tag holder in pack.  I put the carcass tag in it and pin it to the flap of belly meat at the gutting incision where it is out of the way.  You could drag the deer through 100 yards of barbed wire and the tag will still be there safe , clean and out of the way. 

As far as the comment about a DNA test, around here (New York) the conservation officer can take a DNA sample at a cost of around $400.  That fee is charged to guilty parties along with any fines and surcharges.  Also, since they are not filming a crime drama they don't get DNA results after the commercial break.  It takes months.  A recent deer jacking case took 10 months to get the DNA test results but resulted in over $1200 in fines and surcharges and a 5 year license revocation along with the $400 test fee.  The guilty party had challenged the conservation officer with "So, prove it!"  As they left court a year later the guy came up to the officer and shook his hand saying "You did a hell of a job.  I never thought you'd catch me."  Strange world, huh?

Lance