# Deer Carcasses



## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

The post about corn sacks along the roads brought to mind another subject that rubs me wrong.

If you process a deer at home, don't dump the remains off the side of the road. It looks bad and I don't need another buzzard through the windshield.

What do you do with them? Cut the carcass up into small pieces and put them out with the garbage.

TH


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## Fish Slime (May 3, 2006)

I keep them on ice unitl trash day. Then they go in a can with the rest of the trash.


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## corndog (Jun 27, 2007)

We have a spot on the lease where nobody hunts that we call the graveyard and hopefully it will also keep the coyotes away from the stands.


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## Richlyn Concepts (May 12, 2006)

corndog said:


> We have a spot on the lease where nobody hunts that we call the graveyard and hopefully it will also keep the coyotes away from the stands.


We have a designated spot on our lease as well away from any road or hunting areas.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

Trouthunter said:


> It looks bad and I don't need *another* buzzard through the windshield.


Gawd I hope you're kidding about the buzzard! I couldn't even begin to imagine the smell!

As for the carcasses, I make it a point to quarter the animal out at the ranch specifically so I'm not stuck with a carcass at home. It's much easier to take the carcass back up to the place where it died and feed nature's critters.


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## Hard Head (May 21, 2004)

We have a designated Dry Creek Bed away from all hunting activities that we dump all of the remains. The Buzzards feast!

TH, you cross it just before the gate to our place, so you know where I'm talking about.



Trouthunter said:


> The post about corn sacks along the roads brought to mind another subject that rubs me wrong.
> 
> If you process a deer at home, don't dump the remains off the side of the road. It looks bad and I don't need another buzzard through the windshield.
> 
> ...


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## Spots and Dots (May 23, 2004)

I send them with my wife to be put in a dumpster of her choice.

.......don't want my garage stinkin.


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## rlw (May 21, 2004)

If you quarter it out and leave the carcass at the lease you better be able to account for the ribs and trimin's. You have to either have them with you or have "eaten" them in camp, otherwise it's waste of game and can cost $125 at least that's what it was then 4 or 5 years ago. Not me but a friend.
Rick


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

rlw said:


> If you quarter it out and leave the carcass at the lease you better be able to account for the ribs and trimin's. You have to either have them with you or have "eaten" them in camp, otherwise it's waste of game and can cost $125 at least that's what it was then 4 or 5 years ago. Not me but a friend.
> Rick


That GW must have been having a really bad day... Depending on the deer, the ribs sometimes are just not worth it. I guess they can write a ticket for tossing out duck legs also but most people will tell you they're just not worth it and just breast them out.


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## rlw (May 21, 2004)

He prolly was, told my buddy "if you had said you ate them I wouldn't be writing this ticket." Just a heads up to save someone else the trouble.
Rick


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## Maddog (Aug 12, 2005)

The handbook states that you must only have the Backstrap, and four quarters intact until the final destination. You can discard the ribcage and lower legs as long as you have proof of male, female such as the head.


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## Hard Head (May 21, 2004)

The handbook also goes on to say Rib cage or trimmings from, or it may be consumed while in camp. So if you don't have the trimmings, just explained that you cooked it in a soup or chili and you're clear.



Maddog said:


> The handbook states that you must only have the Backstrap, and four quarters intact until the final destination. You can discard the ribcage and lower legs as long as you have proof of male, female such as the head.


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## butch (May 1, 2007)

I put carcasses in the pig traps


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## tc hardhead (Jun 19, 2006)

We have a spot where we feed them to the hogs.


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## rlw (May 21, 2004)

Mdog might want to look a little closer haven't read it this year but it was shore 'nuff in there about the trimmin's and ribs.. It shore happened to my friend.
Rick


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## BigBuck (Mar 2, 2005)

*Carcass*

We gut our deer in camp (for the most part) because we have a nice cleaning area with winches and a concrete floor. We have a gut dump, a caliche pit where we throw them. If you quarter your deer to take home we put the back, legs and ribs there also. When I process my deer at home I wrap the bones in the wrapping paper I covered the counters with, put it in a trash bag and put in freezer. (The butcher paper keeps the leg bones from poking holes in the plastic bag). On trash day it goes into the can.

I have never heard of a warden writing a ticket for that. I believe you, though. Maybe your friend did not have any trimmings off of the neck or anywhere, and the warden thought that was odd or wasteful. I always keep some of the belly and a layer off of the ribs, and take all I can off the neck, but I never keep ribs. 
BB


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

You can discard the rib cage spine pelvic and feet


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## Dani California (Jul 20, 2006)

BEER4BAIT said:


> You can discard the rib cage spine pelvic and feet


Knot anymore.

Biggie


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

Acording to the Commissioner Yes you can. I just got off the phone with the TPWD Warden office and yes you can.


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## Silverspoon (Jun 1, 2005)

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! We also employ this method of discarding what we don't take off our deer. Everything has to eat even the buzzards, coyotes and worms!


corndog said:


> We have a spot on the lease where nobody hunts that we call the graveyard and hopefully it will also keep the coyotes away from the stands.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

The Law as it is written, and this is what any Warden is going to go by.

*If there is a cold storage or processing facility (record book required, see below) established on property where hunting occurs, a person may process a deer or antelope beyond quarters. If there is not a facility, a deer or antelope may not be cut into smaller portions than a quartered carcass as defined below before the carcass reaches its final destination. *

*You are allowed to prepare for immediate consumption and eat all or a part of a properly tagged wildlife resource while in camp; however, all tagging and proof of sex regulations apply to remaining parts. *

*A quartered carcass is:*


*Not more than 2 forequarters, leg portion (down to the knee) attached to the shoulder blade; *
*2 hindquarters (leg bones down to the hock must remain attached); and *
*2 backstraps/trimmings from neck and rib cage (the boned-out neck and rib cage may be discarded). *


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## br1006 (Mar 24, 2006)

Gut and carcass pile in secluded area. Makes for great coyote hunting late in the year also! Sure does make it easy to thin them suckers out instead of calling them in all day long!


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## chad (Sep 7, 2006)

I just called one of my best friends who is a Texas State Game Warden and asked him about the ticket...he said it didn't happen in Texas. He said you don't have to save the ribs or trimmings.

On dumping the carcasses, we dump ours about 250 yards down a wide sendero from the ranch house where we have lots of practice shooting coyotes all season long.


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

You could just bring and dump it on the hiway by my place, seems as if most do. There are several cpl of mile streches of rd with no houses and I'll guarentee there will be at least 5-10 by Mon morn. On our place we have a area we call the 'bone yard' and usually the buzzards are waiting. WW


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## Hard Head (May 21, 2004)

chad said:


> I just called one of my best friends who is a Texas State Game Warden and asked him about the ticket...*he said it didn't happen in Texas. He said you don't have to save the ribs or trimmings.*
> 
> On dumping the carcasses, we dump ours about 250 yards down a wide sendero from the ranch house where we have lots of practice shooting coyotes all season long.


It may be up to the individual Warden if he choses to ask about the trimmings and or ribs, but as Trouthunter posted above, the law in the book states it plain and simple:

*A quartered carcass is:
*

*Not more than 2 forequarters, leg portion (down to the knee) attached to the shoulder blade; *
*2 hindquarters (leg bones down to the hock must remain attached); and *
*2 backstraps/trimmings from neck and rib cage (the boned-out neck and rib cage may be discarded). *


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

We dont even gut the deer, Just place on the tailgate back toward you cut the hide down the back and skin one side. Remove the front and hind quarters, backstrap and slit gently down the short ribs and remove the loin. Flip repeat and take the head, chunk the junk, takes me 10-15 minutes to get one in the box.


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## chad (Sep 7, 2006)

All I have to say is if you got a ticket from a game warden for not having the "trimmings" he must have just found out that his wife was cheating on him and his best hunting dog just died...

Game Warden friend also said if you did get a ticket for this there is no way it would hold up in court.


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

With the way some bullets 'blood line' the mid section or a shoulder this makes NO sense, but I have always told my boys watch what you say and how you say it. WW


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

BEER4BAIT said:


> We dont even gut the deer, Just place on the tailgate back toward you cut the hide down the back and skin one side. Remove the front and hind quarters, backstrap and slit gently down the short ribs and remove the loin. Flip repeat and take the head, chunk the junk, takes me 10-15 minutes to get one in the box.


yep, our variation...

take whole ungutted deer
hang by back legs on gambrel.
hedge clipper off front legs
skin down to head, leave skin on
filet of front shoulders
filet off straps
make small cut thru side, filet out inside tenderloins
cut around hams thru ball joint until carcass drops off or saw cut
hedge clip both rear legs off gambrel
of course you will have some trimmings along the way.
#3 washtub under gambrel catches the mess
very quick. 15 mins easy...


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## baldhunter (Oct 8, 2004)

We all need to respect the great outdoors and leave it the way we found it.Proper disposal of our litter adds to our enjoyment while we're out there.We spend many hours traveling to and from our hunting grounds in this Great State,tie that stuff down!We darn sure shouldn't be scattering ribs and backbones along our roads.Leave them at your hunting grounds or put them in the trash.


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## Dani California (Jul 20, 2006)

BEER4BAIT said:


> We dont even gut the deer, Just place on the tailgate back toward you cut the hide down the back and skin one side. Remove the front and hind quarters, backstrap and slit gently down the short ribs and remove the loin. Flip repeat and take the head, chunk the junk, takes me 10-15 minutes to get one in the box.


When I went to the hunter education class at the racetrack this is exactly what the wardens taught us they were trying to prevent! They want you to make an attempt to de bone the neck and rib cage therefore no meat goes to waste. The commisioner can say what he wants because really none of them enforce the same exact rules anyway. No offense meant Beer4Bait, just passing on info that you are in violation. The new rule went into effect about 4 or so years ago. Read it clearly and you will see that you either have the neck and rib cage ( which is the way i was taught years ago) or you de-bone the neck and rib cage. This also teaches good ethics to our younger hunters.

Biggie


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

you can have mine, never partial to ribs even in sausage, we used to boil it and feed it to the bird dogs for a treat


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## Dani California (Jul 20, 2006)

CoastalOutfitters said:


> you can have mine, never partial to ribs even in sausage, we used to boil it and feed it to the bird dogs for a treat


What mom would do with the neck was put it in a big crock pot. You talk about gravy.
The ribs need to go into the sausage or on the camp pit. Don't forget your tender loins.

Biggie


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## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

Game Warden: I don't see neck and rib trimmings.

Hunter: Check the belly of our camp cat.


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

Didn't we do this last year?

I am sure someone will correct me, but my understanding of the "quartered carcass" definition is that it is used in telling you how far you can break down the meat before it reaches the point of processing. There is a separate section on waste of game meat that you can be cited under if you fail to recover the meat properly.
Neck trimmings make good sausage or hamburger and I hear that a whole neck (cleaned out of non-muscle of course) makes a great roast or taco meat if slow cooked in a pit with coals.

How much meat do most of you get when you trim out the rib cage on an 80 pound doe?

DO NOT RELY ON MY POST WHEN THE GAME WARDEN STOPS YOU! READ THE REGULATIONS FOR YOURSELF.

For reference only:

Quartered carcass rule under "Processing Carcass in Camp."

Waste of Game


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## garrettryan (Oct 11, 2004)

Doesn't everyone on their lease have a Bone Yard? a place where they feed the ***** and yotes? Gut Pile? That is where I have always drug my carcass too. Bring home the meat and the head...


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## rlw (May 21, 2004)

Chad I'll be sure and let my buddy know that he didn't have to send in that check, even after talking to the judge. It was down near Cotulla maybe the rules are different down there. And yes we did do this last year it was me who brought it up trying to help out.
Sorry,
Rick


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## chad (Sep 7, 2006)

RLW,

I would like to know the name of the Game Warden that wrote the ticket. How many years ago was this? My GW buddy who I have been asking these questions to is the Game Warden for LaSalle County, and has been for the last 3 or 4 years. 

If it was my buddy (who is one of my best friends) who wrote your friend the ticket I would like to know because I will never let him hear the end of it for writting such a b*** s*** ticket.


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