Going elk hunting in Colorado

[Shane]

I just got invited on a private land elk hunt in Colorado in early November (3rd rifle season). It's a small 120 acre place somewhere south of Spanish Peaks, NE of Trinidad. Sounds like the place is between some public land and some private alfalfa fields, so there should be some elk on it. It might be more of a shoot than a hunt, but I'm looking forward to putting some elk in the freezer.

At any rate, I've been looking through the regs, and I have a question for you guys that hunt Colorado..... In looking at the tagging procedure requirements, it says that the tag has to be attached to the carcass of the animal. It also says that evidence of sex requires you to keep either the head with antlers attached to the carcass or genitals attached to the carcass. If the carcass is cut into pieces or deboned, evidence of sex needs to be attached to a quarter or another major part of the carcass.

So if I get an elk and bone out the meat, what do I need to keep for a carcass tag and proof of sex? Can I keep a hind quarter with genitals still attached and bone out the rest of the animal? Can I keep the antlers and head still attached to the neck and rib cage and bone out all the meat? How much carcass do you have to keep?

[Buckshot-73]

I can't help with your question, but congratulation's on the hunt of a lifetime.

That is some beautiful country.

[Ironman]

You can bone it all out, but keep some hide with genitals attached to that muscle.

[unclefish]

I just took mine to a processor last week in Colorado and they said that was the best way to do it....leave the nuts attached to a hind quarter. If you skin the hind quarter out most of the way...leave the nuts attached and put in a ziplock bag....skin attached to the quarter. Yes you can bone out the rest of the animal.

Oh and you will need 2 120 quart coolers for a bull elk deboned.

[Grizz83]

Can I keep a hind quarter with genitals still attached and bone out the rest of the animal?

This is all you need to do.

Then you can bone out the rest however you want.

[Still Hunter]

Excellent video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4kJIrW1IDM

[ShawnG]

Good luck!! Sounds like a lot of fun!

[ShockValue]

Wrap the junk in a Baggie with a rubber band to secure on a ham.

[Shane]

Thanks for the info, guys.

So I can leave the genitals attached to a boned-out ham if I want to, as opposed to a full hind quarter with all the meat still attached to the bone?

And I'd already thought about getting a pack of elk condoms to keep from tainting the meat.

[ShockValue]

Thanks for the info, guys.

So I can leave the genitals attached to a boned-out ham if I want to, as opposed to a full hind quarter with all the meat still attached to the bone?

And I'd already thought about getting a pack of elk condoms to keep from tainting the meat.

Hehe. You said taint.

[Shane]

Hehe. You said taint.

Wait.....I gotta keep the taint too?? Dang it!!

[Ironman]

Thanks for the info, guys.

So I can leave the genitals attached to a boned-out ham if I want to, as opposed to a full hind quarter with all the meat still attached to the bone?

And I'd already thought about getting a pack of elk condoms to keep from tainting the meat.

Yep! Don't have to keep quarter intact. Condom isn't a bad idea......ever!

[Redraider]

U lucky dog

[Aggie PhD]

Hey Shane, we leave a nut attached to the hind leg. We don't bone it out.

We are hunting close to you in the 2nd season. We go through Gulnare and Spanish peaks is just to our north. There is a processor in Aguillar that others in our group have used. We also hunt a small (300 acre place) and have blinds set up in spots that we know the elk move through

[Shane]

U lucky dog

I know, man. My BIL got invited, and they said he could bring my dad and me with him. Every now and then a BIL comes through with something good.

Hey Shane, we leave a nut attached to the hind leg. We don't bone it out.

We are hunting close to you in the 2nd season. We go through Gulnare and Spanish peaks is just to our north. There is a processor in Aguillar that others in our group have used. We also hunt a small (300 acre place) and have blinds set up in spots that we know the elk move through

Cool. I'm not exactly sure where I'll be, but it sounds like I may be a little west of your place, but in that same general area.