Dead heads...Did you know?

[nvhunter]

Did you know that the rule about picking up dead heads has been changed? Before you pick it up you now are supposed to call NDOW when you find a dead head and they are supposed to investigate it, if they deem it died of natural causes then you can get a tag to keep it. If they deem it died from ANY sort of man made causes then they can keep it, that i believe even includes being hit by a car. Supposed to keep people from shooting them and going back later to pick them up.

 

[downsouth]

Where exactly did you hear or see this? I've heard this is there new rule but have not seen it anywhere yet in writing.

 

[nvhunter]

i haven't done any looking for the rule yet. But did see a writeup that a game warden gave a taxi friend of mine stating the above. If i get a little time i will try to look around for it.

 

[mevertsen]

Its not a rule that says you can't pick up dead heads. It is the written rule that you must have a tag to go with any big game parts. No tag, its considered illegally taken.

NRS 502.150 - page 21 of the 2010 hunt book.

"1. Whenever tags are required for any species of wildlife, it is unlawful to have any of that species in possession without the tag attached thereto and such possession without an attached tag is prima facie evidence that the game is illegally taken and possessed."

 

[D13er]

and....any booner dead head will be an "illegal" kill and you'll never see it again.


JB

 

[NV4Life]

mevertsen - Well according to that sheds would be a no-no as well.

There have been some incidences in the last couple years regarding this law that have made them step up and either write a new law or enforce an existing law. I ran into some off duty game wardens hunting sheep that had picked up a couple sheep deadheads and were going to keep them for themselves, I asked them what the law was and they told me ?If there is a law we don't enforce it?.

 

[mevertsen]

NV4life - I have seen before where there was an exception for this, and it specifically stated shed antlers are allowed to be picked up, providing it still had the pedicle (sp?), but I am having a hard time finding it now.

Either way, just because someone else does something, does not make it right. I don't know about you, but I sure wouldn't want to get caught with a sheep head that the Dept. didn't know I have.

I do have a sheep head in my possession now, and no tag. It took a long time, and signing my life away to get it. I found two sheep two weeks apart in Lamoille during the pneumonia outbreak, and I was able to get one. I had to have it photographed, signed a waiver that I would not sell it, etc. Essentially that is my tag, and I can now legally possess it, but it was a pain to get it. When I found it, I notified the biologist, and they came out and photographed it in place, etc. to make sure it wasn't taken illegally.

 

[downsouth]

There were a lot of people that were allowed to keep deadheads during that pneumonia outbreak. I would image it would be a nightmare to say that those people we ok, but some guy that finds a deer or elk or another ram for that matter is not.

mevertsen - I really think the law you referenced is a little vague regarding what we are talking about here. If you were to follow that law, any guy who didn't hang on to a tag after killing a buck legally would be in violation of said law. If I've got a buck hanging in my house, that's 20 years old and I don't still have a tag would I be breaking the law. I really don't believe that is the intent of that specific law, but like any law, you can read into in however you want.

 

[nevadanative]

on the tag nothing is said about keeping it attached to the head, all thats said is that it has to remain with the meat untill it is completly consumed, after that you can get rid of it. NDOW has the right to keep any animal you pick up find ect. because all parts of any animal old or new are property of the state unless you legaly harvested it (shoot, catch, snare, trap, lions inspected and sealed, sheep plugged and numbered, lower jaw from a bobcat has to be turned in b-4 its sealed and sold ect.) they dont have time or the man power to regulate the whole state. but if they hear about and or see pictures of the right amount of evidence worthy of persueing something of intrest they will.

 

[pathfinder]

http://www.ndow.org/learn/cab/douglas/112310_minutes.pdf
it states "
6. DISCUSSION ON SHED ANTLER COLLECTION.
Chairman Turnipseed thinks this is a problem in the Ely area but not in the western part of the
state.
Jake Kramer talked about rock piling and said this practice sometimes occurs. In the past the
Department has allowed people to collect dead heads but now they are trying to adhere to
NRS which states no dead head should be possessed without a tag.
Eric Scheetz added the Mule Deer Restoration Committee wants to keep this as a stand
alone issue.
No public comment and no action was taken.
DOUGLAS COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD TO MANAGE WILDLIFE
Minutes of November 23, 2010, 2010 Meeting
The DOUGLAS COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD TO MANAGE WILDLIFE was scheduled for 5:30
p.m. on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2010, 2010 in the CVIC HALL 1602 ESMERALDA AVE,
MINDEN, NEVADA.
PRESENT: Chairman Michael Turnipseed
Bob Cook
Eric Scheetz
Kevin Servatius



Hope that helps

 

[downsouth]

Those are meeting minutes from a County Advisory Board Meeting, they mean nothing. The NDOW really just needs to come out with a written rule regarding deadheads, and let the public know about it. The shed laws are coming as well. I'm sure by next spring they will be in effect.

 

[Dawgs]

Yes, I talked to one of the guys who will be enforcing this here in Ely. He said we do have to report deadheads, and, no, this doesn't mean anything about sheds. He did say not to worry about what you already have. They're just enforcing that old law about having the tag attached. He also seemed quite eager to bust people on ATV's.

 

[fatrooster]

Went out with a friend this year who found a nice deadhead. He wanted to do a european mount with it and took it to the taxidermist. The taxi could not legally do anything with it unless he had an affidavid. So we got a hold of the game warden and had to take him to the dead carcass so that he could investigate the cause of death. The game warden, Fred Esparza, found that to the best of his knowledge the cause of death was from fighting with another buck. There was fur and broken brush in a spread out area of about 70 yards. He pulled a metal detector out of his back pack and looked for lead bullets on the ground in the area.

Spent most of the day with him and had some great conversation. I can truley say that I don't envy a Game Wardens job. They spend thier time out mostly alone confronting people who normally have weapons. I really enjoyed the day and learned quite a bit from him. My buddy got the affidavid and is currently getting the head mounted.
You can pick up deadheads but need to get a GPS coordinate or be ready to take the Warden to the carcass. Laws do change so be aware that you need to keep up with the changes in order to be legal.
Thanks to all the Game Wardens who work hard and put thier lives on the line to protect the game I love so much. fatrooster.

 

[rubymountaineer]

Great post fatrooster. You hit the nail on the head when you said it is all about wildlife protection. The tougher deadhead process is certainly not as easy as just picking it up but nine times out of ten the finder will get to have the head and it will be documented and recorded protecting not only the resource but the FINDER.

Getting NDOW involved right from the start just makes a lot of sense and is not difficult. That deadhead may be missing evidence from an active or cold case investigation, or a new crime scene in it's own right or an important biological clue to animal or herd health.

One other thought to consider, what if you are transporting or hauling your "found" head into your house and someone reports that you have a "poached animal" to Operation Game Thief? How will you provide proof that you legally obtained and now possess the head? In my view, it is much better to get everything looked at before rather than later concerning deadhead pickups and it is something we can all easily do to further conserve Nevada's big game.