Transporting and maintaining CWD legality
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Blank
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It is a real pain in the azz. Judgement call on inspecting officer but it says no meat or tissue. I have seen them turn people back and send to power wash the skulls. I've also seen the exact opposite, and lackadaisical inspection. Prepare the best you can, clean as possible, and cross your fingers
WVHUNTER
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I went on a Saskatchewan whitetail hunt and the outfitter told us that previously people had problems getting across the border with their antlers. We spent hours scraping those skull plates with hunting knives to get all the flesh and membrane off.
We got to the border about midnight and the guy that comes out says he is customs and those animal parts are fish and wildlife and they aren't there so go in this little building and fill out the forms. No one looked at our wildlife parts.
But if you want to be legal you have the right idea of boiling them. I don't know how you could get the brain matter and membrane out of the skull without boiling.
Of course some people throw them in the back of the truck and drive home, or so I've been told.
We got to the border about midnight and the guy that comes out says he is customs and those animal parts are fish and wildlife and they aren't there so go in this little building and fill out the forms. No one looked at our wildlife parts.
But if you want to be legal you have the right idea of boiling them. I don't know how you could get the brain matter and membrane out of the skull without boiling.
Of course some people throw them in the back of the truck and drive home, or so I've been told.
elkassassin
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You've NEVER Personally Tried It Though,Right?
Blank
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Here's the Idaho requirements in the CWD rules for what's legal. WY is similar.
- Meat that is cut and wrapped
- Quarters or deboned meat that does not include brain or spinal tissue
- Edible organs that do not include brains
- Hides without heads
- Upper canine teeth (ivories)
- Finished taxidermy
- Dried antlers
- Cleaned and dried skulls or skull caps
- Skull caps that do not include brain or spinal tissue
WVHUNTER
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I will have to plead the fifth on that.You've NEVER Personally Tried It Though,Right?
devobrodie
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I was also looking at that because I have a tag for Nevada, I thought it said from states that have CWD, and I looked at the map on the Idaho website and Nevada did not show up as one of the CWD states, wonder if I can bring a skull back from Nevada without boiling it out?
Blank
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The Idaho regs specifically say any state or territory identified as having CWD, and Nevada still claims to be disease free and it is not on Idaho's list. So, technically you're OK, but if you get an over-zealous inspector, is it worth the hassle?? Nothing says it has to be boiled out, just cleaned. Pull the brains out with a wire hook or coat hanger, then power wash in a car wash.
devobrodie
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Thanks, that's what I was thinking. I did the car wash trick last year in Emmett on my wife's bull, saves on the mess with the big drain grates, not sure what the owner would think, but I cleaned up everything before leaving.
Blank
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The problem now isn't so much the cleanliness, but with elk antlers is the size of the rack. If it is not B&C quality, you definitely need to cut in half thru skull plate, or cut antlers off at the bases. A good taxidermist has not problem re-attaching properly for your mount. Up until about 10 years ago, you just braced the beams, covered the points, and they charged you $50. No more muchacho!! The last set of moose antlers we shipped thru Old Dominion, and they were $450!!
We have both United and Delta here in Idaho Falls. Here's a quote from United:
"Each customer can travel with one set of antlers or animal horns. If you’re traveling between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, we’ll charge $150 for each item. For all other travel, we’ll charge $200. This charge is on top of any charges for extra bags that may apply.
We'll accept antler or animal horns if they meet the following conditions:
We have both United and Delta here in Idaho Falls. Here's a quote from United:
"Each customer can travel with one set of antlers or animal horns. If you’re traveling between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, we’ll charge $150 for each item. For all other travel, we’ll charge $200. This charge is on top of any charges for extra bags that may apply.
We'll accept antler or animal horns if they meet the following conditions:
- The size of the aircraft and load conditions allow them
- The antlers are as free of residue as possible
- You must wrap any skulls and properly protect the antler tips
- The linear dimensions (total length + width + height) for the antlers can’t be more than 120 inches on United®-operated flights. On United Express®-operated flights, the linear dimensions can’t be more than 98 inches."
Largebull
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I am Flying Delta . Do You have any info on them by chance. Taxi told me put hose pieces on each tip ,put antlers inside each other. What about Cape? If Boone and Crockett I would have it done in Phoenix and pick it up next Summer driving. I may be back there anyway. See how this Relationship goes . So far so good. 4 plus Months, lol....................BULL!
Joe2Kool
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That's been my experience with deer. Haven't transported an entire head from out-of-state since CWD regulations have been put in place. But, I have tried PWing on several in-state taken deer. When I was done, I wouldn't consider them "...no meat or tissue attached to the skull...," which is what the TN regulations state.
I know different states have different regulations, and I haven't studied each state in great detail, but deboned meat and skulls/skull plates as defined above are legal in the ones I've checked.
Thanks for the input guys.
Blank
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Just got a new email from the dept. Looks like Nevada is adopting the same requirements as surrounding states, to keep from bringing CWD into the state.
Currently, CWD is found in 34 states and Canadian provinces, but thankfully not in Nevada. However, your help is needed to keep it that way!
If you hunt any member of the deer family(deer, elk, moose, caribou/reindeer) out of state, there are restrictions on what you can bring back into Nevada. Under Senate Bill 85:
It is illegal for any person to knowingly possess or bring into Nevada the carcass or any part of the carcass of any cervid (elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose, reindeer, caribou, or fallow deer) from another state, territory, or country, unless the spinal column and brain tissue have been removed.
It is legal for any person to bring into Nevada the following parts of the carcass of any cervid:
"Greetings Nevada Hunter!
We hope that you are looking forward to a great hunting season. Before you head into the field, we want to be sure you are aware of our efforts to keep Nevada Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) free! CWD is a transmissible neurological disease that is always fatal to animals in the deer family.Currently, CWD is found in 34 states and Canadian provinces, but thankfully not in Nevada. However, your help is needed to keep it that way!
If you hunt any member of the deer family(deer, elk, moose, caribou/reindeer) out of state, there are restrictions on what you can bring back into Nevada. Under Senate Bill 85:
It is illegal for any person to knowingly possess or bring into Nevada the carcass or any part of the carcass of any cervid (elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose, reindeer, caribou, or fallow deer) from another state, territory, or country, unless the spinal column and brain tissue have been removed.
It is legal for any person to bring into Nevada the following parts of the carcass of any cervid:
- Wrapped meat or quarters, with no part of the spinal column, brain tissue, or head attached.
- The hide or cape with no part of the spinal column, brain tissue, or head attached.
- The clean skull plate with antlers attached and no brain tissue attached.
- The antlers with no meat or tissue other than antler velvet attached.
- The taxidermy mount with no meat or tissue other than antler velvet attached.
- The upper canine teeth including, without limitation, the bugler, whistler, and ivory teeth.
Joe2Kool
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Where did you get that pot? And what are the dimensions? Looks to be the perfect size.
I was thinking of cutting the top 2/3 of a 55 gallon drum off and using that. Or maybe one of those galvanized 35 gallon garbage cans. Metal 55 gallon drums seem pricey to me, and not sure the garbage can would stand up to the burner heat.
Bwht4x4
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Like Blank said I got it at a local restaurant supply store. Can't remember how much I paid, but it was under $100. It's pretty darn big to lug around on hunts, but I prefer skull mounts over shoulder mounts so I boil everything. Otherwise I'd cut the skull plate off and remove tissue to legally transport it.
I did have to use a trash can once for my oryx simply because I needed a super tall pot so that I could wrap the horns with plastic sheeting and steam them off.
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Joe2Kool
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Never thought about a restaurant supply. I'll give it a try. Those giant pots in the elementary school cafeteria had to come from somewhere!
Looks like the trash can will work as well. A little big to haul cross country, but better than a ticket and confiscation of a head.
Thanks guys.
Looks like the trash can will work as well. A little big to haul cross country, but better than a ticket and confiscation of a head.
Thanks guys.
devobrodie
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I use a washtub from Home depot, perfect size for elk skull,
woodturner
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A regular metal garbage can will work.
Get a medium sized one. Won't last forever, but if dried out afterwards, should last a few seasons. I expect cost would be around $20 or so.
Turkey fryer set up will work also. Get the pot and the burner at one time. Cost around $100 or so.
You need a burner anyway. Need a propane tank to make it work.
Get a medium sized one. Won't last forever, but if dried out afterwards, should last a few seasons. I expect cost would be around $20 or so.
Turkey fryer set up will work also. Get the pot and the burner at one time. Cost around $100 or so.
You need a burner anyway. Need a propane tank to make it work.
txhunter58
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There is a good article in NRAs "Hunter" magazine about this in current issue
Joe2Kool
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Yep. Read it yesterday. Gonna paraphrase here, but article stated "...a pulsating nozzle on a 3000+ psi pressure washer will typically remove 80-90% of the meat..."
But, at 80-90%, it still isn't legal, so you still gotta simmer it.
Gonna see if my mounted elk head fits in my turkey fryer pot. If so, it gets a ride to Colorado!
