finding dead elk in Colorado

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Mar 15, 2017
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What do you do if you find a dead bull on the mountain that is clearly dead from a previous season? Are you allowed to collect that head as you would a skull?
 
I called Dow about it once. They said I didn't need a tag or anything for it. I couldn't believe that, however no where does your tag need to be with antlers, stays with meat. I got a paper from them identifying it so I could take it home. I didn't want to have it in my home state without identification.
 
Regs will say or call F&G to clarify.. Usually if it died of natural causes you can take it. Photo document it JIC
 
Post a picture of it to see if it was someone on here that killed it. I would do anything to just have a picture of the one that got away from me last year. It would provide me some serious closure.
 
I found a big deadhead this season and packed it out when I left the area and didn't think twice about it. Some of the antler tips had clearly been chewed on by critters a little bit so it wasn't like it looked fresh. There was no soft tissue left anywhere in the area of the skeleton at all. No different than picking up shed antlers.IMG_2245.JPG
 
I’ve found and picked up a couple bleached out deer heads over the last couple years. They were obviously sitting out for a while as the antlers were completely white. I haven’t seen anything in writing in Colorado that says you can’t other than the shed hunting ban from January through April.
 
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As long as it’s collected during the shed hunting season you’re all good. Take it and enjoy.


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I think there is a difference between an 6 month plus old deadhead and a kill from the current season. I'd be contacting CPW on any "fresh" ones.
 
If you document things like the pro CSI guy that A&E wants everyone to be, including the location, you are a-ok. When you are in service call the local sheriff's office non emergency or the the Colorado State Patrol and start a call for service with the on duty CPW officer...that will memorialize your efforts to notify. From there, do or don't do whatever the CPW officer tells you.

If you find one that is fresh with good meat, do the above, but cut it up and haul it out with the same care as if you shot it. Don't do anything with your tag. There's a fair chance you might get to keep the meat, or it will be donated.
 
I found a 5x5 consolation prize this year that looks like it was shot last September. Even found half the arrow with what looks like stomach matter stuck in the broadhead.dhead1.jpg
 
I passed on a decent 5x5 several years ago. 20 yards....

I return 4 days later and he was dead laying in the a couple hundred yards from where I saw him.

It was sad. It was a good shot and he probably died within a few hundred yards from where he was killed. I guess someone thought they missed.

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