Tags on deer mounts

some people like to show off the year it was shot or with multiple hunters in the house who shot it that, me personally i take them off.(afer january or whatever the gnf law is)

I agree a mount is supposed to create the animal as if it were alive I have seen a lot of deer and never seen one alive with a piece of paper hanging off of it. TAKE THE TAGS OFF. "Beef its whats for dinner" hunt horns

To each their own, if they want to leave them on, that's their choice. Let it be.

iLive4This: Are you from the Bowden area?? Great set of pictures and stories, I can't believe your dad had to flip a coin for that buck, wow.

I keep mine on because I am too old to remember what year I shot that particular deer in and anybody who visits will always ask "what year did you shoot that little one?"

It also serves as proof that I don't shoot wallhangers. :-)

We do about 50 horn and Eruopean mounts a year and most hunters want them stapled on the back of the plaque. We only had 3 this year that wanted them left on, one was from a warden's confirmed cougar kill, that was pretty cool. To each his own!

All of mine have the tags stapled to the back just like the Tree does.

You just knew I was going to add my two cents worth on this thread, didn't ya?

Anyway, if you read the regs closely you already know that the tag MUST remain with the head/antlers until the end of March. So if you are already done with the taxidermy work on your 2007 deer and don't have your tag on it you are technically in possession of an illegal deer.

I personally put the tag under a piece of duct tape on the backside of the plaque. No muss no fuss.

For some of my latest antler mounts I have taken to getting a small engraved plate for the plaque. I put the year and name of the hunter on the plate and if the shell casing is available, I also glue that to the plaque below the plate.

For the most part I have received only positive reviews on doing it this way.



Anyway, from the regs in case someone doesn't like the March thingy....


9. Tagging
IMMEDIATELY after an animal has been killed, the hunter must indicate the date of kill by cutting out the appropriate month and day from the tag provided with the license, and attach it to the base of the antler on antlered deer, or in a slit in the ear on antlerless deer as illustrated on the tag backing. The tag, placed immediately upon the antler or slit in ear, shall remain with the antlers or head until March 31, 2008. After the antlers, head, or hide have been removed from the carcass, the carcass tag shall remain with the carcass or processed meat until consumed or until March 31, 2008. No person may reuse or attempt to reuse any tag issued. When any part of an animal is mounted, if the tag is removed from the antlers or ear, the tag must be securely fastened to the back or bottom of the mount and remain there. Tags are not transferable.

Just glad in Montana the tag stays with the largest portion of meat so you don't have to look at it. I don't care for tags on field pictures or mounts. To each there own!!!!

Ok, now you got me worried. My antler mounts have the tags tacked, or stapled to the back. But I never thought about it until now. My 2003 bow deer I had mounted, never had the tag sent back with it. I'll call the taxi. tomorrow to see if he still has it, but with all the deer to mount, probably never know which one is which. AND I'm sure, it's in the garbage by now. Does this mean my deer is illegal? OH CRAP!

Deermeister,

Sarcastic or not, a 2003 deer predates this requirement.

I like both ways but i just thought of this. Other people have trophys (golf,bowling,archery,darts,football etc.)and have them sitting at their house and i bet they are not peeling off the engraved metal label on the front that has their name and the date on it and sticking it on the bottom of the trophy. Just think before you have an outrage about someone that stuck a pic in the photo gallery of a deer mount that has a tag still on it. that stuff drives me nuts. EITHER WAY IS JUST PERFECT its still a trophy

There is no date limit on mounted deer, the tag must be attached to the back of the mount if it's removed from the antlers during mounting.

March 31st has nothing to do with anything except a head laying around in a garage or shed. If a deer is mounted it must have the tag with it, and that's forever, not until the end of March.

Bowhuntin,

Thta is correct for us moving into the future, but a deer shot in 2003 predates the requirement to have atag on the back of the plaque portion of the rule.

Had a little discussion on this one with NDGF already. My concern was since this rule only came out a few years ago that any/all mounts that predated the requirement for the tag to stay on the plaque were subject to seisure.

Of course, this is what they called an unreasonable fear. I was told no warden would seize an mount that was obviously 20 years old. So my question was how the heck is a warden supposed to be able to tell the difference between a deer shot in 2003 and one in 2004? I think the requirement to keep the tag with the mounted deer started in 2004.

It seems like we might all have a deer mount or three that are in some jeopardy of being taken by a zealous warden someday. Obviously, he/she will likely need a reason to be in your house and searching the back of your plaques and I try to not give them reason for that, but you know someone, someday is going to run afoul of this relatively recent rule.

I have a muley mounted that was shot back in the late 50's or early 60's. No tag!
Guess I'll lay awake at night and worry that I might get ticketed for it! LOL

Don't stay up nights. I was at an advisory meeting when this regulation was coming out. They said they would "grandfather" in the older mounts.

Truth be told, this is probably a regulation that is nearly unenforceable on alot of mounts. When was the last time the G&F went into someone's house to check all their mounts out. And if they did, how would they prove when they were killed (I know there's ways, but it would be tough, if not impossible on MANY of them).

-Justin