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Public Land Hunters - Where are You Dumping Your Deer Guts?

Crawdaddy4

Crawdaddy4

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2020
Messages
347
Location
SE Louisiana
Just moved to a new area that is more urban than where I previously lived. I had some very remote woods where I could discard entrails and carcasses to feed the local yotes and buzzards. I don't have access to a place like that right now. Wondering where everyone is dumping their guts at?

I've got tons of swamp by me now and considering just dumping them in there to feed the gators. Not sure if that is legal or not? :(
 
Crawdaddy4 said:
Just moved to a new area that is more urban than where I previously lived. I had some very remote woods where I could discard entrails and carcasses to feed the local yotes and buzzards. I don't have access to a place like that right now. Wondering where everyone is dumping their guts at?

I've got tons of swamp by me now and considering just dumping them in there to feed the gators. Not sure if that is legal or not? :(
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Check your regs. Every state and even individual tracts may have different rules. Best practice as far as I’ve seen and heard is to gut and leave entrails right where you did it. Moving gut piles that have already come out of an animal can be sus in the eyes of a conservation officer, but that’s not the same as shifting the animal off a public trail to a few yards in the brush to gut it then leaving the gut pile there. Obviously we don’t want to leave entrails IN trails, but otherwise I would personally leave anything I take out of the animal right where it is.
 
DelaWhere_Arrow said:
Check your regs. Every state and even individual tracts may have different rules. Best practice as far as I’ve seen and heard is to gut and leave entrails right where you did it. Moving gut piles that have already come out of an animal can be sus in the eyes of a conservation officer, but that’s not the same as shifting the animal off a public trail to a few yards in the brush to gut it then leaving the gut pile there. Obviously we don’t want to leave entrails IN trails, but otherwise I would personally leave anything I take out of the animal right where it is.
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Yeah, there is currently some debate as to the regs for public land (NWR & WMA) down here in South LA. On certain "check" days, you have to cart the entire animal out and bring to a weight station. On non-check days, it's fairly ambiguous with what you can/can't do. Even speaking to some local LWF we have gotten mixed advisement and interpretation of the regs. :(

This may be one of those "ask forgiveness not permission" scenarios, but I'd sure hate to get busted by the Possum Cops when I'm dumping a deer carcass in the local swamp!! I may just call the local LWF Field Office and ask them again. It's just frustrating to get a different response depending on which officer you talk to. :(
 
guts always stayed in field. carcass after quartering when i was younger we always had enough wooded area to dispose them. Some WMAs have a common dump spot for carcasses if you have ability to skin and quarter there (Sherburne is, or was one of those places)
 
Wherever the deer died is where the guts have stayed for me. I think they get eaten pretty quickly/aren't a huge deal?

Edited to add: all of the deer I've shot have been somewhat suburban- big mansions within a few hundred yards to a half mile. I don't think these people even realize how many coyotes and foxes and such live close by
 
Some of the public around me has a "no gutting the animal on this property rule" but I almost always bring them out whole and take them to a boat launch near my house(saltwater) to gut them. That nice cold Atlantic Sea water make it great to rinse out the body cavity and helps cool them down quick.
 
DroptineKrazy said:
Some of the public around me has a "no gutting the animal on this property rule" but I almost always bring them out whole and take them to a boat launch near my house(saltwater) to gut them. That nice cold Atlantic Sea water make it great to rinse out the body cavity and helps cool them down quick.
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Talk about pre-seasoning your venison. Genius.
 
Crawdaddy4 said:
Yeah, there is currently some debate as to the regs for public land (NWR & WMA) down here in South LA. On certain "check" days, you have to cart the entire animal out and bring to a weight station. On non-check days, it's fairly ambiguous with what you can/can't do. Even speaking to some local LWF we have gotten mixed advisement and interpretation of the regs. :(

This may be one of those "ask forgiveness not permission" scenarios, but I'd sure hate to get busted by the Possum Cops when I'm dumping a deer carcass in the local swamp!! I may just call the local LWF Field Office and ask them again. It's just frustrating to get a different response depending on which officer you talk to. :(
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Take note of who you spoke to & when , I’d go with the best answer……
 
I drag them away from trails a reasonable distance, and away from water to dress but then I just leave there. Same as above it doesn’t stick around long enough to stink around here.
 
The best advice has already been given. I always field dress in the spot of take, the turkey vultures, coyotes and crows will make quick work of them. As far as the carcass, if you self process, perhaps find a trapper or predator caller who has established a bait pile to hunt or trap over.
 
thedutchtouch said:
Wherever the deer died is where the guts have stayed for me. I think they get eaten pretty quickly/aren't a huge deal?

Edited to add: all of the deer I've shot have been somewhat suburban- big mansions within a few hundred yards to a half mile. I don't think these people even realize how many coyotes and foxes and such live close by
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It’s gut them where you find them here as a rule too, the urban hunt specifies not to leave them in a conspicuous area. I’ve shot a deer, hunted the same exact spot down to the tree the next day, and checked to see what was left from the day before walking out, it was zero. Yotes, coons, squirrels, birds, it all gets gone quick.

Found it funny you referenced people not knowing what’s around them. I have a bunch of good yote footage running all around me for the urban hunt, seen them several times. Local news ran a story tonight telling people they are fine, if you feel the need call the non-emergency number, etc (I took it to be quit calling 911) when they see one, they’re everywhere. I see coons 3-4 mornings a week walking my dog.
 
Crawdaddy4 said:
Yeah, there is currently some debate as to the regs for public land (NWR & WMA) down here in South LA. On certain "check" days, you have to cart the entire animal out and bring to a weight station. On non-check days, it's fairly ambiguous with what you can/can't do. Even speaking to some local LWF we have gotten mixed advisement and interpretation of the regs. :(
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You’re perfectly fine field dressing a deer in LA on public land. That’s never been in question. It’s further processing the animal that has been in question in recently.
 
I spoke to A Federal Game Warden today about the regulations on the National Wildlife Refuges. Called them on the phone. He told me you can field dress an animal as long as you don't leave the carcass/remains next to a trail or road.


Agent's Name Was Pon Dixon. Spoke to him at 10:43 a.m. CDT on October 20, 2023. I specifically asked about Big Branch Marsh NWR, but he said that was standard on NWRs.
 
Crawdaddy4 said:
I spoke to A Federal Game Warden today about the regulations on the National Wildlife Refuges. Called them on the phone. He told me you can field dress an animal as long as you don't leave the carcass/remains next to a trail or road.


Agent's Name Was Pon Dixon. Spoke to him at 10:43 a.m. CDT on October 20, 2023. I specifically asked about Big Branch Marsh NWR, but he said that was standard on NWRs.
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Haha that’s funny I’m in the national guard with his son lol I’ve met Mr. Dixon a few times, solid dude.
 
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