Cut your tag when??

[allan]

When Im standing over my animal before I touch it, I cut my tag.

[finngun]

My buddy shot a deer,,it drop like shack,,,he wait me to help...maybe 5min. Deer bounc up ..run away,,buddy was just aww...luckily he didnt cut a tag..i think just bullet neck a head.no blood trail or anything in snow..

[bighornbob]

I recently shot a moose. Walked up to it and confirmed it was dead with a poke to the eye. I then left the scene, headed back tony quad and drove the 5 minutes back to camp. A partner had just pulled up. We loaded up and went back to the moose. Parked the quads about 60m away, chainsawed a few logs out of the way and drove the quads to the moose. Just before starting the cutting on the animal, I then cut my tag.

Bhb

[Sambor]

When Im standing over my animal before I touch it, I cut my tag.

I was told by an active CO and retired CO. When you shoot an animal, you come to it, it is dead, then before you start processing, cut the tags. I put head tag first (either antlers or ear) and then meat/hide tag as last thing.

I heard some arguments about taking pictures after the shot and if tags should be put on animals. I always cut tags, position an animal, take pictures and then put tags on.

[Bugle M In]

When I pull out my knife to start gutting, I cut the tag first.
If I pull out the camera, the tag gets cut first before a pic is taken.
Bear gets there first, and I have seen it happen, it's there's.

[Chopper]

You pull the trigger, and you know the game is hit ... you cut your tag befor u even start walking to it. You shoot game, u cut your tag

[604redneck]

You looking for the legal or ethical answer?

[rimfire]

You pull the trigger, and you know the game is hit ... you cut your tag befor u even start walking to it. You shoot game, u cut your tag

I wasn't aware anyone in this area was able to get the Hornady "Bullet Cam" bullets in Canada...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoGRlS53U_k

In all seriousness though, the law is written differently than how you have stated it. I'm sure many hunters can attest to times where we could have sworn we hit the animal but are unable to find any trace of blood at the impact area indicating a no hit situation.

Just like anything else, regardless of your own code of ethics, following the regulations is most important so you don't run the ire of Johnny Law. If you cut the tag and do not possess the animal, you can be charged with "failure to recover the edible portions of a game animal."

The law is written in a specific way to prevent people from being charged with an offense.

Any person who kills anybig game species must immediately after the killand before handling the big game killed, cancelthe appropriate species licence in accordancewith the instructions on that licence

If you cut that tag and do not possess the animal, you run the risk of being charged. However unlikely, there is still a chance.

All of us should do whatever we can to be sure of our shot and recover the game animals we target. However, tagging out on a maybe without first confirming your kill, while it might be the most ethical in your opinion, it is unlawful and if you choose to, you should be well aware that you are open to be charged with an offense under the Wildlife Act if you run the ire of an overzealous CO.

[todbartell]

If you didn't lay hands on the moose I would not cut my tag. Never was in your possession. Ethically I would stop hunting moose for the season

[rimfire]

If you didn't lay hands on the moose I would not cut my tag. Never was in your possession. Ethically I would stop hunting moose for the season

This is the right answer to OP's question. It satisfies both the regulations and hunter's ethics.