Butchering meat

[nuadixion]

General question… can I butcher a game at the camp before bringing it home? Cut it all up into steaks , stew etc…
thank you in advance.

[Treed]

Say it’s a deer, you need to leave a tail and proof of sex attached. CO could make your life miserable if you have most of it butchered aside from the requirements. I’d wait until you get home.

[Ron.C]

my read is that butchering (which removes evidence of species/sex) cannot be done in camp. Although it doesn't directly state this in the synopsis is does state:

Removing Evidence of Sex & Species

Evidence of species and sex may be removed from the carcass or the hide of game:

after it arrives at a person’s normal dwelling place and is butchered and stored there for consumptionon the premises,
after it is taken to a meat cutter or the owner oroperator of a cold storage plant, or
after it has been inspected by a qualified Compulsory Inspector.


Many of us get animals cut and wrapped a cutters in our hunting area and then transport the cut and wrapped meat home (across the province).
Page 15 on the regs states

"Anyone having wildlife butchered and packaged should obtain from the butcher a receipt which indicates:
the Fish and Wildlife ID, the species licence number,and the species, and sex of the animal taken."

[Arctic Lake]

I’m wondering about this process as well ! As our upcoming hunt is for 2 weeks and if we get an animal early coukd I bring it back to town cut it up and freeze at my buddys home until I make the journey back to the coast .
I think a phone chat with a CO may be needed .
Arctic Lake

[264mag]

You cannot process and remove evidence of sex and species until you reach your primary residence or licensed meat cutter.

[Ron.C]

I’m wondering about this process as well ! As our upcoming hunt is for 2 weeks and if we get an animal early coukd I bring it back to town cut it up and freeze at my buddys home until I make the journey back to the coast .
I think a phone chat with a CO may be needed .
Arctic Lake



If its your moose, your tag, maybe you could get it inspected by a local CI? I beleive you would meet the third bullet below and be legally allowed to remove evidence of species/sex and subsequently butcher and transport it ( I guess that may apply to the OP's question to but I doubt you'd ever get a CI done in camp as most are done at the CI's residence or location of their chosing).

Removing Evidence of Sex & Species

Evidence of species and sex may be removed from the carcass or the hide of game:

after it arrives at a person’s normal dwelling place and is butchered and stored there for consumptionon the premises,
after it is taken to a meat cutter or the owner oroperator of a cold storage plant,or
after it has been inspected by a qualified Compulsory Inspector.

If it's your buddies moose, your buddies tag and he butcher at home (and you are taking some butchered meat home to the coast with you) I beleive you need to comply with the following:

Transporting Wildlife

All persons who possess, transport or ship wildlife meat or parts of wildlife within the Province of British Columbia must have with them the species licence under which the animal was taken by that person, or, if the animal was taken by another person, a Record of Receipt of the wildlife (see page 14) showing:

the date and place of receipt,
the name and address of the person who killed theanimal, or from whom it was acquired,
the name and address of the person to whom the wildlife parts are to be delivered,
the Fish and Wildlife ID or permit number of theperson who killed the animal,
the species licence number under which the animal was taken, and the species and sex of the animal taken.

[high horse Hal]

there is the point that evidence of sex is to remain attached to a portion of the carcass
Does one steak, with a nut attached, in butchers wrap satisfy the reg?

we know what the intent is, at a roadside check They want to be able to identify what They are inspecting matches what the cut tag represents
but they make one change to a reg and it always seems to confound another

[Treed]

Why butcher it? You could keep it all in bigger pieces and debone it and put it on ice. Better yet, if it’s cool, hang it and quarter it on the last day. I’d leave the hind quarter intact with the tail and balls. A CO is going to want to be able to identify that you have one animal. Cleaner to process at home anyway.

[Fella]

Unless you’re staying in a really clean cabin or something I’d be leery about butchering in camp simply due to the lack of hygiene. Not saying you don’t keep a clean camp but it’s way easier to control your environment at home in your kitchen than it is out at some rec site 100 km from nowhere.

[Arctic Lake]

Thank You Ton your always helpful !
Arctic Lake
If its your moose, your tag, maybe you could get it inspected by a local CI? I beleive you would meet the third bullet below and be legally allowed to remove evidence of species/sex and subsequently butcher and transport it ( I guess that may apply to the OP's question to but I doubt you'd ever get a CI done in camp as most are done at the CI's residence or location of their chosing).

Removing Evidence of Sex & Species

Evidence of species and sex may be removed from the carcass or the hide of game:

after it arrives at a person’s normal dwelling place and is butchered and stored there for consumptionon the premises,
after it is taken to a meat cutter or the owner oroperator of a cold storage plant,or
after it has been inspected by a qualified Compulsory Inspector.

If it's your buddies moose, your buddies tag and he butcher at home (and you are taking some butchered meat home to the coast with you) I beleive you need to comply with the following:

Transporting Wildlife

All persons who possess, transport or ship wildlife meat or parts of wildlife within the Province of British Columbia must have with them the species licence under which the animal was taken by that person, or, if the animal was taken by another person, a Record of Receipt of the wildlife (see page 14) showing:

the date and place of receipt,
the name and address of the person who killed theanimal, or from whom it was acquired,
the name and address of the person to whom the wildlife parts are to be delivered,
the Fish and Wildlife ID or permit number of theperson who killed the animal,
the species licence number under which the animal was taken, and the species and sex of the animal taken.

[Arctic Lake]

Treed and Fella ! I’m thinking if we got a bull the first few days of a hunt I could drive back into town about a 90 minute drive to my buddies house and cut it up there and freeze it . Was not thinking of cutting it up at camp ! No ice in camp either .How long have you kept game on ice before cutting ? That’s a lot of Coleman coolers . Any thoughts ?
Arctic Lake

[Arctic Lake]

I know what hanging in a controlled environment is as I was in the meat buis for 25 years 4 degrees Celsius or lower and humidity is a factor as well . Were in the bush and the temperatures of the coming couple of weeks look warm in 7-25 .
Arctic Lake

[Treed]

Ahhh. Ok that makes more sense. I think Ron’s suggestion is the best. Get it inspected and you are good to go. You could always freeze partially broken down and take it home and butcher it. I do that when I hunt out of our cabin.

[chris]

I have been down this road before and contacted a co for clarification.
I own a cabin/house in a different region than my primary residence. I do most of my hunting there so I asked the local co if I could butcher a deer at my cabin and bring it home frozen. He said that would be an offense. Like others in the post have said you can't butcher it yourself until you get to your primary residence. The only exception is that you can bring it to the local co office and they will check it and give you permission to butcher it.

[Fella]

Treed and Fella ! I’m thinking if we got a bull the first few days of a hunt I could drive back into town about a 90 minute drive to my buddies house and cut it up there and freeze it . Was not thinking of cutting it up at camp ! No ice in camp either .How long have you kept game on ice before cutting ? That’s a lot of Coleman coolers . Any thoughts ?
Arctic Lake
oh yeah makes sense for sure. I do think you’d run into the “proof of sex and species” issue though

[john-brennan]

You need to freeze it after butchering that makes it tough at camp.

[Arctic Lake]

Treed and Fella Thanks Again ! Praying to the weather gods for cool temps for our trip . Leaving Tuesday morning , be in the bush on Sept 28
Arctic Lake

[Arctic Lake]

Chris I hear ya . Does this apply only to one butchering it himself ? What if a fell brought out a bull early in his hunting trip and took to a butcher locally had it cut up and frozen so he picked it up on the way home to his primary residence several hours away . Not that I want to do that as I’m very capable of doing it myself. Not trying to stir the pot it’s just that you mentioned cutting it yourself .
Arctic Lake
I have been down this road before and contacted a co for clarification.
I own a cabin/house in a different region than my primary residence. I do most of my hunting there so I asked the local co if I could butcher a deer at my cabin and bring it home frozen. He said that would be an offense. Like others in the post have said you can't butcher it yourself until you get to your primary residence. The only exception is that you can bring it to the local co office and they will check it and give you permission to butcher it.

[Getbent]

Chris I hear ya . Does this apply only to one butchering it himself ? What if a fell brought out a bull early in his hunting trip and took to a butcher locally had it cut up and frozen so he picked it up on the way home to his primary residence several hours away . Not that I want to do that as I’m very capable of doing it myself. Not trying to stir the pot it’s just that you mentioned cutting it yourself .
Arctic Lake licensed butcher’s have to record all the information from your tag and LEH if applicable.
good luck man, worry about the stuff you can control and everything will be gold.

[elker]

Interesting discussions so far. It seems that we should hunt moose elk bison after mid October to avoid the meat waste. Before mid October, focus on deer.

that is what I’m going to do. Leaving at the end of the month for a week deer hunting

[high horse Hal]

Treed and Fella Thanks Again ! Praying to the weather gods for cool temps for our trip . Leaving Tuesday morning , be in the bush on Sept 28
Arctic Lakegood luck out ther AL
hoping the rain knocks down any smoke for ya

[Treed]

Good luck! Hope you connect and bring some meat home. It’s almost starting to make financial sense to hunt given meat prices now.

[HappyJack]

Good luck! Hope you connect and bring some meat home. It’s almost starting to make financial sense to hunt given meat prices now.

Boy you must spend a lot when you go hunting? What is the average cost for beef these days? 10-15$ pound maybe? A smaller moose should render at least 400 pounds of meat @ $10 per lb that's $4000 worth of meat.

[HappyJack]

Chris I hear ya . Does this apply only to one butchering it himself ? What if a fell brought out a bull early in his hunting trip and took to a butcher locally had it cut up and frozen so he picked it up on the way home to his primary residence several hours away . Not that I want to do that as I’m very capable of doing it myself. Not trying to stir the pot it’s just that you mentioned cutting it yourself .
Arctic Lake

The butcher would give you paperwork when you pick up the meat cut and frozen, show's you didn't cut it up yourself and evidence of species/sex etc was check already. WE do that all the time when we hunt the Peace.

[nuadixion]

Why butcher it? You could keep it all in bigger pieces and debone it and put it on ice. Better yet, if it’s cool, hang it and quarter it on the last day. I’d leave the hind quarter intact with the tail and balls. A CO is going to want to be able to identify that you have one animal. Cleaner to process at home anyway.
You are right. Doing it at home is much better condition. Problem is when we go on a moose group hunt and after first animal is taken someone needs to evacuate with the meat to prevent the spoilage. If the meat was divided in the camp it would be very convenient as I would have to deliver the coolers full of meat to other peoples houses. Dealing with the whole moose by one person is a serious challenge. Getting it to a butcher is VERY Wasteful. Hence there is a dilemma - everybody leave with one moose or send it over to a butcher?