Cold Storage, Processing and Taxidermy

Valid Sep. 1, 2023 through Aug. 31, 2024.

Deer and Pronghorn

  • A deer and pronghorn may be skinned and quartered (two forequarters, two hindquarters, and two backstraps) for transport, provided the quartered deer or pronghorn is tagged and proof of sex accompanies the deer or pronghorn. See Cold Storage or Processing Facility for exceptions.
  • Deer or pronghorn may only be processed beyond quarters at a location that qualifies as a final destination.

All Game Animals (including deer and pronghorn)

  • The four quarters and two backstraps are the only parts of a game animal required by law to be kept in edible condition.
  • Tagging and proof-of-sex requirements, if required, continue to apply until the wildlife resource reaches a final destination other than a Type 1 cold storage or processing facility, and is quartered.
  • While in camp you may remove and prepare a part of a wildlife resource if the removal and preparation occur immediately before the part is cooked or consumed; however, all tagging and proof of sex regulations apply to remaining parts until the parts reach a final destination.

Facilities

A cold storage or processing facility may be established anywhere, including on property where hunting is conducted. It must be stationary and designed to process and/or store wild game. A vehicle, trailer, or other mobile storage or processing arrangement is not lawful.

Commercial Cold Storage or Processing Facility Record Keeping Requirements

A person may place and maintain, or possess, in a cold storage or processing facility, lawfully harvested game birds and game animals not in excess of the number permitted to be possessed by law, if the owner, operator, or lessee of the cold storage or processing facility maintains the record book as required by law with:

  • name, address, and hunting license number of all persons placing game animals or game birds in storage (if a person other than the person who harvested the game bird or animal, places a game bird or game animal in storage, that person’s name and address must be included);
  • number and species of all game animals and game birds in storage, and
  • date each game animal or game bird was placed in storage (information must be entered into the record book before game is placed in storage)

Type 1 Commercial Cold Storage or Processing Facility Requirements

A place of business open to the public for the purpose of storing or processing game animals or game birds upon demand on a for-profit basis or in exchange for anything of value must comply with the record keeping requirements described above, and as follows:

  • tags, permits, or WRDs, when applicable, must remain attached to birds until the birds are finally processed;
  • tags, permits, or WRDs, when applicable, must remain attached to pronghorn until the carcass is quartered; for deer, tagging and proof of sex requirements cease once the required information detailed above has been entered in the cold storage log, and the county and name of the ranch or property where the deer was harvested has been recorded.
  • for deer: tag, or WRD, as applicable, must be retained on the premises for as long as the carcass or any part of the carcass remains in the possession of the cold storage or processing facility.

Type 2 Commercial Cold Storage or Processing Facility on Hunting Lease Requirements

A cold storage facility that is not open to the public on an on-demand basis, and is utilized to store or process game taken by persons on properties where hunting by individuals in return for pay or other consideration occurs (a hunting lease) must comply with the record keeping requirements described above, and as follows:

  • For turkey, proof of sex and tagging requirements cease to apply when the turkey has been entered in a cold storage record book.
  • Once a deer or pronghorn has been entered in the cold storage record book it may be finally processed. Proof of sex and tagging requirements continue to apply until the deer or pronghorn has at least been quartered and entered into the record book.

Private, Non-Commercial, Family-Owned Cold Storage or Processing Facility

Except as noted below, a cold storage record book is not required for game animals or game birds placed in a private, family-owned, non-commercial cold storage or processing facility that is not used by paying hunters; however, all tagging and proof of sex requirements apply. At a private, non-commercial facility where a record book meeting the requirements of a commercial cold storage or processing facility is voluntarily maintained, proof of sex and tagging requirements are the same as for a Type 2 commercial facility (described above).

Save your tag and/or permit. After a wildlife resource reaches its final destination and tagging requirements have ceased, the possessor is encouraged to retain tags or permits in order to prevent delay or problems (cold storage or processor refusing to accept meat, etc.). When taking game (meat/ head/hide) that you have processed at home to a commercial processor, simply attach the appropriate hunting license tag or permit to the game.

Taxidermist

Hunters who give any part of a game animal or game bird to a taxidermist for mounting must attach a WRD (not the tag from the hunting license or permit) to the part.

In return, for deer, pronghorn, turkey and pheasant, the taxidermist must give the hunter a receipt as prescribed in Proof of Sex - Exception. The taxidermist “proof of sex” receipt for the part must accompany the tagged carcass until it reaches its final destination and is finally processed. If the taxidermist places any game animal or game bird in cold storage, then the cold storage or processing facility record book is required by law. Without the appropriate record book and a WRD accompanying the game animal or game bird, a taxidermist may be exceeding the prescribed possession limits for game animals and game birds. Taxidermy information packets may be downloaded.

A taxidermist who accepts a deer or turkey shall retain the accompanying WRD or tag for two years following the return of the resource to the owner or the sale of the deer or turkey mount to recover taxidermy cost.