I've been doing it for a lot of years. This is the tagging regs:
(1) Each licensed person who kills any big game shall, immediately after the killing and before removing the big game from the location of the killing, fully complete the proper game kill tag in compliance with the instructions printed on the tag and attach only the game kill tag to the big game. The attached game kill tag shall remain on the big game until such time as the big game is processed for consumption or prepared for mounting.
So you shoot and tag. I process where it falls, when you're done processing remove the tag from the head or bring out the head with the tag although that really isn't required as it is already processed. For a doe I put the tag in my pocket and leave the head. A buck for efficiency I usually just cut off the head but if I feel like it I may skin the skull and cut the skull cap off. As mentioned above the primary issue is what you can do with the carcass. I'm on my land and a trapper so either way the carcass is going to end up on the land. To me it is natural for a predator (us) to kill a prey animal (deer), taking what belongs to us for our use and leaving the remainder for lower order animals to use, as compared to burying natural valuable winter food in a landfill. I like to re-visit the carcass throughout the winter and see how it is naturally recycled. There is ALWAYS a variety of song birds picking and chirping around it all winter.
Posted these on a recent similar post, I bring it out in 2 equal weight buckets, probably about 30lb each.
09
10
This year