Section 81. Validating tags and checking turkey by licensee

A. Any person killing a turkey shall, before removing the carcass from the place of kill, validate an appropriate tag on his special license for hunting deer and turkey by completely removing the designated notch area from the tag. Place of kill shall be defined as the location where the animal is first reduced to possession. It shall be unlawful for any person to validate (notch) a turkey tag from any special license for hunting deer and turkey prior to the killing of a turkey. A turkey tag that is mistakenly validated (notched) prior to the killing of a turkey must be immediately voided by the licensee by writing, in ink, the word "VOID" on the line provided on the tag.

B. Upon killing a turkey and validating (notching) a license tag, as provided above, the licensee shall, upon vehicle transport of the carcass or at the conclusion of legal hunting hours, whichever occurs first, and without unnecessary delay, present the carcass and validated (notched) license tag to an authorized checking station or to an appropriate representative of the department in the county or adjoining county in which the turkey was killed or report his kill through the department's automated harvest reporting system. Turkeys killed during the January season (as prescribed in 4VAC15-240-10) and the spring turkey seasons (as prescribed in 4VAC15-240-40 and 4VAC15-240-60) must be reported through the department's automated harvest reporting system. The person reporting the carcass will be given a game check card furnished by the department or a confirmation number from the automated harvest reporting system. The successful hunter shall then immediately record the game check card number or confirmation number, in ink, on the line provided on the license tag that was validated (notched) in the field. If checked at a big game check station, the game check card must be kept in possession with the carcass until the carcass is processed. If the carcass is left unattended, the game check card must be securely attached to the carcass. If reported using the automated harvest reporting system, no check card is required as long as the hunter who killed the turkey is in possession of the carcass. If the automated harvest reported carcass is left unattended or transferred to the possession of another individual, written documentation including the successful hunter's full name, the date the turkey was killed, and the confirmation number must be created and kept in possession with the carcass until the carcass is processed. If the carcass is left unattended, this written documentation must be securely attached to the carcass.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person to destroy the identity of the sex of any turkey killed unless and until the license tag is validated (notched) and reported to an authorized checking station or to an appropriate representative of the department in the county or adjoining county in which the turkey was killed or by using the automated harvest reporting system as required by this section. Any turkey found in the possession of any person without a validated (notched) license tag or documentation that the turkey has been reported to an authorized checking station or to an appropriate representative of the department in the county or adjoining counties in which the turkey was killed or by using the automated harvest reporting system as required by this section shall be forfeited to the Commonwealth to be disposed of as provided by law.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 1, 2004; amended, Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 23, eff. August 25, 2004; Volume 25, Issue 25, eff. August 1, 2009; Volume 27, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2011; Volume 31, Issue 25, eff. August 1, 2015.

Statutory Authority

§ 29.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.