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First trip questions

Looking for some tips/suggestions/answers etc. I am planning on taking my 15yo son on his first mule deer hunt this year and have numerous questions? We are looking at going the week of Oct 8th to the Belle Fourche area. Is the any deer permit what we definitely need to put in for? Plan on utilizing walk in/ BLM land etc in that area. Staying in a motel and trying to be somewhat budget friendly, with that being said any suggestions on how, where to go about quartering and skinning a deer if we get that lucky and disposing of left over parts? I don't think trying to do it in the motel parking lot will fly! Im just looking for any advice or anything you guys may have done or know to make it work. What about the tagged leg law? will I have to leave one entire leg unskinned and tagged until I get back to Kentucky? We are also not allowed to bring any spinal cord material or brain in from another state and if we do have any luck we would like to have it mounted and I don't feel 100% comfortable skinning out the head for mounting but am going to have to cap it and remove the brain. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated Thanks.

The tag you want is ARD-ST01. You can also pick up an antlerless tag if you so desire that would be good for an antlerless whitetail. You can quarter and skin the deer in the field and leave the carcass there. Coyotes will have it cleaned up in a couple days. The tagged leg you only need to leave the very bottom part of the leg unskinned and tagged, from the joint to the hoof on one leg (if it is an antlerless tag you will need to have proof of sex attached to this leg (easily accomplished by leaving a nipple attached to the quarter). On the brain matter/spinal cord issue, based upon your response I would try to find a local taxidermist that you could pay to cape the head and skull cap your buck for you if you get lucky. That would probably be your best bet. I have no suggestions for you on taxidermists out there. Good luck on your hunt, I hope you and your son have a good time.

I would add one thing. When we say you can leave the carcass in the field it means in the field away from trails campgrounds and road. I talked to a game warden a few years ago, and he said you will get a ticket for littering if you leave an animal carcass in a highly traveled public use area. He suggested just drag it under a tree or some other area away from public view. I know last year there were some deer remains left at a lake campground and another one left on an approach right by the highway.

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