Normally, the deer is field dressed at the place of the kill. This removes a lot of weight that would otherwise have to be dragged out of the field.( Mothers don't raise a lot of stupid sons in the States!) However, if a truck, tractor, or other mechanized equipment can get to the kill site, some hunters take the deer out of the field, before gutting it. Most state regulations that require the deer's weight to be taken at a check station, or sent in, want a dress weight, and not a live weight. I was a deer checker for two consecutive years back in the 1960s here in Illinois. I had only two deer brought to the check station, both by new hunters, both yearlings( 6 months old) that had not been field dressed. We weighed the deer " Live ", and then helped the guys field dress- they didn't know how to do it- and weighed the deer again, " dressed ". We had a lot of men standing around to see what the difference in weight was, because of all the "formula " out there that were constantly being discussed by hunters.
Today, the state has closed the check stations, and requires the hunters to call in their kills. Its obviously an honor system, and can be abused, but no more so than poachers have been taking deer all along. Thieves are thieves, and honest men are honest. If the state sees a huge drop off in reported kills, it can change the law again, and re-open the check stations.
