Deboning and Packing in Utah ?

[striderX2]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-14-05 AT 05:20PM (MST)[p]Has anyone actually deboned and packed out an elk or deer in this state ? I've read the proclamation and if I understand I can whack my buck or elk, skin it, debone it, and make a determination if I want to keep the nuts for evidence or the cape and rack, which, preferrably, for manly reasons, I'll take the second choice. Has anyone actually de-boned an animal and had to square up of DWR to show what's what ? Only asking because I'd rather de-bone my bull elk after I light him on fire @ 20 yards with my muzzleloader than haul his entire carcass up and out of the pines with my doofus partners.



P.S. - Yes, I'm THAT Strider. Once an Original .......

 

[lucdavis]

I've been de-boning deer in Utah for 5 years now and I will never drag a big game animal again. As far as actually running into a DWR official with my animal, no. But I've never been questioned by the butcher. And when I've asked DWR officers the same question, as long as the head (antlers) are their to prove sex and you have the meat (more than the back-straps) to go along with it, it should NOT be a problem. Hope this helps...

-Lucas ~

http://www.monstermuleys.com/cgi-bin/stories/site.pl?page=lucasdavis10103

 

[striderX2]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-14-05 AT 05:36PM (MST)[p]BEAUTIFUL Lucas, Finally somone who can answer an direct question. Something else... what is the best way to pack it out? Since I clearly don't have horses is it best to drop it in canvas bags or what ? I'm not really down with hauling 50 lbs of raw elk meat in my Camelback Hydration pack.. might taint the taste of the water. How are you carrying the raw meat ? ( I have friends who could very well be Jedi Mind Tricked into carrying bloody meat off the ridge in their packs but I'm not really down with that program)

 

[fatrooster]

Elk game bags from Walmart work great as well as pillow cases. Strap it to the pack and away you go. Goodluck, fatrooster.

 

[predator]

Strider, dude!!! Long time, no see. Hey, I leave the nutsack attached to the thigh, I did get checked once and the warden was speechless that I actually took the time to do that.

Anyway, I like to use the canvas or Alaskan game bags. They are mighty tough and reusable, too!

 

[AZBuckSnort]

My son and I killed a pair of bucks a few years back and gutted them and hung them in camp. The bucks had heads and antlers attached, were skinned, and we had left a small bit of the penis attached to the inner thigh area. According to the Utah DWR officer and his young sidekick, who both rolled into our camp after hiding in some brush eye-balling us, it was a good thing we had the small bit of penis present otherwise we would have been in violation and he could have confiscated our bucks.

I tried to question him about his interpretation of the regs but quickly saw that would get us nowhere and possibly would have deteriorated into a pissing match so I let it go and did the "Yes sir, no sir" routine. He also stated we were in possible violation because we had failed to "completely remove every spec of printed line from the day-date notch of the deer tag". Bottomline, I'd do exactly what is printed in the proclamation and have a copy of it in your pack if you're going to seperate the antlered head from the carcass.

 

[JimB48]

I made the mistake of not leaving the penis or scrotum attached in Utah. I was cited, and paid a fine for it.

Packing them out is the Only Way to Go !!

 

[YukonDall]

STRIDER, WELCOME BACK OLD FRIEND. IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO FOR THE LAST YEAR OR TWO ??? TAKE CARE,YD.

 

[tooele]

Best way to pack it out. Carry two big black garbage bags with you throw the meat in, take your stuff out of your day pack give them to your partner, throw the meat in the back and away you go. Obviously your day pack has to be big enough, but there isn't that much meat on a deer.

T

 

[bullseye6]

hey,what if it is a doe with horns?lol...

 

[SneakAttack]

Big Jim and the twins get left behind with the rest of the carcass. I don't care what the proc says, no deer dink is going in my pack! A chance I'm willing to take.


'It's all about the gut pile'



Hey, this is my first out of state post. I'm in Seatle...nice place.

 

[MrMuley]

striderX2,

I believe evidence of sex is required to be attached the largest piece of meat..or something of the sorts.

The last couple of years I have boned out two buck I have taken from the same ranch in UT. I keep the "Evidence" attached to the largest section of hind quarter that I can remove. Also, I cover the "Evidence" with a baggy and tape or tie it as to keep hair from getting all over things.

I use canvas elk quarter bags to transport the meat out of the field and while in the cooler. When I get home I remove all of the hair, dirt, fat, etc. and basically clean up the meat as much as possible before taking it to the butcher. I normally get 50-65 pounds of boned meat from a medium sized buck. Not sure of the live weight.

First I time I boned a deer out I had multiple bags and had various sections of the deer divided in separate bags (shoulder, rump, back straps, etc. Went to butcher and the first thing he does is dump it all together in a tray to weigh the meat.

He emphatically stated that we he pretty comfortable in identifying the various cuts....I don't separate the meat anymore....Good luck as I was amazed how easy it was after I worked up the courage to give it a try.....your back may be very glad that you did.

 

[lucdavis]

I have to agree with the post about carrying it in large black trash bags. I buy the best Hefty bags I can find as I only plan on using 3-4 a year. I lay them on the ground and use them as butcher stations to de-bone, then throw the meat in them and in the packs they go.

As mentioned above, I would estimate about 50 pounds on average of meat to carry. Depending on how picky you are about the sinew on the legs and what not. I mean, lets be honest here... that stuff doesn't even make hamburger. And split between 2 guys, or if you give your friend your stuff, it's not that bad at all.

-Lucas ~

http://www.monstermuleys.com/cgi-bin/stories/site.pl?page=lucasdavis10103

 

[striderX2]

Thanks for all the info, folks. How many pounds off an elk ?
I may need to mob up my porters with some extra carbs.

 

[bucksNducks]

A couple of years ago one guy in our group shot a doe with antlers. We did have to debone it to get it out. We first took pictures and then left a strip of hide about 3 inches wide from the antlers to the does reproductive area(not sure if it was a full blown doe either, I have never shot one before). We then left that area attached to most of the rear quarter meat. I wish I could find the picture. We never did get checked on our way out. I tried to talk the guy into taking to the fish and game to see if they wanted to look at it but he felt he would get a ticket.

 

[GFOUR]

In nearly twenty years I have never hauld out a deer or an elk whole.... always deboned taken only the meat and the skull plate and cape if its big enough...... never put the dirty dink in the pack.... remember most check points in this state are VOLANTARY...dont stop dont worry ~G4

 

[sealer]

We quartered a bull here in Colorado last year and I pointed out to one of the other guys that we had to leave the nutz attached after he'd already lopped them off...shortly after getting the quarters and the head/horns back to our vehicles, a DOW officer came down the forest road...after the usual small talk, he checked our licenses and then looked at the quartered elk. Although we had the horns ALONG with the carcass he stated that technically evidence of sex had to be ATTACHED and we should have left the donger and/or apple bag attached to one of the quarters...he understood our mistake and didn't issue a fine but I believe he could've very easily done so...wish I had the same luck with Powerball tickets...

 

[missinMT]

It appears as though it is all about the determination of the field agent. Good grief. I for one, have never left the sack attatched, and have yet to answer any questions from Wa, Mt, Id, or Ore., badges. Sounds like I have been lucky, depending on who stops to talk to me about it. Future means I find a way to keep it attatched after boning.

 

[heartshot]

Utah: If you have trouble after deboning then you can hurry and chop up the meat into small pieces so the skull plate becomes the largest portion of the carcuss and the proof of sex (antlers) are attached to that.

 

[LVTHNT]

Heartshot, great answer. I'll go with you on that one.

Deboning is the only way to go. Not too many people know that you can quarter an elk or deer with only your knife. Best way to go. I use quarter bags inside the plastic bags so I can hang the qrt bags up and toss the plastic as soon as I get back to camp. Don't keep meat in the plastic bags too long. Hot meat sweats in the plastic and you could be in for trouble.