Horns or Meat first???

WAHuntNut · Sep 26, 2006

I have a quick question that is a spin-off of the thread I just read about the stolen head (that is simply sad!).

Question is this: Who here packs out the horns first, then the meat?

I have always believed that it is my obligation as a hunter to simlply pack out the meat first, then the horns on the last trip. I'm curious to hear what other people think; thanks for your input.

HunterHarry · Sep 26, 2006

It depends where you are hunting.
Alaska law dictates that the head be packed out last.
I have a bicycle cable lock in my pickup to lock the antlers down on those long distance pack jobs.
On a deer you can just lock them in the pickup and cover them up.
HH

patience · Sep 26, 2006

I think meat first. If your worried about antlers being stolen pack them off a few hundred yards and bury them under a brush pile while you pack the meat out. My dad and I came across a guy doing that last year. Nice 6 point head under some branches, we knew it had to belong to someone. Went up the canyoun a half mile and met him headed back down with a bag of meat. We suggested he hide the head a little better next time.

Phantom Hunter · Sep 26, 2006

Ethically the meat should receive top priority. We take horses and pack both meat and antlers at the same time.

Phantom Hunter

littlecaseof200itus · Sep 26, 2006

Pack the meat out first you can't eat them damn horns!

hunt1 · Sep 26, 2006

Though people will probably disagree, if I kill a monster the horns and cape are coming out first. I don't want to end up posting a sob story and seeing someone else post a pic of my horns here.

Chef · Sep 26, 2006

Depends,
If it is a trophy animal, I pack the antlers along with some meat on the first trip. Not before hanging the rest of the meat first.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

RU1234 · Sep 26, 2006

If you quarter the animal (skin off) right away and hang the quarters in a tree to cool down they why wouldn't you pack the head out first if you're concerned about them getting stolen?? I always hang the meat, pack out the head and then return for the meat. Never had a problem.The meat will be fine that way.

Most people, in my opinion, don't take care of the meat properly in the field anyway. They leave the hide on for way too long, especially during archery season. I cringe every time I see someone riding around with an elk in the back of their truck in 80 degree heat and all they have done is gut it. I even saw a guy throw one bag of ice into the chest cavity of a gutted elk that was in the bed of his truck and it was 75 to 80 out. He the drove to the restaurant and proceeded to eat for an hour or so. What a waste!!

257Tony · Sep 26, 2006

I am with chef on this one.....

duckslayer · Sep 26, 2006

I would have to say that it really doesn't matter the meat is going to sit on the mountain or in your camp. If I shoot a big bull I skin it quarter it and hang it. Then pack the Head and cape back to camp and come back with the horses for the meat. Total time lapse no more than three hours. In Utah where we hunt for spikes during the General season that is a little different becasue I can pack an elk out on one horse. I Skin, quarter and hang. Then head for my horse and bring all the meat out along with the antlers. I don't think that there is anything wrong with one way or the other. The important thing is to get the skin off as soon as you can.

BCHunter · Sep 26, 2006

In my group, we skin and quarter the meat ASAP and hang it up. We will then come back in less than 2 hours and load the whole thing up and carry it out (there are 4 of us). If all are not available, we carry the meat first and the head last.

I've never killed a monster so I'm not sure what I would do in that case. Where we hunt, there is only a couple of places to get off the mountain. If someone tried to steal the head, someone would see it.

sjhgraysage · Sep 26, 2006

I have a friend that got ticket in Alaska for bringing out a set of moose antlers before the meat was out. The law is the law. He did not have a back pack while hunting and the antlers were manageable without it. He told fish and game that he'd probably do it again the same way, given the same circimstances. He wasn't going to make a trip out with nothing to show for it. He probably got turned in by others in the same area that apparently were after the same bull and didn't end up getting it. He still got all the meat out anyway. I say do what makes the most sense at the time.

rutnbuck · Sep 26, 2006

Take a fork!! Then eat the meat on site That way ya don't have to pack the meat.

Rut

Women love me!! Fish shudder at the mention of my name!!
It's not the quack but the flight of the wild duck that leads the flock to destiny!!
Quack Away!!

rost495 · Sep 27, 2006

How do you safely hunt in AK without a pack of some sort on?

I may not have a big pack on, but survival gear always comes with me and I can at least pack out a quarter or straps or something.

Evidently the ticket in AK was cheap if he's dumb enough to do it again and continue to hunt without a pack. Gee does he hunt in blue jeans too...

Jeff

SDBugler · Sep 27, 2006

I always carry game bags. First I skin, bone-out and hang the meat right away then cape out the head. My first trip out is usually my bivy pack full of the choicest cuts first and the antlers tied to the top. Then I return with my heavy duty pack frame for the rest of the meat in larger loads.

Tip - One thing I have noticed is that the carcass always smells worse than the boned out meat (even the gutless method). Therefore, I always hang the meat some distance from the carcass. Hopefully the bears and coyotes will be attracted to the carcass smell before finding my meat while I am gone. Leaving a pair of socks or t-shirt with the meat also helps - never had a problem so far.

sjhgraysage · Sep 27, 2006

Rost,
It was a day hunt near the road not far from Homer, AK where he was living at the time. Fish and Game sympathized but wrote the ticket anyway as they were duty bound to do. I thought someone would reply to hunting without a bp in AK.

Craig · Sep 27, 2006

I think there is more of a chance of the head getting stolen from your truck or camp if you bring it out first then leave to go get the meat for a couple of hours. Bring the meat out first then get the head.

Roy · Sep 28, 2006

It all depends on the temperature. If it is hot - get the meat out now! But if you have cooler temps (less than 40F) then you can hang the meat (with the hide on if you prefer) in a tree pretty easily in the field. Then you can pack out the head where it can be secured and then go back with pack horses and get the meat later. You are probably going to let it hang and cure for a few days anyway before you cut it up. Most states require proof of sex to be with the carcass at all times though so you have to be careful. The best scenario is you have two buddies - one makes a spike camp right there to protect the animal from predators (human or otherwise) and the other hikes out to get the horses. At least that is how I would do it.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

chasendeer · Sep 28, 2006

Horns and back strap in the first load.
Jay

boneaddict · Sep 28, 2006

I like the for idea, but I also carry a salt shaker in my hunting pack. : ) Hide those antlers for the last trip. I can usually do it all with the deer, but with elk or moose, last load. and... it is alaskan law to bring them out last.