Packing elk quarters

Bambistew

Bambistew

Very Active Member
Messages
1,959
I've often wondered about people that pack out meat, whether on their back or on a horse... why they pack out the leg bone below the knee? I've never weighed an elk leg, but I'll bet they weigh around 4 pounds each or so.

Cutting the legs off is usually step number two after gutting for me, especially if I have to drag it very far. I could see if you were going gutless and having a 'handle' would be nice during butchering, but once you get that sucker off, I sure as heck woudn't be packing that extra weight 100 yards, much less a few miles.

With a sharp knife and about 20-30 seconds they come right off.

How many people pack it out, and if so why?
 
If it is less than a mile, I'll pack out the quarters, bone 'handle' and all. But, if I am packing them further than that, almost always, I bone the elk out and the only 'bone' I haul out is the head.

I NEVER gut an elk, wasted time getting the meat cooled, and just more blood to deal with.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
We do it because the meat processors wont take it if its off the bone.


buck1.gif


Later, Brandon
 
Good question bambi. The legs below the knee is a waste of energy to pack. They come off if I can drive up to the animal. In fact, I did just that last week. And they get in the way.
 
I always take the legs off at the knee regardless of how I am packing an animal out and if I don't have horses with, then I bone everything out. Elk bone is a lot of weight to be packing. PRO, how can you not gut an animal? Man the heart and liver are great eats, especially the heart. How do you go about removing the tender loins? Anyway, with a few sharp knives and some rolled up sleeves, myself and a helper can have an elk totally field dressed and ready to go off the mountain in 2 hours (gutted, boned, bagged, and packed).
 
Falloutwest, ANYTHING inside the animal's chest cavity is considered GUTS by me. As for the tenderloins, I make a simple cut along the top of the rib cage and cut them out w/o touching any of the guts. I can have a big bull boned, bagged, caped, and loaded up in under an hour, by myself! And, by removing the hide instead of wasting time gutting, I am getting the meat cooled off quicker, making for better tasting meat. I will NEVER gut another elk as long as I live. Same for all big game.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
I used to agree completely, with not carrying the lower leg. The I got older (weaker AND wiser). I completely bone everything. I also make my llamas carry the meat.

It's amazing how far I can pack things now.
 
"As for the tenderloins, I make a simple cut along the top of the rib cage and cut them out w/o touching any of the guts. I can have a big bull boned, bagged, caped, and loaded up in under an hour, by myself! And, by removing the hide instead of wasting time gutting, I am getting the meat cooled off quicker, making for better tasting meat."



COMPLETE AND UTTER BS!

Nice try though.
 
Pro, I guess I should say congrats on being the best elk field dresser known to man. I would love to witness this knife wielding, hair flying feat of craftsmenship some day. How do you roll an elk over and get to quarters that are on the down side, especially when the animal still has all its guts inside? Those UT bulls must have tiny bodies, maybe that is why their antlers look so big!! If you are finishing in an hour, I guess the coyotes are enjoying a hell of a fiest cause you are leaving a lot of elk on the hill. Anyway, I am not one for starting arguments or ruffling feathers, but save your BS for those that are less competant.
 
About four years ago I learned how to quarter an animal, and I will never gut, drag, or carry another big game out ever. I shot an antelope in Wyoming a few years back who ended up dropping 20 yds off of a road I still quartered him out. Its alot cleaner, easier, and quicker. Plus when your done with a big enough cooler the meat all fits.


Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave in a well preserved body, but to skid in sideways totally worn out shouting HOLY SH!T WHAT A RIDE!!!
 
I go gutless every time (actually I field dress whitetails in Kansas). I do it as Pro described, but it takes me over 2 hours.

It is simple to cape the "up" side, then quarter and bone the up side. It is very easy to roll a bull over after you have quartered and boned the "up" side. After you roll the bull, then you can do the same to the other side. I did it alone this year on my moose, which is far bigger than any other creature I have dealt with. Just bone them into game bags and haul what is comfortable. Boned meat also hauls in a nice pack much easier than bone-in quarters. I also like to bone certain cuts into bags so I know how I want it cut (ex. loins, tenders, best steaks) and usually get most made into burger/sausage. And the moose took me over 5 hours to quarter and bone.

Brandon- You need a new meat cutter. haha Best of luck in the draw (although after your last year you don't need more luck).

-------------------------
www.sagebasin.com
-------------------------
 
We use them as "handles" until we get them strapped on our pack frames. Then cut them off with a knife, on your back, and off the mountian we go.
 
"As for the tenderloins, I make a simple cut along the top of the rib cage and cut them out w/o touching any of the guts. I can have a big bull boned, bagged, caped, and loaded up in under an hour, by myself! And, by removing the hide instead of wasting time gutting, I am getting the meat cooled off quicker, making for better tasting meat."


Yep, I do the very same thing, its a piece of cake. It does take 3 to 4 trips by backpack to get it all out though.
 
An hour may be cutting it a little short on me personally, but certainly it wouldn't take much more than that. I will take that bet (I get Pro in the bet).

You get the bull laying on one side. You skin the elk on the up side. Take off the quarters on that side. Take off the backstrap on that side. Take out the tenderloins on that side.

Get a rope and tie on the end of the down legs. With esentially only 1/2 the elk now, and a rope tied to the lower leg, one person can easily roll him over (first twist the head around, then pull the front leg over, then the back leg)

Now repeat on the other side. When you finish, you have the whole animal skined and quartered without ever entering or cutting a rib or handling a gut. What is there that takes so much longer than an hour?

And why would you go to all the trouble to gut one? If you ever try it, you won't either. You could certainly take out the heart and liver without gutting them either. I personally leave them too.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-27-08 AT 02:11PM (MST)[p]>"As for the tenderloins, I make
>a simple cut along the
>top of the rib cage
>and cut them out w/o
>touching any of the guts.
>I can have a big
>bull boned, bagged, caped, and
>loaded up in under an
>hour, by myself! And, by
>removing the hide instead of
>wasting time gutting, I am
>getting the meat cooled off
>quicker, making for better tasting
>meat."
>
>
>
>COMPLETE AND UTTER BS!

Zigga,
You need to have somebody teach you how to do what pro is talking about. It is 100% possible and the only way to go. It is super fast and clean. I understand if your ticked because pro was tooting his horn a little too much, but it's not bs IMO.
 
Sorry if telling FACTS is "tooting my horn", or makes folks feel compleled to call me a liar. But, it does NOT change the FACTS. Which I do this several times a year, and have the 'system' down pat. txhunter58, make the bet and you and I will spilt the profits. I do it as fast as I can, not for 'bragging' purposes, but to get the meat cooled off ASAP. Call it bs if it makes you feel better, but I did this with a 10 year old bull this fall, all within a few minutes of ONE HOUR, and he did NOT have a small body! Point is, it is FASTER to do the gutless method than WASTING time gutting an animal, to deny that is ABSURD!

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
+1 PRO
Gutless is the only way to go. You also don't have to worry about getting the piss or poop on the elks hind quarters.



Archery is a year round commitment!!
 
I tried the gutless method on a deer for the first time this fall and will never gut one again. It is clean, easy and quick. I hope someday I get a chance to try it on an elk. I also bone my quarters after I take them off unless I am really close to my vehicle.

Dax
 
No B.S. on the gutless method.

Heres a link

http://home.att.net/~sajackson/bugle.html

This will show you how to do the method. Theres pictures, and a slideshow. And for those that would like to see it better and in action he sells a video real cheap and its great. Shows you step by step how to get it done without gutting and yes in a hour.



Don
 
I'm with Zigga. To totally bone out an animal the size of an elk, cape it for the taxidermist, cut the antlers at the skull plate, bag it in game bags or backpacks, and load it, even into a pickup close by, ALL by ones self in under an hour? Hardly. Throw in maybe horses. Definitely no way. Of course the de-boning of an animal varies in completeness with every hunter. mtmuley
 
mtmuley, I NEVER said I can get it to the truck during that hour! Pay attention, and read what is said before you dispute things. Having sharp knives, and a solid game plan enables and experienced hunter the ability to QUICKLY have an animal in game bags and caped within an hour. This is a very easy pocedure, otherwise I wouldn't be capable of performing it at all.

For the record, I only cape to the antlers 90% of the time. I don't believe the extra time it takes to cape the head is worth it most of the time while in the field unless I am 3+ miles from the truck/atv.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
Count me as another hunter who knows the benefits of the gutless method. Unlike Pro, I will gut animals at certain times is the situation calls for it. The last elk that I gutted was in 2002, for two reasons. #1 the guy that was hunting with me was a non-believer in that method and #2 and more important, we loaded the bull into my pickup whole in one piece. Other than when I'm loading an animal whole into the truck, I go gutless on everything I can.

Regarding the tenderloins, it is very easy to push down on the top of the abdomen and remove the tenderloins, using a knife only to cut it away from the bone. As for the heart and liver, I have a saying "No Guts - No Nuts!" Coyotes gotta eat to, he can have those guts.
 
I'm with mymuley still on this. Quartering and pulling the backstraps without gutting is not a big deal. I never said that it was, its not rocket science and is a quick thing to do in under an hour. BUT, to bone and cape everything out so that you are walking off the mountain with ONLY boneless meat, a cape, and antlers shure as heck isn't going to only take an hour by yourself. That was my origional argument as PRO's origional reply made it sound like he was doing all that in an hour....hence my reply of BS. If you take the extra time to reduce everything to the minimun weight then there are fewer trips and fewer people needed to pack out an animal.

This brings me to another question I have. Maybe I will start a new post with this but how many of you out there take heart and liver off the hill? I had a friend who hated liver and never took either. I always did so we had an argument and he said he though less than 10% of hunters take them. I thought that number would be much higher but after reading this post, maybe not. Do you take or leave. I personally think heart is wonderful and don't mind liver. Heck, I even took my last bulls tongue and ate that and ate my Califonia Bighorns juevos! Guess that all stems from growing up on a ranch and eating that kind of stuff all the time!
 
I will agree with PRO as well. I have boned out many elk in under an hour. I get a fair amoount of practice, which helps, but this is a very fast, effecient method. I completed a cow this year in less than 45 minutes, but didn't have to worry about the head and cape. This is the only area where there is room for argument in these discussions of speed. That is the definition of caping and how much you are doing in the 1 hour time limit. If you mean caping up to the base of the neck, so that you can roll the "cape" up to the head, and pack it out this way, than a 1 hour time limit is a bet I will take anytime. Now to do a proper caping job, and completely remove the skin from the head, well, I spend a solid half hour just doing this, being very careful to get a good cape. I can't get the cape properly removed and all the meat off in under an hour. But as far as getting all the MEAT off the animal, bagged and ready to pack, absolutely no problem.

I only pack heart and liver if I have pack stock or am very close to the road. I don't care for any of the internal organs, but have a few friends who like them. Mostly they are left for the coyotes. A properly boned carcass, as described by PRO and others, has very little edible meat left on the bones.

Bill
 
While 1 hour for the whole job sounds a little short, I could see it being done. As far as gutting...I don't know if I remember how to gut One! Gutless boning is the only way to go. I bone them out even if they are close to a road. It is simple and fast. And the job is then done, no messing with it again when you get home or back to camp. Like Pro said, it cools the meat off fast too. It takes me right at 1 hour to bone, sack up, and cut the horns off of a muley. Hard on the back though, all that stooping over. I really don't know why anyone would gut an animal after doing the gutless method a couple times.
 
Hey Pro, The statement about caping is what got me. I don't care if the truck/atv/horse is right next to you, it takes an hour just to do the cape. At least that. If you only skin to the skull, it is quicker. As far as the rest, I guess you're fast. And pay attention, I didn't say anything about getting the meat into a pickup. Only loading it onto/into whatever means you are using. I am sure the gutless method is great. Most of the time, for me, it won't work. And I don't have to use it. My elk are usually killed a looong way from the truck ,or where a stupid atv can't go. I have left many a critter overnite with zero problems. And I like the heart and liver to boot. To each his own. mtmuley
 
>"As for the tenderloins, I make
>a simple cut along the
>top of the rib cage
>and cut them out w/o
>touching any of the guts.
>I can have a big
>bull boned, bagged, caped, and
>loaded up in under an
>hour, by myself! And, by
>removing the hide instead of
>wasting time gutting, I am
>getting the meat cooled off
>quicker, making for better tasting
>meat."
>
>
>
>COMPLETE AND UTTER BS!

I have done 15 caribou this way and 3 elk with 0 complaints. It works awesome!
>
>Nice try though.
 
To each his own on gutin and quartering. I think we are splitting hairs here. I have used both methods and it just depends where I am and who's helping me as to what I will do. This is as bad as the best bullet and the shot placement question.

I learned the no-gut method years ago growing up on my friends ranch chasing bushy cows on national forest. We would end up shootin them in some hell hole and have to pack them out. One thing I learned from a guide was using razor blades. Sharp as hell, if it gets dull grab another one. I can't believe all the people that leave the heart. I may take the liver if it looks good and doesn't have fluke in it. Just my HO. How long to hunting season. JB
 
The gutless method works pretty slick, some people call it the Alaskan method. My wife killed a Buffalo this year, she had to be back to work by 1:00 that afternoon, which was three hours away. She shot the buffalo at around 8:00 that morning and she made it to work on time. Didn't get a speeding ticket either. We busted our butts and got it done in somewhere around two hours so I wouldn't doubt you can get an elk done in an hour.

A good trick on elk that you have to pack a long ways is to completely bone out the front shoulders, backstraps and loins and put them in your packs. On the hind quarter, tie a piece of parachute cord to it and to a nice handle sized stick that fits your hand well. Drag the quarter and pack the rest. With two people, you can pack an entire elk out in one trip and it's amazing how far you can go without killing yourself.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-27-08 AT 10:39PM (MST)[p]I was doing the gutless method before the term "gutless method" was first spoken. It's a great way to go under certain circumstances. If you think the gutless method is easier then you don't know how to gut.

Some reasons why gutting is better:

It keeps your meat clean. My butcher would never take pro's meat. You can not possibly keep it all clean and hairless. Have fun cleaning every single square inch of meat off of the gutless method before packaging it. My animal doesn't touch the ground when I get it home. Therefore, no hair or dirt in the steaks.

It's simple. I guarantee I can gut an elk faster than pro can do the gutless method.....oh yeah and my meat will be cleaner. You could teach a politician how to gut an animal. Not so with the gutless method.

It's fast...because it's simple.
Clean, fast, simple...there you have it.



Some reasons to go gutless:

When you aren't close to the truck and don't want to pack extra weight.

When it's really hot out.

Do you really think you can taste the difference between the two? pllllllllllleeeease!

But hey....to each his own.
 
I had gutted my elk in the past but then this fall a guy I was hunting with showed me the gutless quarter and that is slick. I'd seen a picture sequence of it that someone had posted a link to at one time but had never tried it. Good point Pro about it saving time and quicker cooling. If you happen to have a 2nd guy with the inside tenderloins were easy to get. I just took both hands on the stomach and pushed inward while he reached in and cut them out.
 
Read the comments and I have to back up PRO on this one. I too have made that cut to harvest the tenderloin without gutting the animal. It's NOT "utter BS" as Zigga put it. Actually, my dad taught me how to do it a long time ago. It's slicker than snot in the palm of your hand. I very seldom gut an elk anymore. Usually the only way I will is if it has to sit over night. As for packing out the legs....bone it out baby!

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-08 AT 03:42AM (MST)[p]It is really simple to bone out an elk and getting the tenderlions is equally as simple without getting any guts on ya.

If you have some down hill angle on the elk and the legs are pointing down hill the gut will have a gap between the gut sac and the backbone.

Simply put a little pressure on the gut sac down and slip your knife in between the backbone and you hit a little cavity and can get the tenderlions out way easy.

Thanks to 'Predator' and her tenderlion class about 7 miles in on year!

It takes me a little longer than an hour as the rib meat is considered edible meat. I have to be careful not to cut to deep or I have nicked the gut sac...it is just time consuming not difficult.

I do not cape the skull out on the mountain..I toss it on my packframe and head out.

Robb
 
+1 on the gutless method

I learned the gutless method two years ago and will take that route in almost every situation.

With my LE bull last year it took me 3 hours to finish completely. The nice part about this method is when you are don your done, you don't have to hang and skin an animal at camp or home, just take it to the processor.

With every animal I use this on I am convinced that the meat stays just as clean as hanging and skinning. But like PRO said you need experience, good tools and a game plan.


?Here?s to the hero's that Git-R-Done!!?
 
http:www.elknut.com

I can't even remember the last time I took care of an elk by myself. Man I'm getting old! It's normally my son & I doing the deed together as we hunt/call for one another, & the average time for us is aprox 45-50 min. We've not gutted any critter either in the last 15 years. This doesn't count that at times it takes 30 minutes to untangle the bull from downfall & debris he may have slithered under before dying (grin) We saw legs off & remove rack off skull plate first thing with WY Saw. Remove exposed quarters on the bone, backstrap & tenderloins like the others. We roll it over on the hide that's skinned back to keep it off of dirt & repeat. We remove all neck meat & misc burger meat as well. Everything is in bags we always carry with us before leaving for pack-frames.

One of us carries rack out & the other carries out burger stuff in bag. Once in a while we remove heart, about 50% of the time. Gutting isn't needed to do this either. The closest to gutting out is when we remove broadhead & examine damage & cause of death.

I-hr for one guy is impressive, nice work PRO!!

ElkNut1
 
I like the gutless way but doesn't anyone eat elk heart? (I also keep the liver and give to the locals).We love it, clean, cut into 1/4' strip flour salt and pepper cook in melted butter. Probably not good for your own cholesterol rate but oh well.


Joe
 
zigga, you are doing it wrong if the meat gets dirty! I am not sure what 'method' you use, but if done right the meat stays every bit as clean. How can you gut an elk, skin it, debone it, faster than I can by me 'skipping' your first step? I am now calling BS!

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
>zigga, you are doing it wrong
>if the meat gets dirty!
>I am not sure what
>'method' you use, but if
>done right the meat stays
>every bit as clean. How
>can you gut an elk,
>skin it, debone it, faster
>than I can by me
>'skipping' your first step? I
>am now calling BS!
>
>PRO
>
>Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy
>and opportunity hunts throughout the
>state of Utah.


I've probably stood over more elk than you've seen pro. I know a bs'er when I see one. Save your back patting for someone else. Where did I say I can gut, skin and debone blahblahblah? I basically said a monkey (sorry if I offended any monkeys on here) can gut an elk. It's that easy. If you think the gutless method is easier then you are gutting them wrong. I'm just saying if you can get away with letting the butcher do his job with a whole animal, you are much better off. The gutless method works great under certain circumstances. I'll bring home MORE and CLEANER meat than you everytime. That's a fact. Isn't that what it's all about?
 
Zigga, I am not going to get in a pi$$ing match with you, but you are talking out your backside.

"I've probably stood over more elk than you've seen pro. I know a bs'er when I see one. Save your back patting for someone else. Where did I say I can gut, skin and debone blahblahblah? I basically said a monkey (sorry if I offended any monkeys on here) can gut an elk. It's that easy. If you think the gutless method is easier then you are gutting them wrong. I'm just saying if you can get away with letting the butcher do his job with a whole animal, you are much better off. The gutless method works great under certain circumstances. I'll bring home MORE and CLEANER meat than you everytime. That's a fact. Isn't that what it's all about?"

Since I have seen several thousand elk in my lifetime, you must be the man if you have "stood over more elk than I've seen". Talk about patting ones self on the back!

If you go back and read my first post on this topic, you will see where I clearly stated I ONLY debone if I am way back in. If I dedone and you bring out the entire animal of course you will bring out more and cleaner meat, DUH! That wasn't even the topic, try and keep up.

I'll spell it out for you zigga, if it is hot, the gutless method is BETTER than gutting, as it allows the meat to cool quicker/easier. If one is way in where the animal needs to be packed miles, deboning is the BETTER method than trying to haul the entire animal out. I see NO advantages to gutting an animal unless you can get the truck right to the animal, which has NEVER happened in the MANY elk I have "stood over".

Have a good day. I hope to one day be able to "see as many elk as you have stood over", even though I am 40 and been an elk guide for 20 years and grew up in elk country, spent lots of time in Yellowstone/Jackson Hole as a kid. Will you be my mentor? I have "stood over bulls" that go well over 400" and did the 'gutless' on them, but I apparently still have no clue about how to take care of an elk on the ground. I guess I should throw out the elk meat in my freezerS, since I "ruined" it by doing it 'wrong'. Thanks for the heads up.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-08 AT 10:25AM (MST)[p]"I NEVER gut an elk, wasted time getting the meat cooled, and just more blood to deal with."

"but I apparently still have no clue about how to take care of an elk on the ground. I guess I should throw out the elk meat in my freezerS, since I "ruined" it by doing it 'wrong'. Thanks for the heads up."



You are welcome. Let me know how else I can help you.

Did you say "40" or "4"?

wow
 
A Question along these same lines.
With either method how do you go about leaving "evidence of sex" on some part of the animal?
As most know states vary in their requirements for this, but in CO. if the animal is not intact there must be evidence left on a "quarter" to satisfy the law if you are checked.
I like the gutless quarter method, but am not nearly practiced enough to be "fast" at it.
 
Zigga, are you the pot, or are you the kettle? WOW indeed. Take a look in the mirror, then get back with me. Continue on with your preaching. I am done. I answered the question and offered advice based on me "standing over well over 100 bull elk", if that bothers you, don't read my posts!

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
You all must hunt in the dead of summer. I like to enjoy the entire process of field dressing my animal. I have only gutted them. I cant see changing. It only takes about 5 minutes, if I am rushed to gut an elk, split the pelvis, cut around the A-hole, and drag the guts away. I prefer to see what path my arrow took, whether I got both lungs, heart, liver etc. Then I skin, quarter, bag, and haul away. I'd say 2 hours time.
 
Utah's LE elk hunts start in mid-August and run through September, 70+ days are the norm, with many days over 80. Coolong the meat quickly is vital, IMHO. Getting the hide off ASAP helps more than any other factor.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
The guy who started this thread was asking about how guys pack out their elk, not which one of you two (pro and zigga) has a bigger one. Why don't you two quit arguing over who is the more experienced and just leave it that you've both seen an elk or two and do things differently. It might have been fun to watch you two argue for a bit, but it's gotten old, way old now.

Did either of you actually answer the question the fellow who started this thread asked?
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-08 AT 01:15PM (MST)[p]Here's MY .02 on babistews question-
In working as a guide for a huge western outfitter, we pack our meat differently depending which lease we are on.

Most of the ranches we hunt we use horses or ATV's, but the lease I work on, it's all on our back due to the remoteness and extremely steep terrain.

For the record, NONE of our elk are "gutted", horses or not!!
(unless it's an evening kill and we have to wait till morning for pictures)

When horses are used, the elk are quartered right there on the ground and loaded into panniards. If ATV'a are to be used, we haul quarters up the the closest ATV on pack frames.

Out where i guide, they are quartered AND deboned if were a long ways from a vehicle, if not too far, we leave the bones in and haul out a quarter at a time.

And BTW-, NOTHING is left but ribs.
Even the inside loins can be reached and cut out if you know what your doing.

Good times!! :)









Skull Krazy
"No Bones About It"
 
To answer the question correctly. I pack it out on my back, I use a bullpac external frame. I stash this in the woods near the trail head I cut in on. When I shoot something I field dress and quarter and get the pack frame. Last year I was about 1.5 miles from the trail head. From there I road the old mountain bike 3 more miles to camp. Funny thing was that I tied two hind quarters to the pack frame, my day pack, and bow. I took about 10 steps and knew I'd never make it.
 
Recently I've seen quite a few picures of quarters strapped to both horses and on pack frames with the lower leg (below the knee) still attached. Just wondering why someone would pack it out, seem like putting a 4-5 pound rock in your pack would make as much sense. Then again, I see lots of people packing out an entire elk head with the cape on it. Might as well put a 15 pound rock in your pack. :) That hour it takes to cape out the head, and saw of the antlers is worth it for me not to pack all that crap off the hill. Maybe I'm just a puss?

Everyone has thier own way of going about it. Its not like one is better than the other, just because you say so, or it takes you 1 hour 12 min vs 1 hour 37 min if you gut it... BFD. ya both end up with meat in the freezer, who cares how you got it there.

Personally I gut mine, and get it up off the ground by proping it up over a log, stump etc, and come back the next day or 3 later and haul it out with horses. The way we pack them, we split the backbone down to the hide, but not cut through it, put the fronts on one horse and the hinds on another, tie them on and head down the trail. When we go back to pack it out, we have plenty of time to quarter or do what I have to do then. If I was packing it on my back, I'd likely go 'gutless', depending on time of day, or where I was camped.

I've yet to eat a 'bad tasting' elk because it wasn't skinned or cooled right away. I've had a few chewy ones but no bad tasting ones.

Pretty amazing that the old timers that didn't have any sort of refridgeration managed to keep thier meat from spoiling, and most didn't skin anything till it was home and ready to be butchered. Some left deer hanging on the back porch for a month or more, cutting what they wanted off as they ate is down. IMO there is a lot of heritage in the form of game care that has been lost to the last generation. I feel fortunate that my grandfather taught me what was passed down to him from his grandfather.

Contray to what some want you to belive... elk don't spoil on the spot with the hide on, and blue/wood rifles don't melt in the rain.
 
This thread has been entertaining and educational, thanks Bambistew, and everyone else that posted. I learned that you can get the inner tenderloins (we call them sweet loins) out without gutting, I have always gutted just to get to those. Next time I will try the gutless method, looks like it may take some practice to get good at it though.
 
completesportsman-
Once you try it and master it, you'll wonder why you did it the other way all these years!

The neatest part about it is that if you get blood up much past your forearms, you've done it wrong.

Try that gutting one, you'll be drenched clear to your neck!!!








Skull Krazy
"No Bones About It"
 
CAelknuts, you are correct. Sorry for my 'dance' with Zigga, I just don't like being called a liar without no cause. I never intended it to be 'bragging', I was just trying to answer the question posed. I'll end with saying I have field dressed well over 300 animals in my day, and I have no intention to gut one again if I can help it. And BTW, the elk steaks I ate last night tasted GREAT! A little tough, being as they came from an big old stinky Utah bull, but very tasty indeed!

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
Cut off legs? Gut? No gut?

I just cut mine into steaks, roasts, grind hamburger, and wrap right at the kill. I can do this in about 49 minutes. It cools quicker and eliminates unnecessary steps. I have done about 4138 this way and never had a problem. I am working on a method to stuff the head while I wait for the 49 minutes to expire.

To answer your question, no, I do not haul the lower leg off the mountain. There is some tasty meat that I strip off of them though. I am the best!
 
I only haul meat and antlers off the mountain. And I am here to say it takes me for freakin' ever to do anything with an elk!!!!!! But I am usually too excited to care.

We gut them and get the heck back to camp. The hide is better left on for when the grizzlies come and piss all over it then bury it, it protects the meat.
 
Wow, real "mountian spices"...dirt and grizz pizz, sounds yummy!!

Something pee's on my animal and buries it in the dirt, it's going to stay buried!!








Skull Krazy
"No Bones About It"
 
"Try that gutting one, you'll be drenched clear to your neck!!!"




???

You mean, clear to your wrist, right?????
 
Damn, sounds like i could be schooled in gutting an elk and not get any blood past my wrists, this ought to be good!

Do you pack a saw too and cut the brisket all the way up so you can get the heart and lungs....not too mention a wind pipe!

Even at that....no blood past the wrists?

Must be wearing a long sleeve shirt and wrapping the cuffs tight with duct tape. lol












Skull Krazy
"No Bones About It"
 
>Ya'all pack out the meat?
>
>The Real Outdoor Pro

Dang, I got a 'mini me'.:7

PRO


Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
OOO BOY...now there are 2 of um...

lets all agree to disagree and call it a day.

LET TALK BEAR APPS NOW...

Im going for anouther Books Cliff tag.

How about everyone else?
 
I can cut into steaks, roasts, bearburger, wrap, and completely skin a bear in about 22 minutes. I have done about 976 of these. I am trying to figure out how to do a bear rug while the 22 minutes expire. I am the fastest and bestest at this also.
 
Wow, this thread got fun to read after a while. Poutdoors, I only wish I could know more about an elk than an elk does about himself. Tell me where you live so I can worship the ground you walk on. I wish I was as "pRO" as you are at everything from here to the sun. I'm PROud of you pro for your many accomplishments in life but no one asked to hear your "chest puffing/know-it-all" stories. Just wanted to know about "packing out elk quarters" not how many elk you've stood over or seen. Just by viewing your posts I can tell how outspoken you are which also suggests that your friends consist of just you and that turd in your pocket. Good Day
 
I hate when elk are on the ground and will never be fast at getting those big ol stinkys ready to pack out.My lower back hurts so bad when I get the chore completed.Hey ktc if you can handle this chore as fast as you say you can stick around a little longer on my next elk hunt.JK Hey Az this year buddy one call thats all.
 
I can have your Arizona archery elk it took you 12 years to draw, ready in 49 minutes, all by myself! You just drink beer and stand clear of my knife wielding craftsmanship!

One Call, That's All!
1-800-PRO-KNOWS!

:):):)
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-08 AT 06:45PM (MST)[p]
Bloodtracker,

So, you are saying if someone called you a liar, you would not be upset? That is really all this is about.

Without that, this would have been a debate, not a pissing match.

I wouldn't know Pro if I passed him on the street, and I don't always agree with him, but I make it a policy never to side with those who call people names.

By the way, I cut the legs off for packing Bambi!

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-08 AT 07:04PM (MST)[p]All this taking care of elk on the ground and backpacking qaurters is making my back ache just reading about it.
It sounds like alot of us do not gut animals its the only way to go.Ktc with that sharp new custom knife you can bet I will stay clear.Hey maybe drinking a victory beer sitting on top of a saddle would make my back feel alot better after he is on the ground.You wont have to worry about any Az hunts for a few more years.Those units guys draw for every two years are not worth beans.Just joking guys its just the joggers and bikers I dont like to deal with on the easy to draw units.
Mabye we can time how fast we can qaurter,cape and get a billy goat off the mountain and back to the truck this year, that would be fun.Remember I dont backpack anything if you have horses thats the real deal.
 
>Cut off legs? Gut? No gut?
>
>
>I just cut mine into steaks,
>roasts, grind hamburger, and wrap
>right at the kill. I
>can do this in about
>49 minutes. It cools quicker
>and eliminates unnecessary steps. I
>have done about 4138 this
>way and never had a
>problem. I am working on
>a method to stuff the
>head while I wait for
>the 49 minutes to expire.
>
>
>To answer your question, no, I
>do not haul the lower
>leg off the mountain. There
>is some tasty meat that
>I strip off of them
>though. I am the best!
>

I am almost that fast, The last mule deer I killed had 15in bases and slowed the process a bit!
 
You guys are funny fellars. Thanks for the laugh. I guess it is good I don't take stuff here too serious. I get called a liar, and when I try and prove that I am not, I get accused of boasting. Good comedy. Funny how the wolf loving mystical Zigga calls someone a liar, the silence from folks is deafening. Good form. Have fun gutting w/o getting any blood past the wrists!

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
William,

Almost is the key word!

I can do deer in 15 minutes with 15" bases or less. Done almost 10,000 of these.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-08 AT 09:10PM (MST)[p]Thats nothing boys I have caped a giraffe for a shoulder mount in 1 hour and 15 minutes.The first time I did this I gutted it and had to drag it 1/2 mile to the jeep.This is when I decided to not gut another animal.Its hard to keep the cut down the neck straight on those beasts thats for sure.
Its all in fun dont get so serious if you cant gut,bag, and pack game in steer wrestling time.
 
>That nothing boys I have caped
>a giraffe for a shoulder
>mount in 1 hour and
>15 minutes.The first time I
>did this I gutted it
>and had to drag it
>1/2 mile to the jeep.This
>is when I decided to
>not gut another animal.Its hard
>to keep the cut down
>the neck straight on those
>beasts thats for sure.
>Its all in fun dont get
>so serious if you cant
>gut,bag, and pack game in
>steer wrestling time.

I'm calling BS!;-)

PRO


Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.
 
Shoot that aint nothing. I was once helping a friend look for a bull that he had shot the night before and lost in the dark. It was right at first light when I was pretty sure I spotted the bull he had described layed up under a cedar tree. I covered the 2,000 foot vertical down and back up and got over to him in about 7 minutes. I got my knife ready and thought I might as well get started on him while my buddy was making his way over. I got that bull completely caped out when all of a sudden the big boy gave a shake and stood up and took off running. Turns out it wasn't the one my buddy had shot after all, but cause I was so quick with the caping I had it all rolled up and ready to go before the bull even woke up. Lucky it was -28 degrees that morning and I was a second or two behind my normal time or he would have been runnin away missing a quarter.


The Real Outdoor Pro
 
don't brag to me how much game ya'll have killed, hell, i've killed more bucks and bulls than CWD, and then stood over them!
 
I've been using the "gutless" method for several years now. I'ts defineately a good way to go. However, If you've got that bull down, skinned, boned, and bagged by yourself in less than one hour, you must have killed that elk in an absolutely IDEAL spot. No way is that repeatable year in and year out. I never get that lucky. The bulls I kill are usually on a nasty, brushy steep as hell mountainside and no way could TWO guys get the job done in less than two hours. Gutless method works good though..........
 
proutdoors?
prooutdoors?

Oh my gawd! pro cloned himself! I hear pro is pretty proud of himself and wanted 2 of him to pass I400 and teach the gutless method. Thanks pro!

;-);-);-);-)
 
WANTED: person who can gut, cut, wrap and cook an elk under an hour. Stands around 6'3" and can handle a horse with a pack train. Will eat the liver before I see it and can put the heart "puzzle" back together so we can cook it!!! Come by the booth at the Hunt Expo and fill out the application (ktc, you're a shoe-in for the job!!)

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com
 
Hey Jim, i'll come by the booth, but just to simply say "hello".
I'm obviously not qualified to take care of elk on the ground, I've only done the gutless method on about 50 plus bulls and it still takes me a good hour and five knives to take care of one......i'd be totally useless too your outfit i'm afraid.

But hey.....i CAN pack out a lot of meat on my back in case you have any openings for that position!! ;-)










Skull Krazy
"No Bones About It"
 
Sorry AWLB. No pack string here. I have had trouble handling the one I am sitting on lately.;-)

You guys kill way to many elk for me. I am only good for one of those a year. I only eat the deer liver anyway. Elk guts are not good to eat.

I suck at quartering. I lied. It takes me 2-3 hours to be ready to go. I just stand around now days and supervise. Do you need a supervisor?;-)
 
Thought for Today

After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started
roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral:
When you're full of bull, keep you mouth shut.
Will Rogers
 
You have to realize the only thing some of you are worried about is the bone on the head. Therefore I am positive a little meat gets left behind. I have been with guides like a couple of you on here who try to make people think you can walk on water and crap ice cream. How does your taxi feel when he has to spend two hours cleaning of the hide. Pro I have seen how the posse does it and they don't do it right. I to have stood over many bulls in my guiding career maybe not the magical 400 but a 350 bull dresses the same as a 400. Like I said some of you are more concerned with the head gear than the meat.
 
Well i can't speak for any "posse", but the outfitter i work for leaves absolutely nothing to waste on the mountain than you yourself wouldn't cut off and toss away once you got it home.

All loins, four quarters (shot up or not) and whatever neck meat the client wants is all packed off the mountain.

And yes, AT THE CLIENTS REQUEST, i have dug through guts to get hearts & livers...but that is pretty rare.

And i DO treat my own, self shot elk the same way as i do when i'm working.
I love elk meat...i take it all, but i only gut an animal less than 5% of the time.








Skull Krazy
"No Bones About It"
 
I do the same thing. cut along the top reach in and pull those babies out! It's a hell of alot easier Than gutting just to get to them! Try it some time it works when your way out in the middle of nowhere by yourself...
 
SOAPBOX:

single,
I think you'll find that most guys on here, outfitter, guide, or hunter, take care of their animals and are true sportsman that harvest every bit of meat they can. That's a pretty bold statement for a "newbie" considering the fact that you don't know any of us personally. I wouldn't begin to tell you how many bulls "I think" you have stood over because I don't know you, yet you seem to think you "know" what most of us think and do when we are on the mountain. I can't speak for everybody on this site but I would dare say that most, if not all, holders of a LE tag are concerned with bone until it hits the ground, then they take care of business. Whether or not you prefer to immerse yourself in an open gut pile or the less messy "gutless" method makes no difference. It's personal preference. As far as "Knowing guides like a couple of us"....do you know their relatives, their friends or their employers? I'm pretty sure I haven't hunted with you. I'm not sure where you came up with the knowlege but hey, feel lucky you are "in the know". JMO - there are 2 types of posters on here....punks who "think" they know it all and sportsman with very different but valuable oppinions. Where are you gonna fit in? Glad to have you on the site, now drop the personal attacks and share your oppinion and knowlege with the rest of us.

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com
 
Hey LOTTABULL, I've seen the 2 types of posters you describe flip-flop from one to the other before. Probably guilty myself. But you're right, opinions and knowledge are better than personal attacks, because none of us know it all. mtmuley
 
You are right AWLB. The headgear on a LE is very important. If it was not cow tags fit the bill. However, in my eyes, getting the meat out is the most important job once the headgear is in hand. I would feel like my hunt was not complete if I left an animal on the mountain. Not only not complete, but I would feel guilty for a long, long, time. As long as a person takes care of the quarters and loins I am fine. Some people take the guts, others strip the neck, some eat the rib meat. Who gives a rat's ass as long as it gets taken care of to meet the law and hunter's requirements? I have to admit I do not eat between the ribs and that neck meat on a big stinky is just rotten!

I will go onto say, that even though the arguments and back patting happens, this site has lots of knowledge. I am confident if I need help or advice on something, I can come here and get it.

So AWLB, did you get my email? What booth you in next week? Do you need a supervisor? I am also 6'6" not 6'3".;-) I do not hide from deer and elk very well. I am working on a quakie tree camo.
 
ktc - being 5'8", 6'3" or 6'6" makes no difference to me. I'm still lookin at your belt buckle! Booth 1003 & 1005. Come and supervise. Your job description would be to regulate the conversation regarding hunting. I know it's a difficult job but I'm almost positive you can handle it.

mtmuley - you're right, I've been there myself. No personal attacks for me anymore though, not even in defense. The more people I actually meet on this site the more I know I can learn from just about every person on here. I can honestly say, every person on here that I have met face to face has been great, ktc,silentstalker, prism, cowslayer, torch, the list goes on.

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com
 
This is a very entertaining thread.

I forgot to add to first post about how it takes me forever to to anything with an elk.

Gut or no gut doesn't come to mind, neither does quarters, bones, or lower legs, nor grizzlies. The first thing that enters my mind when we are standing over a dead bull, and we look around at where we are is....

Oh my god, what have you done??? LOL LOL

1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, isn't going to make a hill of beans of difference now, you are going to be hating life for the next 2 days. HAHAHAHAHA.
 
Who knew this would be such a good topic? I have way more fun shooting them in the boonies away from everyone but it is a lot of work. A lot less satisfaction loading them whole in the back of a truck but also less to worry about. Satisfaction outweighs ease most times. I just hate asking friends for help and hear, "are we there yet?" all the way to the carcass.
 
good topic?? doood. wtf?

a guy asks why anybody would carry useless leg bones (i.e. below the knee) out and it turns into a stupid jackassfest about who's seen more, skinned more, and packed more elk out than everybody else. Fags...

I'd like to see somebody cape, debone, and pack up an elk in in a relatively clean manner.. in an hour by themself. That's twice as fast as me or better. Either I'm a total puss or somebody's somewhat full of little #####. ha.

FOr what it's worth, I'd carry an extra ten lb leg bone maybe a hundred yards. Otherwise, I'd cut it off.
 
>Oh spaz, we missed you.
>Thanks for your comments and
>yes you are a pu55.
>

You really are a fag. Even though we haven't met, I'll accept the word of others who claim to know you.
 

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