For those of us headed out this weekend to attempt to bag a bull with a bow... is anyone else worried about meat spoiling in 100 degree weather? I have NEVER hunted elk this early (thanks DWR) and I'm a little worried about spoilage if I am lucky enough to put one on the ground. I've shot a number of elk and know how to take care of one, but I'm curious if there are any veteran warm-weather elk hunters out there that can give any tips on how to get one cooled out quickly when it will be a day or more before you can get one to the cooler.
Cool DownTricks
- Thread starter whipknot
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wyomule
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If im hunting in hot weather I bring garbage bags and place either quarters or boned out meat in the bags and submerge them in a stream.Just try and get as much air out as you can and place rocks on top. Usually can find a spring or stream either close to your kill or camp. If not just make sure you get him quartered up asap and off the ground in the coolest timber you can find and make sure there is never any direct sunlight on it.
slamdunk
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Whip-
I LOVE your positive thoughts on your success!!
The trick is getting cooled down ASAP and hung up above the ground in pine trees where there's cooler air and shade.
A low place in a draw where the air flow is cooler is best if you can do that.
Once you cool the quarters down in the creek or water of from some other source, get the cheese cloth around them and get them dry, do NOT keep them submerged in water.
Water is FULL of bacteria, especially from a creek and will spoil meat very quickly.
Good luck my friend!!
I LOVE your positive thoughts on your success!!
The trick is getting cooled down ASAP and hung up above the ground in pine trees where there's cooler air and shade.
A low place in a draw where the air flow is cooler is best if you can do that.
Once you cool the quarters down in the creek or water of from some other source, get the cheese cloth around them and get them dry, do NOT keep them submerged in water.
Water is FULL of bacteria, especially from a creek and will spoil meat very quickly.
Good luck my friend!!
I have only hunted Elk in hot dry weather and I have never lost any meat. I have also never been near a stream or a creek either. The trick is to get that hide off as soon as possible!! I can not stress that enough. Sitting around taking pictures is going to waste some meat in 100 degree weather. The next thing I do is quarter the Elk up and get those quarters hanging on the shaded side of a tree. I use the no gut method which is very quick considering. I carry 5 cotton pillow cases with me, after I debone the meat I fill those pillow cases and again hang them back on the shade side of the tree. Once all the meat has been deboned I will carry one pillow case of meat back to camp and grab my pack frame. I will again hang the meat in the shade. Once I have all the meat back then it's time to hit the store and get ice. Ice the meat down and you should be good to go. You can let the meat hang in pillow cases on the shady side of a tree as long as air gets around it for up to 24 hours which is what I perfer to do. After that I ice it down.
AZStickman
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I do it pretty much the same as Gotbowaz....... Terry
Thanks guys. Great info. On another note... are you guys seeing any bulls that have rubbbed yet on the Wasatch? The two that I have my eye on are still in full velvet. Some have been bugling but haven't rubbed and no interest in cows yet. Just curious as to what everyone else has been seeing.
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birdbuster
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Water IS NOT BAD FOR MEAT. Guess how they cool down your beef at the packing plant? They spray cold water on it! Bacteria growth is a combination of moisture and temperature. The meat already provides plenty of both. Evaporation creates a heat loss. Ever wonder how 99 degree sweat cools you off? So the ideal cooling situation for meat is cold evaporation i.e. constant cool breeze out of the sun with an occasional spray of cold clean water to create evaporation. The initial dunking in a stream is good for sucking out the first 20 or 30 degrees. If you are going to worry about something in the water worry about giardia. If you can pack enough ice to be useful you can also get the meat to a cooler so that option seems a little worthless to me other than for a long transport.
Birdbuster, I believe you are assuming everyone takes thier meat to a locker or butcher. I do my own butchering and lately I even do it out in the field/camp. It's nice and neat that way and I dont have nasty scraps to have to put into a dumpster. So yes I pack everything in ice for the long haul home and into my freezer. 
slamdunk
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LAST EDITED ON Aug-15-08 AT 12:11PM (MST)[p]birdbuster-
My point was too not toss the meat in a creek and leave it, nor do you want to leave it sitting in a cooler full of water for very long.
My point is to soak it to cool and clean it, then get it dried out and hung up.
My point was too not toss the meat in a creek and leave it, nor do you want to leave it sitting in a cooler full of water for very long.
My point is to soak it to cool and clean it, then get it dried out and hung up.
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birdbuster
Guest
The creek is definitely better than a cooler full of water. A cold moving creek is a constant supply of fresh water. As I mentioned, good for initial cool down. Let the breeze dry it off for the evaporative cooling. I too do my own butchering (and did so commercially for years) although my tag is 400 miles from home this year so depending on timing and heat may pay to have it done. The faster you can get it in the freezer the better.
birdbuster, I guess i should have been a little more clear on the iceing the meat down. I meant get it in a cooler/ice chest with ice. I always also leave the cap on the ice chest cracked to drain off melted ice. If you still would like to do your own butchering and your 400 miles from home bring some extra sleeping bags and cover your ice chest and re-ice every now and then on your way home. I have kept elk good, cold and "dry" for up to 4 days this way. I do agree to some extent that getting into the freezer ASAP the better. I say some extent because I like mine to age and bleed off a couple of days first. But getting that meat cooled down as fast as possible is the key, it does not have to be frozen right away.
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birdbuster
Guest
I butcher mine as soon as they are cool even in the winter. Wild game is dry enough as it is and I don't think aging does anything good for wild game's flavor. The very best deer I've had are those that were in the freezer inside 24hrs. You can get away with more on elk but I still like to cut them up as soon as they are cool. By the time quarters have hung several hours they are plenty bled out. By then any blood that remains isn't going anywhere anyway. I hope my bull is so old and tough all he'll be good for is burger anyway!
Good luck all.
Good luck all.
I
ID4x4
Guest
What do you guys use to control flies? Pepper or citric acid?
LAST EDITED ON Aug-15-08 AT 08:08PM (MST)[p]I have only killed 2 bulls in hot weather. What I do is Indian quarter, which is the quickest,then skin the quarters, de bone, than put into meat bags and hang in a shady place. Once all meat is back at camp I will double plastic bag it and put into a creek to further cool. Once the sun sets I remove from the creek and plastic and hang. Again in the AM I put meat into the plastic and creek. Have kept meet this way for 6 days.Cooler with Ice for the ride home. Now once I get home I hang the meat for no less than 14 days to age. Granted this is in a controlled enviro. at 47 degrees. Trim and butcher,most tender meat you ever had! Some people freak out with the aging process but man it makes a difference. You will probably see some mold growth but that is OK, just cut it away.
Good luck and clean kill on your hunt!!!
Good luck and clean kill on your hunt!!!
D
d13r
Guest
......and without a doubt a forest circus nazi WILL give you grief for having a carcass in the water at all...
JB
JB
OwnMoreBone
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I always have a good supply of fine ground pepper, after I get the meat into my Cabela's game bags I give them a good coat of pepper and never have a problem with the fly's or the bee's.
OMB
There's room for all of God's creatures, right next to the mashed taters and gravy.
OMB
There's room for all of God's creatures, right next to the mashed taters and gravy.
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3fletch
Guest
In Oregon the temperatures will be hot during the day and will actually cool down at night into the 30-40's. We hang the quarters in the shade with total air circulation and in the morning when we head back out we will stuff the quarters in sleeping bags during the heat of the day. Again in the evening we will pull them out and hang them. You will be amazed how well this works to keep the meat cool all day. The key of course is that the temp at night has to get down pretty cool or you will be fighting a loosing battle. Best bet is find a cooler to get it in ASAP. We also have made our own walk in as long as we are close to home....
Good luck!
Good luck!
