Quartering an elk

archerelk · Nov 7, 2003

Allright, her goes the age old question. What is the best way to quarter an elk so I don't lose to much meat, and don't make it to difficult on the meat processer. (sorry for so many questions, my 1st elk I was able to load whole useing a winch, and I have always dragged my deer out)

Blair

txhunter58 · Nov 9, 2003

I have started not gutting my elk unless it can be driven to and loaded in the truck whole. The following instructions are for an elk laying flat on one side

If you have a saw, cut the legs off at the Knee (front leg) and hock (back leg). This can also be done with a pocket knife if you know how. Make a midline cut through the skin from the chin,chest,belly, to the anus (assuming you are not mounting elk). Now skin the elk on the up side all the way to the midline on the back.

You now have basically 1/2 of the elk skinned (the topside). Take off the shoulder by cutting between it and the chest. There are no bones or joints to cut. Now have a friend hold the back leg up (if no friend present, tie it to a nearby tree or just hold it up with 1 hand and cut with the other. Cut the uderside midline down to the pelvis bone and then staying along the pelvis bone, keep cutting that leg until you encounter the hip joint. You have to cut around this joint until you can see down in it and cut the ligament holding it in place. Then finish quartering/removing that leg.

Now starting at the rump end, muscle out the backstap so that you have a long piece of meat with no bones. Take it all the way up to just behind the head. You can leave this all as one piece or cut it into sections as you go.

Cut into the inside of the belly through the flank and find the tenderloins. Remove that one on that side.

Remove any trimmings from the neck and ribs that you want to save.

Turn the elk over and repeat the process. On the other side it is usually easier to skin from the back down to the feet, since you already have it skinned to that point.

This is not the only way and probably not the "best" way, but it works well for me. You are left with a carcass that sill has ribs and backbone attached and the chest cavity and abdominal cavity still have heart/lungs, intestines in them. Me, I take the heart to eat too, but others don't.

Good cutting!

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

ktc · Nov 9, 2003

I used the method txhunter described this year. This is without a doubt, hands down the best method. You can quarter an elk in about the same time it takes to gut it. I have gutted my last one unless loaded whole as he says.

ELKMASTER101 · Nov 9, 2003

TKHUNTER58,
GREAT DESCRIPTION,
No mess no fuss.
The hide lays out like a dinner plater, which helps keep the dirt off,
The bad part is, if your a hide hunter its shot unless your wife is a good seamstress.

predator · Nov 10, 2003

Excellent description, I could picture myself doing just that. But you have to admit, not putting your frozen hands into those warm guts really is a downside. LOL

IDhornhound · Nov 12, 2003

LAST EDITED ON Nov-12-03 AT 09:37AM (MST)[p] I field dress like a deer, cut in half behind last rib, cut the head off, and split down the middle of the spine. Then I wrap each quarter in a mantee and pack onto my horses. Your good to go no matter how far it is to the trailhead. The whole process take about an hour. Of course, if you don't have horses, TXhunters method is about your best bet. Done the way I do it the quarters stay very clean til they get to the meat processors, no dirt and very little hair.

ktc · Nov 12, 2003

I have horses and it is still the best method. I have tried about everything. The process takes about a half an hour and you can leave the waste. The horses appreciate it and so does the garbage man. The load is more compact too. To each their own. Whatever works best for you.