Bone saw suggestions

Wiszard

Wiszard

Long Time Member
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I am looking for a folding bone saw. It needs to be strong yet packable so weight is an issue. What is in you pack?
 
I have a Wyoming saw, and a lightweight folding Gerber, neither of which is as good as a sawsall. And none of which I carry.

Best yet is to not pack or cut bones. Takes a LOT of time off of the task.

If I had to pick one saw to carry, it would be the gerber.
 
I have the havalon one. It work well enough for how little I use it. I debone everything but once in a while I may use it for the pelvis when I gut something. None of the “packable” ones are going to be real efficient
 
How long does it take to bone out an elk? It seems like you're adding a bit of time instead of just packing the additional 4-5 pounds of bone on an elk quarter? Not sure how much bone weighs but just a guess.
I wish there was a light, battery operated sawzall, Bluehair!
 
Wiszard said:
How long does it take to bone out an elk? It seems like you're adding a bit of time instead of just packing the additional 4-5 pounds of bone on an elk quarter? Not sure how much bone weighs but just a guess.
I wish there was a light, battery operated sawzall, Bluehair!
Click to expand...
I think, but I can’t speak for everyone definition of “bone out”, a lot of guys in our family mean, remove the front quarter by taking the front leg off by separating the leg, bone and all from the ribs and backbone.

Remove the rear legs at the ball joint and separate it from the whole hinge quarter from the palvic.

So far no bones to cut.

Then cut the back straps from the neck to along the back bone as far down the back bone as you can go back. You should end up with the entire back strap, seperated from the back bone and rib cage.

No bone cut yet.

With what’s left, laying one side or the other, so all the guts and organs are laying as far from the top side, go in behind the last rib and remove, by feel the tenderloins from both sides.

Take as much as possible as you can off the ribs and the neck.

Remove the lower legs, if you don’t want to carry them out, at the knee joint.
No bones to cut yet.

That should leave a bare skeleton with both front and back leg bones still attached to the meat.

Quicker than gutting it out, in most cases.

Personally, I prefer to back up to it and come a long it in. There are some benefits to loading it whole, if you know what I mean.?

Oh, a decent folding saw is not a bad tool to have on board. I’ve just bought cheap ones from the wood working hardware section and throw it away after one use. They bend bad on elk.
 
A Wyoming Saw breaks down and only weighs a couple pounds. I know that would be way too much for SS, but you could handle it. It's worth it if for no other reason than to cut the antlers from the skull. You don't really need it, like 2Lumpy said.
 
I can take a bull apart by myself in about an hour. And no, I’m not packing any bone other then antler. It’s really not that much more work. It’s more then just a few pounds of bone in there and you can get a lot more meat in the pack per trip. Last bull I solo’d out was three trips. I’ve done it in two but any more I’d rather the extra trip
 
2lumpy said:
I think, but I can’t speak for everyone definition of “bone out”, a lot of guys in our family mean, remove the front quarter by taking the front leg off by separating the leg, bone and all from the ribs and backbone.

Remove the rear legs at the ball joint and separate it from the whole hinge quarter from the palvic.

So far no bones to cut.

Then cut the back straps from the neck to along the back bone as far down the back bone as you can go back. You should end up with the entire back strap, seperated from the back bone and rib cage.

No bone cut yet.

With what’s left, laying one side or the other, so all the guts and organs are laying as far from the top side, go in behind the last rib and remove, by feel the tenderloins from both sides.

Take as much as possible as you can off the ribs and the neck.

Remove the lower legs, if you don’t want to carry them out, at the knee joint.
No bones to cut yet.

That should leave a bare skeleton with both front and back leg bones still attached to the meat.

Quicker than gutting it out, in most cases.

Personally, I prefer to back up to it and come a long it in. There are some benefits to loading it whole, if you know what I mean.?

Oh, a decent folding saw is not a bad tool to have on board. I’ve just bought cheap ones from the wood working hardware section and throw it away after one use. They bend bad on elk.
Click to expand...
What you described is "quartering" to me. I would like to have the saw as if I ever kill an elk again, I'd like to saw off the excess legs so they aren't extra weight and protruding a foot and a half above my head. :) However, your suggestion of backing up to it and using a come a long is the preferred method. Why can't they all be killed within driving distance?
Planning on a cow elk tag next year out your way....bring that come a long. :)
 
No guides around here Wisz. Just friends and family.

I think I need to pasture a horse for you……….. the BLM will sell you one pretty cheap.
 
JPickett said:
I can take a bull apart by myself in about an hour. And no, I’m not packing any bone other then antler. It’s really not that much more work. It’s more then just a few pounds of bone in there and you can get a lot more meat in the pack per trip. Last bull I solo’d out was three trips. I’ve done it in two but any more I’d rather the extra trip
Click to expand...
An hour is quick work on a bull, I’m skeptical, I would like you to come show me this year after I get a bull down ;) also I’d like you to prove the pack out too… I will be there to watch and make sure it’s all official and tell everyone here that it’s legit
 
Wiszard said:
What you described is "quartering" to me. I would like to have the saw as if I ever kill an elk again, I'd like to saw off the excess legs so they aren't extra weight and protruding a foot and a half above my head. :) However, your suggestion of backing up to it and using a come a long is the preferred method. Why can't they all be killed within driving distance?
Planning on a cow elk tag next year out your way....bring that come a long. :)
Click to expand...
:unsure: You don't need a saw for that. If you aren't going to remove the leg bone from the meat in the field which only takes a couple minutes then you can remove that lower leg with a knife at the knee joint. Cut through the hide and tendons at the knee and pop it apart.
 
HntHrdr said:
An hour is quick work on a bull, I’m skeptical, I would like you to come show me this year after I get a bull down ;) also I’d like you to prove the pack out too… I will be there to watch and make sure it’s all official and tell everyone here that it’s legit
Click to expand...
there's folks that can do it but i'm definitely not one of them.
 
Here is my Kill/clean Kit



Robb

IMG_5467.jpg
 
Like mentioned above a saw to me is only good for skull capping. Other then that a knife will cut anyting off thats jointed. Normally go through 2 disposable blades on an elk quartering and field dressing maybe one more if i debone it.
 
SS! said:
bone saws? Do people still carry those things? Are you going to keep it in the same bag as your beeper?

Hello 1995 it’s wizzy. Could you send me a fax with the specs on your bone saw?
Click to expand...
My wife bought me my first beeper long ago. She would "beep" me 0-0000-000. I thought it was the most techy thing ever. LOL
 
Anyone saying you don't need a bone saw has never killed a trophy animal miles from the trail. Anyone who's killed a trophy animal a long way from the trail, knows how important a bone saw is. Sure you bone the meat out. But I'm sure as He!! not going to pack out the entire head! Especially if its Bull Elk or Moose. A good folding pack saw will save you over 40lbs of skull.
 
HntHrdr said:
An hour is quick work on a bull, I’m skeptical, I would like you to come show me this year after I get a bull down ;) also I’d like you to prove the pack out too… I will be there to watch and make sure it’s all official and tell everyone here that it’s legit
Click to expand...
i guess its once i get going. i usually take a break and get all my stuff in order. maybe its an hour and a half on cutting but i get through it pretty quick, ten sit around, have a chew and start loading it up. just cut along the main muscle lines and you can get the hind quarter off in 3 pieces. i don't truly gut them. i reach in there for the liver ,heart and loins after i get it apart. i don't waste time on rib meat and the neck meat that i cut off is the big muscle groups. i'm not sitting there picking out inch size pieces of meat from the bones.

as far as packing. im less inclined to two trip them anymore. im still big and dumb but its starting to hurt more so maybe im wising up.
 
You can bone the entire hind quarter and keep it one piece.

I normally pack hinds bone in as they ride better in the pack instead of a big blob.

Rarely pack bone in fronts unless it's an easy pack.

I also don't pack a saw, but have a Wyoming saw if I decide to cut antlers off on a return trip.

I also think it's possible to have an elk pack ready in an hour, maybe less.
 
you can definitely debone a hind quarter in one piece. im always by myself however and i find it easier to keep meat clean if i drop the 3 major muscle groups as i get to them. also the sirloin is my favorite cut on the whole animal. i take extra care with that one.
 
My standard practice is similar to @BuzzH. I do pack a little plastic handle folding saw. Stays in pack regardless of what I'm doing. You don't need a saw to take the knee apart, a knife and leverage works like a charm. Sometimes I cut the skull cap off if its worthy of caping and a shoulder mount.

He's faster than me on the boning out an elk by myself but either way its not too daunting a task.
 
Wyoming saw for skull plate if needed on larger animals. However, I'm with Bluehair and a few others. I just use my Havalon knife and quarter/debone everything on the mountain the same as I would at home and leave all the bones on the hill. Always cut and wrap my own meat, so might as well not pack the weight out and just leave it for the coyotes
 
My "kill kit" is a folding Benchmade with a gut hook attachment. Blade is probably 2.5".

I will pack the bones in on the front quarters unless we are truly backpack hunting way the hell back there. But I pull the femurs. No saw needed since I euro mount about every skull anymore.
 
Wyoming saw here too. I’m with Buzz and well described 50 lb. blob takes more strapping doesn’t ride as well on my back. Bone in hinds are best. Carve the rest.

It should have a wood blade too kinda handy.
 
I carry a small folding saw for capping a skull to remove horns / antlers.
I cut everything at the joints with a knife so a saw isn’t needed. On an elk, I can see needing a saw to remove the head, but that’s about it.
 
folding 6.5 Corona saw. i think it is made by some gardening tool company. cheap and light and pretty durable. bone out all meat - as most of above have said. not only does it reduce weight, but it allows large back hams meat to cool faster.
 
Many years ago at a gun show, some guy had a table full of knives. I only bought one, and it had a Browning label on it. It was about 4-5 inches long.

Two blades. One was a decent skinning blade, the other was a saw blade with a double row of teeth. The saw blade worked ok.
 

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