Elk removal from field questions

[foxstang]

Hello,
I'm relatively new to hunting, this year I drew my first bull elk tag. I have some questions about removal from the field. Should I get one down, I plan on using the gutless method, and quartering it out. Then I'm not sure how long to hang the meat out in game bags? Hunt is in mid Oct in the Gila, so it shouldn't be too hot or really cold. Then how do you trans port the meat back home? Was thinking coolers, but that would probably take 4 extra coolers at least. Perhaps debone it to save size? I've been on a few hunts and have yet to take a animal, so I really don't know what to expect. Any info or tips are welcome. Thanks

 

[two7D]

do the gutless. have at least 5 game bags handy. put the pieces in the bags and hang or prop up the meat in the shade. Have several coolers with ice ready back at camp or your vehicle. put the bagged meat on ice asap. use heavy plastic to keep the meat from getting water logged. I don't de-bone. I use 100-120 quart coolers. Be prepared to resupply on ice as your hunt progresses as it will melt. I've seen people put meat in coolers with no ice???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

[nmwapiti]

Deboned, I get an entire elk in one 120 qt cooler. Ice on bottom, elk in game bags and in garbage bags AFTER meat has cooled off, then ice on top. I've done this 6 times in the last 6 years, no problems.

 

[Wailing4Wapiti]

LAST EDITED ON May-16-15 AT 10:13PM (MST)[p]Hang over night if the temp is going to drop below 40 which it should that time of year. Next morning, bone out and put in coolers and then put frozen water bottles in with the boned out meat. The frozen bottles last longer then cubes and don't put water on the meat. (I usually fill a cooler completely full with them before my hunt and they will last a week easy and even longer.) However, if you have to use ice, don't worry about it as a little water won't harm the meat at all. I've dumped ice directly on elk quarters many times for my trips back to Kansas. Just drain it every once in a while (have to move the meat around to get the water/blood out or create a system that keeps the meat off the bottom of the cooler. I use 5 gallon painting grids). I've kept meat in coolers in early September in 85+ degree temps for 5-7 days this way. Let the night air do the initial cool and then all you are doing is keeping it cool.

 

[DW]

>Deboned, I get an entire elk
>in one 120 qt cooler.
>Ice on bottom, elk in
>game bags and in garbage
>bags AFTER meat has cooled
>off, then ice on top.
>I've done this 6 times
>in the last 6 years,
>no problems.


+1 also less weight to carry back to camp.

 

[mozey]

LAST EDITED ON May-16-15 AT 11:13PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON May-16-15 AT 11:12?PM (MST)

I used to de-bone, but I had some butcher tell me that leaving the bone in for awhile helps to tenderize the meat. I still sometimes get myself in a situation where I need to de-bone just because I need to pack it out a long ways, but if possible, I like to leave the bone in. I have a really large cooler (don't know how many quarts), and it can hold four quarters plus the back straps. Trying to lifting a fully loaded cooler up on to my tailgate by myself though is just about impossible anymore...

For ice, I'll freeze a couple cases of bottled water and throw it in the coolers. They will usually last about a week before they completely thaw. They don't leak all over and keep whatever I bring back iced down without drowning it as they melt, and I usually take three or four with me as I head out each day. On hot days they're especially good to drink as they melt.

 

[hank4elk]

Ditto the frozen water,gallon,1/2 gal jugs.
Try and leave quarters with bone in til post rig,then meat relaxes.
Overnight, then debone after they cool.
Lucked out last 2 years and could hang whole cow til next day.Gutted/skinned of course,old school.

 

[BUGLEnmIN]

>Ditto the frozen water,gallon,1/2 gal jugs.
>
>Try and leave quarters with bone
>in til post rig,then meat
>relaxes.
>Overnight, then debone after they cool.
>
>Lucked out last 2 years and
>could hang whole cow til
>next day.Gutted/skinned of course,old school.
>

+1 when its cool that's how it's done. In September we've quartered it and hung it in the shade, next day put it on the pack horse and away we go. October is a little more forgiving.

 

[muleybeast]

Man just hoss it up and put it on your back and carry that sucker out. Lol...I second the last post. We like to hang our skinned Elk for a day then pack it out. Meat seems to be more tender.

 

[foxstang]

Thanks for all the info guys I appreciate it!

 

[Gator]

If you leave it over night hanging just make sure you hang it high lost one to a group of bears one year. I had pulled it up high, BUT forgot where I pulled it up with bloody hands and they chewed the rope thru and had all night to snack.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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[mozey]

It sounds crude, but if I'm leaving meat anywhere overnight, I'll pee a ring around it, and probably take a dump nearby (downwind of course) and also leave a sweat soaked shirt or whatever else might repel the bears, lions and yotes. It's probably not full proof, but I haven't lost anything to any four-legged critters yet. Crows are a different story though and I've lost some meat to those foulish fowls. For crows, I try to hang or stash meat away from the rest of the carcass where it can't be spotted from the air.