Usually it seems forever til hunting season starts in September, but luckily the gardens keep me so busy that I make it through the summer withdrawals. Well this year that won't be the case. I get to hunt in July and August. I drew a Prairie Elk tag for July 15th through August 31st. The place is only 20 minutes away, but not the best time of year because the herd travels back and forth between the area I can hunt and Tribal land. The tribe shut down their hunting this year so there won't be any pressure to push then across. Hopefully the corn fields are good enough of a draw. I only have a cow tag but I hate to waste it since you cannot apply again for 9 years. The other downside is that it is mostly private property so I have to get busy obtaining permission. Since it is a cow tag that shouldn't be a problem. (Lord willing)Thinking about trying some Lehigh's and see what they do on an Elk.... should I see one that is.
That's neat Chet. Didn't even know there was such a thing as a Summer Elk hunt. Good luck.
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My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.
Things I've Learned: (1) It's not possible to please everyone, but quite easy to piss everyone off. (2) If you love animals as I do, then you're not a vegetarian. (3) There's no need to act stupid, even if you're very good at it. (4) If you eat right and exercise, don't smoke or drink, you're going to die anyway.
That's neat Chet. Didn't even know there was such a thing as a Summer Elk hunt. Good luck.
For prairie elk they have three hunts.July august then a sept October then one in dec. The September October is the best time but hopefully some ol girl strolls in in July or august. I am still figuring the best plan on cooling it should I get one.lots of ice I guess and field dress it as fast as possible then drive like mad to get it in a fridge.
That sounds exciting. I hope you can find some good hunting lands. Lots of coolers and ice should you score.. good luck.
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
Well i am sure you already know, but where an elk sours first is under the hide right above the shoulders. This can happen even though the ribs are held a wide open with a spreader stick. We have split the hide on the back bone right above the shoulders before, and peeled it back some to let the heat out. In years past, we usually left virtually every elk we killed, out over night, and then come back with the camp, the next morning, to carry it out. More than once we noticed the meat above and/or including the upper front shoulder to be still warm in the morning after spending the night in cool/cold weather. It is my understanding this meat can sour even in sub-freezing weather, because the surface freezes, and traps the heat. I have never personally experienced this.
This last season i shot a deer doe during the antelope season, and was very worried about having it spoil. I had the whole deer made into hamburger so wife wouldn't be able to tell she was eating maggots. From the time i killed it, till it was in the cooler, was about 4 or 5 hour; it turned out to be real tasty burger.
In 45 year of hunting and killing elk, we packed out 95% or so of the elk we killed, on our backs. I imagine where you will be hunting, you may be able to get machinery to the kill, and/or you have a lot of help. However, if you need a hand, i still have my pack frame built specifically to carry elk quarters, and meat sacks to keep flies of the meat.
You could always bring a CO2 fire extinguisher along and cool it down real quick.
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My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.
Things I've Learned: (1) It's not possible to please everyone, but quite easy to piss everyone off. (2) If you love animals as I do, then you're not a vegetarian. (3) There's no need to act stupid, even if you're very good at it. (4) If you eat right and exercise, don't smoke or drink, you're going to die anyway.
I am still figuring the best plan on cooling it should I get one.lots of ice I guess and field dress it as fast as possible then drive like mad to get it in a fridge.
There are two things I will say right now. One is never spread the rib cage and put bags of ice in the body cavity with the hide ON. The hide will only keep the heat in and with the extreme of the ice and body heat will ruin your meat.
Second is to skin that SOB as soon as you kill it. Even if you can skin it and possibly start moving the meat to the shade while your skinning the rest you are way better off. And then put it on ice. The bad thing about a AUG hunt or even a SEPT hunt is that you really can't enjoy it after the kill. You just have to hurry and take care of the meat. Maybe try to kill it early in the morining or late in the evening. Antelope hunting is pretty much the same way. Its the only way you can get the meat to taste good. But they are small enough that I have a cooler that the whole body will fit in when I take the hide off.
Hunting the dog days of August
