Also . . . I forgot to mention in my earlier post DON'T FORGET THE TENDERLOINS!!!! These are the best piece of meat on the Elk, and Elk tenderloins are considerable in size. These are on the inside of the rib cage, on either side of the axis of the spine. They are the interior reflection of the backstrap. One Elk tenderloin is a meal for a family of four. There are two tenderloins.
Further, you may wish to extract the prominent canine teeth of your Elk, so take a pair of pliers to pull these out. You will need to cut into the gums to free these. They make attractive jewelry.