I suggest that you gut the elk also. The reason is that it allows the meat to cool much better and also lightens the carcass, making it easier to handle. To keep the critters out, carry two 1lb cans of fine gound black pepper [:'(](like you use for supper). sprinkle the exposed meat heavily w/ the pepper. be sure to get the "edges" where the hide meets the meat, be sure to rub extra pepper in this area. if you have to leave it overnight you should also stroke the hair backwards while pouring pepper into the hair, it'll keep anything from trying to chew through the hide to get around the pepper on the exposed side. This will keep flys and animals off a carcass. For deer you only need 1lb pepper.