If somone could tell me where to find an article on the how to bone out an Elk in the field.

Thanks
Mike B

Mike Barringer

get a book called BASIC BUTCHERING OF LIVESTOCK AND SMALL GAME.It shows how to butcher a deer an elk is just a big deer. also talk your local butcher he can show you some good tricks, good luck and keep your knife sharp.

I know that this is long but I don't know how to add the link here. Anyway you can look at it and print it for free. It has pictures and fairly detailed instructions. I had to butcher my own elk this year and this was pretty helpful. Take a few zip lock bags with you so you can get all of the meat around the legs and ribs for burger and sausage. I walked up on a cow this year that someone deboned in the field and it would have borderd on illegal due to the waste left on the animal. Probably about 30 pounds of good meat. http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublicatio...17Abstract.htm
Well nevermind, I guess it worked.

Edited by - bigbulls on 11/14/2002 22:34:54

The NAHC has a couple good books out that show pics and give good tips on getting the meat off a carcass as efficiently as possible. If you quarter properly you'll get a good portion off and then your back strap fillets should clean up most of the side and neck meat. That'll leave only some minor clean up of the rib meat.( dont forget them loins) I've never had to debone one completely in the field. Always seemed easier to handle them qtrs with the bone in. Maybe BJ or one of these other old hands can shed some better light in that for you. I do agree with Bigbulls though, that some guys leave more meat in the field than they take. Lazy hunters take the straps and the loins..thats a damn crime. If you got the energy to climb up there and shoot it..pack it out! One thing to remember, even bad cut meat makes good hamburger...take it all home!!

Mike B,
I got to salute you for looking into how to debone your elk as depending on your situation it can help your packing effort a bit and some folks argue the meat tastes better the sooner its off the bone. I am sure not going to go into how to do it, because like with anything resembling "butchering" everyone has a different take on it and a different set of beliefs according to what has worked for them. If you do your own butchering you are essentially making the same "big chunk" cuts out in the field that you'd make back home when you first tackle a quarter (obviously).

Before you just automatically debone your next elk in the field there are a couple things to consider.

How hot is the weather (I am an early season hunter)? When the meat's on the quarter it has some form and tends to cool a bit better with the increased surface area, rather than when its packed into a shapeless blob in a game bag or group of bags in the bottom of a pannier.

Can you keep it clean if you go cutting it all off the bone? I take a 3 by 6 foot piece of visquene and four wire stakes to keep it from squirreling around while I am working the quarter on the ground or you can hang the quarters in a tree and work them there but you need someone to help you play catch when those chunks come off, again you want to keep it clean.

Are you going to be leaving the meat in the field overnight and packing it out the next day? Game bags might be a good idea so the birds and the flies don't get into it as bad since when you come back the next day, as one never seems to get there as early as you thought you would. If you use them, don't go cheap on game bags, the synthetic "Alaskan Bags" can hold 50 pounds and more without ripping and you can hang them with no other support except the rope. The cheaper "gauze" ones can be a pain, rip open and leave your treasure on the ground.

How big is your elk? How are you getting it out? What are you going to carry it in? If it is a cow and your horse is fair you can get it all out in one trip because of the weight savings if your terrain isn't too steep. If its a big bull and you don't have a draft horse then you are probably looking a two trips with one horse any way so the weight savings may not offset other considerations. If you are using a horse and game bags try to bag the meat batches evenly so you can put half of it on one side and half on the other. If your panniers are out of balance even a little it can lead to a wreck on up the trail especially if you don't use a lashing rope. If you are going to pack it out on your back then I can't give you any advice there - I've always used a horse but given the mess meat panniers get into I'd think you'd want to protect that pack!

I'm probably going to hear from everybody that does it 100% different and I'm always ready to learn a new trick and am just sharing what I've learned the hard way. Seems like half of elk hunting and the related "work" isn't knowing what to do right but knowing what not to do wrong (school of hard knocks). Regretfully, good judgment comes from bad experience!

this THE BEST way to go about butchering a really BIG GAME animal in the field.

http://home.att.net/~sajackson/bugle.html

I have used it on a moose, a couple sheep, more then a few caribou, and I'll NEVER go back to gutting first!

As to waisting meat. The only thing I can say is the only meat you waist is the meat you dont take the time to get! I can cut the meat off 99.9% of the carcass using this method.

Lil Hunter,
That was a right fine post to the board, thanks.

I want to thank all of you for your advise. What a great website very helpful. Happy hunting to all.

Mike from Montana

Mike Barringer