fillae

I am going Elk hunting for the first time this fall. I have done mostly whitetail hunting, and I am very excited to step up to some different hunting. My hunting partner has hunted before, but never harvested an Elk. My question relates to the best way to handle the Elk after it is downed. We will not have horses or ATVs, so we will have to quarter it and pack it out to base camp. I process my own deer, and I will try the same techniques on an Elk, but there is one big difference. I can get a deer back to camp without quartering it, so I always skin the deer first before quartering it. Is this doable with an Elk in the field, or will I have to remove the hide from the quarters later. Is an Elk any harder to skin than a deer (other than just being bigger)?

Of course, this only applies if I'm fortunate enough to shoot an Elk.

Thanks!

rather_be_huntin

Well you can leave the hide on or off when you quarter the animal but my basic thought is why pack it out if you're not going to use it. Take some meat sacks and only pack out the meat, no bones or hide. Check out this website on a "how-to" way to do it. Disclaimer: this site has graphic images of an elk being quartered.

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

Bill the Dog

fillae,
RBH has it right. Don't quarter the elk. Basically butcher it right there on the ground. The website RBH mentioned is good and informative. The short version is cut the hide from the throat to the ass along the belly. Peel the hide off of the top side of the elk (presuming the elk is lying on it's side). Butcher the meat on that side. You can lay meat on the hide you have peeled back to protect it from lying on the ground. Roll the elk over and repeat. Remove the backstraps (outer loins or whatever you call the meat that runs along the backbone and is accessable from outside the carcass. Open the abdomen up and pull out the upper organs to access the loins on the inside. Put as much of the meat as you can carry in your pack and walk to camp, repeat as necessary. You are done.

Bill the Dog

skeeter 7MM

For us it depends on time. If we shoot something in the am and must pack it out then debone onsite. If it is later and time is limited quarter and pack out. In either case I skin and do as suggested above work one side and then flip over to do the other side. A good meat hand saw(basically a hack saw with different blade), cordless recip saw(Fine tooth blade) or clean chainsaw with veggie oil instead of chain oil will all work to quickly quarter. However if you have the hands/time available a sharp boning knife will work to release all the quarters and removal of straps and tloins as well (obviously the animal must first be skinned). I process all my own meat and rarely use a saw of any kind if possible. Some quarter bags are the only other item required.

No different than deer to skin or butcher just bigger frame and wil require a bit more elbow grease. With only 2 guys a big elk or moose can be a bit of a chore so be prepared to work!

BowElkFreak

I have packed out many Elk on my back and no matter how you go about taking it out, you need a good pack. Plain and simple, spend the money on a good pack. Now before you go buy one or say to yourself "I have a good pack" it's important to remember a few things. Meat is dead weight. Most "good" packs are designed for hiker/campers that can effectively "arrange" thier pack to manage weight, etc. Test your current pack or one you might buy with this concept in mind. Fill a big bag with rice or dirt, something that acts dead and test it. Get all the weight on your hips and look for a good pack that settles everything to your hips. My personal favorites have the hip adjusts that you crank to add/release tension.

Just my 2cents from alot of trips carrying meat. Good Luck!

James B

The best way to pack one out is the way I did one of my last ones. Our hunting party included three football player from the University of SD. They made short work of that job. Of coure you can't count on that kind of help very often. I prefer to bone it out on the spot and carry it out in as many trips as it takes. This of course would be in the absents of a couple Mules or Pack horses. Maybe even the dreaded four wheelers where legal.

Bobbby

Wow thats a great article! That technique can really save a lot of time and energy.

Elkcrazy8

Remember to have some good quality meat sacks. I like to lay a poncho next to the animal and lay the meat sacks on it. Some of the work may be in the dark as most here have experienced in the past. Do yourself a big favor and get a couple of LED headlamps. One set of batteries will last you through a night of boning meat and will keep your hands free. They can keep you out of trouble. Good luck on your hunt and give em hell!!!!!!!!!

fillae

Thanks all. Butchering in the field sounds like a good way to go. Hopefully I can put it to use. Has anyone experienced coyotes or mountain lions moving in while butchering? I suppose we should always keep one person at the carcass until all the meat has been bagged.

NVMIKE

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.