Gutting Cow elk!
 

Can anyone fill me in on how to go about gutting a cow elk? Do I go through or around the milk sac? I was luck enough to draw a cow tag again and the last time I got one I didn't know if I was suppose to go through the milk sac or cut around it. I went through it, and thought for sure I made a major mistake. What should I have done?
Thanks for the help on such a stupid question.

RE: Gutting Cow elk!
 

Go around the milk glands, and keep proof of sex attached to the ham if your in a statethat requires.
The milk will sour faster than the meat will spoil, i don't think it would kill you but it might give the meat an off flavor. The last thing I do is gut the animal to get at the inside tenders. I wouldn't even gut them if it weren't for the tenders along the back. you can bone an elk without guttting them, handy in the fly and yellow jacket season.

RE: Gutting Cow elk!
 

Say what? How can you bone an animal without gutting it? I don't know if my mind can fathem that. Explain please, I would love to learn that little trick

Thanks- Dave

RE: Gutting Cow elk!
 

To harvest all of the meat in a state that requires that none goes wasted, it is impossible to bone the entire elk without gutting it. You would be leaving the inside and outside skirts, the tenderloins, the mock tenders, and the meat between the ribs. Shame on anyone who leaves this to waste. Not to mention in warmer weather, you should split the cavity to reduce the heat as soon as possible.

RE: Gutting Cow elk!
 

The method that is being described to bone an animal without gutting it is called the "Alaskan Method." There was a discussion about that a while ago in the big game forum. It is possible to get the tenderloins out as well as the rib meat also. In 1986, the North American Hunting Club also published a book called All About Elk by Wayne Van Zwoll and others that has a detailed description with pictures of how to use this method. There is also a web page that has information on it that I will have to find.

RE: Gutting Cow elk!
 

Here is the link to the page I was talking about.

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

Click on the elk hunting info link, and there is another link with pics and instructions.

RE: Gutting Cow elk!
 

The end picture on that link showed meat between the ribs and also the inside and outside skirts were left. Elk also have mock tenders in the front portion of the cavity. Without taking the guts out these are impossible to get. I am not impressed with the boning method that this guy uses. With the mock tenders left in and the skirts left, and also the meat between the ribs. This elk has about 20 more pounds of grind left on it. The rib cage should be cleaned. My theory is that you killed it, every little piece should go. Warm weather is no ecxuse either. We have killed 14 elk in the last 5 years, all in hot weather, and never lost an ounce of meat. To remove the meat between the ribs would risk puncturing the stomach if left in. Like I said. If all the edible meat is taken there is no way to do it without gutting it. When I get the pictures developed from mondays hunt I will show what a boned carcass should look like if all the meat is taken.

RE: Gutting Cow elk!
 

The Alaska dept of fish and game has made a video on this method with a moose and it works, I have seen it in person. They sell the video for tewnty bucks and its a good video.

RE: Gutting Cow elk!
 

We usually pack out all of our animals on our backs, so we bone them all out. I can tell you that this method works great. I use to hunt with a DWR guy in Wyoming who mentioned it was perfectly ethical, legal and a proper way to bone an animal in the field, etc. Just my 2 cents.

RE: Gutting Cow elk!
 

I cut around the milk sack. I also cut the milk sack off & leave it with the gut pile. There is one other way for a game warden to tell if its a cow or a bull (enough said) without the milk sack hanging on the quarter.
One game warden I know does not like the gutless method. He told me anyone that uses this method should be prepaired for a hike back to the kill site with him. He said this method can be done in a very clean & effective manner by some people. He said others get lazy & are very sloppy. The lazy ones get tickets.