packing out elk

[bnsafe]

if i shot an elk say 2-3 miles from the truck right before dark, would it be safe to debone it and leave it there overnight at say 7500-8000 ft or should i just keep packing in the dark til i get it done. do i need to try to hang it up in trees or just cover it up with a tarp. i dont want it to spoil and i dont want to argue with a bear the next morning.

[N5J]

I had a situation like yours. When I killed my cow elk, I boned everything out put it in meat bags then covered it in a tarp that I use to put the meat on while deboning. I then left my coat over the top of the tarp and put my hat on a bush next to the meat. I carried one load of meat out then returned in the A/M with help. I was worried about the meat but was lucky nothing got to it. There is never a guarantee that when you get back that something hasn't gotten some of your meat. Someone on the site mentioned of hanging a emergency space blanket letting it blow in the breeze making noise.

N5J

James

[elkohalic]

I would think leaving your coat and hat with your scent on them might help detour bears and coyotes.

[Dirty D]

Here in Colorado we'll leave quarters 3-4 days in the shade (archery season) with no problem. I do like to get the meat off the ground. Boning out definitely helps cool the meat quicker, especially if ambient temps are an issue. Your biggest concern is getting the meat cooled quickly, that means a well placed shot and then getting the hide off ASAP as it really holds the heat in. We try to hang our meat in a shady location and we'll cut branches and drape over the meat if additionalshade is required.

[Buckriser]

I would tend to think it would be fine as long as you debone it, put in meat bags, hang, than retrieve it before sun up.

[planebow]

Also when you leave it whether hanging or covered with a tarp move it away from the carcase.

[elkmtngear]

Here in Colorado we'll leave quarters 3-4 days in the shade (archery season) with no problem. I do like to get the meat off the ground. Boning out definitely helps cool the meat quicker, especially if ambient temps are an issue. Your biggest concern is getting the meat cooled quickly, that means a well placed shot and then getting the hide off ASAP as it really holds the heat in. We try to hang our meat in a shady location and we'll cut branches and drape over the meat if additionalshade is required.

We do this also. We break branches off on a spruce or fir, and hang the meat bags on the staubs so they are in the shade, hanging down on the tree trunk. Then, we urinate all around the tree. Inevitably, the next day, we can see where bears have drug the carcass and gutpile around, but we have never had them steal a quarter

[>>>---WW---->]

I had to leave my elk overnite once and here is how I handled it. I placed some small logs across a running stream. Then place the bagged quarters on the logs with my T-shirt on top of them. I packed out the backstraps and tenderloins on the trip out and left the quarters for the next day. When I returned, they were cooled out nicely and nothing had bothered them. This was in bear and coyote country.

[sockeye]

I got lucky one Sept., found a shallow cave next to a creek. The cave still had snow in it so I propped the quarters up on some pine branches, and covered with pine bows. Prior to taking backstraps and tenderloins out of first trip. I pee'd 15-20' semi-circle around the entrance of the cave. I thought this may keep any animals away. Has anybody else done this? Or will anybody admit to it!!

[Freebird134]

I got lucky one Sept., found a shallow cave next to a creek. The cave still had snow in it so I propped the quarters up on some pine branches, and covered with pine bows. Prior to taking backstraps and tenderloins out of first trip. I pee'd 15-20' semi-circle around the entrance of the cave. I thought this may keep any animals away. Has anybody else done this? Or will anybody admit to it!!

I don't know that pee is going to do much. Guys freshen buck scrapes with their own urine. I've read before that the principle components of urine vary little among mammals. Combine that with the smell of fresh meat, and I just can't believe pee is going to stop a scavenger.

[WapitiTalk1]

I had to leave my elk overnite once and here is how I handled it. I placed some small logs across a running stream. Then place the bagged quarters on the logs with my T-shirt on top of them. I packed out the backstraps and tenderloins on the trip out and left the quarters for the next day. When I returned, they were cooled out nicely and nothing had bothered them. This was in bear and coyote country.

Nice method >>>---WW--->. I've stored that away in my kit for future use.. Thanks.. RJ

[slim9300]

if i shot an elk say 2-3 miles from the truck right before dark, would it be safe to debone it and leave it there overnight at say 7500-8000 ft or should i just keep packing in the dark til i get it done. do i need to try to hang it up in trees or just cover it up with a tarp. i dont want it to spoil and i dont want to argue with a bear the next morning.

First off, what kind of bears? I don't ever worry about black bears and I don't hunt anywhere where I feel the need to hang my meat. The norm however is to hang your meat high in Grizz country.

Bone out the elk. Hang up everything as high as you can in a tree in a quality game bag, minus the first load. Make sure it's an area that's going to be shaded for the vast majority of the day as you don't ever want direct sun on your meat. Then take out a comfortable load with you back to the truck. Since it's dark, I would only suggest half of your max hauling capacity at the most. For me that's about 50-60 lbs. If you are beat down take 30% of your max capacity, but take something. The heavier the load the easier it is to trip and fall, and couple that with the darkness and you have a recipe for injury if you push yourself too much. Go slow and take your time, there is no rush. Sleep in, in the morning (not too late) and head back in expecting to do two more trips with a full pack. Good luck!

[Peter]

SOUND THINKING, SLIM 9300

[WindedBowhunter]

Others have covered this very well. I would add that another option would be if it is hot and during the day, you can place the meat in a trash bag and put the bags of meat in the stream (not a pond). The cool mountain water will act as a refrigerator.

This is not my first option, but if you know that it's going to be hot and there is a mtn stream nearby it comes in handy.

[>>>---WW---->]

test

[foxvalley]

I got lucky one Sept., found a shallow cave next to a creek. The cave still had snow in it so I propped the quarters up on some pine branches, and covered with pine bows. Prior to taking backstraps and tenderloins out of first trip. I pee'd 15-20' semi-circle around the entrance of the cave. I thought this may keep any animals away. Has anybody else done this? Or will anybody admit to it!!

I don't know that pee is going to do much. Guys freshen buck scrapes with their own urine. I've read before that the principle components of urine vary little among mammals. Combine that with the smell of fresh meat, and I just can't believe pee is going to stop a scavenger.

Sockeye is on to something here.
I never ever want to take a chance of critters even thinking about eating my meat!!! You never know whats out there. Move your meat away from the rest of the carcass,30 yds or so, if something really is hungry let them eat the carcass. I am very animate about peeing and yes pooping around my meat. You just claimed it as yours! I also leave a hat, and a stinky t shirt etc hanging next to the meat, they can't tell if I am there or not, good insurance.

[POk3s]

The ONLY TWO things you really have to worry about is the daytime temperature and how long it took you to find your animal. If it's going to be hot I just get it done during the night and same thing if It took a while to find my animal. A few years ago I shot a spike with my bow in the morning and lost blood. Finally found it at about 6:00 pm and this was on September 3rd so it wasn't exactly cold. I knew I had to act fast to save the meat and worked through the night. I did it in 3 trips I think and was finally able to lay down at about 3:00 am. The good news is it's off your mind and you can sleep easy without wondering if anything is eating your hard earned meat. Steaks ended up tasting great as ever. Then last year I shot a bull at dusk. It was getting cool during the nights but this was September 9th so still very warm during the day. I was 6 miles from the trailhead and no horses on a day hunt . There was no going through the night as it would've killed me. Needed some sleep for the long day ahead. I found that animal right away and got it deboned and into bags right away so I knew there was minimal risk of spoilage.

Just a couple of real life scenarios.

[caperoll/Scott]

First thing you need to do is get the skin off the Elk and eather bone it out or quarter it. There are two area on an Elk that will spoil fast the neck due to the thick hair and skin and the hind quarters in the hip joint due to the large bone and amount of meet around.When quartering your Elk make sure you open up the hip jiont and expose the end of the leg bone. After skinning and quartering your Elk put them in game bags and hang them in an area that will be shaded when the sun come up the next moring if your not going to pack it out that night. Do not lay the quarters on the ground, this will cause the heat to be retained in the meet and speed up the spoil. I will always move the meet away from the carcus and place my shirt on one of the quarters. I hunt in areas that has alot of bears. I have done this several times with nothing bothering the meet.