My Elk Is Tougher Than Your Elk

[Swede]

The meat off my elk is tough. At least the Sirloin and round steaks are. So why is that? My elk was very fat. My brother and I carved off big chunks of white fat. Years ago, I killed a large dry cow. It too was very fat like this year's bull. It too was tough to chew. I killed the bull on September 9th, and I don't believe the rut played any part. Both elk were cured for a week before being butchered. So why are the big fat elk so tough?

[Lefty]

My bull isnt tough,

Did you hang your elk at all to age( I dont)

[saddlesore]

Did you debone it while it was still warm or let it go through rigor mortise first?

[Swede]

Good question Saddlesore. I waited just 23-24 hours to debone it so it could be transported to my brother's large refrigerator. The elk was shot at 5:10 PM and died very quickly, but only the legs had the bone in when we packed out the elk from about 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM. If deboning is the problem and it may be, then the gutless method of field butchering has one major drawback.

[saddlesore]

Good question Saddlesore. I waited just 23-24 hours to debone it so it could be transported to my brother's large refrigerator. The elk was shot at 5:10 PM and died very quickly, but only the legs had the bone in when we packed out the elk from about 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM. If deboning is the problem and it may be, then the gutless method of field butchering has one major drawback.

I always wondered why the back straps of my elk were tougher than the round steaks I always deboned the loins as I quartered the front and rear legs, but always with the bone in.The last ten years or so I had a walk in cooler close to where I hunted and everything went in it within 8-10 hour. Loins always come out tougher.

A few years ago I killed an old cow moose and a lot of it was deboned and she went into ice within 4hours.I that case, I had cold shortening from cooling too fast

When I use to split the spine and truly quartered the elk I never had the problem.The meat has to go through rigor and relax out of it. Aging it in a cooler won't help if not.

Proof of the pudding will be if the the round steaks are tenderer than the chops.

Of course you might have killed a very old bull. I quit killing bulls quite a few years back as could always pick and choose young cows.

Since I had to quit elk hunting, I would even take a tough bull. I have a little bit of elk meat left from the 2 yr old cow I killed in 2024. I will probably be able to kill a doe muley out at the farm this year, but I sure like elk better than deer.

I have sold my camper, shipped last mule to Texas for a friend, and working on getting the horse trailer cleaned up to sell. Our dog died last month so it is just the Misses and me. Except for funerals and doctors, we don't seem to see many people new days..

[Swede]

What you are saying makes sense, but I have had tender elk that was boned out right away. Such was the case when I went hunting with RJ and his friend. I hope to hunt a couple more years before arthritis finally ends archery for me, and I have no points to use on a rifle hunt. If I get another elk I want to quarter it, the old way. My body may disagree on packing out bones.
I wish cows were an option where I hunt. Our legislators figured they could make more money by selling cow separately, so they are not allowing bow hunters to shoot them anymore. They also made the unit a draw opportunity only.

[Lefty]

Our legislators figured they could make more money by selling cow separately,

Gotta feed them wolves Only send the cattle killers to O regon

We lost our either-or archery deer,,,, I still believe it is part of the anti hunting groups limiting, limiting limiting,, I cant imagine there is a biological/scientific reason

I hope to hunt a couple more years before arthritis finally ends archery for me, .

Here in Idaho your Doc could give you a crossbow permit,,,,, My worry for an old codger like you,,, falling from a tree, cut that crap out,,, your too old to be in a tree

They also made the unit a draw opportunity only.

Idaho has plans to make all big game hunts draws. Even for residents, no more over the counter deer, elk and bear, One reason would be only one big game animal(deer, elk and bear,) can be hunted. Yep gotta feed those wolves and grizzly bears,,

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

Throw it in the crock pot some brown gravy and make swiss steak out of him. It will melt in your mouth.

[Swede]

You are 100% correct WW. That is the best answer I have. I don't want everything to be just hamburger.