Newbie looking for help

[rh44mag]

I drew a CO elk tag. This is my first year and I have alot of questions. I have hunted midwest whitetail all my life so this is going to be a trip. With the whitetails we could gut them and drag them or load them on a 4wheeler to get them home. I have read several different methods of elk what does anybody here prefer, gut and quarter, gutless method, debone in the field? What style of knifes and saw do you carry? I have lots more questions but I will start with this.

 

[sancho]

first off, congrats and good luck.

now to the work part. my bro and i shot back to back bulls. two days straight. seeing that animal laying there was very sobering to our excitement. the things are huge. we did alot of pre-planning. part of the deal was watching a video by ralph ramos. he is the dude that gave an elk seminar that we attended in Las Crusas, NM. great guy. anyways, he showed us how to debone in the field. we then packed the parts away in gallon ziplock bags, layed them in a tiny creek to cool. by the time we were done, we had five backpacks filled. the shooter had the cape and horns, some meat. the rest meat galore. each pack weighed more than 100lbs. maybe 125. it was amazingly challenging. one thing for sure, bring a sharpie marker. by the time we were done, we couldnt tell a tenderloin from a shank steak. it sucked when it came to splitting the meat up. oh yea, we brought 3 extra non-hunters (guys that didnt draw) they helped pack out and we split the meat up evenly for their efforts. so use a marker to mark the great cuts. good luck.

we brought regular backpacks. when we found bulls we would take them off, hide them and do the calling. real frame packs paid big dividends when it came to haulling the heavy loads.

 

[shovelerslayer]

I have never taken it down to gallon ziploc bags, but I have always deboned them in the field. If you can get a video on how to do this it will be worth its weight in gold. We skin down the back and lay the accessible side of the skin hair down. We then cut the meat off of that side and laid it on the skin (which keeps it relatively clean). After cutting up that side you can roll it over (if you are not by yourself) and do the other side. Probably not the best way, but it always works for us. We usually then put the meat in cheap white pillow cases (loose weaved) and hang them in the shade. I have had the meat hang for almost two days while we packed portions out and have never had a problem.

 

[RoosterKiller]

A lot will depend on your weather.1. If it's hot you need to cool the meat down as soon as possible.Quater it and get it to a creek. Once cooled you can bone it out in the field and pack it.If it's cold like 50 degress or less you have more time. You can quarter it. take it back to camp and hang it for a few days with no problem or take it to a processor.I usally take cheese cloth or game bags to wrap the meat.Even if you hang it you want to wrap it.other than that it's just like you would handle a deer only a lot larger job.If you think you will bone it yourself then go online for more info or like Shovelslayer says and get a video.If you have equipment to hual with great.

 

[weekender21]

I de-boned and packed a bull, my first, out solo last year. If you have experience butchering whitetails then you're ahead of the game. They truly are very similar just MUCH bigger.
I skinned and boned the bull and put the meat into quarter size Alaska game bags. I hung the bags on a North facing slope under a tree which kept the meat in the shade. I hiked my gear, bow, and the antlers a few miles back to my truck and returned with two packs for the meat.
You absolutely need packs that are designed to carry the weight! I used a 7500cu Dana designs internal frame and a cabelas outfitter pack frame. Both packs were over 120lbs and although they were heavy, the weight was evenly dispersed. Fast-tex buckles can break with heavy loads, I'd recommend bringing an extra one along, they don't weight much.
I you're in the backcountry in warm weather, boneing is the best option. It's a ton of work but well worth it. Congrats on the tag and good luck!

 

[bpnclark]

Good luck on your hunt! You got a lot of good advice. I just have to say that it’s all going to depend on where you’re at, how far away it is and the temp.

If it’s far, and you have time: bone it out there.
If it’s somewhat close to a road: just quarter it out and bone it out back in camp.
If it’s a long, long, long way: hire a horse packer.

Good luck! :smiley_green_with_e

 

[rh44mag]

what do you guys use for cutlery?

 

[bpnclark]

I use my med sized buck knife on everything. On an elk you'll need to bring a good sharpener. What ever you use on your whitetails will be fine.

 

[shovelerslayer]

Like BP said about knives, what you use on a whitetail will be fine but bring a good sharpener. I have a really nice pack saw I always bring that makes short work of any bones I want to cut through. I try to take ribs etc.. when I can.

 

[hank4elk]

Great advice from others. Get GOOD game bags,not cheesey ones.Same as deer only WAY BIGGER and you had better get in shape of some sort or lots of help. You might try getting some help from outfitter first time if you really want to be successful,even exp. elk hunters eat tag soup. 15% ave suc.rate Have a great time and welcome to elkoholism...

 

[goindeep]

Heres what i do. I took this bull opening day in idaho last year. I was on my own on this one as i was to deep in cuts for my dad and his friends to help. Elk are too big too gut and man handle on your own without ropes to tie back the legs so I belive this is the best method even if you do have help. Once the quarters are removed i debone them, and if im worried about the extra weight I'll skin them but I usually leave it on to help protect the meat from drying out. Then I stuff the quarters in med. size cotton pillow cases that i pick up for a up at the local thrift store for twenty five to fifty cents apiece then toss them after the hunt. any experience with butchering or quartering deer will be a bounus and save you some quality meat. Taking out the tenderloins is the trickiest part but its pretty easy. The back straps and neck meat should also be removed before rolling the animal over.

 

[weekender21]

That's great advice from all, clearly there is more than one way to get the job done right. I also use a folding buck knife and a sharpener. Don't leave home without the sharpener!!!

 

[rh44mag]

I won't be totally on my own. The fella I am going with have been hunting this area for 20+ years(total group of 5). There has been talk of renting a horse just in case. I am like a kid waiting for Christmas!