Quarters OR De-Bone?

[Koda]

Elk hunter here... one that has ALWAYS quartered a harvested elk (unless the very rare instance it is like 100 yards from a truck), and I've NEVER de-Boned. Maybe just the way I was taught. I've been highly considering a pack that does not have a meat shelf (Kifaru). Most things I've read and watched have guys de-boning meat and bagging it to get it out. I am apprehensions about this as I have never done it. (Maybe only the fear of the unknown.) You know the oxygen exposed meat, how it gets hard and unusable. I worry that deboning:
1. will add to the amount that is oxidized.
2. cause more meat to get dirty when cutting in the field.
3. cause there to be meat left on the bone that I can't get off in the woods but could at home.
4. Will take extra time in the field, when I am just trying to get it cooled and back to camp.

ANY help or advice would be wonderfully appreciated.

most of my elk have been fairly close to the road... Ive always quartered and never deboned.

But deboning is not off the table.... the last elk I took was a good 2 miles off trail down a hole in the coast range. I dropped him in the last hour of legal light. A massive rainstorm came in within the hour.... took me and a buddy till midnight to quarter and haul out by headlamp with rain a fog so bad we could barely see the game trail just a few feet in front of us at times. We were cold, and soaked by the end. If I ever drop an elk more than 2 miles on foot, I might strongly consider deboning for the weight savings.

Ive never had a problem keeping the meat clean in the field. Once the hide is off I lay it out and place the quarters on it while I haul the others out. I also have been starting to carry 1 lightweight game bag for the same protection since I want to spread the quarters out from each other to cool down better.

 

[Superglide]

I just have never used a pack that didn't have a shelf, and I have heard it can be difficult to get a whole quarter out without a shelf.

Meat packs are never easy, but I am always smiling when I tote one.
75+ pounds of dead weight on the back will take the spring out of your step. Cinch it up and find a nice high balance point and plod on.

We distribute usually rear quarter + neck & misc each for 2 guys and one (old) man with 2 front shoulders + backstraps.

 

[eklarsen]

Don't forget the "cook" step.

Ah, that explains the violent diarrhea.

 

[No_Regerts]

most of my elk have been fairly close to the road... Ive always quartered and never deboned.

But deboning is not off the table.... the last elk I took was a good 2 miles off trail down a hole in the coast range. I dropped him in the last hour of legal light. A massive rainstorm came in within the hour.... took me and a buddy till midnight to quarter and haul out by headlamp with rain a fog so bad we could barely see the game trail just a few feet in front of us at times. We were cold, and soaked by the end. If I ever drop an elk more than 2 miles on foot, I might strongly consider deboning for the weight savings.

Ive never had a problem keeping the meat clean in the field. Once the hide is off I lay it out and place the quarters on it while I haul the others out. I also have been starting to carry 1 lightweight game bag for the same protection since I want to spread the quarters out from each other to cool down better.

I had to pack out a bull by myself once. I had hiked almost three miles behind a reclaimed road when I got into a small herd with the wind in my face. I was able to sort a raghorn out of it. It was early November, almost 70 degrees, and really wet. Weirdest weather I ever saw. Long day of packing.

 

[BigGame]

Kifaru packs do not have shelves. I love everything about these packs, I just have never used a pack that didn't have a shelf, and I have heard it can be difficult to get a whole quarter out without a shelf.

Have you considered Stone Glacier? Light (and expensive) like Kifaru, but with a meat shelf. I have one, but it's new so I can't report on how well the meat shelf works. Hopefully later this fall.

 

[osprey]

I have done it all ways and here is my order of preference.
1. Gutted and out whole, skin left on if cold enough. This is as good as it gets meat is protected and will not cool too fast and is insulated from temp swings once it cools.
2. Gutted, out whole, skin off. If it is not getting to freezing or lower at night I will skin after hanging in camp. Meat is not as proteced and will form a rind which will cause more work and less recovery at home when butchering.
3. Whole quarters out and hanging in camp. If not enough manpower or distance is far, boning out everything but rear quarters is acceptable.
4. Completely boned out. Sometimes due to distance or geography this has to be done. It is my least favorite way because it allows cold shortening of the muscle groups and often ends up making for tough cuts.

 

[osprey]

A good place to start if you think you would like to debone in the field is to butcher an animal at home and learn the bone structure and muscle groups. It will make it much easier and efficient to do in the field if you have an idea where and how to cut. Any monkey can cut
The meat off the bone for burger and weenies, but to keep muscle groups together for cuts takes a little more care. A tarp or a piece of plastic sheeting will also facilitate keeping the meat clean when deboning in the field.

 

[Koda]

1. Gutted and out whole, skin left on if cold enough.

I dont think it gets cold enough in the PNW for elk, a rear quarter is really thick and can retain a lot of heat for a while with the hide on and not quartered. I lost some meat this way, hard humiliating lesson learned but the wild game butcher could tell.

 

[osprey]

Well it is a situational call. If it gets below freezing you are fine leaving hide on. I will agree that West of the Cascades it is a less common occurrence. Learn from your experience and use your best judgement. If in doubt, peel that hide off.

 

[Koda]

Well it is a situational call. If it gets below freezing you are fine leaving hide on. I will agree that West of the Cascades it is a less common occurrence. Learn from your experience and use your best judgement. If in doubt, peel that hide off.

well I was also less experienced back then. Its not like Ive done testing on temperature limits, but I think the key is how long it stays below freezing... and how acclimatized you are to the cold... 32 degrees isn't really that cold of a low for a night especially if it takes all night to drop there. I peel the hide asap now, haven't lost any meat since then and learned to take top care of the meat from forest to table.

 

[FishnhuntOR]

As others have said, quarter to pack out. Debone in camp.
I fit a de boned spike in 110 quart cooler. Not much room for ice, so stopped in for dry ice

 

[Vaultman]

As others have said, quarter to pack out. Debone in camp.
I fit a de boned spike in 110 quart cooler. Not much room for ice, so stopped in for dry ice

I fit a bone in, quartered spike in my 160 quart (without back straps). Also not much room for ice, but it fit for transport, instead of sitting in my truck, under a canopy (read "oven").

 

[pharmseller]

My apologies to all y'all who have seen these photos eight million times already, but it's a great story.

This:



Became this:



Which got turned into this by my brother:




If you run a small (5'x7') tarp through a Foodsaver you get a surprisingly small package. I shot this bull in the Sky Lakes Wilderness Area 3 or 4 miles from the trailhead. Gut, skin, decapitate, leave a smelly T-shirt in a tree, see you in the morning. I was amazed at how much the skeleton weighed. Weight that stayed behind.

I'll never split a spinal column again.





P

 

[pharmseller]

I almost forgot, 7mm-08, 140 gr Partition, DRT.

Magnums are for sissies. Yes, I said it.

P

 

[FishnhuntOR]

Nope, never seen those! Lmao!
Almost looks like Gutless method!
I've done the old fashioned. Gutting job and gutess. I like gutless, except I do take the guts out at the very end to get the heart, liver, tender loin and rib meat out.
But, last year I did the old gutt job as the elk was shot on the way back to camp after an all day hunt. Shot him next to the road and we just loaded it up in the truck and did the rest in camp.

 

[BigGame]

Which got turned into this by my brother:

That is some serious rib cleaning, not to mention the neck. Impressed.

 

[pharmseller]

My apologies to all y'all who have seen these photos eight million times already, but it's a great story.

This:

View attachment 488990

Became this:

View attachment 488991

Which got turned into this by my brother:

View attachment 488992


If you run a small (5'x7') tarp through a Foodsaver you get a surprisingly small package. I shot this bull in the Sky Lakes Wilderness Area 3 or 4 miles from the trailhead. Gut, skin, decapitate, leave a smelly T-shirt in a tree, see you in the morning. I was amazed at how much the skeleton weighed. Weight that stayed behind.

I'll never split a spinal column again.





P

That is some serious rib cleaning, not to mention the neck. Impressed.

Elk bacon cheeseburgers with a big slice of Walla Walla Sweet onion factor heavily into my life. We don't waste much.




P

 

[Vaultman]

View attachment 489088
Elk bacon cheeseburgers with a big slice of Walla Walla Sweet onion factor heavily into my life. We don't waste much.
P

You're killin' me smalls!
I am headed out scouting this weekend for a "new to me" area. Seeing this picture just makes me want to scout more!