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trphyhntr

Whats the longest youve left an Elk in the field

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I too have spent a lof of time in butcher shops. They sour first in the dense muscle areas. Sour meat is basically a bacteria so one small spot spreads fast. Between the shoulders, "armpits" and hind quarters go first. If i keep the bone in, i split the hams to the bone to release heat. If the animal is hung whole, i split between the shoulders to the bone, split the armpits till the front quarters are barely attached, then split the hinds. I usually use little sticks to pry open the cuts to let that cool air penetrate. Amazing how some people "take care" of meat. Seen quarters stuffed in black trash bags in august

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One year my uncle took a cow opening morning. Over night temperature was 17 and the high was 35. We gutted the cow within 15min of the shot. We figured that because of the cold temperatures we could leave the coat on. That cow hung over night again with the low of 16 degrees.

It seemed that every hunter who saw that cow hanging would stop and suggest getting the hide off. We figured they knew something we did not. As we worked on getting the hide off it was still warm between the hide and meat! Even after 24hrs of being gutted, hanging in 16 to 35 degree temperatures.

Now the meat is on ice in vacuum bags within 2hours of it falling. We do not risk losing any meat.

We also do not Archery hunt because of the issues mentioned here. That is my excuse anyway. I am certain that I do not have the skills to take any game with archery.

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You mean all those guys I've seen driving south on i10 frok phoenix to tucson with elk in the back of their trucks with the hides on might have lost meat? Crazy.

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When hunting solo, this has always concerned me. One can only get an elk on ice so fast by yourself. The key is to get it hanging in a tree in the shade with no hide.

 

Randy Newberg took two couple full days to get his Colorado bull out last year, and he had no issues that I'm aware of. Early November he had it quartered and hung in a tree in the shade. He always tells people not to debone immediately, saying that the bone helps cool the interior meat.

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its apparently quite kosher in our day and age of "likes" and "followers" to leave the guts in and clothes on for a half a day while you take pics.

 

That is unorthodox.

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its apparently quite kosher in our day and age of "likes" and "followers" to leave the guts in and clothes on for a half a day while you take pics.

That is unorthodox.

 

how else do you expect them to get the perfect pic that makes their 340 bull look 380

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I killed one at almost dark a few years ago in september, we gutted and skinned it on the ground. left it overnight, it was good and luckily nothing ate on it.

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its apparently quite kosher in our day and age of "likes" and "followers" to leave the guts in and clothes on for a half a day while you take pics.

 

I have seen elk quarters in the back of a truck in september while the bull was being scored. As the quarters were carried by me later i could smell it was lost. This was at a camp after the kill.

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its apparently quite kosher in our day and age of "likes" and "followers" to leave the guts in and clothes on for a half a day while you take pics.

I have seen elk quarters in the back of a truck in september while the bull was being scored. As the quarters were carried by me later i could smell it was lost. This was at a camp after the kill.

 

some people i think just dont know any better, they think they gut it and theyre good

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Back in Montana during late season hunts, critters left over night are frozen and stiff as rock by morning. Tough to work with a rock solid frozen elk.

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I have never heard that leaving the bones in helps cooling off, that makes no sense. You shouldn't just throw all the meat in one big ball in a big bag, it has to breath and get air to all parts, but bones hold heat from my experience.

 

 

When hunting solo, this has always concerned me. One can only get an elk on ice so fast by yourself. The key is to get it hanging in a tree in the shade with no hide.

 

Randy Newberg took two couple full days to get his Colorado bull out last year, and he had no issues that I'm aware of. Early November he had it quartered and hung in a tree in the shade. He always tells people not to debone immediately, saying that the bone helps cool the interior meat.

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