Boning out meat

[skagitsteel]

Just curious how many guys bone out their game in the backcountry? wondering how much  lighter it actually is coming out if it is worth it or not.  I packed two bears about 4 miles and 3000+ ft from the truck last yr as well as a blacktail and another bear a couple miles behind a locked gate, I just quartered, took backstraps, ect.. we managed to get them out no problems, but with the possibility of some high country camping this year just trying to still be able to get out in one trip,

[h2ofowlr]

I have done it on a few occasions depending on how far back I am.  You just need to be careful depending on temperature and how clean and good of job you do or you can spoil and contaminate the meat quickly.  My buddy boned out his and must have came in contact with the guts.  When we were sorting it back at camp, we had one bag go green on us.  It's a challenge to cut all the spoiled meet when it is in pieces.  If it is on quarters, it is much easier.

[dreamunelk]

Our group. in most cases, bone it out.  Specially early archery.  We have never lost any meet.  Done correctly you can cool quicker.  Often it takes us a couple of days to get a bull out.  Two years ago it took a friend 3 days to get a bull out.  Meet tasted great.  And it was very hot out!

[throttlejocky20]

marked

[couesbitten]

Gutless method is what I always do.  http://elk101.com/videos/gutless-video/

[packmule]

As previously mentioned, it's easier to keep your meat clean and eventually cut and wrap it when you do not bone it out.  However, in most backcountry situations where camping equipment is involved you'll need to bone the meat out unless you're willing to make multiple trips or have several hunters in your party.  Also, on warm weather hunts boning it does allow you to cool the large chunks quicker.  In reality, once you have a little bit of experience with making the proper cuts, and good meat sacks, boning out the meat from your kill is easy, lightens the load substantially, and the end result (clean cared for cut and wrapped meat) is excellent.

[brocka]

As previously mentioned, it's easier to keep your meat clean and eventually cut and wrap it when you do not bone it out.  However, in most backcountry situations where camping equipment is involved you'll need to bone the meat out unless you're willing to make multiple trips or have several hunters in your party.  Also, on warm weather hunts boning it does allow you to cool the large chunks quicker.  In reality, once you have a little bit of experience with making the proper cuts, and good meat sacks, boning out the meat from your kill is easy, lightens the load substantially, and the end result (clean cared for cut and wrapped meat) is excellent.

+1 on this

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[Skyvalhunter]

As stated depends on the situation. If you are going to get it out that day boning is great. But if you are talking a few days boning exposes more surface area to spoilage. It's your call.

[skagitsteel]

As stated depends on the situation. If you are going to get it out that day boning is great. But if you are talking a few days boning exposes more surface area to spoilage. It's your call.

For the most part I will probably be looking to pack the meat out not later than the day after a kill.  Last year I was able to pack the blacktail out solo, The first backcountry bear I was hunting solo but had to call in a buddy because it was just too heavy (hide, quarters and backstraps were 87 Ibs).  Sounds like it is worth learning to bone it out in the right situation.  Are standard alaska game bags a good choice for boned out meat? Also how do you keep it from ending up in a big ball at the bottom of the pack?

[dreamunelk]

Spoilage often occurs from the inside out.  Heat it the problem not exposure to air.  The bigger the critter the more of a problem.
How you pack and tie the meat to your pack is what will prevent it from balling up on the bottom.
I tend to put different cuts in those cheap cheese cloth bags and then put in canvas.  Just easier for me to keep clean and if needed I can pull the pieces out to keep cool.
Remember the bigger the piece the more internal heat.

[Benny]

From strictly a weight perspective...there is a big difference density wise between deer and bear bones. Bear bones are like solid pieces of steel, very heavy.

[Hunter Dug]

I dont care if im 100 yards from the road I always bone out my animals.  BS on it is easier to keep clean by doing it later. Take your time, I dont care if its 90 degrees out side if done right you will never lose any meet.  A 8 X 8 drop cloth weighs 4 ounces, this is plenty of space to do all you cutting and deboning.  To me packing bone unless antlers is just stupid and harder to strap to a pack then a sack of meat.  Plus if or when you take it to the locker for processing they charge you for the total weigh which includes the bone.  Only about 45 % of a animal is edible. Seems like a no brainer.

[pianoman9701]

I dont care if im 100 yards from the road I always bone out my animals.  BS on it is easier to keep clean by doing it later. Take your time, I dont care if its 90 degrees out side if done right you will never lose any meet.  A 8 X 8 drop cloth weighs 4 ounces, this is plenty of space to do all you cutting and deboning.  To me packing bone unless antlers is just stupid and harder to strap to a pack then a sack of meat.  Plus if or when you take it to the locker for processing they charge you for the total weigh which includes the bone.  Only about 45 % of a animal is edible. Seems like a no brainer.

Especially with elk. Bones hold heat like rocks and boning out your quarters opens them up and cools them down faster. The weight is a huge factor - probably around 20% - regardless of which animal species. As far as spoilage is concerned, there's less chance of spoilage with boned-out meat. Poorly handled meat will spoil, bones or not. Use the gutless method so there's no exposure to feces or urine, and keep it really clean.

[SemperFidelis97]

I bone out all my meat as well where we hunt we just do not have the luxury of having any roads nearby so they all come out on our backs.  Also pillow sacks make great game bags, and they come at a considerably cheaper price than most game bags.

[WaltAlpine]

What HunterDog said. And the gutless method that Coues linked to. Clean and pretty efficient. You maybe lose a little of the small pieces of meat, but especially for the backcountry, it's the way to go.