storing meat

[Instinct]

This sept if the weather allows me (if it isnt hot) im planning on doing a solo backcountry bull hunt. For those who has done many trips hauling the meat out. How do you keep it safe over night from other critters. Do you hang the bags up in the trees or do you haul the meat back to camp over night? I plan on having 2 big coolers filled w/ ice at the truck.

[huntnnw]

ID never be elk hunting in this state if I was worried about heat. Never had an issue .. Off the animal and in game bags and hang in the shade

[WSU]

I get it in game bags without the hide and somewhere that air can circulate.  I've never had a problem with critters eating it other than in areas with a lot of coyotes.

[acnewman55]

ID never be elk hunting in this state if I was worried about heat. Never had an issue .. Off the animal and in game bags and hang in the shade

What are you using to hang the meat?  550 paracord seems like it would be strong enough but probably be difficult to haul 100 + lbs of meat off the ground with it?  maybe that's what folks are doing?

seems like 6mm climber's accessory cord would work better, but it's heavier. 

[IBspoiled]

Not much you can do to protect meat from the critters. Move it far away from the guts and kill sight. I would worry more about the heat and flies. I have heard that if you put crisco vegetable shortening on the meat flies and bees will stay away. I havent tried it yet, but I'm going to do an experiment with it at home.

[Ccortez]

Not much you can do to protect meat from the critters. Move it far away from the guts and kill sight. I would worry more about the heat and flies. I have heard that if you put crisco vegetable shortening on the meat flies and bees will stay away. I havent tried it yet, but I'm going to do an experiment with it at home.

Let me know how that works I'm curious myself

[headshot5]

If you have it hanging, urinating close by will keep most predators away temporarily (in general).  Flies are definitely going to be your biggest problem.

[acnewman55]

If you have it hanging, urinating close by will keep most predators away temporarily (in general).  Flies are definitely going to be your biggest problem.

Flies are still an issue when the meat is packed into game bags?

[washelkhunter]

Hanging meat near or over a small creek in the shade will get it cooled down nicely esp over night; if ones nearby of course.

[norsepeak]

If you have it hanging, urinating close by will keep most predators away temporarily (in general).  Flies are definitely going to be your biggest problem.

NOT!  In Idaho a few years ago a buddy whacked a great mulie buck.  We gutted it and peed all around it and left a lot of our sweaty clothes around and on the deer, but a coyote ate both hams out of him overnight.  2010 in Alaska, nailed a nice caribou, peed all around it, covered it with sweaty clothes, came back the next morning to get it and a sow griz with two cubs was enjoying a nice half of caribou for breakfast.

Never had any luck with with tactic, sounds good in theory, but never worked for me.

[syoungs]

I hung and skinned my spike 2 years ago off of paracord, It would be murder getting it high up in a tree. I was able to climb on my trucks toolbox, (elk was in the bed) and toss the cord over a branch, then had 2 guys lift the elk up out of the bed and I tied it off, then drove out from under it.

 If I were relying on it as my only means of hanging, I would be reluctant, I chose the paracord over the other means because we had a no it all talking about how paracord couldnt possibly do the job.

If you do use para, get a quality version, I see lots of cordage advertised as para cord that I wouldnt trust, and lots that dont have the 550# load rating as well, sense its a popular item survival bracelets and such.

[Shawn Ryan]

Since you are in the backcountry, you'll be quartering or boning the meat. In those size chunks, para cord/550 cord will be fine for hanging meat.

Agree with norsepeak, from experience, peeing and sweaty clothes don't work.

In my experience, hiking meat out in the dark is good.  Or at least that's what I end up doing most of the time:  its too valuable to sit while I sleep.  Though, I have been on a hunt with boned meat that hung for 2 days in a hot September while the hunt continued.  Boned, hanging over a creek, in the deep shade.

[IBspoiled]

OK I put some fresh burger on two separate plates and one with crisco on it. flies didn't care either way, maybe it was bees that I heard that didn't like crisco? Didn't see any bees though.The first elk I ever got was hot september weather and the bees were more than just a little problem while taking care of meat. I hate bees!!!!!

[acnewman55]

Since you are in the backcountry, you'll be quartering or boning the meat. In those size chunks, para cord/550 cord will be fine for hanging meat.

Boning out seems to make the most sense to me.

When I backpack I hang my food in a bear-bag overnight, tossing a line over a branch then hauling my bag up at least 10 feet above ground.  It's pretty hard to do with standard 550 with only a 20 lb. bag of food.  I guess if you had plenty of game-bags, you could split the meat into 20lb parcels and hang them with this method.

I would guess that guys are generally carrying a heavier piece of rope into the back-country for this purpose though. 

[JLS]

I carry 550 cord.  Even if you use game bags, if you're worried about flies and bees you may want to do some research on citric acid spray.  You can buy powdered citric acid at any health food store.  Mix with water and spray liberally on the outside of the meat.

I'll pack as many loads out the first day as I can.  Depending on the terrain, how many trips I've already done, weather, etc. I may or may not pack in the dark.

I like to hang them with bone in, and if I'm not too far/too tough of a pack out I'll leave the bone in until I get home.

Peeing around the meat does no good except that now you don't have to pee anymore