The gutless method of cleaning an elk in 10 minutes.

[washelkhunter]

Good vid. Nicely done! If you have gut shot an animal that's the way to go to salvage as much uncontaminated meat as possible. it makes for quick and easy recovery as well when hot weather and spoilage is a major concern. Another major concern is you don't have to cut into the spinal cord and risk potential contamination from chronic wasting/mad cow diseases.

[nw_bowhunter]

I have seen this video and want to give it a try, although I personally haven't done it yet my initial impression is it seemed very efficient and less messy. could be wrong. I see nothing wrong with the idea and he did say he was taking the brisket and neck meat...whats left besise the rib cage?

[Come Get Some]

I'm at a loss as to what everyone is all worked up about?  At the end of the video he flat out says that in Colorado they have met their legal obligation BUT,they love elk meat so they will finish picking apart the carcass!  Do you really think that a guy who eats freaking bobcats is gonna leave elk meat behind!  I have only done the hair on once and it was because I was a long ways from the truck and was trying to keep my quarters from freezing.  There is some hair that gets on the exposed meat but hair is easy to clean off.

Anyone who says they have never had a piece of meat slip from their hands and get dirty is either supermans brother, doesn't ever kill anything or full of BS!  It happens.  Fred Eichler is one of the few TV personalities that is actually fun to watch.  He is a meat hunter first and foremost.  He flat gets excited about hunting just like all of us.

  He stated he was going to get SOME OF THE NECK AND BRISKET.  AND no I have never dropped a piece of meat. I shot my 55th elk this year and do not know how many deer . Lost count. I do the entire animal whether elk or deer with a pirahana knife, no saw or hatchet. We take the entire animal even between the ribs, Deer and elk.

  And my buddies do call me and my wife Superman and Loise Lane. :

[Bullkllr]

I'm at a loss as to what everyone is all worked up about?  At the end of the video he flat out says that in Colorado they have met their legal obligation BUT,they love elk meat so they will finish picking apart the carcass!  Do you really think that a guy who eats freaking bobcats is gonna leave elk meat behind!  I have only done the hair on once and it was because I was a long ways from the truck and was trying to keep my quarters from freezing.  There is some hair that gets on the exposed meat but hair is easy to clean off.

Anyone who says they have never had a piece of meat slip from their hands and get dirty is either supermans brother, doesn't ever kill anything or full of BS!  It happens.  Fred Eichler is one of the few TV personalities that is actually fun to watch.  He is a meat hunter first and foremost.  He flat gets excited about hunting just like all of us.

I don't know that I would call any of the above reactions/comments "all worked up"- more like "cool, but could be done better". I have never heard of the guy in the vid, but I'm sure what you're saying is true.

Personally, I like the method; have used it several times when the situation dictated. I have always skinned first, but if it were cold enough I might not. 

But why make a big deal out of "10 min" as has been stated? I have never been in a situation where I would find that to be an advantage. Killing an elk is a big enough event that I feel the need to do the best job possible recovering clean meat. Even if he got most of the neck and brisket (which I doubt- if he did it as fast as the breakdown), I can't see leaving the rib/flank. It's good meat- I normally grind it fat and all. On an adult elk there's got to be at least 5-10 pounds a side. And If he was planning on taking it, why did they flip the carcass over?

And I think I find the whole "we did what the law requires, but..." thing a little offensive. When taking the meat off any animal I'm not worried about what the state requires because there is maybe a handful of scrap on the bone when I'm done. But I guess that's just me.

[RadSav]

And If he was planning on taking it, why did they flip the carcass over?

Fred is in the business of making videos and supporting his sponsors.  And after the deer skinning in X seconds video went viral I assume he had a goal in mind. 

Looked to me like they rolled the carcass over on the flesh side of the hide.  That along with snow I expect should keep it plenty clean. 

I like Fred and feel he is good for the industry.  And when I meet him at the shows he is always super nice and friendly.  Wish I could say that about all the TV personalities.  But, I do wish he had made that video a 12 minute instead of 10 minute.  That is all it would have taken to keep all that hair off the meat.  I know a lot of butchers that would have turned that job away.  And when you see elk routinely get up out of their bed, pee in it and then lay back down you realize how disturbing elk hair on your meat really is.

However, sometimes business and marketing while the camera is running makes you do things just a little different.  I'm not going to disregard a good instructional video on nitpicking the little things.  Pretty good video in my opinion.  I will have to flip him a little crud for getting that nice hat all bloody though.  There's just no excuse for that!

[Humptulips]

Have to say I am pretty apalled at the number of people on here that thinks what this guy did is OK.
Stay away from my elk!

[GregE]

Picture showing the backstrap and tenderloin  taken from my '07 3x4.  The gutless method is a snap once you get confident in using it.  WE take pride in keeping our meat clean.




My hunting partner - now my wife- showed me how to properly cut and wrap an elk.  No more butchers for us.

[SuperX]

I'm curious how many guys actually take the rib and brisket meat, and every other little morsel when boning a deer/elk out in the back country and packing him out? Come Get Some obviously does, but I don't personally know any one that does.

I take it all.  CGS has it right, there are 2 loins inside the cavity - the front loins are bigger than the tenderloins on most deer, not to be left for the 'yotes.  I also take the heart - it's the first meal!

[xXLojackXx]

What a poor example to show people on how to take your time and give the animal the justice of taking its life. You tag an elk, you better get all the meat you can. What a waste of good meat.

[Broken Arrow]

Love the method. Use it always and never waste meat. Its not a race thought, that is the part of the video that is bogus. Take your time, do it right.

[gasman]

Love the method. Use it always and never waste meat. Its not a race thought, that is the part of the video that is bogus. Take your time, do it right.

 

Learned this method pretty well in WY while lope hunting. 10 lopes in 2 days...... that's a lot of cutting and the gutless method is easy

[dscubame]

Love the method. Use it always and never waste meat. Its not a race thought, that is the part of the video that is bogus. Take your time, do it right.

 

Learned this method pretty well in WY while lope hunting. 10 lopes in 2 days...... that's a lot of cutting and the gutless method is easy

   Done right nothing left behind and do not need the useless step of the gutting.  7 years on elk and deer here.

[PA BEN]

1/2 mile from the house? I would show a video of loading it hole in my pick-up. Boning it out with the hide on? That is what game bags are for. BTW, there isn't much meat left for the birds when I'm done with an elk.

[dscubame]

Have to say I am pretty apalled at the number of people on here that thinks what this guy did is OK.
Stay away from my elk!

This method was discussed in detail with photographs in a 1996 book called All About Elk with notable authors that many will recognize to include Mike Lapinski, Dwight Schuh, Dwayne Wiltse, and Wayne Van Swoll.  These guys have forgot more about hunting than most will ever learn.  And at lease two of the authors are considered top 1%.

Point is this method is very accepted and no meat is left behind.  The authors go into detail on this method to such detail describing down to how the rib meat is taken as well.

I get it that some people don't like change but a little open mind is healthy.  Reminds me of a story about a daughter asking her mom why she cuts the ends of a Christmas ham off and when questioned she replied, "because that his how my mom always did it".  When the daughter asked grandma why she cut off the ends of the Christmas ham grandma responded, "because it had to fit in the pan".

[Ripper]

Don't you people listen? The last thing he said was, we love elk meat so we will take the neck and briscket meat as well. Fred Eichler is well know and respected in the hunting industry so Idoubt he wastes much of anything. He is just showing us the basics, you should know how to clean up the neck and briscket already.  I appreciate the info and will use it on my next deer and elk.