In Pursuit of Legends TV show

[Fullabull]

Ok, I love to record and watch TV shows that have Elk hunting. It's a great way to learn elk sounds and just plain see beautiful elk. I just finished watching an episode of In Pursuit of Legends and I can't be more disappointing. These are two Officers of the law hunting. First, they are using and touting the long range shooting scopes. Ok, not my way of hunting but to each his own. What chapped my buns is they shot a 360 bull, were not sure if they hit him but guessed they did by the bulls reaction  decided to let it sit over night just in case  then went back the next day and found the bull not far from where they last saw it.

I have made the mistake of letting a bull sit over night once, and that was after cleaning and skinning it out. I let a quarter rest on a part of the hide and it was spoiled the next day. This was during second rifle season in CO. These guys were hunting first season early elk and let the whole elk sit over night. It kill me that these shows continue to let animals sit over night because they are to lazy to try and find them when they can be back at camp having a beer.

Elk do not last over night without meat going bad, unless they are still alive and you get lucky that they died a few hours before you find them.

How many of you have had a bad experience of meat going bad because you thought it would last over night. These shows that do this are not helping our sport. 

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Never found an animal the next day.  I debone immediately.  The sour can come from the bone too and after I let the quarter dry up a little I debone and game bag.  I didn't get to camp until 3am for one kill this year.   I would never leave an elk over night.  I'd rather bivy up next to the kill and do the work.  Another reason I carry all the stuff I'd need to stay the night.

[Spawnstar]

I'm with you Full, last year I found my bull 12 hours after we lost his trail and it was in December and the meat spoiled. Elk are way different than deer, they will spoil fast.

[grundy53]

Elk definitely need to be taken care of promptly. Sour way faster than a deer.

[bearpaw]

Elk & Moose are large animals, the heat can't get out of their body cavities, I think that's why they spoil overnight. Even a gutted animal can spoil if it isn't propped open well enough for all the heat to get out.

Most non-hunters probably have no idea what the time frame is for finding various animals, I doubt the show had any negative impact for that reason.

[PolarBear]

It seems to be the norm for just about all of those tv hunting shows to leave them overnight.  Half the time I think they are too lazy to look for it or are too concerned about the lighting for the camera and not about wasting the meat.  There is no way that I am leaving an animal overnight and coming back the next day, especially an elk. I'm out there until I find it, period!  One main reason that a lot of folks think that wild game tastes "gamey" is because they have eaten meat that has been poorly taken care of and improperly cooled.

[grundy53]

100% agree!

[Slimdog350]

I saw the same episode and i had the same reaction. It looked to me like he hit it to far back the way it reacted. And then the guys says I'm pretty sure he hit it but not to sure. It was a pretty far poke. 780 yards I think? They didn't even make an effort to go look is what ticked me off. That and I thought it was way to far to shoot. A lot of shows I see now days just make me shake my head and turn the channel.