Meat Spoiling?

[snake]

What are some ways to get your meat out without spoiling?  Say, 2 guys 5-10 miles in on foot. Just bone it out and go like hell? Any differences in how you would approach the situation with a deer vs. elk?  I would love to do some backcountry hunting but I do not want to have an animal spoil on me.

[snake]

Archery, in September.

[Ridgeratt]

First question is just how fast are you with a knife?
Second is you hope it doesn't make a run for the border.

[snake]

I am decent with a knife.  Lets say a good clean kill. Not chasing a wounded animal all over hell for a day or 2.

[northwesthunter84]

Get the hide off, bone it out and get as much airflow as possible. Keep meat out of the sun, if available use a creek bottom or drainage as air temps will be cooler. Good game bags allow airflow and help keep the meat clean. Elk, I would take as much as possible and go. Come back for camp as that will free up more room for meat. Have a plan at the other end, IE coolers, freezer or meat locker. Deer split between two guys is definitely a one trip deal for me but it's all about how much weight you can handle.  A good pack makes a huge difference.

[snake]

Say you get an elk down just before dark.  Do you quarter and hang over night then pack out at daylight? or do you bone it and hike out in the dark?  I know every situation is different but just looking for everyones opinion or experiences. Thanks!

[Remnar]

 

Get the hide off, bone it out and get as much airflow as possible. Keep meat out of the sun, if available use a creek bottom or drainage as air temps will be cooler. Good game bags allow airflow and help keep the meat clean. Elk, I would take as much as possible and go. Come back for camp as that will free up more room for meat. Have a plan at the other end, IE coolers, freezer or meat locker. Deer split between two guys is definitely a one trip deal for me but it's all about how much weight you can handle.  A good pack makes a huge difference.

... Also helps to have some friends with stock , and or that REALLY owe you 

[High Climber]

Say you get an elk down just before dark.  Do you quarter and hang over night then pack out at daylight? or do you bone it and hike out in the dark?  I know every situation is different but just looking for everyones opinion or experiences. Thanks!

If it's warm out I'm packing until it's out.  Really the only way I would wait until morning is if it's in a really nasty spot that would be dangerous at night.

[SilkOnTheDrySide]

Last year we killed an elk 7/8 miles from the trailhead. Overnight temps in the mid 30s, daytime temps up to lower 60s.

Shot right before dark.

First night quartered and hung next day boned out and started packing.

Always left it in the shade.

Between getting sidetracked chasing bugles, that meat finally made it to the truck Monday morning.

Didn't lose an ounce.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[trophyhunt]

Packing meat out in the dark where we hunt is not a good idea, last year I shot my bull about 4 miles from the trail head.  It was exactly noon when he hit the dirt, I always carry my meat bags with me in my day pack.  By myself I got to work, it was rifle season but it was warm last year, too warm.  I gutted and quartered right away, as fast as you can by yourself.  And was lucky enough to have a small creek right beside me, hung 3 quarters in the shade above the creek in my bags and deboned the body. All the meat was hanging for the night until the next morning ready to go for my friends and I.  I did pack out the head and one hind end that day, not any fun!  That creek in the shade was perfect, this was also in serious wolf country.  We have had to leave a few over night in wolf country, never have had the meat messed with. Piss around the site and leave a shirt or something that has your sent, should work for bears too.  And don't be too comfortable with your meat just because it's back at camp, if you have deboned meat in a bag, during the day you should lay it out in the cool morning separating it from being a big ball of meat.  Rinse the game bag to get the blood out and let dry.  As soon as the bag is dry and the temps start to rise get the meat back in the bag and hang in a cool dark place.  Meat lockers for us are about 2 hours away and its a nasty place that you wouldn't want to hang your meat in.  Skin off and debone like everyone has said is the short version, just thought I'd throw a couple other ideas out to you. 

[nwwanderer]

It s a matter of temperature, humidity, contamination and time.  Each one is such a variable that allowable times can vary beyond reason.  As cool as possible and as fast as possible would be the best.  Small clean pieces cool faster.  Flies can destroy the best laid plan.  Bears and all the rest will ruin a good situation.

[Karl Blanchard]

Th most important step in the whole process is the initial cooling of the meat.  Once the meat is cool or cold, it will stay that way for a very long time.  I bone everything, regardless of distance (packing bones is dumb ).  So deer go out in one trip, elk are a bit more.  Once meat is cool, I will put in garbage bags and submerge in a creek.  If no creek is available, a shady geothermal pocket will do.  Get it up off the ground.  If you do quarter and hang, seperate a few muscles down to the leg bone to help release heat. 

Meat isn't as fragile as some will make it out to be.  Get it to at least air temp before stuffing it in a bag and you will be good.

If I shoot one at dark, I'd debone, hang, and pack come daylight.

[buglebrush]

As has been mentioned don't leave until meat is boned and in a cool spot.  Let boned pieces cool before putting in a game bag.   I always carry a piece of plastic that i cover with alder branches and toss the meat on there to cool.  If you are not prepared to completely break down an animal on the spot don't shoot one.   

[kellama2001]

Does anyone have experience using citric acid to keep the meat longer in the back country?

[fireweed]

Done it many times. 
Carry meat sacks, good knife, parachute cord, and good head lamp.  Get the hide off, and quartered out. I use gutless method.  Let chunks and boned out meat cool on meat sacks while working on quarters. Find a cool spot, like a creek draw in the shade, a bit away from guts.  Hang in meat sacks that still have good air flow but keep flies out.  Keep it off the ground with airflow all around. hang overnight and pack out tenderloins/bs that night. If it's going to stay hot, start packing out early the next morning if possible.  No need to pack quarters out in the dark--let it cool overnight. Leave some "human scent" around the scene when you leave.  If you have found a cool spot it can stay a day or so, especially if it gets cold overnight.  No problems.  With an elk and no horses, bring friends for long hauls, and bone out to lighten the load.