Rigor and butchering timing for elk?

[yakimanoob]

Hey folks!  This is my first time butching my own animal.

I've got a stiff yearling spike elk hanging in my garage at the moment (skinned and front quarters, tenderloins, and backstraps removed), and I'm keeping my fingers crossed the cool weather holds in Yakima.  I've been reading online that it's better to let rigor take its course before doing the butchering -- a fact I discovered mid-disassembly, hence the partial quartering.  I'm at about 34 hours after the kill, and have until tomorrow night to get the butchering done before I leave for a work trip for two days. 

Do you think the rigor will be relaxed by then? I'm reading wildly varied (and non-elk-specific) info online about how long rigor normally lasts so I'm not sure what to expect.  If it will still be stiff by the time I need to leave, I may take off the back quarters and saw the neck off the ribs and put everything in game bags with a fan under it (just because hanging in the open air while I'm gone seems like a bad idea). 

What do you think?  Am I on the right track? 

I welcome any tips/thoughts/suggestions/criticisms .

Pics just for fun:

[Boss .300 winmag]

He might start walking tomorrow if your lucky, then rigor will be over . 











I couldn’t resist.   

The dam thing is dead dude, and cold it ain’t never going to be limp again. Start cutting it up. 

Unless you heat up the area he’s hanging in to 100 degrees.

[Timberstalker]

Start cutting. Hanging is overrated.

[yakimanoob]

Interesting.  I'm not expecting him to be limp, per se, but I did figure it would be good if the muscles weren't tight as rocks when I was cutting.  Right now, I literally cannot make the neck move at all. 

[Crunchy]

If he is cold, and can keep him cold.  Cut when you have a few hours to devote to it.  get some help, an entire elk with two people is a good 4-5 hrs of work, including grinding and vacuum sealing.

[NOCK NOCK]

Start cutting. Hanging is overrated.

 

[dreamunelk]

Start cutting. Hanging is overrated.

 

 

Some aging will occur while you thaw it out. 

[Stein]

24 hours is fine for rigor.


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[jrebel]

I let my elk hang in my cooler for up to 10 days and they are still stiff. You are not dealing with rigor......your dealing with a dead elk. 

[yakimanoob]

okie dokie.  I'll get to work in the morning!

Thanks gents 

[yakimanoob]

Oh and just to put your minds at ease, it's been hanging out right at 34-36°F the whole time.  Couldn't ask for better weather. 

[Stein]

Catch this podcast for way more info than a guy needs on post shot meat care.  I think that is where I heard the 24 hour rigor "rule." 

http://www.themeateater.com/podcasts/ep-073-advanced-wild-game-cooking/

[huntingfool7]

Four days at those temperatures wouldn't (or shouldn't) cause any issue.