how long should it take to dress out an elk?

[jvt]

how long should it take to dress out an elk ?   now under ideal conditions. level ground ,spike size.  dressing only ,not moving it. skinning is part of dressing and quartering.
  I take my time at 3hrs senior citizen 66yr

[Crunchy]

For one person it can be a little more difficult and time consuming.  Especially if you are doing your best to keep the meat clean.  So one person, gutless method, I would say 2 hrs if you are taking your time. 

[greenhead_killer]

I don’t think there is a set time. Everyone has a different approach and experience level. If you’re skinning and deboning, that seems like a fine amount of time to me. I know I can do a spike sized elk in a little over an hour with an extra set of hands. (Did this two years ago). Again, different experience levels I would think play the biggest part. My neighbor is in the 60ish range. Has glaucoma in one eye, is color blind and has tremors. He takes his time when processing elk, but he gets it done and it turns out fine.

[Igottanewknee]

Almost 62 yo disabled hunter, with both knees replaced and 3 back surgeries. Shot a cow this February in open field down near Columbia river. I  was going down to "scout it out", and bring my companion hunter the next day, but couldn't pass up the herd of 50 or so elk. I drove right up to it, but couldn't only wrestle 4 quarters in the truck. The torso and head had to be separated as I couldn't, for the life of me, load that part up. 2.5 hours.
Had I waited until I brought my 32 year old companion hunter, probably would have taken 15 to 20 minutes.... I've seen him do it....

[Magnum_Willys]

Take your time figure 90 mins for getting done and packs loaded.  Two guys using gutless method can do it in 30 mins in a hurry.  Have completely boned out and cut off antlers and loaded up in well under an hour with two guys.

[chester]

2 guys gutless 45min -1hr
Solo 1.5-2 hrs

[Stein]

I’m about average, 90-120 min solo doing a good job.


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[7mmfan]

As long as it takes? I don't know, I'm rarely in a hurry unless conditions require it. My guess is that if every condition is ideal, probably 2 hours solo, maybe a little faster. Gutless method only. This years ended up in a creek in an alder thicket in a near vertical creek bottom. 2 guys took us a little over 2 hours to process. Then the work started...

[206]

Done 3 solo - non gutless method.  Never timed it.  Last one was huge (x2) cow and upon arrival first thought was how am I going to do this alone. Said to self, You have to do this.  My radio going off from wife in truck after a while.  What Are You Doing.  All sweaty and sh!t, I holler in the radio.  WORKING, give me a half hour.  45 mins later I hear on the radio again.  Done Yet.  I radio back, GIVE ME ANOTHER HALF HOUR.

[elkchaser54]

Anybody got any tips for getting the backstraps out ? I did gutless this year for my first ever elk and felt like I could have gotten more out . Just didnt really know where I should have cut. It was my dad and I and we found it at 3 and were packing out by 5 and in the tree hanging by 8

[7mmfan]

Anybody got any tips for getting the backstraps out ? I did gutless this year for my first ever elk and felt like I could have gotten more out . Just didnt really know where I should have cut. It was my dad and I and we found it at 3 and were packing out by 5 and in the tree hanging by 8

I usually start at the hip bone, making a careful cut along the bone to get as much of the hind end of the backstrap as possible then cut all the way forward including the neck meat. I then make the decision at home where to separate the two. It just takes time to work the knife in and out of all those nooks and crannies along the backbone. Don't be in a rush, it's not a race.

[WapitiTalk1]

Anybody got any tips for getting the backstraps out ? I did gutless this year for my first ever elk and felt like I could have gotten more out . Just didnt really know where I should have cut. It was my dad and I and we found it at 3 and were packing out by 5 and in the tree hanging by 8

EC54, are you talking backstraps or “loins”? 

[Mark Youngblood]

I am break down an elk and bag it by myself in about an hour or maybe 1.5 keeping meat clean abd taking my time

[jnordwell]

I’d say depend on a lot of things.. where is it laying, and weather is the big one in my book. A elk November vs a elk in September for archery elk 2 different creatures.. the elk in September fighting heat,yellowjackets,bald face hornets... same elk that took 2 hrs in November could take 50 mins fighting heat and yellowjackets..just don’t cut yourself and try to carry a drop cloth to help keep the meat somewhat clean..

[Sakko300wsm]

Anybody got any tips for getting the backstraps out ? I did gutless this year for my first ever elk and felt like I could have gotten more out . Just didnt really know where I should have cut. It was my dad and I and we found it at 3 and were packing out by 5 and in the tree hanging by 8

EC54, are you talking backstraps or “loins”?

Must be talking about tenderloins - gutless method the backstraps are right in your face

[Okanagan]

Because of different meanings people put on the terms backstrap, loins, etc. I have gone to calling them the inner straps and the outer straps.  Inner is the filet mignon tenderloin.

To get the inner straps using the gutless method, wait till all meat has been removed from the skeleton and the critter is lying on one side. Make a shallow slit/cut starting just ahead of the pelvis and going to the last rib, avoiding puncturing a gut.  Reach in through the slit and either take the shortest blade you have and cut out the near one, or you can pry and pull them out with fingers alone.  Each inner strap nestles in the juncture between ribs and spine, and runs from pelvis to last rib.

 You can get both from one side but it is a bit easier if you turn the carcass over and get the other one through a slit on that side.  When possible, I prefer that the spine side of the carcass is uphill.  Even a tiny bit of slope helps, and I may pull the spine side up on a stump root or hump.  A slope causes the guts to sag down away from the spine, away from my b lade and it gives a bit more room to access the inner straps.

Another possibility is to cut open the belly and either pull or let the guts sag out of the way and give you wide access to the inner straps. 

[7mmfan]

Another possibility is to cut open the belly and either pull or let the guts sag out of the way and give you wide access to the inner straps.

This is what I do. Once all the meat is off, who cares at that point. Open up the gut cavity and let them out. Makes it very easy to access the tenderloins, heart, and liver.

[fisheral87]

I quartered a bull solo in two hours. On a side hill with small trees to use for stabilizing and tying off legs and the head.

Al

[keith h]

Hi guys. Im new here but not new.  There are so many factors that play into this question that i don't think it can be accurately answered.  This year I dressed or i should say quarted and boned out my 25th elk.  I should be quite fast by not but it took about four hours.  It slid down a steep hill and wedged its self under a downed tree. 

As for getting out the tender loins using the gutless method i have a real cool way of getting to them.  IF you can and after everything is done. roll the carcass onto its belly.  Find the first long rib towards the back.  There are some short ribs right before they turn into full length ribs.  Count up towards the head from the back 5 full long ribs.  Cut those ribs about 6 inches down from the spine.  They cut real easy.  Then at the sixth full rib cut the vertebrae in half.  Now at that cut just lift up and push back.  This exposes the loins and you can cut them out very easy and clean.

This is a cool site.  Im glad i found it.
Keith

[snake]

You forgot to mention, if you ever get lost (especially in Washington) shoot an elk and start to break it down.  Someone will promptly come by and tell you you are doing it wrong.

[Elknut1]

Keith H, ditto!


  JTV, that sounds good on your timing. Heck when a hunter strips an elk clean it can take time especially solo.

  I've done elk from short to long time wise, so much depends where they die, congrats on your elk sir!

  ElkNut/Paul

[Dan-o]

For me, it's never about speed unless it's really hot.
I really try hard to do my best work every step of the process all the way to my freezer.

I've gone too fast before.   Not proud of those efforts.

And for me, while I've been primary on around 20 elk, and helped with another 15ish, I'm still not great at it.   So, I try to enjoy the process.

[yorketransport]

I think 90-120 minutes is pretty normal for a one man job.

When I took my dad on a cow elk hunt in Utah with Bearpaw, I watched one of his guides (David or Daniel maybe, pretty young guy) completely debone my cow in just a hair over an hour. We're talking completely deboned, into two complete halves plus a pile of trimmings. It was one of the coolest things I've seen while hunting.

When I got the meat to Stewart's back at home we hung the two sides up so the guys at the meat shop could see. It was an entire elk (minus the rib meat and small trimmings) in two pieces. That guy was good!

[Blacktail135]

 In the Randle unit it takes about 9 years and 2 hours!

[TheHunt]

I have been blessed to harvest many elk.  I can tell you the more you do it the faster you get.  I choose to bone out an elk if I have to pack it longer than 1/2 a mile.  If I bone it out and I am by myself it takes me about 1 1/2  hours to complete take all the meat off the bones and remove the head so it is ready to pack.

If I am closer than 1/2 a mile I can gut quartered and bagged in 45 min.   I also use a battery operated sawsall with a bone blade on it.  I need two batteries to get it done. 

[Calvin Rayborn]

45 minutes and 22 seconds