Back country elk hunting

[Skyvalhunter]

A better thing would have been to bagged the meat in plastic and then put it in the water. The rules are to keep the meat cool but dry.

[WDFW-SUX]

Water is a huge no no. 

[MIKEXRAY]

Thanks for the advice on the water, I put my meat down in the creek with the water about one inch deep. Nice and cool down by the creek. Next time a I will hang meat down by the creek.

[popeshawnpaul]

I was told by a butcher that you can wash it and temporarily put it in the water but that it will get bleached out if you leave it in the water too long.  He told me that's what they do at meat processors.  They take a hose and wash off the animals after cleaning.  When you let them age the meat dries out and all is good. 

I'd say you debone and hang the meat in a cool damp place by the creek and get it out as soon as possible. 

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

You would be amazed what a game bag and a tree to hang meat in will do for ya. Shade is necessary of course.
What you want is air to circulate around the meat to cool it.

[ICEMAN]

Water is not the enemy in my opinion. Bacterial action will occur if the meat gets wet, and then cannot dry out properly, add some warm weather and yuck. This is why you unbag your game to hang at the butcher or meat shop. We have cooled deer and bear in cold streams to get the meat cold fast. Then we hang in cheese cloth game bags, keep the flies off, air in, moisture out. You know things are good if it skins over a tiny bit. Wet damp meat poses the bacterial threat. Just my opinion.

[Little Fish]

shanevg,
Regarding game bios....I would do some leg work on your own first and have a couple areas in mind before calling because one game bio may know very little about the area right next to his. I also recommend calling earlier in the year rather than later. If you call a few weeks before the season you probably get a chance to talk with them. I have always found them very helpful.
LF

 

[DOUBLELUNG]

Mike, I'd have loved to have an ice cold creek on either of those hunts, but I'd far prefer to have a barrier between the water and the meat.  That said, it would be unlikely to putrify (rot) in the water, but I'd be leery of the microorganisms that would come with immersion; tend to agree with rougheye there.  Likewise, some issues with meat quality allowing it to soak in water.  If it was that or rot, I'd do the immersion, then trim everything of the exterior prior to processing; either way, a lot of waste.

 However, if I could seal the meat in plastic, and keep it dry and cold in a creek, that would be very fine.