Early Season Meat Care

[bowhunterty]

Pepper worked awesome. Shot my bull on Sept 11th, 75 degress at 8 am. While having quarters on a tarp, used black pepper and in did good job keeping flies and bee's away. Cooled nicely while laying on the tarp. We then deboned the meat and put into coolers with ice. Stayed cool all week at home while I cut it up. Best tasting elk I ever had.

[halflife65]

sakoshooter - Sweet tip.  I plan to toss a can of Crisco in the hunting bag.

Also, are you saying regular vegetable oil works too?

my friends would take pics of that and have me hung in cyberspace for taking crisco on a man trip.....lol. perhaps it should be relabeld "fire paste" or "bug keeper offer"

[BK]

sakoshooter - Sweet tip.  I plan to toss a can of Crisco in the hunting bag.

And just what, may I ask, are you planning on doing in deer camp?

[billythekidrock]

sakoshooter - Sweet tip.  I plan to toss a can of Crisco in the hunting bag.

Also, are you saying regular vegetable oil works too?

my friends would take pics of that and have me hung in cyberspace for taking crisco on a man trip.....lol. perhaps it should be relabeld "fire paste" or "bug keeper offer"

Pick up a couple bottles of "Liquid Game Bag" and you won't have to worry about the Crisco.

We have been using Liquid Game Bag for about 5 years now and have never had an issue. Just squirt it on and rub it into the meat (and eyes, nose, mouth if caping) after skinning and you will see a dramatic incline in flies, if not a total abandonment.

It is oil based and it will stain your cloth game bags but it does not affect the meat. I won't hunt Aug/Sept without it.

[sakoshooter]

All joking aside, Crisco(liquid)or any equivelant is usually already on the grocery list for hunting camp. I do however, have a 4oz Nalgene bottle I keep full of it mainly for meat care but it doubles for frying up fresh caught trout.
I used pepper for years. Got that tip from Jim Zumbo also. Every since he told me about cooking oil and I tried it, I'm sold. Pepper needs to be rubbed in and it won't stick to dry meat. Flies and yellow jackets would land on the pepperless areas whereas w/cooking oil, you don't even have to cover all areas as they're deathly afraid of it for some darn reason. Been using oil for over 10 yrs now with great results.

[cbond3318]

dredging up an old one here....

Has anyone used the technique described in the OP since posting... I am trying to make a plan for this years early Elk hunt, would rather not buy a cooler or run a generator and small freezer...

[Jarhead Chase]

Mallard,

I have built exactly what you are referring to.  It holds 350-400 lbs of frozen meat.  PM me if you want some pics.

I tried to PM you for pics and an estimate of building cost, but your inbox is full. There must be quite a few of us that want to see it. 

[Karl Blanchard]

Get bones out asap.  Once that is done and you have it all bagged up, look for those little pockets of cool air, that are in creek bottoms, depressions, etc. and get the meat cooling.  Once it has dropped temp, stuff it in a dry sack, or contractor bag, and submerge that in a creek.  Meat will stay cold and good for a week.

[sakoshooter]

What about flys and nats? Last bow season ive never seen them so bad!

Black pepper works well but cooking oil works better. Doesn't take much. Rub a tiny bit on some of the meat. Great for keeping the yellow jackets at bay also.