Moose down, now what?

[Ridgerunner]

Ok for all you experienced moose hunters out there, what do you do.  Let's assume its early October and fairly warm.  The bull is killed less than a 1./2 mile from a road.  Am I better off quartering it out or just deboning it? 

[Slider]

 

[bucklucky]

Personaly I would de-bone it. If the bone is out it will cool down quicker. Meat will spoil from the bone out. It doesnt take that much longer to debone either. Less wetght to pack also.

[Sagedawg]

 Never killed a moose yet, but a few elk, and we've boned a couple of them out. Takes alittle more time but it cools faster and you dont have to pack the extra weight
 of the bones.  So Id say bone him out.


  Sage

[boneaddict]

I guess I am against the grain here.  I "quarter up" the moose.  I cut off the legs at the knees the remove the legs from the body.  Thats 4 big loads.  I leave the meat on the bone becasue its alot easier to pack and I can transpot it and cool it easier.  I then hang them suspended in air if at all possible, in the shade.  Remember the sun moves so try to get it deep enough.  Its most important to have air circulation.  Do not leave them on the ground if at all possible.  then I cut out the back straps, and ribs and every thing else.  I don't mess withthe neck.  I had too in Alaska, but a grizz ate that, sooooooo that ended ok.  Loose meet is really hard to air out in this volume.  I do agree about bone sour, but haven't had a problem with it.  GET THAT HIDE OFF.  Its the most important. People argue about packing the extra weight of the bone, and they maybe right.  Its just eaier to handle the package versus a whole bunch of pooling cut up meat.  Sorry, its how I do it.  Mine have been alot farther from the road.......9 miles plus.

[boneaddict]

buy some damn good game bags or cutom make your own.

[WDFW-SUX]

I had too in Alaska, but a grizz ate that, sooooooo that ended ok.

 

[bucklucky]

Either method will work, and bone is right, get the hide off asap! If you do decide to debone , make sure you only put the meat from each individual quarter in a seperate gamebag, cont want It will cool best whaen you dont have meat stacked on top of each other, and then you can hang like bone said. Definately easier to strap a quarter onto a pack . But if your pack is set up correctly you can keep deboned meat from moving around too. Keep the weight high on the pack, too low and youll be bent over trying to walk. But too high and youll have a mouth full of dirt

  Probably should just quarter it.

[Skyvalhunter]

I would second what bone says about keeping the meat on the bone. Except for removing the backstraps. The meat will not spoil as fast on the bone besides being easier to handle when you debone it you make the meat have more surface area for possible spoilage.

[popeshawnpaul]

Definitely quarter it.  It's easier to hang and deal with.  You are going to have tons of loose meat and it's difficult to deal with.  Having more will just complicate things.  I would seriously have cold storage lined up.  One of your guys can run some down while you finish the rest of the meat.  If it's farther than about a half mile from the road...you may have to reconsider.  Like Bone said, get good game bags.  And get lots of them.  You are going to need like 7 or 8 big moose quarter bags.  One for each quarter, one for straps/loins, one or two for loose meat (ribs, neck, etc), and one for the cape. 

I differ with bone on the neck.  I got tons of good hamburger meat off the neck.  It tastes as good ground up as any other meat.

[MountainWalk]

I would for sure just quarter it. Ive never had to lug a dead moose, but for elk and such I leave it on.  I kinda think that deboning makes the muscle fibers draw up some. I cant prove this, but thats just the impression that I get. And im also in agreeance with the fact that is an easier to handle package.

[DOUBLELUNG]

1) punch tag
2) quarter and bag up scrap
3) put moose in panniers
4) walk out behind the horses and mules
5) hang up moose
6) drink too much bourbon and eat moose tenderloin cooked over a hot open flame
7) sleep in
take moose to locker plant to hang

[Wea300mag]

1) punch tag
2) quarter and bag up scrap
3) put moose in panniers
4) walk out behind the horses and mules
5) hang up moose
6) drink too much bourbon and eat moose tenderloin cooked over a hot open flame
7) sleep in
take moose to locker plant to hang

Hard to argue with that procedure. Wasn't there an offer already out there for the use of some mules?

Let me know when you get to step 6 that's where I can really help out.

[huntnphool]

Wasn't there an offer already out there for the use of some mules?

That was Machias. I have his number and will be calling if its a bad spot, maybe calling to have a drink for offering anyway

[UncleBuck]

Something else that has worked well for me is not to gut the moose. Just skin one side and remove the pieces, roll over and repeat. Helps keep things cleaner and no gut pile to work around. I agree not to bone it. Good Luck on your hunt