Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: HoofsandWings on August 03, 2014, 10:28:44 AM

Title: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: HoofsandWings on August 03, 2014, 10:28:44 AM: September is fast approaching and ML is the first week of October.
Even at elevation the temps are in the upper 80's and 90's.
When you get an elk down in a field where there is no shade, how do you cool the meat?
Do you bone it out and race to the nearest butcher to store the meat? Do you have a refrigerated tent?
Do you put the meat in the back seat of the truck and turn the air conditioning to max and leave the engine running for 12 hours? :dunno:
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: billythekidrock on August 03, 2014, 10:31:18 AM: Try the search feature. There is a ton of info on this topic.
Bottom line, you only have a few hours in that kind of heat before an elk can start to sour.
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: HoofsandWings on August 03, 2014, 12:56:05 PM: billythekidrock,

How about the hunter? Does he wear cutoffs and sleeveless shirts? Hunt in flip flops? Straw hat to keep the sun out of eyes?
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: jackelope on August 03, 2014, 02:39:28 PM: Quote from: HoofsandWings on August 03, 2014, 12:56:05 PM
billythekidrock,

How about the hunter? Does he wear cutoffs and sleeveless shirts? Hunt in flip flops? Straw hat to keep the sun out of eyes?

I did fine hunting in the 80's last year in Sitka ascent pants and a short sleeve Core shirt. Even a long sleeve I was ok. I wear my boots all summer long so no need for flip flops for me. It does sound comfy though.
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on August 03, 2014, 05:19:09 PM: Dead bull, late morning, in a meadow/field or a dry clearcut, temps are gonna hit 80 again today. Yes sir, it happens. Whaddya gonna do... not hunt cause it's hot :dunno:

OK, here we go. There he is, right there, DEAD BULL! A few, brief handshakes, high fives, back slaps then it's time to go. Meatball surgery here as the clock is ticking. Identify where the closest shade is as that's where you'll be taking the quarters. Get the quarters off quickly, cover them in chili powder, get them in meat bags, and move them to the shade and either hang them or lay across logs so the air circulates around the meat. No time to bone out if it's that hot and your elk is laying in the sun; temp permitting and distance to the truck and/or iced coolers, you can bone out the quarters in the shade where you've packed them to. If there is a stream near by, you're in better shape. Suspend the meat over the stream (ensuring water is not splashing on the meat) and you've just bought a ton of time. Do not suspend the game bagged quarters into the water, it will spoil the meat. If you have four contractor grade plastic bags, you can put the game bagged meat in them and yes, lay them in the stream, preferrably in a spot where the bottom is sandy. It's always a good idea when hunting elk in hot weather, whether you're hunting a day hunt from your house, a base camp scenario, or, backcountry camping..... to have two large coolers at the truck with block ice to get your meat into. Congrats on a nice bull and way to work hard, work fast, and successfully save all that tasty elk meat!
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: PolarBear on August 03, 2014, 05:27:44 PM: I wait until late season.
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: Houndhunter on August 03, 2014, 05:42:14 PM: Quote from: PolarBear on August 03, 2014, 05:27:44 PM
I wait until late season.

Thats because you don't know how to call in a bull ;)
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: pcal on August 03, 2014, 05:46:53 PM: Quote from: Phantom16 on August 03, 2014, 05:19:09 PM
Dead bull, late morning, in a meadow/field or a dry clearcut, temps are gonna hit 80 again today. Yes sir, it happens. Whaddya gonna do... not hunt cause it's hot :dunno:

OK, here we go. There he is, right there, DEAD BULL! A few, brief handshakes, high fives, back slaps then it's time to go. Meatball surgery here as the clock is ticking. Identify where the closest shade is as that's where you'll be taking the quarters. Get the quarters off quickly, cover them in chili powder, get them in meat bags, and move them to the shade and either hang them or lay across logs so the air circulates around the meat. No time to bone out if it's that hot and your elk is laying in the sun; temp permitting and distance to the truck and/or iced coolers, you can bone out the quarters in the shade where you've packed them to. If there is a stream near by, you're in better shape. Suspend the meat over the stream (ensuring water is not splashing on the meat) and you've just bought a ton of time. Do not suspend the game bagged quarters into the water, it will spoil the meat. If you have four contractor grade plastic bags, you can put the game bagged meat in them and yes, lay them in the stream, preferrably in a spot where the bottom is sandy. It's always a good idea when hunting elk in hot weather, whether you're hunting a day hunt from your house, a base camp scenario, or, backcountry camping..... to have two large coolers at the truck with block ice to get your meat into. Congrats on a nice bull and way to work hard, work fast, and successfully save all that tasty elk meat!
Everything you say is good but If you buy 10#s of dry ice for those 2 large coolers you are set for the trip home.Buy it at any big grocery,Wallyworld,Cash&Carry,etc.Put the dry ice on top of the boned out meat with some newspaper to keep the top layer from freezing.Forget about ageing as its a waste of time in my opinion.I have never had to age any meat after the hide is off.If you shot your game from ambush the meat isn't all heated up like hard run game.When I lived in Virginia the deer were ran with dogs which made aging with the hide on for up to 2 wks before it was palatable. Club hunting with dogs is great fun but making the meat tough and stinky.I shot a few that were pushed by my buddy with his basset hound and they were pretty good eating without aging.They were walking and not running.It was pretty funny cause he would get to us about an hour after we had dressed the deer out.He was really slooowwwww.lol
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: cryder on August 03, 2014, 06:14:15 PM: conditioning during your location period before the season starts,i didn't see anyone talking about the bee problem in this heat that is my most concern,I've had some real problems with these meat eaters,lemon juice is one remedy,but getting to know the closest meat cooler guy is very important thing before the season starts ,its funny how they seem to pop up where ever there is game to be had,that's very convenient but keep a eye on your approximate weight I've had some discrepancy's at least that's the way I had it figured,he didn't !??
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: PolarBear on August 03, 2014, 06:30:27 PM: Quote from: Houndhunter on August 03, 2014, 05:42:14 PM
Quote from: PolarBear on August 03, 2014, 05:27:44 PM
I wait until late season.

Thats because you don't know how to call in a bull ;)
Ru Paul, that means a lot from a guy who has never killed a bull :chuckle:
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: Watimberghost on August 03, 2014, 06:50:33 PM: Quote from: Phantom16 on August 03, 2014, 05:19:09 PM
Dead bull, late morning, in a meadow/field or a dry clearcut, temps are gonna hit 80 again today. Yes sir, it happens. Whaddya gonna do... not hunt cause it's hot :dunno:

OK, here we go. There he is, right there, DEAD BULL! A few, brief handshakes, high fives, back slaps then it's time to go. Meatball surgery here as the clock is ticking. Identify where the closest shade is as that's where you'll be taking the quarters. Get the quarters off quickly, cover them in chili powder, get them in meat bags, and move them to the shade and either hang them or lay across logs so the air circulates around the meat. No time to bone out if it's that hot and your elk is laying in the sun; temp permitting and distance to the truck and/or iced coolers, you can bone out the quarters in the shade where you've packed them to. If there is a stream near by, you're in better shape. Suspend the meat over the stream (ensuring water is not splashing on the meat) and you've just bought a ton of time. Do not suspend the game bagged quarters into the water, it will spoil the meat. If you have four contractor grade plastic bags, you can put the game bagged meat in them and yes, lay them in the stream, preferrably in a spot where the bottom is sandy. It's always a good idea when hunting elk in hot weather, whether you're hunting a day hunt from your house, a base camp scenario, or, backcountry camping..... to have two large coolers at the truck with block ice to get your meat into. Congrats on a nice bull and way to work hard, work fast, and successfully save all that tasty elk meat!

Good stuff :yeah: if u do some pre planning and address the meat right away, you'll most likely be just fine
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: elkman54 on August 03, 2014, 09:12:39 PM: How does the chilli powder affect the taste of the meat after cooking?
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: huntnnw on August 03, 2014, 09:37:54 PM: black pepper will keep all bugs away put all around you and u will not have any bugs
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on August 03, 2014, 09:45:37 PM: Do the Pepsi challenge between black pepper and chili powder guys, I did it a few years ago. Put two pieces of meat outside. Sprinkle one with BP and one with CP and watch which seasoning gets much more bug attention. You'll see what I mean.
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: northwesthunter84 on August 03, 2014, 09:46:16 PM: I like citric acid, 1 oz of citric acid per 16 oz of water. You can get it cheap and use you water bladder to mix with small squirt bottle. The bee's don't like that at all.
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: Halo on August 03, 2014, 10:02:02 PM: Black pepper wont always work, I've seen the yellow jackets so bad it didn't even phase them. I was on an early high hunt in Oregon and we shot two deer and getting them chunked up and in the cooler was like something out of a horror movie. Even skinning them meant grabbing hand fulls of hornets because they were literally covered with bees. Any piece of meat left out was literally covered in bees to the point you could not see anything but bees in just a couple minutes. The black pepper had no effect at all, getting all the bees off before putting the quarters in the cooler was impossible, had to get the last of the bees off when we got home.
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: Sliverslinger on August 03, 2014, 10:07:21 PM: This is just what I did. I mixed up a concoction of chilli powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper, along with lemon juice and I soaked my game bags in it for 24 hours then I hung them out to dry. The next day I re-rolled them with an extra helping of the peppers mix and vacuum sealed it tight and flat. I carry that in my bag and it seems to work pretty good.
Title: Re: How do you hunt in this heat?
Post by: huntnnw on August 03, 2014, 10:13:08 PM: I killed a bull in ID 2 years ago in 90 deg heat and there was yellow jackets and bald face hornets everywhere...I sprinkled it on and gone! this workom a mule deer covered up in bees.