Post by: Axle on November 16, 2009, 11:04:45 AM
Big or small, how many lbs of meat have you gotten off your elk? Or hanging weight? Or field dressed? Be specific and no wild guesses please.
I'll start off with a few of mine. I only weight the meat after processing.
Biggest cow elk gave me 276 lbs of meat only. I got her over by Pe ell. Had her hide tanned and it squared 28 feet.
Got one by the coast that gave out 232 lbs.
Cows from the desolation unit in Oregon have been a bit smaller. I've gotten 156 lbs off of two of them and 167 off one and 168 off another. I have not weighed the meat from the bulls I have harvested.
Post by: bowtech721 on November 16, 2009, 11:07:27 AM
Post by: C-Money on November 16, 2009, 11:14:20 AM
Post by: Bronson on November 16, 2009, 11:15:33 AM
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on November 16, 2009, 11:18:53 AM
Spike, 108lbs
Female calf, 76 lbs
Adult cow est. 6 y.o., 135 lbs
6pt bull (4 y.o.), 260lbs
Post by: Woodchuck on November 16, 2009, 11:21:25 AM
Post by: MagKarl on November 16, 2009, 11:21:37 AM
I've only weighed the meat from two elk.
Cow, 145lbs boneless, completely trimmed, straight burger with no fat added. From Williams Creek unit.
4x5 bull from Toutle this year gave up 220lbs, also boneless, completely trimmed, and no fat in the burger.
These weights are saran wrap and paper packages, so a few lbs is wrapper. I filled a big Rubbermaid tub and stood on my scale, repeat, then weigh myself and the tub and subtract.
Post by: KNOPHISH on November 16, 2009, 11:23:52 AM
Post by: Gobble on November 16, 2009, 11:34:47 AM
Post by: rougheye on November 16, 2009, 11:43:23 AM
The only 2 cow elk I weighed I got 336 lbs of meat out of one and 335 lbs of meat out of the other, both were big mature cows
Like close to 1000 lbs . Thats huge
Post by: carpsniperg2 on November 16, 2009, 11:46:27 AM
Post by: Hornseeker on November 16, 2009, 11:51:43 AM
Let ya know soon... (2-3hrs)
E
Post by: HUNT on November 16, 2009, 11:56:42 AM
Post by: MAVsled on November 16, 2009, 12:38:23 PM
I estimate getting about 140+lbs meat. Some for steaks, roasts and lots for sausage etc.
Post by: duckmen1 on November 16, 2009, 12:55:16 PM
Post by: Gobble on November 16, 2009, 01:04:19 PM
I always was told that you get about one third just meat and the other two thirds are head , hide , guts and bone . :dunno: I know thats not exact but if it is closem you guys are shootin some damn big cows .The only 2 cow elk I weighed I got 336 lbs of meat out of one and 335 lbs of meat out of the other, both were big mature cows
Like close to 1000 lbs . Thats huge
People tend to overestimate the weight of the hide and bones of the animals just like bears. I bet most hides and bones weight around 100-125 lbs once you strip them of meat.
Post by: SnakeEyes on November 16, 2009, 01:16:26 PM
Hunt that is a huge bull. I thought mine was big bodied.
Some of these figures I am reading must have bone or hanging quarters.
Post by: bowhuntin on November 16, 2009, 01:19:38 PM
http://ces.uwyo.edu/PUBS/B594R.pdf
Not sure how much meat I got out of my calf this year, but it was probably less than 100lbs.
Post by: elk311 on November 16, 2009, 01:23:06 PM
My Colockum Spike weighed 212lbs hanging . I think the Butcher at Block 40 meats shorted me, cause I only got 4 LITTLE boxes of meat back .Plus he had a crappy attitude and charged me a $1 a pound to do a basic cut/wrap. $212 for a cut/wrap and I got little meat. >:( What do you do, you never know what goes on when you trust you animal to a stranger. I would like to think the guy is honest, but, I will never take and animal, game or livestock to block 40 meats.
I don't know if they're still around but Vern's Meats (Moses Lake) did my bull way back when and did a pretty good job. It took forever and after they loaded my meat I said it looked a little shy so he went back in and brought out another case ... :dunno: Good wrapping job, fair price, long wait.
Post by: SilkWWU on November 16, 2009, 01:23:10 PM
Post by: WSU on November 16, 2009, 02:12:35 PM
Here is a study done about what animals weigh and such...
http://ces.uwyo.edu/PUBS/B594R.pdf
Not sure how much meat I got out of my calf this year, but it was probably less than 100lbs.
Sounds like many are either way over estimating the weight of their boned out meat, or are including other things in the weight such as bones, added fat (sausage, burger, etc). I've never weighed mine, so I don't really know.
Post by: Hornseeker on November 16, 2009, 02:40:47 PM
My backstraps and tenderloins, clean as a whistle, went 22#! Lovin It!
Post by: Axle on November 16, 2009, 02:52:30 PM
Quote
Quote from: bowhuntin on Today at 01:19:38 PM
Here is a study done about what animals weigh and such...
http://ces.uwyo.edu/PUBS/B594R.pdf
Not sure how much meat I got out of my calf this year, but it was probably less than 100lbs.
Sounds like many are either way over estimating the weight of their boned out meat, or are including other things in the weight such as bones, added fat (sausage, burger, etc). I've never weighed mine, so I don't really know.
Keep in mind, this study was done in Wyoming. The elk there can be quite lean due to harsh winters. The elk I took from the blues in NE Oregon are on par with that study. The elk from around here can be a lot bigger due to good feed all winter and summer.
Also, if you don't age them, you will get a few more lbs of meat. That study is a good one to read.
Thanks Bowhuntin
Post by: ridgefire on November 16, 2009, 06:30:30 PM
Post by: high country on November 16, 2009, 06:41:13 PM
Post by: fish affender on November 16, 2009, 11:40:57 PM
Post by: coachcw on November 19, 2009, 08:31:20 PM
Post by: elkaholic_74 on November 21, 2009, 12:03:35 PM
Post by: eastside boy on November 21, 2009, 06:32:35 PM
Post by: hoytem on December 09, 2009, 05:39:50 PM
Post by: D-Rock425 on December 09, 2009, 05:42:55 PM
Post by: Tony 270WSM on December 09, 2009, 05:52:57 PM
Post by: LittleJohn on December 09, 2009, 05:55:06 PM
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on December 09, 2009, 05:56:54 PM
6x6 Cascade Roosevelt hung same as above at 415 pounds.
6x6 Cascade Roosevelt from this year quartered and boned out was 363 pounds. Hanging as above according to the butcher would have been in the 420-440 range.
Joe from Rainier Archery killed a 6x6 Cascade Roosevelt that hung quartered at 505. :yike:
The Biggest bull Mt View Meats ever weighed was 570 pounds hanging weight before deboning. :yike: x10
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on December 09, 2009, 06:02:13 PM
Montana 6x6 was 346 lbs bones out meat. The butcher in Mont didn't believe we got it all off one elk. The coyotes don't like me much when I'm done :chuckle: :chuckle:
Good for you. :tup: Taking "ALL" the meat is awesome! I am shocked at how many hunters do not debone the ribcage. They are leaving a load of meat when they do.
The scavengers don't like me much neither. :chuckle:
Post by: LittleJohn on December 09, 2009, 06:41:57 PM
Post by: Kowsrule30 on December 09, 2009, 07:04:41 PM
Post by: jdb on December 09, 2009, 07:06:47 PM
Post by: Dr. Death on December 09, 2009, 08:43:06 PM
Post by: Tim on December 10, 2009, 06:34:16 AM
Post by: Chesapeake on December 10, 2009, 05:14:10 PM
We hang, weigh, and butcher all our own.
Biggest in the last 9 years out of about 20 elk is 150# +/- cut and wrap.
Smallest was a bull calf at 61# +/- cut and wrap.
Throw out the calf and the average SW Washington elk (these are all from Mt Adams, Washougal, and Longview area) is about 135# cut and wrap. Hang weight of field dressed carcass is right at 300#.
This year my cow (I'd say 3.5 year old, maybe 4.5) gave out 128# cut and wrap.
In that mix is some very large Lead Cows and 2 very mature bulls (6x6 and 6X5.)
Post by: 270Shooter on December 10, 2009, 05:16:17 PM
you killed it at dome peak and carried it 7.5 miles where the heck did you park?:chuckle:
Post by: NWBREW on December 10, 2009, 05:19:49 PM
Got ZERO pounds of meat from my '09 elk. Didn't get one...
:yeah:
Post by: Axle on December 10, 2009, 06:48:27 PM
Quote
I dont believe alot of you guys.
google 'how much elk weigh'.
A deer-like animal will give 25 to 40 percent of live weight in meat. 25 percent when they are young, 40 percent when they are bigger and older. I know this from experience and from working in a slaughter house.
I would rather put this in a new thread........and this is 'hear-say' but here goes...
A guy by the name of Tom who owned 'fish'n Tom's tackle' told me that the gamies darted a bull elk on long Island (and this was in the '90s). He said they measured the rack and according them - it would be the state record if harvested - and that it weighed in excess of 1500 lbs. He said their scale only went up to 1500 lbs.
Again, this is hear-say. For those of you from Rio Linda - this is what he told me.
I believe him. Why? Because the very next year, Long Island was spike or cow only. The game departme.......oops.....the 'Wildlife department', didn't want any archers to shoot their big bull. Their stupid regs kept me from the island from then on.
Does anyone have info on this to back up Tom's story?
Post by: jrebel on December 10, 2009, 07:15:02 PM
Post by: Todd_ID on December 10, 2009, 09:47:28 PM
Post by: Chesapeake on December 11, 2009, 11:59:55 AM
QuoteI dont believe alot of you guys.
google 'how much elk weigh'.
A deer-like animal will give 25 to 40 percent of live weight in meat. 25 percent when they are young, 40 percent when they are bigger and older. I know this from experience and from working in a slaughter house.
I would rather put this in a new thread........and this is 'hear-say' but here goes...
A guy by the name of Tom who owned 'fish'n Tom's tackle' told me that the gamies darted a bull elk on long Island (and this was in the '90s). He said they measured the rack and according them - it would be the state record if harvested - and that it weighed in excess of 1500 lbs. He said their scale only went up to 1500 lbs.
Again, this is hear-say. For those of you from Rio Linda - this is what he told me.
I believe him. Why? Because the very next year, Long Island was spike or cow only. The game departme.......oops.....the 'Wildlife department', didn't want any archers to shoot their big bull. Their stupid regs kept me from the island from then on.
Does anyone have info on this to back up Tom's story?
I hear this kind of stuff from time to time. I realy dont know what to thank about it. But this is my opinion:
I have a horse, well actualy my wife does, that weighs right about 1200 lbs(on a few different Vets scales). Its actualy kind of small as far as horses go. I see this horse everyday and have seen it or others just like it from 30 feet or less for pretty well the last 10 years of my life. In all my life I have stood next to dead, and seen hundreds if not thousands of elk at rather short ranges.
I have never seen an elk that was even neer the size of a horse.
I Googled "Size of an elk" and this is what Wiki says:
They can weigh over 900 pounds and reach over 5 feet tall at the shoulder.
This is what Wiki said about the size of a horse:
The size of horses varies by breed, but can also be influenced by nutrition. Light riding horses such as Arabians, Morgans, or Quarter Horses usually range in height from 14 to 16 hands (56 to 64 inches, 142 to 163 cm) and can weigh from 380 to 550 kilograms (840 to 1,200 lb).[21] Larger riding horses such as Thoroughbreds, American Saddlebreds or Warmbloods usually start at about 15.2 hands (62 inches, 157 cm) and often are as tall as 17 hands (68 inches, 173 cm), weighing from 500 to 600 kilograms (1,100 to 1,300 lb).[22] Heavy or draft horses, such as the Clydesdale, Belgian, or Shire, are usually at least 16 tp 18 hands (64 to 72 inches, 163 to 183 cm) high and can weigh from about 700 to 1,000 kilograms (1,500 to 2,200 lb).[23]
I fully agree with your %40 yield from hanging weight. We get right about that from all our animals. The biggest elk we have measured hanging weight on was right at 411 lbs I think. So just shy of 200# return in cut and wrap(I dont have the exact number for that animal cut and wrap). This is him on the ground. He is a Mt Adams bull, so yeah not a Rosie, but Rosie's arent twice the size of this dude.
(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10632/Elk_08_030.jpg)
Wiki also had this to say:
Elk cows average 225 kg (500 lb), stand 1.3 m (4½ ft) at the shoulder, and are 2 m (6½ ft) from nose to tail. Bulls are some 25% larger than cows at maturity, weighing an average of 320 kg (700 lb), standing 1.5 m (5 ft) at the shoulder and averaging 2.5 m (8 ft) in length.[15] The largest of the subspecies is the Roosevelt elk, found west of the Cascade Range in the U.S. states of California, Oregon and Washington, and in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Roosevelt elk have been reintroduced into Alaska, where the largest males are estimated to weigh up to 600 kg (1,300 lb).[16]
Note they say "estimated" for the 1300# Alaskan Rosies.
So with an average weight of 700#, the 1500# Long Island bull would be more than 100% above the average.
I'm not saying it isnt possible, I'm just saying I've never seen it, and apparently Wiki hasnt either! Oh and Ive seen the elk on Long Island (if were talking about the one in Willipa bay) and they are big Rosies, but not draft horse size elk.
If I believed the weights I read on these chat boards I would have to assume that the Elk in Region 5 are some new midget breed and all these folks hunt giant Elk in other areas of the state.
But I understand. Before we got the walk in cooler and the scales we would have sworn our elk were all 1000# live weight, before I got a range finder all my shots were 300 yards or more, and before I started using GPS's I would have sworn I walked 15 miles a day hunting. Only now I have those gadgets and I've come to find almost all our elk hang at about 300#, most of my shots are less than 175 yards, and I pretty well only cover about 5-7 miles in a long day of hard elk hunting.
It is still fun though to read the stories, and the guestimated weights, and ranges, and look back and remember those days when school was 5 miles up hill both ways!! :)
Post by: Romulus on December 14, 2009, 12:28:19 PM
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on December 15, 2009, 01:35:40 AM
The elk in SW Washington are relatively small as compared to Roosevelts and Cascade Roosevelts. If you have ever hunted "Rainier Timber which used to be Champion and previous to that was St. Regis near Mt. Rainier the elk are much larger bodied than other elk I have hunted. Hanging weight without hide and head on a spike from most areas is between 225 and 275 lbs. When they had spike only hunting in Champion for a few years in the 90's we killed several spike bulls in there and they always weighed 50-75 lbs more than a spike killed at crystal mt or eastside areas. They were larger than small rag bulls from St helens area. The smallest rag bulls I have seen anywhere in the state both of horn and body are in the St. Helens area. These same Champion bulls as small 6pts approximately 4 years old would weigh in the neighborhood of 450-550 lbs with no head/skin. The average score on this age bull would be 275-300 inches. The largest bulls in this area will easily weigh well over 600 lbs hanging weight with no head/skin. Most of the bulls killed in there have not been weighed as they are butchered before they are packed. The largest bull with confirmed weight that I have been involved with weighed #597 at the butcher hanging halves no head no hide. Bull scored 309 gross and was not the largest bodied by any stretch just the only larger bull able to weigh.Thank you for posting this. I live out in that country and yes the body size of the bulls are rather large. In comparison in 2008 I shot a 5x5 bull in the Mashell unit that was hanging butcher weight without the pelvis and ribcage or spine 380 pounds. According to my very good butcher he would have been in the 420 range. That same year my brother killed a 6x6 bull on the Goose Prairie permit. The hind quarters were 25 pounds lighter each. My bulls hind quarters were a smidge over 90 pounds each and his bulls were 65 pounds each. That is the difference between Rocky Mt. elk and Roosevelt elk.
Divide 65 by 90 and then times it by 1000 you come up with 722. That gives you an Idea of the weight difference of the two elk species. My bull was a young 5x5 and his was a young 6x6 and my bull weighed almost 250+ pounds more than his.
Post by: Chesapeake on December 15, 2009, 11:56:38 AM
The elk in SW Washington are relatively small as compared to Roosevelts and Cascade Roosevelts. If you have ever hunted "Rainier Timber which used to be Champion and previous to that was St. Regis near Mt. Rainier the elk are much larger bodied than other elk I have hunted. Hanging weight without hide and head on a spike from most areas is between 225 and 275 lbs. When they had spike only hunting in Champion for a few years in the 90's we killed several spike bulls in there and they always weighed 50-75 lbs more than a spike killed at crystal mt or eastside areas. They were larger than small rag bulls from St helens area. The smallest rag bulls I have seen anywhere in the state both of horn and body are in the St. Helens area. These same Champion bulls as small 6pts approximately 4 years old would weigh in the neighborhood of 450-550 lbs with no head/skin. The average score on this age bull would be 275-300 inches. The largest bulls in this area will easily weigh well over 600 lbs hanging weight with no head/skin. Most of the bulls killed in there have not been weighed as they are butchered before they are packed. The largest bull with confirmed weight that I have been involved with weighed #597 at the butcher hanging halves no head no hide. Bull scored 309 gross and was not the largest bodied by any stretch just the only larger bull able to weigh.
I can believe and understand this to a point, but some of these guys are talking about 300+ pound meat returns. Some of those well up in the high 300's. Some of those from cows!
If the Wyoming University numbers ring true that would mean 600+ pound hanging weights and 1000= pound elk. Sure it can happen, but I believe its the exception and not the rule.
Post by: Romulus on December 15, 2009, 03:57:39 PM
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on December 15, 2009, 04:03:21 PM
I like this statement allot!
"But I understand. Before we got the walk in cooler and the scales we would have sworn our elk were all 1000# live weight, before I got a range finder all my shots were 300 yards or more, and before I started using GPS's I would have sworn I walked 15 miles a day hunting. Only now I have those gadgets and I've come to find almost all our elk hang at about 300#, most of my shots are less than 175 yards, and I pretty well only cover about 5-7 miles in a long day of hard elk hunting."
Being that I am a Land Surveyor and deal with distance every day at work. Measuring-Estimating etc. BUT NEVER GUESSING
Land Surveyors don't get to guess. We measure everything with high precision and accuracy. So when I am afoot in the field I try real hard to be realistic about how far I traveled and also about how far I have shot. I honestly believe our misjudged walking distances are based allot on how we feal rather than our perception of distance traveled. If we feel like we walked 15 miles then we must have.
I was hunting Indian Heaven one year and two buddies and I did a long hike. Aprox. 6 miles after I looked at the map. When we got back to the camp my buddies were claiming that we had hiked 12 miles on a death march. I guarantee that is how we felt. I was skeptical so I took a peek at the map. We certainly did not walk 12 miles.
With Elk It is our perception that they are gigantic and they look gigantic rightly so. When we have packed a 60-80 pound hindquarter several miles or just a few hundred yards for that matter,I guarantee that we feel like it is 120 pounds when we finally get out. On top of the fact that a giant bodied bull is just as much to be proud of as a nice rack. :twocents:
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on December 15, 2009, 04:19:03 PM
:bash: It's a long time till next September. :bash:
Post by: Buckhunter24 on December 15, 2009, 06:47:38 PM
Hiking across a section in the St Joe Valley is definitely more than 1 mile :twocents:
Post by: denali on December 15, 2009, 11:35:56 PM
in past years I've cut my own cows and spikes - avg. 140 -180# of meat
Post by: 35WLN on December 16, 2009, 03:30:52 PM
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on December 16, 2009, 05:45:38 PM
Map distance Vs ground distance
Hiking across a section in the St Joe Valley is definitely more than 1 mile :twocents:
I don't know anybody smart enough to calculate the slope distance, using a topographical map and a scale, to accuratley state their actual walked distace.
If someone is claiming to have walked 10 miles in the snake river canyon and they are basing those figures off of slope distances THEY ARE LYING THROUGH THEIR TEETH. Either that or their gps is keeping track of their distance traveled based on the slope distance not the horizontal distace. I am not sure gps units have that as an option. :dunno: :twocents:
As an example. 5280 feet on a 45 degree slope calculated to reduce it to a horizontal distace ends up being 3733.52 feet. Which means you just dropped 3733.52 feet in elevation by walking 5280 feet. Considering that most of us walk somewhat side hill to avoid climbing as much of the steep stuff as possible in all reality the slope distance we all walk is really not all that much farther than the horizontal distance. It's a heck of allot easier to just state the horizontal distance and everbody knows there are some elevation changes along the way. :twocents:
Oh and if anybody has never killed a Roosevelt Bull...They really are bigger body wise than Rocky Mtn elk :twocents: :chuckle:
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on December 16, 2009, 08:19:52 PM
Post by: steen on December 16, 2009, 10:21:21 PM
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on December 17, 2009, 05:36:02 PM
This was an old bull. His ivories were worn down nice and flat. He was in that 9 year old range!
I am 5' 11" and 220 pounds in this pic.
Can you tell I am hung up on big bodied bulls. :chuckle: :drool:
Post by: hirshey on December 18, 2009, 01:49:28 PM
First elk, first animal with a muzzleloader, and I made a heck of a shot. I'm sure I will spend the rest of my life trying to equal that shot: 100ish yards, the animal stepped and I shot right behind the shoulder, out the other side, double lunged her and she dropped right there.
That's when the bad news started: I could see her hip bones pretty well when we got up to her, and I was shocked when I started to field dress her and 80% of the blood in her body came out in a congealed brick! The heart had some odd gelatanous clear goo surrounding it, and when we tried to load her on the game cart, patches of hair pulled out. Case and point, she was really sick. We figured out why pretty quickly when we started to pull the hide: a significant archery wound on her back hadn't killed her initially, but had fevered and ruined the meat. Initially we thought we were only going to lose an entire side of loins, but the rest of the meat never really set up right and smelled awful.
If you're wondering why I didn't just call the game wardens and get a replacement tag for a mercy kill, I tried... we got a heck of a guy that ended up telling us: "If everyone didn't like the taste of their meat we'd be handing out tags left and right. Just because you have a tag doesn't gaurantee you an animal! Eat what you have and be happy."
Its not that we simply didn't like the taste.. its that the meat was spoiled.
Pretty disappointing end to the hunting season, but overall it was a good year.
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on December 18, 2009, 03:18:42 PM
I shot a spike elk in Oregon several years back that had an 18 inch long by 2 inch diameter stick inside it's chest cavity when I gutted it out. It must have been pierced during a mad dash through the woods. It was terribly infected and the stick was white as bone when I pulled it out. Covered with white blood cells.
I did that elk a favor by killing it. I lost all the meat from the brisket forward including the front of both shoulders. It most likley would have ended up like your cow.
Post by: hirshey on December 18, 2009, 03:23:35 PM
Sorry to hear that. :( Not getting the meat on a cow is a double crapper as you have no set of antlers to help ease the pain.
I shot a spike elk in Oregon several years back that had an 18 inch long by 2 inch diameter stick inside it's chest cavity when I gutted it out. It must have been pierced during a mad dash through the woods. It was terribly infected and the stick was white as bone when I pulled it out. Covered with white blood cells.
I did that elk a favor by killing it. I lost all the meat from the brisket forward including the front of both shoulders. It most likley would have ended up like your cow.