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Author Topic: Moose down, now what?  (Read 5858 times)

Offline Ridgerunner

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Moose down, now what?
« on: July 28, 2008, 07:22:03 AM »
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? 

Offline Slider

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2008, 07:30:16 AM »
 :chuckle:

Offline bucklucky

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2008, 07:39:44 AM »
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. :twocents:

Offline Sagedawg

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2008, 07:44:33 AM »
 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

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2008, 08:06:55 AM »
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.

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2008, 08:07:50 AM »
buy some damn good game bags or cutom make your own.

Offline WDFW-SUX

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2008, 08:09:24 AM »
Quote
I had too in Alaska, but a grizz ate that, sooooooo that ended ok.


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Offline bucklucky

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2008, 08:17:54 AM »
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. ;)

Offline Skyvalhunter

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2008, 09:20:15 AM »
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.
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Offline popeshawnpaul

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2008, 09:35:34 AM »
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.

Offline MountainWalk

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2008, 06:45:53 PM »
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. :twocents:
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Offline DOUBLELUNG

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2008, 06:52:18 PM »
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
8) take moose to locker plant to hang
As long as we have the habitat, we can argue forever about who gets to kill what and when.  No habitat = no game.

Offline Wea300mag

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2008, 06:57:46 PM »
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
8) 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. :chuckle:
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Offline huntnphool

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2008, 07:12:52 PM »
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 :brew:
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Offline UncleBuck

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2008, 08:58:26 PM »
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  :)










Offline PA BEN

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #15 on: July 28, 2008, 09:26:10 PM »

Offline Vek

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #16 on: July 30, 2008, 06:05:38 PM »
Bring a headlamp w/ extra batteries, gps, compass, map, enough food to miss a meal or two, trail flagging, and lots of water.  Make sure to hit waypoints at your points of possible egress from your hunting area so you have something to navigate to after dark, because if you shoot the moose after noon, it will be dark on your hike out (I know these things...).  If you have a road to pack out to, gps won't likely be needed.  I was aiming for a spot on a lakeshore at 4:00am. 

You may or may not be able to move the damn thing.  Mine was on its side.  I went in this order:

1. Skin the exposed side
2. Remove hindquarter at hip socket, bag, hang in tree some distance away.  This will be heavy.  I drug mine to the tree using a tarp. 
3. Remove shoulder, bag, and hang in tree.
4. Whittle away at that side's neck meat, and that leads down to
5. Remove that side's backstrap
6. Remove brisket/rib/flanky junk
7. Bag meat from 4/5/6 in such a way as to facilitate cooling, and hang in tree. 
8. You'll probably be able to flip a shiras without removing the skull or skullcap.  I had to remove the skullcap first.  We (wife and I) still had trouble flipping the dang thing over.  Flip moose to other side.
9. Repeat steps 1-7
10. Go spelunking for tenderloins and whatever organ meat you like (shudder). 
11. Eat something - you've now been working for 5-8 hours (Wife and I took 8 hours). 
12. Load up first load of the loose meat (leave quarters hanging) and try not to go nuts bushwhacking to road/camp/whatever at 2:30am
13. Eat Dinner at Breakfast time
14. Get some sleep
15. Bone quarters left hanging
16. Load up and pack out
17. Get some sleep
18. Repeat 16 and 17 until done. 

For pete's sake, get a good external frame pack, or a very large internal.  A boned moose hindquarter will -just- slip into the packbag of a DanaDesigns Longbed.  I was way better off with a bare frame. 

You're going to need lots of meat bags.  I had four big "alaska bags", five pillowcases, and a tarp.  One hindquarter rode out in the tarp.  My meat packing kit was the size of a compact 2-man 3-season tent. 

You're going to need to resharpen your knives.  I now bring my lansky jig and the medium grit stone along when moose hunting.   

Offline Wea300mag

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #17 on: July 30, 2008, 06:12:27 PM »
Jeez Vek. you just took the fun out of it, even though your procedure is closest to reality. :chuckle:

You guys with tags better make good friends with Machias ASAP.
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Offline huntnphool

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #18 on: July 30, 2008, 08:26:29 PM »
You guys with tags better make good friends with Machias ASAP.

Already hit him up and have his number at a push of a button :chuckle:
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Offline boneaddict

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #19 on: July 30, 2008, 08:37:54 PM »
At least they don't have to worry about a 2,000 pound brown picking them off while hiking their portable bait stand back to the boat, and or, and I like the term spelunking for tenderloins. :)

Offline PA BEN

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #20 on: July 31, 2008, 05:06:42 AM »
OK guys, the title of this thread is "Moose down, now what?" As Vek said, a lot of work. One thing I'd add to his list would be a small water filter pump. I carry a water bladder bag with a hose to drink from in my pack. I drink lots of water stay hidrated. When I'm empty I use my pump at the next water source. So, my question is, with a hunt of a life time coming up, "How are you getting in shape for this hunt?" I work out anyway with my bowflex and I live 9 tens of a mile from my work, so I've been riding my bike to work. After I found out I got a moose tag I started to walk to work. I started to carry my back with 30 lbs in it now I up it to 40 lbs, I plane on working up to 100 lbs. I purchased a game cart witch I'm going to rig to my pack frame and my bicycle. It may look funny pulling this cart around but when the time comes I wont kill myself packing meat. I've packed elk and it's not a cake walk.
I use a Alaskan pack Frame.   http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0015826515437a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=back+frame&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=back+frame&noImage=0



Offline PA BEN

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #21 on: July 31, 2008, 05:11:49 AM »
Also, hanging your meat as soon as you bag it is a very good idea. Also Vek, did you gut your moose after you deboned the one side? Also, I carry a small set of parachute cord blocks and 50 ft of parachute cord.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2008, 06:07:36 AM by PA BEN »

Offline Skyvalhunter

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #22 on: July 31, 2008, 06:13:25 AM »
Since your Moose season is Oct.1-Nov 30 you may get snow and more than likely this year. You might look at one of the hard plastic sleds from cabela's for dragging out your moose. I used one on my Yukon moose and it made the haul back to spike camp alot easier. I know that Larry Bartlett from Prestine Ventures sells Alaska Moose bags(reusable) and you can get a kit with Citric acid and spray bottle. Just my  :twocents:
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Offline GoldTip

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Re: Moose down, now what?
« Reply #23 on: July 31, 2008, 06:41:47 AM »
Well, I have yet to draw a tag and kill a Moose but, I have helped get a few out, both here and in Montana.  He're's how we handled my buddies Moose last fall.  It went down around a mile and a quarter from camp.

1. Moose killed at 10:30am
2. Pictures taken at 11:15am
3. Rolled Moose on back and I begin to gut Moose, as buddy who shot Moose heads for camp to get pack frames.
4. Once gutted I drag Moose whole around 250yards to nice flat spot, also known as a gated road.
5. Leave Moose left side down and start skinning out one side at a time, roll Moose and skin other side.
6. Buddy arrives with packs and I take hind quarter off at hip socket, send it with him headed for camp, buddy brings back a beer and I drink it.
7.  Take off front shoulder and bag and hang. Bone out ribs, back strap/tenderloins and neck into bag for loose meat and hang.
8. Roll Moose back onto left side and take off hind quarter at socket, bag it and hang.
9. Buddy comes back for second load.  Give him front quarter and he heads for camp as I take off front shoulder and hang.
10. Bone out left side ribs, neck, back straps and tenderloins and bag.
11. Get out trust wyoming saw and saw off skull cap, lean horns against tree.
12. Buddy comes back and we both head for camp with bone in quarters, drink a beer in camp.
13. Come back for last trip and both take a bag with loose meat (both heavier than any of the quartered meat bags) I pack the horns as he made more trips already than I did.
14. Arrive in camp with last load and hang all sacks in the a good shady area next to the creek, it's 5:15pm.  Cook some elk steaks for dinner over the fire that had been marinating for two days and drink beer until 11pm.
15. Wake up at 2am to have a bull moose down in creek bottom smelling dead Moose meat and he is just PISSED, tears the hell out of all willows surrounding where Moose horns are in a tree
16. Get up in morning and load up truck and camper and head home.
17.  Hang all bags in my garage for the day and the next morning we cut the Moose up and packaged it and put in freezer.

Personally I think having cold storage arranged is not a bad thing, but don't believe it is absolutely necessary.  This Moose was killed around the 4th day of season last year, it's getting pretty damn cool at night, and if have a shady place to hang it, it will cool out pretty well for you without going into storage.  Now, if we'd had to hang it more than one night once we got it home, we would have gotten it into a locker for sure.
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