hanging game in camp questions

[seaworthy]

we are going to make camp about ten miles past the locked gates for elk hunting and was wondering how long you can hang a elk at camp before you have to bring to the butcher. If some of you guys do other things,like big coolers with block ice ect.

please give me some ideas

[baltz526]

at 40 deg for the days high, a week. at 70 deg as the days high 24 hours if you have cold nights

[baltz526]

get it cooled down ASAP. if warm, skin it, hang quarters in a very shady place with a breeze. then get to a freezer asap

[Thehunter]

I use a 150 quart cooler. I place Ice Blocks in the bottom of it. Then i have a peace of plywood with 1/2 inch holes every inch. I place that on top of the ice. When the meat has reach it's cooling point, most the time in the morning I bone it and place it in the cooler. I take a peace of plastic and cover my meat and then close the lid. You can get 4 to 7 days out of this.

Two things you must remember. Your meat can't get wet. It will mold. Make sure you have the plug in the cooler open. All water does is just melt ice.

Keep the lid closed...Place it in a cool spot. If you can find an old up ended root stump that is even better.

[Team Rip]

I also hunt approximately 8 miles in, with no use of a bike possible. Unless you have a bunch of horses or mules, you're not packing in a coolers with ice.

I hunt the coast range and generally have lows in the 40's overnight and leave my quarters hanging in a creek bottom, where possible, if not, in the shade. You will have very little time to waste this far in and will need to start packing very quickly.

I hunt by myself and bone the meat out, cut the head off, saving the ivories, of course. After it's all said and done, you will have (4) packs out and should be exhausted, as I am every year. I do have coolers waiting for me in my truck, with (2) solid blocks of ice in them. They last approximately 4 days and that way I can throw my meat in them, as soon as I hit the truck.

Good luck.

[Thehunter]

Pack your meet out then put it on ice. It's only 8 miles.

[drake7590]

Originally Posted by Thehunter

Pack your meet out then put it on ice. It's only 8 miles.

[seaworthy]

Originally Posted by drake7590

it not that i dont want to pack it out. We will have other tags to fill and i live two hours away from camp. i am not just going to get my elk and leave and not help others in camp.

[steelhead22]

Originally Posted by seaworthy

it not that i dont want to pack it out. We will have other tags to fill and i live two hours away from camp. i am not just going to get my elk and leave and not help others in camp.

Forgive me if this sounds rude, I'm not trying to be, but 2 hours isn't that far. You can have your elk at your house, or game processor, and be back in 5 hours. You'll probably lose 1 day with the other guys in camp.
I'd say that's a fair trade for unspoiled meat and if your hunting buddies can't understand that, you need a new crew.

Let's just get real here, it's NOT about "helping others in camp." It's about not wanting to walk/ride 20 miles and drive 4 hours after you kill an elk. I think we all understand that.

IMO, this is ALL part of the hunt you've CHOSEN this year. The kill is only the beginning of the HUNT. If it's a problem for you to drive the 2 hours back home, or to get your meat to a locker, then maybe you should go somewhere closer to home? If you don't want to pack out, then pack in 20 miles round trip...you better put up camp closer to the truck.

Personally, if I was deciding on putting camp up 10 miles, 2 hours from home, the FIRST thing I'd be thinking about was, "How the hell am I going to get one out of here if I shoot one up this far?"

I simply don't have any other advise except to say: "You asked for it, now do the work." (my dad would be so proud)

Again, I'm not trying to be rude, but this stuff needs to be thought out ahead of time. The guy at Shyann Meats (where I take my game) took in an elk last year that had been hanging in camp for 2 weeks on the coast range. He said the guy INSISTED that he process it, even though it had obviously spoiled. That's BS in my opinion.

[seaworthy]

Originally Posted by steelhead22

Forgive me if this sounds rude, I'm not trying to be, but 2 hours isn't that far. You can have your elk at your house, or game processor, and be back in 5 hours. You'll probably lose 1 day with the other guys in camp.
I'd say that's a fair trade for unspoiled meat and if your hunting buddies can't understand that, you need a new crew.

Let's just get real here, it's NOT about "helping others in camp." It's about not wanting to walk/ride 20 miles and drive 4 hours after you kill an elk. I think we all understand that.

IMO, this is ALL part of the hunt you've CHOSEN this year. The kill is only the beginning of the HUNT. If it's a problem for you to drive the 2 hours back home, or to get your meat to a locker, then maybe you should go somewhere closer to home? If you don't want to pack out, then pack in 20 miles round trip...you better put up camp closer to the truck.

Personally, if I was deciding on putting camp up 10 miles, 2 hours from home, the FIRST thing I'd be thinking about was, "How the hell am I going to get one out of here if I shoot one up this far?"

I simply don't have any other advise except to say: "You asked for it, now do the work." (my dad would be so proud)

Again, I'm not trying to be rude, but this stuff needs to be thought out ahead of time. The guy at Shyann Meats (where I take my game) took in an elk last year that had been hanging in camp for 2 weeks on the coast range. He said the guy INSISTED that he process it, even though it had obviously spoiled. That's BS in my opinion.

[seaworthy]

i am just wanting to have it in camp for a day or two before going home. the cooler idea sounds good that for the advice.

[Linejerk]

Originally Posted by steelhead22

Personally, if I was deciding on putting camp up 10 miles, 2 hours from home, the FIRST thing I'd be thinking about was, "How the hell am I going to get one out of here if I shoot one up this far?".

[seaworthy]

Originally Posted by Thehunter

I use a 150 quart cooler. I place Ice Blocks in the bottom of it. Then i have a peace of plywood with 1/2 inch holes every inch. I place that on top of the ice. When the meat has reach it's cooling point, most the time in the morning I bone it and place it in the cooler. I take a peace of plastic and cover my meat and then close the lid. You can get 4 to 7 days out of this.

Two things you must remember. Your meat can't get wet. It will mold. Make sure you have the plug in the cooler open. All water does is just melt ice.

Keep the lid closed...Place it in a cool spot. If you can find an old up ended root stump that is even better.

thanks for the info and not being rude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[baltz526]

here is the reality, you kill an elk in september, you need to have it in a freezer or at the processor ASAP. the pack out should begin ASAP to get the meat taken care of. and everyone in camp should help with doing it. in october or november the process can be a bit slower, but if it is warm you need to gang up on each elk and get it done. NO EXCUSES

[steelhead22]

Originally Posted by seaworthy

i am just wanting to have it in camp for a day or two before going home. the cooler idea sounds good that for the advice.

That could definitely work if you're only looking to get a day or two out of it.

If you're planning on doing this, try using the "gutless method" of field dressing, if you don't already do that. I tried it for the first time last year and it worked GREAT! You never have to pack out another bone AND your meat is all ready for the cooler when you get back to camp.

[seaworthy]

Originally Posted by steelhead22

That could definitely work if you're only looking to get a day or two out of it.

If you're planning on doing this, try using the "gutless method" of field dressing, if you don't already do that. I tried it for the first time last year and it worked GREAT! You never have to pack out another bone AND your meat is all ready for the cooler when you get back to camp.

Is there threads on the guyless way in the search tab? we are going up to camp for two days then going to work for a cuple days,back in fourth. I just wanted to be able to put in a cooler for a day a hike it out when i go home. in am not going to leave in camp for more than a day 1/2. It is not that i dont want to pack out my elk it is just that i can only take so much time off from work.

[chromebright]

http://home.att.net/~sajackson/guttless1.html only way to go if you are going to bone it out.

[I bleed fish]

If it gets cool at night, we'll have our boned (long bones in) meat hanging in a cool spot. In the morning, we keep it in the shade and wrap the meat with sleeping bags. The more insulation the better. But we're constantly checking it to see that it remains cool. If the day warms up too much, we're going home...

[steelhead22]

Originally Posted by chromebright

http://home.att.net/~sajackson/guttless1.html only way to go if you are going to bone it out.

I printed out this page and brought it with me, although I didn't use it last year and just did the field dressing from memory. It's pretty self explanatory and if you have any idea of the anatomy of elk, it's VERY easy.

We dressed our entire elk in just about 2 hours without ever having to climb up inside the cavity, cut it into quarters, etc. etc. Not bad for the first time trying something. It should be easier this year!

[Hunt'nFish]

Mist w/ vineager...apple cider vineager. Really helps a lot.
Hunt'nFish

[arlie]

I'm not trying to be a hard a__ but if you hunt in an area that won't allow you to get the animal out without spoiling then don't hunt there. If you get one, then take care of it first and foremost,,,,

[NeverGuess]

If you get it cooled down, and hung back in the shade, wrapped out of the sun, you don't have to race back to town. Get it dry, with good air circ.

I agree the vinegar trick is a good one.

I've done it many times before with 0 problems.

[Roseybulls]

Originally Posted by seaworthy

we are going to make camp about ten miles past the locked gates for elk hunting and was wondering how long you can hang a elk at camp before you have to bring to the butcher. If some of you guys do other things,like big coolers with block ice ect.

please give me some ideas

Do you or your friends own the land behind the locked gates? If it's private timberlands, I don't think you're supposed to be back there camping.

[xdynamite]

Originally Posted by Roseybulls

Do you or your friends own the land behind the locked gates? If it's private timberlands, I don't think you're supposed to be back there camping.

That was my question. Most of the time the public gates are open. No public...no camping.

Back to the original question. I also get it cooled as soon as possible and back to town. last year I drove back to town (2 hrs) took the meat to the butcher, went home saw the family, got cleaned up, and back to camp that night. It makes for a long day but it's all part of the fun.....
I lost a hind quarter one year from just a 7 hr pack on a hot day. The next morning I found maggots on the meat around a hole in the bag. I tore the bag on my pack or on the way out to the road and didn't notice it when I hung it up in the dark. I have been extra careful ever since and get it taken care of as soon as possible no matter how long the day will be.
XD

[seaworthy]

Originally Posted by Roseybulls

Do you or your friends own the land behind the locked gates? If it's private timberlands, I don't think you're supposed to be back there camping.

DNR land and you can camp on it

[baltz526]

lots of public land behind the pivate timber gates to camp on.