[waterfowlin101]

Several recent posts got me thinkin'.

If you kill an animal, what comes out first?

1. Meat

2. Horns, head, and hide


Does distance matter to you, or will your answer to this Q always be the same? If it changes per situation, what factors play a role in your decision?

Jon

 

[BloodNtheboat]

I have seen a few posts that got me thinking too.

Heres what I think.

I think the responsible thing to do is to get the meat out first. For a couple reasons. 1. In warm weather, the longer you leave the meat in the woods, the greater chances you have of spoilage and waste. 2. In colder weather, (as well as warm) you have the risk of coyotes and other scavengers getting to your meat before you come back.

I killed my first bull this year, and it was hard to leave my rack in the woods, but in my opinion, i did the right thing.

Besides, what is going to happen to an elk head in the woods? I suppose that something might drag it off and chew on it, but id rather have the head chewed on than the a hind quarter.

Kill and elk, quarter it up, pack out meat, take a break and then go get the head with fresh legs. This is the responsable thing to do IMHO.

 

[BrianMaguire]

Depends on how tired I am :smile: usually I pack out the heaviest part first, that way it is all easier.

 

[Wang]

Horns are my priority after kill. I feel like it kind of makes it theft proof as the thief would need some kind of head to show for the sex of the animal.

 

[BloodNtheboat]

Horns are my priority after kill

Those must be some pretty good tasting horns :jester:

 

[traks44]

Antlers, I have made it quite clear I am more interested in the antlers more than the meat in previous posts. I will admit though there is no better feeling than packing out the last load of a bull and having it be a big ol rack strapped to your back.


I am really enjoying my meat this year. In past years I usually give it away but I am lovin the stuff now!!!!!

 

[blacktail519]

Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Horns are my priority after kill


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Those must be some pretty good tasting horns

Yeah, But he has a good point. I too take the head the first trip.

 

[OuterLimits]

I would say it all depends on the state or federal law in relation to what state or federal installation you are hunting in. Alaska, for example, requires that the hunter will haul out all of the meat before the Horns, head, and hide. :smash:

 

[Pan Fry]

meat first. depending on what animal I'm packing out, the most critica/heaviset/tastiest sections first and then from their.
archery season is especially critical for getting the meat out first because of the warmer temps.
everbody is different, but I've never lost horns.

 

[BloodNtheboat]

I have a quesition for all the "horns first" guys.

WHat are you worried about happening to a head in the woods?????

 

[Wang]

Since I'm not a bowhunter I don't have to worry about spoilage. If I was bowhunting the meat would come first and the hide would stay. As for deer I've always got them out whole so it's never been an issue.

As for elk in Oregon, I feel like I'm protecting my investment by taking the head first. Take the head back, lock it up and grab the pack boards, my buddies and off we go for the meat.

I guess if I left the head and 3 quarters or whatever with the head, I'm leaving an animal for someone to steal. It does and has happend. Pretty rare in the areas we go for elk hunting that someone doesn't come around looking to see who shot what.

This is something I do and my buddies do. Doesn't matter if it's a spike or a nice branched antler.

 

[Water Ready]

Been there, done that , both ways! Killed a bull once, back a few years ago, and took part of the meat out first. Came back an hour later and the head and horns were gone(6 Point Ivory tips). Eastern Oregon, and had meat with no horns. Incredibly hard to explain to the game warden where the distinguishing part of the animal went. Had to walk him back in to the kill, and wasted a bunch of time, when I should have been packing meat. I will always take the horns, and as much meat as I can.
Horns may not taste good, but saves a bunch of time!
My .02
Happy Huntn'

 

[Bait O Eggs]

Antlers come out first. :shrug:

To many dirtbags out there that will try to steal the head and put their tag on it claiming the kill, making me look like an outlaw with a chunk of meat and no head to prove its legal.

Antlers are forever, meat only last a season :flowered:

 

[Washington Hunter]

Do you really need a head to prove it's a legal animal? If you're in a any bull or any buck area, why would the head be necessary? Couldn't you just leave it in the woods?

 

[Rank Amateur]

Gee haven't really thought about it. I have left a lot of elk in the woods over night, deer too. I guess the horns come out on the last packs. I skin my animals out and leave the horns tied to a tree (usually steep ground) and work from the hams forward. If the animal is not a mounter, the horns get lopped off along with the eyes and ears.

 

[Lucky one]

I usually hang the meat in a tree to cool, and take the straps, loins, and neck meat out with the head. Then come back and start hauling the rest. I don't know for sure what I would do in an area with no trees though. I'd probably take a quarter and whatever spare meat I could.

 

[Rank Amateur]

We have a visible horn requirement, while the family jewels would indicate a buck, it probably would not meet the letter of the law. :shrug:

 

[ehunter]

It doesn't matter we bow hunt so we have to ge the whole thing out the same day. One guy usally takes the head and another guy takes a load of meat out. What does it matter as long as you get all out. We always take the head first to protect the proof of the animal. We almost never take the hide we leave it with the legs and oval. We also bone a lot of elk for 2 reasons one distance we have had to haul the meat and two we can cool it quicker off the bone.

 

[dcgrav]

get 2 guys ang get it all!!

 

[sliverpicker]

When I'm bowhunting blacktails, I usually just drag the buck out to a road where I can load it. If it's too far to drag or uphill, then I go get the packboard and cut the deer in half and take the hindquarters out and come back for the front half.

If I'm bowhunting elk, I don't hunt wearing a packboard! I do carry meat sacks in my pack though and after I get the bull quartered, bagged, and hung in a tree or laying on top of some logs then I carry the head and antlers out to the road/rig and retrieve the packboard and go back for the meat.

sp