Meat Field Care

[Kaitum]

This is an awesome thread!!! I learned some stuff. I noticed a lot of y'all talking about using the gutless method. That brings up a question that Ive been wondering about. If it is so important to get the meat cooled, and we know its important, wouldn't it help he cooling process a lot to gut it and open the chest up?

The problem with gutting a big critter, like a moose, is their guts are so big and unweildy that you end up standing in them the whole time you're processing the rest of the animal. I accidentally punctured the stomach skin of a cow moose once part way through processing her, so I just opened up the stomach cavity to gut her before finishing the quartering. Try as I might, I wasn't dragging that stomach anywhere. So I just ended up dancing around it the rest of the time. Lesson learned, I was much more careful on my next moose. On smaller critters like caribou I have occasionally gutted them first and then dragged the carcass away from the gut pile, but mostly I still use the gutless method.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Huntlife, in my experience on deer you can have them half way quartered up in the time it takes to gut them. Meat cools extremely fast with the hide off even when it is warm out. If you live in a state that requires the carcass whole, the only option is to gut quickly and open them up to get them cooled down. Check out big fins thread on the gutless method, its the best I've seen on caping out the head.

 

[have gun will travel]

Just a couple things to add. My girl friend is an operating room nurse she gets me left over sheets, there almost like a paper on one side with a ultra thin plastic on the other side. I cut them in half. What's nice is I place them plastic side down so when laying the meat on them it won't slide. After use just throw away. If this supply line runs out I'll be using a tarp.

In warm weather I'll place ice inside garbage bags then into the cooler. This is so my meat isn't sitting in all the water from the melted ice. So basically my ice is double bagged. Again tarp over top of cooler.

This is a great thread I've picked up a few good ideas. Can't wait to try them.

 

[havershap]

I've never had to deal with this problem because I've always hunted within a few hours of a butcher. But this year is going to be different, I expect to have to preserve antelope in the field for 3 or 4 days. Temperatures are likely to be in the 40s at night and up to 75 at the warmest part of the day. My idea is to buy a couple of chunks of block ice at the last town and put them in my ice chest, in water proof plastic bags.. Then when I get the first animal, I plan to skin and quarter it, put the quarters in game bags, and then put them in the ice chests until I can get them to the butcher. Is there anything wrong with this plan?

 

[----]

I've never had to deal with this problem because I've always hunted within a few hours of a butcher. But this year is going to be different, I expect to have to preserve antelope in the field for 3 or 4 days. Temperatures are likely to be in the 40s at night and up to 75 at the warmest part of the day. My idea is to buy a couple of chunks of block ice at the last town and put them in my ice chest, in water proof plastic bags.. Then when I get the first animal, I plan to skin and quarter it, put the quarters in game bags, and then put them in the ice chests until I can get them to the butcher. Is there anything wrong with this plan?

Perfect. Just keep the coolers drained and replace ice when possible. The dryer you can keep the meat the better.

 

[HSi-ESi]

havershap - I would also try to hang the meat out at night - especially with temps down in the 40's. That will help keep the meat dry and give some good air circulation around it. Then put them in the coolers during the day making sure to keep the water away from the meat.

 

[greatwhitebuffalo]

Has anyone ever used smoke? I've never gotten around to it. But, I've considered the idea of a few small/smoldering fires that produce a lot of smoke around the meat and storage area.

 

[Devil Diver Down]

This is a great thread - thanks, Bambi and everyone else who has contributed. Lots of helpful info.

 

[devon deer]

Just a couple things to add. My girl friend is an operating room nurse she gets me left over sheets, there almost like a paper on one side with a ultra thin plastic on the other side. I cut them in half. What's nice is I place them plastic side down so when laying the meat on them it won't slide. After use just throw away. If this supply line runs out I'll be using a tarp.

Since you posted i have been lucky, my friend is a surgeon and brought me a few of those sheets, brilliant things!
Cheers
Richard

 

[fowl_minded]

Thanks For sharing one of the most helpful posts I've seen. This subject is definitely one that most don't ever think about. When I got a ram down this fall ill for sure put these tips and tactics to the test.

 

[windymtnman]

Interesting and important article for sure.
I'd like to hear more comments regarding the synthetic game bags referenced here. The comments made about the virtues of them over cotton seem pretty valuable and important. So, where do you find these bags, or what specific material would you buy to have them sewn up? That wouldn't take much.

I also think the cheap cheese cloth bags are worthless. I've been hauling pillow cases around for game bags, because they are heavy enough to keep the dirt and flies off, yet the blood & bacteria issues are relevant. The pillow cases, (or any cotton bags) weigh more and are more bulky in a pack then other options.
So, where do you find the synthetic bags?

 

[Big Fin]

Interesting and important article for sure.
I'd like to hear more comments regarding the synthetic game bags referenced here. The comments made about the virtues of them over cotton seem pretty valuable and important. So, where do you find these bags, or what specific material would you buy to have them sewn up? That wouldn't take much.

I also think the cheap cheese cloth bags are worthless. I've been hauling pillow cases around for game bags, because they are heavy enough to keep the dirt and flies off, yet the blood & bacteria issues are relevant. The pillow cases, (or any cotton bags) weigh more and are more bulky in a pack then other options.
So, where do you find the synthetic bags?

I use these synthetic bags. Best I have found and I used just about all of them (no, I don't get a dime for saying so). - http://www.biggamebags.com/

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I use these synthetic bags. Best I have found and I used just about all of them (no, I don't get a dime for saying so). - http://www.biggamebags.com/

+1 for these bags. I have the Carnivore set, they will take out a boned out bull elk.

 

[BKHunter]

The one question I have is when I hunt I will be flying in from out of state and renting a truck to drive to my hunting grounds. I hate to waste money, but I assume I have to bite the bullet and buy a cooler at my location and fill it with ice and then drive to the trail head. If I strike out I assume I can always return the cooler after draining the ice and drying it out unless anyone has any other suggestions. Also, if I am lucky enough to harvest an animal I assume I can't return he cooler anymore. Should I ask the processor to ship the meat home in that cooler, or is this just a sunk cost. This is my first out west hunt and will be going for Elk in CO during archery season.

 

[jryoung]

If you can avoid it, buy the cooler only if you need it. If you can use the cooler as checked baggage to return home, and ship your clothes/gear. It's far cheaper to ship clothes via ground, than to ship meat overnight.

 

[Jwill]

I have one of the cube coolers with extending handle and wheels, works great as a checked bag on the way out and hopefully full of meat for the return trip.

 

[BigBeard37]

As a new big game hunter, this is really helpful. Thanks for taking the time to put it all down!

 

[SDLorax]

I did not read it here (could have missed it), but I have heard a few others say that if they can (and its really warm) they will take the synthetic game bags full of deboned meat and submerge it in a flowing creek. It draws out the blood and keeps the meat cool for days. On the other hand, I have heard a few others say not to do that. What is the consensus here and why?

My take is that if the water is cool and flowing that the bacterial growth should be kept to a minimum along with cooling down the meat to that below 40 degree mark, quick. I'm talking about doing this in the context of a solo backpacker taking out an elk or something larger over a day or so depending on hiking distance and terrain.

 

[Bambistew]

I have heard a few others say that if they can (and its really warm) they will take the synthetic game bags full of deboned meat and submerge it in a flowing creek. It draws out the blood and keeps the meat cool for days. On the other hand, I have heard a few others say not to do that. What is the consensus here and why?

Keep your meat dry... if you submerge, do so in a plastic bag, and only for short periods. Make sure it has time to breath and dry out in between. If its really warm, get it out ASAP.

 

[wytex]

Lay the meat over a creek, build a rack of logs, etc. and then cover the meat. The cool water will draw the heat out of it. If you must submerge it make sure it is sealed in plastic. Most times just hanging in a large shady tree works here. Bone out that meat to help with the cooling.