I'm a whitetail hunter from the southeast and I'm planning an elk hunt. I have a question about packing out meat. I've noticed when people sell their old backpacks on here, its common to see a note about how many or few bloodstains are on it. If you hang your elk meat/quarters in good breathable game bags in the shade, etc., is there any reason not to drop each game bag inside a plastic trash bag just before strapping it to your pack? Seems like it would be ok in the plastic bag if its only there during the actual time it takes to walk out and would keep from fouling up your pack. Will the plastic cause a problem with air flow or something? Or is there some other reason not to do this? Thanks all.
New Guy - question about packing out meat
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Big Sky Guy
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That would be fine so long as the meat has cooled. I’ve used plastic before on a freshly quartered mulie during winter and a shortish (2 mile) pack out. However the clear plastic liners I used still leaked blood and I got a lil in my pack. The reason I did it was to protect my coat which I put on top, so that was fine. One note of caution with plastic bags, I’ve heard that the plastic trash bags can sometimes have pesticides or insecticides in them.
Goatshoes
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Yeah. I've done that several times. Just depends on the situation. But I really don't care about the blood (its a badge) and I don't buy my stuff to resell.
dirtclod Az.
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Blood is blood...Blood ,Guts ,Gore and Viens hanging
out of my Teeth!! Thats the way I Roll.
out of my Teeth!! Thats the way I Roll.
LopeHunter
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Plastic promotes bacteria. Air circulation allows drying conditions. Bacteria loves moisture. Bacteria grows at all temperatures in and on food but especially when is between 40F through 140F. That range is what most of us are in for elk hunts. Skip the plastic bags unless are hanging into a cooling stream. Stains wash out. Use Dawn dish soap on the stains, let set, hand wash.
Is important to get the meat off the elk. Perhaps off the bone as well if have time. Packing out bone is a waste of energy. Try to keep dirt, flies, urine and feces off the meat. The gutless method is popular. If have a disposable painter's tarp can lay the meat on that to keep clean as get the animal broken down. Place the meat in a canvas game bag then hang in shade, when possible. Some hunters put black pepper or spray a solution on the meat and game bag.
Is important to get the meat off the elk. Perhaps off the bone as well if have time. Packing out bone is a waste of energy. Try to keep dirt, flies, urine and feces off the meat. The gutless method is popular. If have a disposable painter's tarp can lay the meat on that to keep clean as get the animal broken down. Place the meat in a canvas game bag then hang in shade, when possible. Some hunters put black pepper or spray a solution on the meat and game bag.
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Deleted member 16014
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I've stuck meat inside plastic to transport in a pack plenty. With reasonable moisture and temp management it's no big deal for short periods of time. The main way I've gotten blood on packs is from boned out skulls riding on top, or drips and smears from the process.
Gerald Martin
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You will probably get answers as varied as the people you ask with each on declaring they are right. I use various methods depending on differrent conditions. I do not have a load shelf in my first generation MR Metcalf so I have to pack meat in the main bag. I almost always pack a heavy duty trash bag with me and put the meat into game bags and then into the trash bag for the pack out. I figure the couple of hours that the meat is not cooling properly isn't going to make that much difference. If I am packing an elk down hill or less than two miles I will usually leave the bone in. It makes for cleaner butchering later on at home since there is less muscle surface exposed to dirt and moisture. If it's a long ways or I'm packing as much as possible I'm going to be boning out the quarters.
Deer, I always leave bone in. I can usually pack an entire whitetail with four quarters and trim in one heavy load. A mule deer buck is usually nice to have two guys or two trips.
Once in camp or back to the truck the meat in game bags is immediately removed from the trash bag and either hung or placed where air can circulate freely.
Deer, I always leave bone in. I can usually pack an entire whitetail with four quarters and trim in one heavy load. A mule deer buck is usually nice to have two guys or two trips.
Once in camp or back to the truck the meat in game bags is immediately removed from the trash bag and either hung or placed where air can circulate freely.
Gerald Martin
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It only takes one time of getting back from a hunt exhausted from packing and forgetting to wash your pack for a couple days to protect your pack from blood as much as possible. Thankfully, I can attest that you can get some pretty nasty smells out of a pack if you soak it in a bathtub full of laundry detergent long enough.
flyingvmt
Active member
I keep an emergency space blanket in my kill kit just to use as a tarp for getting quarters into game bags and keeping meat outta the dirt. Once I have meat hanging and ready to pack out, I cut the space blanket into a couple pieces and use those to line my pack or leave it whole and wrap it around the bagged quarter in my pack. Been doing that for a few years and have not had any meat spoilage issues due to the air flow being constricted and my packs stay fresh and clean that way.....easy peezy lemon squeazy
I think it would be ok as long as it didn't sit too long. How long is too long? No idea and I'm sure extremely variable. I use and prefer games bags, but until last season I always packed meat out in trash bags. Hottest and longest one the temp was upper 70s and meat was in the bag for an hour until got back to the truck and on ice. But I'd choose game bags and slightly bloody pack over adding more clutter to your pack.
WyoDoug
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Plastic holds heat. I don't recommend it very long. As soon as you get to camp to hang the game bags, remove the plastic bags. For short periods they would work, but not more than a few hours. If it's warm and the meat has not cooled completely, it could induce rot.
If you either wash your pack immediately or let it dry out quickly, you'll be fine. I still haven't washed my pack from last season. Despite having held parts from 3 different elk, it doesn't smell. I'll wash it in the bathtub before the upcoming season.
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Like others have said, a little weather dependent... late season cow 3/4 mile from the truck is different from an archery mule deer 8 miles back.
That said I have yet to have a blood stain that I couldn't get rid of... honestly blood is so easy to get out compared to say ink or grease I wouldn't really worry about it.
That said I have yet to have a blood stain that I couldn't get rid of... honestly blood is so easy to get out compared to say ink or grease I wouldn't really worry about it.
WyoDoug
Well-known member
I got blood stain from years in my favorite hunting clothes. I just wear it with pride and tell a story of my last hunt sometimes true sometimes not and sometimes in between. Mostly true though. I shot, quartered and gutted a lot of deer and antelope over the years.
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for when 
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Hunting Wife
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Cold water and regular old detergent. Hot water sets the stain. For small spots or un-washables, rub an ice cube on it and blot with a light colored cloth.
My mother was a nurse
My mother was a nurse
WyoDoug
Well-known member
Ammonia tends to bleach the colors out of hunting clothes and I hunt with a lotta cammo. Cold water was as Hunting Wife says is the way to go. However, the blood in my huntin clothes have been there since my bachelor years in between my 1st and current marriage so I doubt they ever wash out LOL. Besides I am good at coming up with a hot story to explain how it got there.
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brnsvllyjohn
Active member
I have used a plastic bag a couple of times without issue but I was not comfortable doing it. I worried about the meat and most likely will not do it again. I have probably got bloodstains on my camo colored meat pack but it doesn't bother me at all and if they are there they are not easy to see (just adds to the camo pattern). I wash it in cold water as soon as I can and it does not smell bad or look bad. I just use a garden hose and let it soak for awhile then rinse it off.
A few years ago I was on a hunt and a buddy asked if he could use my pack to pack out his buck. He had used mine before and I didn't think it was a big deal. I then asked him why he wanted to use mine since I knew his was in camp. He said he had never used his and he didn't want to get it bloody. I then told him "no you will never use mine again." He purchased a nice pack but didn't want to get it bloody????
A few years ago I was on a hunt and a buddy asked if he could use my pack to pack out his buck. He had used mine before and I didn't think it was a big deal. I then asked him why he wanted to use mine since I knew his was in camp. He said he had never used his and he didn't want to get it bloody. I then told him "no you will never use mine again." He purchased a nice pack but didn't want to get it bloody????
