Using game bags twice

[Flatlander3]

Anyone place meat in a game bag, then process the meat, then use the same game bags a few days later when harvesting a 2nd animal? Basically wondering if you need to wash the bag first after having it sit around possibly gaining bacteria before using it again.

 

[SFC B]

Yes, DEFINITELY wash.

 

[belshawelk]

I wash mine in the machine with soap and little bleach. Then hand wash afterward to make sure all soap/bleach is out. Maybe over doing it but better safe then sorry. Have several pack outs with mine.

 

[jrabq]

I wash mine after every use, sometimes turn inside out & wash again to get all the hair out.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Yep I was every time

 

[runningmt]

Yes,

Wash every time, invariably you’ll get bacteria on the meat, which transfers to the bag, a couple days is ions for bacteria.

You can’t just treat them like your underwear and turn them inside out either!

 

[Irrelevant]

I've rinsed in cold water and air dried in the sun and hauled multiple critters over a trip without incident. UV is a pretty decent killer.

 

[Flatlander3]

Thanks all. Just wanted to make sure

 

[WyoDoug]

The durables are really cheap enough, I buy enough for 6 animals. I have in the past hunted with 3 elk tags and 3 deer tags. In Wyoming, you can do that if the draw plus leftovers go right. But absolutely, do not reuse without washing. Worse than setting your meat directly on the ground IMO.

 

[seeth07]

I think the amount of time matters a bit. Like if you pack out an animal and toss the meat and bag in the cooler and then next day shoot another animal, I would feel totally safe grabbing a bag out of the cooler from the day before and using it again.

I actually usually remove the meat from the bag when it goes into the cooler but will still keep the bag in the cooler just to prevent it from going rancid on the way home. Sitting more than 2 or 3 days in the cooler though even I wouldn't want to reuse it.

 

[ccc23454]

Cold wash in creek then camp stove pot of water and squirt of dishsoap soak in there for few and let sun dry. I have had to do this when i forgot my spares, usually have a dozen of them in my packup

 

[SaskHunter]

100% wash in between animals. I may or may not have washed them in sinks or bath tubs when away on hunting trips with more than one tags!

 

[Pucky Freak]

Just buy more game bags so you don’t have to reuse in a short period of time. Would you cut meat on a cutting board and then cut new meat 2 days later w/o washing? No

 

[JTHOMP]

I keep a small bottle of dawn in my truck for that reason and more. Once the meat is on ice I’ll keep the bags in the cooler until I can get to a water source. Then just hand wash them.

 

[wseidel]

As recommended: Definitely wash between uses....HOWEVER, once we simply washed and rinsed them by hand and used them again the very same day (yes, two elk in one day - amazing!). Take good care of your game bags and they will last a long time. My Caribou Gear bags have carried seven elk and they still look great.

 

[Walkathon]

100% wash in between animals. I may or may not have washed them in sinks or bath tubs when away on hunting trips with more than one tags!

Can't believe someone would do this! I definitely didn't do it while elk hunting in WY a few years ago I just scrubbed the sink out really well with dish soap when I was done and the sink was probably cleaner than when I checked into the hotel.

 

[MTPUBLICLAND]

We have 3 sets of each size bags that we use for when multiple animals get harvested in a short time period. Definitely wash your bags between uses. Only thing I have to add to what everyone else has said is that we soak the game bags inside out in a 5 gallon bucket with soap for about an hour. Then I rinse them with the hose before throwing them in washing machine with detergent and bleach.

 

[seeth07]

As recommended: Definitely wash between uses....HOWEVER, once we simply washed and rinsed them by hand and used them again the very same day (yes, two elk in one day - amazing!). Take good care of your game bags and they will last a long time. My Caribou Gear bags have carried seven elk and they still look great.

Caribou game bags are simply top notch. I bought a set of 5 and I can't speak to individual bag use (not sure which of the 5 I used each time) but they have packed out 1 Blacktail, 1 Black Bear, 1 Whitetail, 1 Elk, 1 Caribou, 2 Moose, 6 Antelope and 5 Mule Deer. This season will be their last year of use as some stitching is starting to come apart and well...lets just say some mice last year had some fun with the drawstrings!

 

[Ajax2744]

I typically carry enough for one animal but have enough sets at camp for all the tags we have. If we get something it gets put in bags and new bags are put in packs for the next tag.