Thanks for all the useful information. I process my own deer, and I am hoping to have the opportunity to try my hand at an elk within the next few years. For anyone who does it themselves, these kinds of statistics are very handy!
Joe
Joe
Average bull elk weights.
- Thread starter bigngreen
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MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
Those are some eye opening numbers Rhian... I put down a huge bodied 6 point in South Central Idaho a few years back I figured for probably 900 pounds. He looked as big as a good size horse.. Didn't have to pack him far but those hind quarters sure seemed real heavy 
these #'s seem right on for what i have seen over the yrs with the elk i have had on a scale. the scale sure weeds out that 1000 lb elk so many guys seem to shoot each yr. lol
the heaviest i have had on a scale was a nice 6x6 bull that was 389 lbs hanging with no guts/head/hide/legs.
the heaviest i have had on a scale was a nice 6x6 bull that was 389 lbs hanging with no guts/head/hide/legs.
This isnt average, but I have put alot of 100# + quarters on my back. Weighed them. When I was young I cut between 3-4 rib and would saw or axe 1/4 down middle. I have shot a pile of 6x6 NW MT in tough mountain high snow country, they are big shouldered. My hunting buddy took a large 6 pt. in 2011 that had 140 front and 120 rear as described 1/4s that is 520 #'s , he shot a bull that size this year also. These I would refer to as ranch type special tag elk that run very large in body and horn.Bioligist thought elk 6-7 years old. We had two canadian moose in freezer at same time, one was 57'' 1/4s where front 120,rear 115 cut the same,so that gives you the idea.There are some big elk out there. A friend that was a local meat cutter shot a local elk about 20 years ago that hit the 1000 mark,west of Kalispell, it had 29'' fourths and gross about 370, was a very large pope bull for MT at the time.
D.Camilleri
Well-Known Member
My cousin killed a 370 bull in southern Co. several years ago and the skinned carcass weighed over 700lbs at the butcher shop. The butcher said it was the largest bodied elk he had ever seen in 40 years of cutting meat.
I need to get a scale and weigh my hind quarters from my elk that I killed last week. My guess is 70 lbs each, much larger than any cow I have ever killed and larger than most of my bulls also. I have only brought one bull to a meat locker whole and it was 320 lbs skinned without head or legs.
I need to get a scale and weigh my hind quarters from my elk that I killed last week. My guess is 70 lbs each, much larger than any cow I have ever killed and larger than most of my bulls also. I have only brought one bull to a meat locker whole and it was 320 lbs skinned without head or legs.
Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
those are some amazing numbers. I am very picky when I process an animal.. if its not meat I dont take it... there is some waste but my havalon helps cut down on that a lot but I dont get a fraction of what you get. I cut up a cow for a guy last year and got 50 lbs exactly... nothing below the first joint, no rib or neck meat. I have been trying to get more and more "adventurous" when I cut meat to get a higher yield but still not getting anything near what you are.
Marble
Well-Known Member
Our biggest bull this year was 284 pounds, minus the backstrap, tenderloin and neck meat. No spine or pelvis.
He was a big bull.
There is a very big difference between the Roosevelt and Colorado Rocky elk.
He was a big bull.
There is a very big difference between the Roosevelt and Colorado Rocky elk.
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
Most guys are either real picky or not do enough cleaning, the main thing is to get rid of a few key glands, hair and blood shot but other than that if your grinder can take it then it's GTG. Everyone we cut for has been blown away by how good our burger tastes, the key is using fresh beef suit that is pink and smells sweet! This is premium stuff here, trust me!!!!!
This bull did yield high, and average cow I would get about 60ish pounds of steaks and roast and 115 pounds of burger which would reflect at least a hit in the ribs maybe a lower damage shoulder hit. A large lead cow would be between the two.
This is all that's left when I'm done. Most of the neck is missing because dad was digging around for bullet frag but I take them right down to the ears.
One back strap straight of the animal and one ready to steak.
Burger meat and 12% beef suet on right and first grind on left.
Second fine grind on right and first course on left.
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
I can't tell you how many guys would be just crushed when they wanted me to guess their elks weight and then wheel it in on a certified scale and let them see for themselves! Though I always offer to charge them on their guess!!
I've tested some of the spring scales that most guys use to weigh animals and very few will be within 50 pounds of a certified scale!
Just weighed my daughters elk. We peeled all 4 quarters off and left pelvis spine and rib cage on the mountain. I started right at the brisket for the fronts and kept as much meat on the shoulder as I could. The hind quarters where separated at the ball and socket but closely trimmed at the pelvis. I carved out the back straps and tenderloins. The neck I trimmed a big slab off both sides. Total weight off this small 6x6 bull was 242#.
I do think we tend to over guess the size of elk.
I do think we tend to over guess the size of elk.
winmag
Well-Known Member
No idea how I missed this one.
Congrats Rhian! Good thread for the first few pages I read. I'll continue catching up on it later
Congrats Rhian! Good thread for the first few pages I read. I'll continue catching up on it later
Sully2
Well-Known Member
All I know is the sound of those steaks and roasts..etc...etc...make my mouth water like all hell..!
Red Sparky
Well-Known Member
The last bull I shot weighed 483 pounds on the scale. That is skinned and quartered with bones still in, no head or legs below the knee. Yield was around 300 pounds but all neck meat and trim was ground into chili meat so not much went to waste. Nothing like and elk meat burrito with red chile, taters, and cheese. It filled from top to bottom my 7 cubic foot chest freezer, refer freezer, and some of my parents freezer.
