Average weights of 3.5 year old bull.

[bigngreen]

Dug up some pics of a perfect bull to get exact weight on, this bull caught a 140 Cutting Edge bullet from a 6.5 SS in the middle of the neck at 825 yards, backed the truck up to him so zero loss dang near. Only thing not weighted was the guts. Looks like a big 2.5 or average 3.5 year old bull.

The meat numbers in pounds.
Front #1 29.5 and #2 26.
Sides 37 for both.
Backstraps 15 for steak and 15.85 trim.
Neck 17
Hind #1 21.5 trim and 30.3 roasts.
Hind #2 18.0 trim and 28.0 roasts.

Bone total 95 lbs
Legs, head and hide 62 lbs.

Trim or burger meat total 164.95.
Steak and roast total 77.15.

Total without guts 399.0

 

[codyadams]

That is about what we figured. A big bull elk generally produces 300 lbs of deboned meat, a big cow or younger (2.5-3.5) bull is around 250ish. That is what we generally figure for packing weight ha ha.

 

[bigngreen]

Twenty some years ago, before the introduction of Canadian wolves the elk I cut out of the greater Yellowstone area averaged 251 lbs meat and bone on the rail, lots of younger animals. The absalutely largest elk I've scaled on certified scales was 499 lbs on the rail, that's out of 2000+ head and he was a hog!! The largest cow was less than a 100 lbs lighter.

 

[Hoss50]

My cow this year was turned in at 235lbs.
That was each leg quarter, the whole neck, backstraps, tenderloins, brisket, and trimmed meat. No spin, no ribs, legs below the knee joint.

She was healthy. My buddies cow was processed the same and was 185lbs turn in weight.

Both animals succumbed to 135gr Berger Classic Hunter bullets from 6.5x55's.

 

[highbrow]

Several years ago my son and I shot 2 adult cows. Cut in half minus the guts, each half was 175 pounds.

 

[chindits]

Why are we counting half years, not many hunt during calving season besides cats, dogs and bears?

 

[bigngreen]

Elk aren't born in hunting season

A calf bull is 6 months old in his first hunting season, a spike is 1 year 6 months it's second season, a 2.5 year old rag head is in his third season and so on....

 

[HARPERC]

......The absalutely largest elk I've scaled on certified scales was 499 lbs on the rail, that's out of 2000+ head and he was a hog!! The largest cow was less than a 100 lbs lighter......

I've seen one like that. On the hoof, no tag. He was in with other mature bulls, a couple over the top. He looked like a Clydesdale in with quarter horses.

 

[Deezel]

My 2.5 year old bull this year weighed in at 298lbs. That was gutted, skinned and legs cut off at the joint. Essentially the same as your first pic.

 

[Yancyw]

I killed a pretty average 5x6 this year, I did all the butchering myself, I got around 230lbs of processed meat. That would be a little bit of bone still in the shanks, but that won't be much.

 

[bigngreen]

Each bullet hole will cost too, our average when cutting meat was 115 of trim meat and 65 of steaks from a average rail weight of 251 lbs, which included calves to bulls and average shooting and meat care.
You can start taking of a lot of weight when bullets go through heavy bone or get into the back end, top of the shoulders always knocks out a big chunk because you blow a hole in your trim and steak pile. Heavy quartering shots that guys push a bullet through the guts is a super high meat waster because the of side always ends up PACKED with salad and there's a good 16+ lbs right out of the gate min. Butt shots don't actually take out much meat cause it stays in a channel and then runs the seams which leaves a lot of large solid blocks but your trim pile goes up and your steaks drop to 30-40 lbs.
Just splitting the brisket and pelvis costs 5-6 lbs and is totally unnecessary but gathers so much dirt and hair that needs trimmed out. There's a LOT of ways to drop the meat yield on an elk!!!

 

[North Idaho Hunter]

I sure would like to see a step by step approach that @bigngreen Takes from field to cooler/to processing.

everyone does it different but man - I applaud ya for how well you debone!

 

[GoosePilot]

I got 257lbs of boneless meat from my bull

 

[Plinker147]

What no 900-1000 lb bull elk that everyone's sees!!Huh amazing.

Vermejo Park in Northern NM weighs all their elk with out guts. Cows average from 300-350 gutted. Not sure what there mature bulls averages but bet they are right in line with the averages you posted