How to transport Elk meat??

[Buano]

This is how I transport emlightbulb

Nice license plate!

 

[SPR123]

This is how I transport emlightbulb

That's AWESOME!!

 

[Dr. Vette]

Incidentally, if you only got 180# from your bull, you either shot a real piscutter or got screwed by the processor!!!

Now go take a look at a very factual study by the State of Wyoming regarding net weight of elk:
http://www.wyomingextension.org/agpubs/pubs/B594R.pdf

Looks like mine was an average bull, which is what I expected to find for a 3 1/2 yo 5x5. The 4 1/2 yo 6x7 netted a bit lower due to the meat loss from bullet damage.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

That's funny! The last few average size cows I've shot in Wyoming have yielded between 186# and 210# of finished meat and I don't have them put any beef fat in the trimmings for burger, which is mostly what I have made, minus the backstraps. You must have shot the chit out of them to lose what you did with bulls being a lot bigger!!!

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Just had time to go over your charts in that link and it appears I'm correct in that they show you should have received between 200 -220 pounds of boned out meat from each bull.

 

[GonzoK34]

Over 20 years of hunting elk I've boned out the meat and packed it in 2-100qt coolers. Put a layer of crushed ice on top and then dry ice. This past season I drove from Gunnison, Colorado to Alpine (San Diego) California. 1100 miles and the meat was frozen when I arrived home. No matter what state and distance this has been the outcome.
Once the elk is down, gutted, packed out and back in camp I hang it and let it cool for a couple of days. Typically there are four of us hunting. We hunted 3rd rifle and the weather was -20 at night and +20-35 during the day. By hanging the carcass it allows the meat to stretch and cool. When it's time to pack up I bone out the meat as stated above.
**Note**
I cover the cooler with wool blankets and a heavy canvas tarp.
Good Luck.
Gonzo

 

[BrentM]

Well, there is the off chance you will shoot a large bull and wind up with 350-400 lbs as well. I wound up taking home 400 lbs once. I had to buy a new freezer that year for more capacity. I filled up both freezers in the fridges and the upright freezer, then I had to give some to family members. It was a good and bad ordeal. No room for any other animal that year. My last several bulls have all filled a 300 lb capacity freezer to max and I had to use both fridge freezers. When I get the meat back from the processor I wind up taking 4-5 mid to large coolers. I don't use the huge ones because you move the dang things around by yourself when they are full.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I think a lot of people who have never hunted/downed an elk have no idea how big a critter they are. You can move a deer around pretty easy, but two people are lucky to just get a bull positioned to where you can field process him. If you're by yourself, it can be a real witch before you even start the packout of all that meat/head/cape. People need to realize they need to plan AHEAD and have all the equipment, including a good pack if an animal has to be broken down and taken out on your back. At 65 years old, I've still done one just about every year for the last 10-12 years to help friends out, but the times are getting short when I'll be watching and guiding the others instead of doing a lot of carrying myself, LOL!

 

[BrentM]

Oh and I forgot to mention, in all the 30 plus years of elk hunting we have only had 1 elk you could drive up to. All others have been cut up and packed on horse or our backs. Can't even imagine being able to drive up to one. That would be freaking sweet. Oh and I should mention I guide often as well, still only 1 elk out of all those years. LOL

 

[GonzoK34]

The 5x5 turned out to be in a gully that I was able drive my truck into only because it has lockers front and rear, as well as a Merlin Crawler reduction that allows the truck to crawl over rocks, boulders and stair steps.

Most of our elk have been several miles from any type of access other than boning the meat off the carcass and backpacking it out requiring several trips.

The 5x5 is of my friend Chris (on the left), I'm on the right. We packed in 12 miles on horse back. The elk was downed 6 miles from our base camp. It was quartered and packed out on a mule.

Bottom line: We develop a plan and follow through. So far we've had great success. There are hiccups but we adapt and refine to meet the conditions and unexpected situations.

all the responses given are well taken and very helpful.

Gonzo
Sgt of Marines (Retired)

 

[sp6x6]

Oh and I forgot to mention, in all the 30 plus years of elk hunting we have only had 1 elk you could drive up to. All others have been cut up and packed on horse or our backs. Can't even imagine being able to drive up to one. That would be freaking sweet. Oh and I should mention I guide often as well, still only 1 elk out of all those years. LOL

Out of the last 35 elk I shot.That one I called to the road and zipped him with my bow.That just how good I am

 

[Hairtrigger]

Leaving Colorado and driving across Nebraska

 

[GonzoK34]

HAIRTRIGGER,
Nice photo. But you need to quarter your harvest and get it into coolers to get the best out of that hard earned elk.
Gonzo

 

[Hairtrigger]

I gutted it, skinned the animal the carcass froze is it hung for 2 days at camp I put the hide down on the pickup bed. I put the frozen carcass on the high filled the cavity with ice and put several bags of ice on top of the carcass and then a tarp over top after I transported it home the meat was cut up. in my opinion the meat had no damage or taste issues