Elk game bags

[Thor0331]

Hey Thor, I was talking about Larry Bartlett who is the owner/creator of TAG bags. He did lab tests and studies of bacterial growth in different fabrics before coming up with TAG bags, now there are several other companies offering very similar products. The Kifaru meat baggies are meant for transport in a pack bag, they aren't made to breathe

Kifaru bags aren't made to be used to pack out meat? How much difference does the ability to breathe make when you are packing it out?

 

[bmart2622]

You would take your game bag full of meat and put it inside the Kifaru meat baggie and then put it in your pack. They dont breathe so they arent meant to hang full of meat for an extended period of time.

 

[cnelk]

My only concern with those would be putting 75lbs in it and it holding

Thats why I carry 4 or more so I dont have to - They are stronger than you may think

 

[les welch]

Not if it's in a big ball.

I don't believe I said to put it in a big ball. Plenty of easy fast options for getting and keeping the meat cool. In zero instances can I see where it would be possible to cool meat faster by leaving the bone in.

 

[mtnwrunner]

I'm using the Allen Backcountry Meat bags now. They're 20"x30" and IMO the perfect size for boned out meat. I carry 5 of them. Last year I had four that came in the pack and still needed a little more room so used my Kifaru 1-ounce bag. But that was 268lbs of meat, and I don't usually fill them to the rim.

ditto on the Allen's. Been using them for several years and they work great. They also clean up nicely.

Randy

 

[ElkNut1]

Allen game bags here! Over 20 years & no disappointments yet! (grin) I think guys way over think bagging meat & getting it out! Guys, use common sense & you'll have no issues with meat spoilage.

ElkNut1

 

[elkyinzer]

Has anyone tried to fit more than one bone-in elk "quarter" in a TAG 24"x44" bag? Two fronts in one? A front and a back in one?
I plan to debone and use the B.O.M.B. set for packing out. However, if it is a long recovery, very warm weather and/or lots of flies I was thinking of hanging whole quarters until all of the meat was off the carcass. Straps, neck, ribs and such will go direct to BOMB bags but quarters might get hung until all four are off. Big bags would be nice for fly protection but it would be nice to only carry two of them.

You don't want to do that. Just carry the bags you need, man up and carry the extra 6 oz or whatever. Bags are designed to act like "skin" and get nice and dry and crusty which is what protects the meat from microorganisms. If you cram more than one quarter in a bag, you don't get that skin and introduce potential for issues. Ask me how I know? Did it with a doe last year hanging in the fridge, got lazy, it was just for a couple days but I still had to cut away some nasty areas that stunk with slight spoilage where the quarters contacted each other and weren't able to form a good crust. Also one of the reasons I prefer bone-in quarters. Just much higher quality final product if you age it for a few days, but that's a separate debate and some are adamant boning in the field doesn't reduce yield or quality, to which I disagree.

 

[ArrowForester]

Thanks for the reply elkyinzer (like your handle btw) and I agree with your insights on not doubling up in one bag as well as aging on the bone. Also don't have too much of a problem with the extra 6 oz. but certainly didn't mean to say I would man up and carry the two quarters out together in one bag.

I may not have been clear in my description though, as I would only double up quarters in a bag for the brief period that two quarters were hanging for initial cooling while I was cutting the other two from the animal. Then hang the second two while getting all of the already boneless pieces off and bagged. Then debone all 4 into bags for packing.

I would actually be carrying all I need to pack deboned, plus two extras for temporary fly protection, plus citric acid, plus bags for creek submersion. So I am definitely overthinking it and carrying extra as has been mentioned. This is not an everyday scenario but there are a few cases where I am solo, spiked 8 miles from the coolers, when the temps are high and the fly population significant due to domestic sheep. Just trying to be a good Boy Scout and be over prepared since I choose to hunt under those conditions. When hunting from base camp and not ranging more than 3 or 4 miles I'd go with a set of bags or pillow cases and plan to keep the bones in if the animal was recovered promptly.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

As someone else noted the 60" long bags (at whatever width) are HUGE I bought a couple 60" incase I wanted to put a whole antelop or smaller deer in one but avoid using them for any quartering situations. I have some 36" long bags and sometimes the shank of a bone in elk rear will be tough to get in there but solid for fronts/trim and anything on deer/antelope. So if you want covered bone in rears two of those 24x44 you mentioned are handy and you can go smaller on the others if you are mixing matching. If you know you are boning out you can save a few ounces and pack space going to smaller bags but you can't make a bag larger if you do just want to take something out of field bone in.

 

[Trogon]

This thread reminded me i needed some new game bags for this year. I just went and picked up some of the ovis sacks in XL. Price was right and I like the reflective tape around the bottom, seems like a practical thing to do. Hopefully they work well!

 

[5MilesBack]

some are adamant boning in the field doesn't reduce yield or quality, to which I disagree.

When I debone the meat right off the elk, it goes directly into the game bags. I take all the meat off the carcass then hang the bags. Then I pack them out to the cooler with frozen milk jugs waiting in the truck. Sometimes those bags will sit in that cooler 2-4 days even after I get it home before I process it. The meat is so cold it hurts my hands to work with it over time, and clean enough to drop directly into the grinder.

But every time I've hung bone-in meat that got that crust........I lose a lot more meat because I cut off that crust. Boning it, I never get that crust.

 

[Bar]

I use the cheap Allen's too. I carry a lot of them for the boned out meat. Too old now to carry heavy loads. So, lots of small loads is my style.

 

[cnelk]

The only time I get crust on quarters is when they are hanging in game bags out in the cool open air - bone in or bone out - for a couple days

When quarters are placed in a cooler right away - bone in or bone out - the moisture from the meat & ice is trapped and a crust wont be created

At least thats been my experience

Also,
When fresh meat is placed in a cooler, Its a good idea to roll the meat every once in awhile as the blood will leech out of the meat and the top will get drier than the bottom

 

[joel_sledz]

Black Ovis bags are great. Got them last year (large) off camofire for like $40. I didn't de bone and all the quarters fit in the bags. They are durable and machine washable. Also comes with gloves, tracking tape, and a mini tarp to de bone if you have the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DEHusker]

Couple observations:

1.) I've used the 20x44" TAG bags in the past and I love them. They are big enough to fit a whole elk quarter but I've put boned out meat in them too and they work great. Just make sure your meat is "flattened" out on your pack prior to cinching it up and it'll ride out fine.

2.) I bought some of the BOMB Tag bags recently and chuckled when I opened them up. Maybe it's just me but to squeeze the meat from a boned out hind quarter into one of those does not figure to be easy...at least from some of the bulls I've boned out before. Maybe a cow?

3.) I also noticed that the QUALITY of the BOMB bags was way way lower than my trusty set of 20x44" bags. Did something change with the company? I was not pleased at all with the quality of the BOMB bags. I'll probably use a couple of them for the tenderloins and backstraps and that'll be it.

4.) I sometimes use a 5th 20x44" bag to pack out the cape/head....if I keep the head. It works fine. I'll grab it at the truck after I dump a meat load.

In my killkit: TAG bags (4 - 20x44", 2 - BOMB bags), knife, surgical gloves, tag, pen to sign tag, zip ties, knife sharpener (very compact), paracord, LARGE contractor duty plastic bag for laying quarters on or storing meat in the stream.

I agree with ElkNut1. Use some common sense and you'll be fine. Here is one lesson which I've never forgotten: If you kill an elk at last light during archery season or early rifle seasons, YOU MUST GET THAT ANIMAL BROKEN DOWN THAT NIGHT. DO NOT LEAVE IT UNTIL THE MORNING EXPECTING THAT THE COLD MOUNTAIN AIR WILL KEEP THE MEAT OK. I've seen and heard of way too many guys leaving an elk overnight and all the meat next to the ground was spoiled. Elk are big animals and need to be cooled down ASAP. They are very well insulated and the ground insulates them even more. Do not be tempted to leave the animal overnight. Just settle in and get the headlamps out and get to work.

Good luck!

DEH

 

[Tony Trietch]

Except blow flies laying eggs through the cotton fabric....

Nothing wrong with using good ol white pillow cases,
Get the over-sized ones with high thread count

 

[Tony Trietch]

The BOMB Bags from Pristine Adventures are my go to for backpack hunting. Hard to beat them IMO when weight is a big concern. If you are just day trip hunting and have no real concerns over an extra few ounces, just about any of them will work.
Black Ovis's Ovis Bags are super tough and priced right too, just a bit heavier.

 

[Rob in VT]

I have used the Caribou bags for years on elk. They are great and clean up well. I use to use the Alaskan Game Bags, but they were so heavy I would only bring 2 in my pack. I can easily carry 4 or 5 of the synthetic Caribou bags with me.

Good luck

 

[Trial153]

This is beating a dead horse. It's like having a debate on toothpaste.

 

[5MilesBack]

This is beating a dead horse. It's like having a debate on toothpaste.

New thread?? Tartar Control Crest of course.