Elk processing on a hillside

[5MilesBack]

I don’t poke the gut.

I’ve seen thousands of animals done the gutless way and a lot of hunters can still botch that up pretty easily. Especially when trying to remove the tenderloins.

Tenderloins are easy. I always skin down the back as well, just much easier and cleaner from my experience. I generally wait until I finish both sides and then "puncture the gut" on the belly. Then it's easy to just reach in behind the last rib, push the guts out of the way, and pull the tenders away from the bone. Cut the front end free and pull them out.

 

[butcherboy]

When I say most hunters mess up taking the tenderloins it’s true. I’ve cut up thousands of elk over the years and very few take the full tenderloin. It seems like a lot of guys cut it short. It runs all the way to the hip socket. Not everyone but a lot bring their elk in from a mature bull and the tenderloins are only about 8”-10” long but they are much longer than that and they are always covered in gut matter. I think most of that is probably just inexperience or they get in too much of a hurry. Skinning down from the back is a good way to do it but for me I’m way faster doing a belly cut and down the legs vs. a dorsal cut.
Everyone has their method and as long as the end result is the same then that’s all that matters.

 

[Mikido]

An emergency blanket works well. I actually use the hide. I never ever skin anything from the back down but always skin from the belly towards the back bone. Stretch that hide out and stake it down. Now you have a clean surface to lay meat on until you bag it and hang it. I always hang everything from a game pole I make or tree branches. Take a quarter off, lay it on the hide and then place in a contractor bag to carry over to my hanging area. Remove bag and repeat. Once it’s hanging and cooled out then I decide if I want to debone it or leave the bone in. If I debone then never ever separate the different muscles. Keep the deboned meat as a whole leg just minus the bone.

How’d that Blackfoot hold up?

 

[butcherboy]

How’d that Blackfoot hold up?

It did really well. I never had to touch it up once. Worth the price? Probably not as I think there are other knives out there that are in the same category and cheaper.

 

[WoodDuck]

Many others have already mentioned that getting the meat hanging in shade quickly is key. Even in warm weather, air flow around the meat will help cool quickly and dry the outer surface. Making a cut through the thick part of the hinds to the bone helps dump heat as well and makes a big difference.

We carry a pair of lightweight straps and a saw to make a hanging pole. Obviously not for everyone as it adds weight, but this system works well for us. Takes ~5 minutes to make the pole.

 

[butcherboy]

View attachment 860273Many others have already mentioned that getting the meat hanging in shade quickly is key. Even in warm weather, air flow around the meat will help cool quickly and dry the outer surface. Making a cut through the thick part of the hinds to the bone helps dump heat as well and makes a big difference.

We carry a pair of lightweight straps and a saw to make a hanging pole. Obviously not for everyone as it adds weight, but this system works well for us. Takes ~5 minutes to make the pole.

I make a pole as well. I carry paracord and use that to tie up my game pole. I used the same pole for my elk in 2024 as I did in 2017. It was still there not far from the spring I was hunting.

 

[roosterdown]

Some excellent knowledge being shared here - thanks to all.

 

[Mikido]

Was barely able to flip a large bull solo. I typically do gutless, skin from spine to belly. Thinking of going opposite and gutting….

 

[Pony Soldier]

I didn't read the whole thread so please excuse me if I'm plowing the same field. I have horses so I'm cutting things up into quarters. I'm usually on steep hillsides so I tie the elk up to the hillside to gut it. That's why I have small bundles of p-chord for anchoring. Then I have a drag rope to take the elk to stable ground.

The saw in my vest allows me to cut meat poles to meet my needs. The block and tackle in my vest helps me hoist the elk to a working height. By placing poles every 4 ft and tying with p-chord you can build a ladder to work off of.

I split the elk into quarters and hang from the top pole. Then I remove the lower poles after I cover the meat with fir bows. Then the birds can't steal it from above and they are too high for the critters to get to them.

When I get back that night or the next morning it takes me about 20 minutes to load out. All the prep to get there takes me about 1.5 hrs and I take my time.

No horses? Once the meat is hanging, it's there waiting for you for each trip.

 

[Marshfly]

Practice makes you faster. It's that simple. And it doesn't have to be elk. Deer or antelope tear down the exact same way. They are just smaller. Put yourself in a position to tear down multiple animals a year and next time you have to do an elk, it will go significantly faster. I know you said you do a lot of deer and such but you should get into the habit of doing the same thing every time.

That and get the quarters off fast and hanging in the shade. Don't worry about popping the joints until you are ready to pack out. Quarters are easier to hang with the lower leg intact and it will just slow down the process of getting them hanging. If you feel it's really hot you can partially debone by slitting to the bone on one side of the femur. Just get more meat exposed to the air but leave the bone in there for support.