Field care of antelope

[tteel]

Just curious how everybody addresses field care of antelope meat. I have heard the meat is some of the best wild game in North America, but it was also referenced to land carp in a podcast. I am assuming poor field care equals poor meat. I already plan on wearing nitrile gloves and using two knives for field dressing and meat processing. I am not sure if I am going to quarter or use a wheeled cart to remove the animal from the field. Do most people debone and into a cooler or use a local commercial processor. We are hunting the Newcastle area. Does anyone have any tips on areas to avoid or dealing with scent glands? I know I am still a week out from the trip but the weather looks like it will be high 60 low in 40s.

 

[Redarrow]

We quarter them and get them cooled down asap. They’re delicious if taken care of properly

 

[Ownthewest]

It is amazing meat when taken care of properly. I've had good luck doing it both ways. If your planning on using a processor, field dress asap and throw a couple of bags of ice in the chest and abdominal cavity. Good luck on your hunt.

 

[silverbullet555]

Last time I quartered them out. This time I plan on gutting, removing hide, hooves and head and putting into cooler. I'm hunting does so they are a bit smaller.

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[CBar]

I hunt does as well, quick field dress and brought whole back to the truck. Then boned out to speed cooling and into game bags above frozen water jugs. Be careful to remove as much fur from the meat as possible before cooling. It takes two people less than 30' to bone out a goat I'd recommend it even if you'e bringing it to a processor.

 

[wilydawg]

Since I'm usually always near the truck and it's usually quite warm that time of year, I take coolers with ice, tarps, water, game bags etc. into the field with me. After the kill, we'll take some quick pics and then get to processing. Get the animal skinned and quartered, cleaned up and on ice ASAP. Then you can decide what to do after that...

 

[desertcj]

With weather 60-40 degrees like your talking about, you'll be in good shape. I just quarter them and then put the quarters into games bags and then contractor garbage bags and then into the cooler. I imagine that anything killed in 80 degree weather and then thrown into the bed of a truck and driven around in the sun for several hours is going to have some dining issues...lol.

 

[AaronMColeman]

I gut and skin in the field to get them cool. If the truck is nearby (which it usually is), we'll just carry it out. If the truck is a ways off I'll quarter in the field...takes less than 30 min even if you're no good at it like me. Since the main meat on the quarters is so much smaller than an elk, it'll cool well even if all you do is gut and skin. Then we hang it for a night in the barn/garage as long as it's 40 or below at night. Next day, quarter and debone. I let it sit in the refrigerator like that for a couple days before butchering. But, honestly, it's no different than most other big game...in fact it's easier and you can get the meat cooling fast by gutting and skinning since it's a much smaller animal.

 

[Gumbo]

I don't think there is any difference in handling speedgoat meat vs other game meat. A lot of it depends on the temperature and direct sunlight. Getting it cooled as quickly as possible of course, but don't let it ride around exposed to the sun, heat, and/or dust. I also think antelope that have been run/chased/wounded are more gamey, but this is only anecdotal. I love goat meat BTW, it is my favorite wild game. I have shot a couple dozen of them and love 'em, even those I've shot at 90*!

 

[bmf0713]

We've always does the gutless method and got the bone in quarters on ice ASAP. De-bone and vacuum seal in the hotel room and they are delicious.

 

[Bearguide]

I usally bone it out at the site and then pack it out. get it cooled fast

 

[Jimss]

Most of the rifle antelope hunts in Wyo are during the rut. No matter your preference for field care it's important to get the rutty, stinky hide off the antelope and get him cooled off ASAP. I always do gutless and get the parts in a freezer with ice as soon as possible.

 

[wytx]

Gutless in the field , or get it whole back to the truck for quartering after gutting.
You will be amazed what happens when you quarter them out and simply put the quarters on a sage bush in the shade of your truck. There is always a breeze in Wyoming and laying those quarters on a bush for a few minutes in the shade will cool them dramatically, cool to the touch almost. Then you can put them in the cooler without melting all your ice.
Freeze some jugs of water and get some dry ice when you get here to keep them frozen til needed. You can get dry ice almost any grocery store in Wyoming, don't put the dry ice on your meat though.

Interesting time of the year to bring this thread back up.

 

[String&stick]

I've also found it is important, possibly more than the average animal, to keep the meat free of hair.

Most people do this anyway, but a little hair on the meat from a rutting buck and add some funk if your not careful.

Like others, distance to the truck dictates quartering or not. But we have a stop and skin policy. If somebody shoots one, it doesn't matter if we can see another group 1/2 mile off. We get that one skinned and on ice, or quarter, skinned and on ice, before anybody goes chasing another goat.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I have done them every which way and quartering in the field is my preference. The frozen jugs is what I do, too. You don't want the meat to get wet.

 

[Cedarsavage]

I carried a pack with old pillow cases and a gutting knife and filet knife. Deboned it on the spot with the filet and put it in my cooler a couple hours later. I’ve been happy with the quality. I did the gutless on my whitetail which is how I’ll be doing all my stuff now

 

[Mt Al]

I usually quarter in the field, backpack it to the truck and into a cooler with ice contained in commercial garbage bags to keep water off the meat. I've struggeld with keeping the quarters clean through the process and into the game bag, sometimes getting dirt and grass on the meat. One thing I'll be bringing from now on is a plastic sheet to keep grass and dirt off the quarters.

Antelope meat is YUMMY!

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Nothing to really add.

Few pics with the animal, gutless method, then walk straight to the truck and put on ice. When driving home, I stop every hour, and flip the meat so it gets cooled on both sides. I use blocks of ice.

Never really worried about scent glands. IMO overrated. Scent is not going to penetrate through the fascia and spoil all your meat. They do get removed in the field simply because no hide goes in my game bags. I want the meat cooled ASAP.

Never had a bad antelope. GREAT meat IMO. I've always had mine on ice within an hour and cooled down pretty quick.

 

[lif]

Since I'm usually always near the truck and it's usually quite warm that time of year, I take coolers with ice, tarps, water, game bags etc. into the field with me. After the kill, we'll take some quick pics and then get to processing. Get the animal skinned and quartered, cleaned up and on ice ASAP. Then you can decide what to do after that...

Exactly how I would describe what I have done. Meat is great. Get the hide off and cooled. Promptly.

 

[pbauer]

This is good information, I’m in the early stages of planning our 1st antelope hunt.