Game Bags vs Garbage Bags

[HoosierHunter07]

I've always hunted smaller private properties where it was easy to get a deer out, but next year I'll be on a large track of public with some very steep slopes. Quartering will likely be the easiest option. What's the pros and cons of game bags? I expect to have the meat in a cooler just a few hours after quartering. Is there any reason a black contractor type garbage bag wouldn't be sufficient?

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

They breath and let the meat cool and start to dry, they are a layer between the dirt/leaves and meat if set down. Even the period of time loading meat into it while you continue quartering and then clean up is gonna cool and drain blood off more than just dropping meat into a plastic bag. Plastic holds heat in and also those bags aren't food grade and could have god knows what residual chemicals. Get some low cost game bags (you don't have to spend $10+ each) imho. Even a good will pillow case would be a start.

 

[HoosierHunter07]

They breath and let the meat cool and start to dry, they are a layer between the dirt/leaves and meat if set down. Even the period of time loading meat into it while you continue quartering and then clean up is gonna cool and drain blood off more than just dropping meat into a plastic bag. Plastic holds heat in and also those bags aren't food grade and could have god knows what residual chemicals. Get some low cost game bags (you don't have to spend $10+ each) imho. Even a good will pillow case would be a start.

This is pretty much right in line with what I was thinking. I think it applies more to guys out west in the back country, but it will still be best practice for my situation as well.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Marshfly]

This is pretty much right in line with what I was thinking. I think it applies more to guys out west in the back country, but it will still be best practice for my situation as well.

Thanks for the feedback.

The time it takes to finish tearing down the animal and walk to the truck, even just a few hundred yards, will get a decent crust forming on quarters in good bags. Especially if you can hang them in the shade. It happens faster than people realize. That can't happen in plastic.

 

[yfarm]

Use game bags in South Texas, meat is cleaner, cools faster and processors are happy with the cleanliness. Act like they have never seen them used. Shot a Nilgai Friday at 8:30, was quartered in bags in the cooler on dry ice in the truck by 9:30.

 

[BadEarth]

I have game bags that I use occasionally use but I use contractor bags more. No hassle of washing or cleaning and my pack stays cleaner because game bags will leak blood. When I’m not far from the truck the quarters are in a cooler with an hour or two. And even on pack in hunts I use it to get to my spike camp, hang the meat with nothing on and then it get a nice dried crust and back in contractor bags for the hike out.

 

[GunsAreFun]

The Allen games bags are very cheap and work fine. A couple years ago, I had a deer hanging in those bags and was going for another deer the next day so I went to Walmart and bought a set of white cotton pillow cases, washed them with baking soda, and packed a deer out with them the next day.

 

[butcherboy]

Exactly BadEarth.

I always hang quarters first with nothing on them to get a crust. Place in plastic bags for the pack out then hang again at camp. Going back to the truck I will pull them out of the plastic and into a cooler. I have even hung elk quarters in canvas game bags in the shade for about 5 days in September. Never a problem once they are cooled and kept in the shade. The plastic bags will keep your pack really clean and the meat super clean. Just don’t put hot meat into a plastic bag.

 

[EdP]

I agree with the folks that say game bags but sometimes would also want to carry out in plastic to keep blood off my pack. Best to let the meat have some cooling time then pop in plastic, game bag and all. Also, I want the meat in plastic in the cooler to keep it dry. You can buy food safe bags here: https://www.uline.com/Grp_3/Flat-Poly-Bags

A lot of garbage bags and some large trash bags are treated with anti-bacterial chemicals and/or scents. Not stuff you want to be eating IMO.

 

[elkguide]

Make sure that your plastic bags are not "scented" in any way. Twice I've watched a guy come to the processors and take out their meat and have the processor tell them that their elk was going to taste like the scent of the bag. One of the guys told the processor to cut it anyways as he was sure that it would be fine. I talked with him a few months later and he admitted that his dogs ate very well for a while.

 

[Steve from GA]

Cool in game bags and then put in plastic bags to keep water off for the ride in the cooler. Personally, I wouldn't use contractor bags unless I had to. I use clear plastic food grade poly bags.

 

[highcountrymuley]

Packs are supposed to have blood stains

 

[N2TRKYS]

I don’t use game bags unless I’m hanging meat. I’ve packed several animals out locally and out West using trash bags with no issues. I’ll continue to do it that way.

 

[Elkangle]

There are times it would be fine and other times it won't be fine, on average your better to rely on game bags and bring a pack liner

If your air drying your meat full exposed, it needs to be cold enough to eliminate flies...unless you enjoy the addition protein of fly larvae

Contractor bags are also heavy and don't have loops for tie offs, they also don't breath and are not overly durable

Just some thoughts

 

[Rustynail]

Go spend $100 on a good set of game bags. Could get a little less. If your road hunting just drag it. If your back country and got a frame pack. Quarter it up

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[butcherboy]

I use clear plastic bags. Never put hot meat into a plastic bag. Let it cool first whether it’s air dried or in a game bag. I’ve never had a problem with flies leaving them out of bags. Flies will hatch in moist crevasses and where it’s hot. Not out in the open air and on dried meat.

 

[fshaw]

Contractor bag to keep my pack clean. Game bags to hang meat.

 

[WCB]

For your situation just use some old pillow cases. throw quarters in pillow cases as you cut up animal...keep in shade. Use a contractor bag to keep blood out of the inside of your pack if you want or off the load shelf if you have a pack that utilizes one.

I personally use the cheap Alaska game bags. As long as you don't have a sharp bone cut them I have used a set for a couple years no issues. To clean I just soak them in cold water for a couple hours then throw them in the wash machine with some bleach. Look brand new. When using a pack that the meat goes into I throw a contractor bag in to line the bag. This way if you don't have a cool or ice in a cooler when you get back you can simple put the quarters in game bags into the cooler or just throw them in the back of the truck and they will continue to cool and dry out (which is a good thing). Also, if you don't want to deal with them right when you get home and conditions are right just hang them.

 

[Mash]

It’s always a race here in Az to get meat to the cooler even days in Nov and Dec. If it’s a pack it off the mountain situation, I always use game bags to packs the qtrs and everything else out. A little blood on my pack or in it is not the end of world and can be soaked in a cold tub of water and washed out. Plastic bags can make a good barrier between the ice and the meat but not to pack it out in. It won’t cool of fast enough here. YMMV on using them in colder climates. Most of the time we leave ice in bags and just lay the meat on top of them and it keeps fine. Just leave the drain open on the ice chest keep the water levels from reaching the meat.