Go in deep!

Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
3,584
Location
Western Iowa
Guide and I broke down my bull in '21 similar to a whitetail. Caped, gutted, front quarters, back straps, tenders, rear quarters. Hauled off the mountain on mules with skin on the quarters.

Before he opened up the belly, he skinned around the long, smelly "piss strip", junk, and pulled the whole thing down and laid it out back. He did make sure to leave the bare minimum attached to one of the rear quarters for EOS.

It got a little sporty for two guys, with sharp knives, on a very steep slope with the bull laying in bear grass. Fortunately it was dry, because that stuff is slick as snot without any moisture.
 
OP
Ucsdryder

Ucsdryder

WKR
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Messages
6,693
Guide and I broke down my bull in '21 similar to a whitetail. Caped, gutted, front quarters, back straps, tenders, rear quarters. Hauled off the mountain on mules with skin on the quarters.

Before he opened up the belly, he skinned around the long, smelly "piss strip", junk, and pulled the whole thing down and laid it out back. He did make sure to leave the bare minimum attached to one of the rear quarters for EOS.

It got a little sporty for two guys, with sharp knives, on a very steep slope with the bull laying in bear grass. Fortunately it was dry, because that stuff is slick as snot without any moisture.
Why did he gut? I haven’t gutted an animal in so long I might not remember how.
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
3,584
Location
Western Iowa
Why did he gut? I haven’t gutted an animal in so long I might not remember how.
Just what he's used to I suppose. I was an even bigger elk newb back then, and after gutting whitetails for 25 years, it was normal to me, just a much bigger pile!

Question for the gutless method- how do you extract the tenders?
 
OP
Ucsdryder

Ucsdryder

WKR
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Messages
6,693
Just what he's used to I suppose. I was an even bigger elk newb back then, and after gutting whitetails for 25 years, it was normal to me, just a much bigger pile!

Question for the gutless method- how do you extract the tenders?
Tenders are easy to get out. I always take them out at the very end. They are right under the short ribs so you can just push the Guts down with one hand while slicing it free and pulling with the other. A few years back, I started opening up about a 1 foot slit in the belly after everything Was removed except the tenders. Letting some of the guts spill out takes a lot of pressure off of the tenders. It just makes the process easier.
 
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
1,292
Location
Texas
Skinned while hanging on the meat pole?


I first do the smelly lymph node things on the ankles before starting to skin, and don't use that blade again.
Then I do my EOS, which for me in CO has been half the scrotum on a strip of skin left on the rear. I do half in case I screw up the first try, then I still have the other half on the other quarter.

Then, I make a small initial incision near the head, then use the havalon gut hook going with the grain to the butt. Next make the cuff cuts around the shanks.

From there I skin down one side, but then find myself wanting/needing to make a cut down each leg to the cuff cuts. Those are cross grain and whether I do them with the guy hook or with a blade and finger under, I always slice hairs that end up everywhere.

I've considered hanging quarters and then skinning.
I've considered making all my hide cuts before skinning.
I've considered a lot of things, and do use some sheeting, but we have been disappointed in our meat cleanliness.
Why are you messing with the tarsal glands if you're quartering it up? They come right off with the rest of the skin.
 

sndmn11

"DADDY"
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
Messages
10,495
Location
Morrison, Colorado
Can’t believe all you guys leave those flank steaks in the woods. She’s picked clean when we walk away.

View attachment 598933
That is the goal. I'd LOVE to get all of that rib meat to try different cooking processes. We have just ended up looking at all the mess we made on it with dirt and hair and whatever else, and then deciding it isn't worth it.
 

sndmn11

"DADDY"
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
Messages
10,495
Location
Morrison, Colorado
Can't say I've had that issue, but that makes sense.
I am not surprised and I cannot genuinely say that it does make sense.

I think that when people are a bit from 100% confidence in things, they tend to add steps that might be unnecessary to try and eliminate angst. We can cut things up and be on the move in under an hour, but I'd be happier to have as pristine meat as possible at an hour and a half, we just need to learn how to get there through trial and evaluation.
 
OP
Ucsdryder

Ucsdryder

WKR
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Messages
6,693
Can’t believe all you guys leave those flank steaks in the woods. She’s picked clean when we walk away.

View attachment 598933
That she had horns!

I don’t mess with the rib meat or neck meat anymore. Take it home and lose half the meat trimming. If it’s super close to the road then maybe, but I don’t pack an extra 20-30 pounds for 10 pounds of finished meat.
 

TSAMP

WKR
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
1,680
That is the goal. I'd LOVE to get all of that rib meat to try different cooking processes. We have just ended up looking at all the mess we made on it with dirt and hair and whatever else, and then deciding it isn't worth it.
I do this and bag it seperate, once I'm done processing my meat I run it last through my grinder and poly bag it for my dog. I usually cook one a week as a topper to his dry food.

Makes me feel better leaving less and he's a big fan.
 
Top