Go in deep!

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

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.

 

[Ucsdryder]

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.

 

[sndmn11]

What smelly lymph nodes? Do you mean gland mid way up back leg?

Yes the black belly button inside the ankle

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

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?

 

[ID_Matt]

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

I do it last. Lay the carcass on it's belly, facing downhill if possible so the guts settle towards the bottom. Go in with a knife right behind the last short rib and basically tease them out. Sometimes you can get them out with using the knife much.

 

[Ucsdryder]

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.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

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.

 

[Afhunter1]

Can’t believe all you guys leave those flank steaks in the woods. She’s picked clean when we walk away.

 

[sndmn11]

Why are you messing with the tarsal glands if you're quartering it up? They come right off with the rest of the skin.

Inevitably they get grabbed by either of us without noticing and then that transfers onto whatever else is touched afterwards.

 

[sndmn11]

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.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Inevitably they get grabbed by either of us without noticing and then that transfers onto whatever else is touched afterwards.

Can't say I've had that issue, but that makes sense.

 

[sndmn11]

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.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Inevitably they get grabbed by either of us without noticing and then that transfers onto whatever else is touched afterwards.

Hard rutting whitetails can get super funky as well

 

[Jstumbaugh]

Hard rutting whitetails can get super funky as well

We gut our whitetails in the field and I always end up getting it on my pantleg when slitting up the belly

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

We gut our whitetails in the field and I always end up getting it on my pantleg when slitting up the belly

LOL, yeah, it's kinda like fishing for cats with stink bait. You always get some on you.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Yes the black belly button inside the ankle

Ankle?! Cut it off at the knees and move on. Coyotes need a chew toy. Everything time I see some YouTube goober with a whole leg and hood sticking out of his pack I just shake my head.

 

[Ucsdryder]

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.

 

[sndmn11]

Ankle?! Cut it off at the knees and move on. Coyotes need a chew toy. Everything time I see some YouTube goober with a whole leg and hood sticking out of his pack I just shake my head.

That's the ankle you yahoo.

 

[TSAMP]

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.

 

[David-D]

Am I just a little puss?

Haha. No, Not all elk hunting should be that hard. But, if that is where they are, you have to go where they are to kill one.