Great video worth watching before getting an elk (or any animal) on the ground.

[huntnful]

 

[BBob]

To save the rib meat and if you have the time is to pull the meat whole with the rib roll method. There’s a lot of recipes and ideas to cook it as a rolled roast.

This is a sheep but the method works for any game. You can do it gutless too.

 

[Ross]

Very good video on how to handle the process when they lay on a table top, perfectly flat and easily rolled. Just be aware many elk do not die in the perfect position, are not easily moved by one and there are many obstacles in the way. Ie a few trees, jungle brush, a very steep and often muddy slope. Your in for an experience, when it is not a perfect setting, so be prepared to not follow the connect the dot process. You often have to improvise.

 

[Poser]

Very good video on how to handle the process when they lay on a table top, perfectly flat and easily rolled. Just be aware many elk do not die in the perfect position, are not easily moved by one and there are many obstacles in the way. Ie a few trees, jungle brush, a very steep and often muddy slope. Your in for an experience, when it is not a perfect setting, so be prepared to not follow the connect the dot process. You often have to improvise.

I have yet to have an elk end up on a slope angle less than ~38 degrees. I've had 2 entirely jammed up against trees (rolling down a steep grade until a tree stopped them) and at least 3 or 4 that were extremely difficult to get flipped over due to the slope angle and/or jammed up against trees.

I'd love to have an elk down on some flat ground at some point as every single butcher job I have been involved in on an elk has been frustrating, complex and uncomfortable.

 

[180ls1]

Worth watching for a guy with moderate experience? I've shot about 10 elk and helped with a good amount more family/friends.

 

[huntnful]

Worth watching for a guy with moderate experience? I've shot about 10 elk and helped with a good amount more family/friends.

Ehhh probably not. You probably have your method down. Same as I do. But anyone new getting into it, it would certainly help give them some guidelines.

Very good video on how to handle the process when they lay on a table top, perfectly flat and easily rolled. Just be aware many elk do not die in the perfect position, are not easily moved by one and there are many obstacles in the way. Ie a few trees, jungle brush, a very steep and often muddy slope. Your in for an experience, when it is not a perfect setting, so be prepared to not follow the connect the dot process. You often have to improvise.

Hahaha yeah that was a pretty ideal scenario. But just showing the joint cutting and things like can be helpful to someone.

 

[wapitibob]

Worth watching for a guy with moderate experience? I've shot about 10 elk and helped with a good amount more family/friends.

It's a good video and he takes his time to explain why he does things. It's the best I've seen.

 

[MuleyFever]

I have yet to have an elk end up on a slope angle less than ~38 degrees. I've had 2 entirely jammed up against trees (rolling down a steep grade until a tree stopped them) and at least 3 or 4 that were extremely difficult to get flipped over due to the slope angle and/or jammed up against trees.

I'd love to have an elk down on some flat ground at some point as every single butcher job I have been involved in on an elk has been frustrating, complex and uncomfortable.

I have only elk hunted a few times but when I see an elk photo on flat ground I am envious.

 

[Pharmseller]

Elk love flat ground.




Sooooo much easier

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

This is a good video for folks wanting to learn a baseline for sure.

I will say though... That was like watching two monkeys trying to **** a football to get tenderloins out haha. 4 hands and at least 5 cuts scenes for something that takes around 10 seconds per tendy.

I get they are shooting a video here and trying to make it show nice for folks.

 

[HuntHarder]

IYKYK. Once you've done it a couple times it's easy. The first time I show a guy, they are usually amazed it's possible to do gutless.

 

[MuleyFever]

I have always cut the hide down the back. For guys that have tried both do you tend to get less hair all over cutting the hide down the belly? Just from looking at the difference in hair in those areas I am wondering if cutting down the belly may be better for hair management.

 

[RockAndSage]

Thanks for this. Have my first elk hunt coming up, and the mass difference between these animals and deer or antelope really is eye opening.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

That's a great vid. I've done quite a few but always watch to see how others do it. I like Cliff Grey's stuff all around.

I have always cut the hide down the back. For guys that have tried both do you tend to get less hair all over cutting the hide down the belly? Just from looking at the difference in hair in those areas I am wondering if cutting down the belly may be better for hair management.

Way less hair IME. I do all my fur cuts first before doing any skinning so there's no meat exposed. I tried the back method once, never doing that again. I unzip the legs and belly all the way up to the throat. Cape makes a nice ground cloth.

 

[huntnful]

Thanks for this. Have my first elk hunt coming up, and the mass difference between these animals and deer or antelope really is eye opening.

For sure! They can be a lot of work if you get one down in a rough area by yourself. With a buddy is much easier.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I have always cut the hide down the back. For guys that have tried both do you tend to get less hair all over cutting the hide down the belly? Just from looking at the difference in hair in those areas I am wondering if cutting down the belly may be better for hair management.

I cut down the belly but have tried the back before and it just felt weird to me and exposed the cut edge more easily to the ground when rolling it over spine down (not sure if others take off the legs spine up?). I skin back one side past the spine, lay it out like a tarp, take off that meat (gives access to the inside of the leg joints). Roll the carcass onto the hide and skin back the other side and remove that meat. I get the tenderloin and heart last.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I do all my fur cuts first before doing any skinning

Same. I carry a reverse curved blunt tip blade outdoor edge made (makes?) that lets me quickly cut chin to ass and up each leg. You can just drive it up the leg under the hide, jabbing it forward if the skin is tight and it just cut the hide inside out. With the 2.5oz in my pack imho.

It’s the folding zippro

 

[MuleyFever]

I cut down the belly but have tried the back before and it just felt weird to me and exposed the cut edge more easily to the ground when rolling it over spine down (not sure if others take off the legs spine up?). I skin back one side past the spine, lay it out like a tarp, take off that meat (gives access to the inside of the leg joints). Roll the carcass onto the hide and skin back the other side and remove that meat. I get the tenderloin and heart last.

Way less hair IME. I do all my fur cuts first before doing any skinning so there's no meat exposed. I tried the back method once, never doing that again. I unzip the legs and belly all the way up to the throat. Cape makes a nice ground cloth.

Going to have to try this on my cow tag this year.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Going to have to try this on my cow tag this year.

I do all 4 leg animals this way, not just elk.

 

[MuleyFever]

I do all 4 leg animals this way, not just elk.

Just skinned an antelope last weekend and the hair on them is insane. Watching the video got me thinking. When you cut down the back then start working down you are starting the the large muscle groups right after your hide cut that creates all that hair. By starting at the belly you cut the hair at the belly where you don't take much meat from then cut around/ inside the legs where again you don't take much meat from.