Gutless and deboning

[lintond]

Question for you guys that use the gutless method and debone your meat. Do you cut off the quarters then debone them, or do you find it easier to cut the meat off the legs while it's still attached?

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

I take the quarter off then debone. I believe Aron has a video doing it the order way.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I generally find it easier to cut the quarters off then debone. I usually just hang them and then cut, but sometimes the situation dictates doing it all on the body.

 

[manbearpig]

I quarter then de-bone and scrap out the carcass.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I debone as I go until I'm down to nothing.

 

[Matt Cashell]

Quarter, then debone here for backpacking.

If I can walk horses to a bull, I just quarter, and leave the bone in to provide structure in the panniers.

 

[thebugler]

I will only bone them out if it's going to be a pack from hell. The leg bones give the meat some shape and it is easier to lash them to your external pack frame (if that's what you use). Also, I wait until the meat has had a chance to hang and cool in a shady draw or creek bottom before boning them out. I then make strategic cuts to help circulate air to the bone. I have boned the meat and put loosely into the bags and spread it out so as to try and cool all the chunks. If you stack meat tight in bags before its cooled, you risk not having the meat cool quick enough and losing it to spoilage.

 

[Sunspot]

When it is 80-90 out I slash, keep loose until done and run unless the hike is easy.

 

[2rocky]

Quarter, then debone here for backpacking.

If I can walk horses to a bull, I just quarter, and leave the bone in to provide structure in the panniers.

This.

 

[OR Archer]

Quarter and then debone. Easier to move the quarter around when pulling the meat off that way.

 

[Elkohalic]

I will only bone them out if it's going to be a pack from hell. The leg bones give the meat some shape and it is easier to lash them to your external pack frame (if that's what you use).

+1 on Dirk's thoughts. As a last resort do I debone them.

 

[lintond]

If I'm lucky I'll have a bull down about 3-5 miles in with my two legs and DT2 to get the meat out. My plan was to cut the quarters off and hang them then start deboning. Looks like there isn't a clear cut favorite on which is the best. Go figure! Thanks for your guys input!

 

[rodney482]

1/4 then debone.. Then placed in hanging meat bag in the Timberline

 

[gulicemo]

Never shot an elk, but I might go this route when I do shoot one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYfybuL442w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmCPtlwXKZQ

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

Never shot an elk, but I might go this route when I do shoot one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYfybuL442w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmCPtlwXKZQ

This is how I've always done it. Seems like a lot more work to be trying to hang quarters so you can debone them.

 

[Sunspot]

It seems like more finagling to follow separation lines every which way than to simply slice down and work it around the bone in one or two big chunks.

 

[bg33bow]

I carry a screw in tree step. Remove hind quarter skin and all hang on step then skin and debone put in game bag. easier on my back and meat stays clean

 

[doverpack12]

Clean meat is the key to good tasting meat along with proper cooling. If you debone the meat on the animal or on the ground you will get hair and dirt on it. We all know how dirty bulls are during the rut so I hand my quarters after removing them the gutless way and de-bone the meat straight into a game bag cleanest way there is. One note to the method. When there is snow on the ground I leave enough hide on the quarters to sew back around the meat and then drag them out. If its uphill I throw it over my shoulder until I get to where I am going down then drag.

 

[OR Archer]

you can carry a small piece of tyvek or even one of the cheap space blankets to set your quarters on after taking them off the animal. Gives you a clean place to set the meat and debone.

 

[Mark]

Gutless...

Split the hide up the middle of the back, skin one side, spread the out hide fur side down. Remove and bag the backstraps first, then move on to the hind quarter. I de-bone and lay the meat on the hide. I bag the meat as I finish each quarter, hang if there are trees nearby and work the next quarter. Roll the elk over and repeat. After that meat is all bagged and hanging, make a small slit and carve out the loins.

If you're planning to use the hide for a mount, there is still plenty of hide to use to lay a boned out quarter on. Or as mentioned, carry Tyvek or a space blanket to lay the meat on.