Meat Cache Predator Prevention?

[ManAnimal]

Hi,

Totally new hunter here.

When butchering a large kill in the backcountry(ie: elk), which requires multiple trips with a night in between to pack the meat out, how common are scavenging predators, and is there anything that can be done to prevent predators from getting the meat that is left?

Growing up hiking and camping in bear country in BC, I was taught to just assume that any food left out will attract a bear, so it's surprising to me to see hunters leave bloody game bags hanging in trees at chest-level. I'd appreciate any wisdom or advice the community here has.

Cheers!

 

[5MilesBack]

I have never dealt with grizzlies, but for everything else I've never had an issue. For black bears and yotes it seems that just your scent on the bags and around the area is enough to keep them away for at least a day or two.

 

[rayporter]

pine martens have got several choice chunks of elk off of us. ravens can too.

so far in Colorado no big varmints have raided a cache..

once in alaska we had a pine martin get into the moose and it scared the snot out of me/us.

the noise that sucker made sure kept me awake all night. snuffling, sniffing, huffing and grunting. sounded like a griz crossed with a squatch.

 

[Life_Feeds_On_Life]

I also don't have to deal with grizzlies but if I have to come back I do my best to hang the meat higher than a standing black bear. I guess in your case higher than a grizzly.

 

[Will_m]

Definitely want to hang it if possible and get it away from the rest of the carcass. Usually a good idea to leave it somewhere that’s easy to approach too. A predator and his (formerly your) meat are a bad combo when taken by surprise.

 

[canyonhunter47]

Pee around the area and pepper any exposed meat with black pepper or cayenne. It’s worked in coyote and black bear country but I have no idea about brown bears or grizzlies

 

[ManAnimal]

Thanks for the replies everybody.
That's way more info that I had before!

 

[fishslap]

In Colorado I’ve had no issues with bears or coyotes on the actual meat (quarters) even hung low and not far from the gut pile/butcher site. I do try to move the quarters from the gut pile but sometimes it’s not that far. I have had coyotes get on the gut pile once. The biggest problem I’ve had is martens and birds. There’s nothing you can do about martens and they will eat a softball size chunk overnight, my gift to them I guess. Birds aren’t as bad and you can put some pine bows over it but I don’t bother doing it unless I need the extra shade. They seem to mostly get at it if there’s any small tears/pull areas already in the game bag.

 

[ManAnimal]

Nice photos. Yeah, a lucky marten getting his fill does't bother me too much. I was mainly concerned about a black bear getting into the game bags and tearing everything to shreds, but everyone's answers here have given me a clearer picture of what to expect. Cheers!

 

[drdrop]

I've lost a leg to a grizzly once, luckily it was from an elk I shot, and not my own. I was in the process of moving my game bags to a lone un-burned tree in a burn area. Apart from that single front quarter I ended up with everything else. Hanging quarters in a tree, I'm more concerned about keeping it inaccessible from grizzly bears that can't climb as well as black bears. I figure I can scare away a black bear if I have to.

I bought UDAP's ultralight electric fence this year. I'm using it for my basecamp this year, but curious if anyone has used one of them for keeping bears off with meat on the ground. I figure it might be an option if I get stuck in a hard spot without good hang tree options.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

If you get the meat away from the rest of the carcass usually the gutpile will be more attractive to them.

 

[All American Boy]

Sometimes in sage country there is no place to hang an elk. Move away from gut pile and prop quarters up on a sage bush. Then pee around the site. So far, no problems.