done MANY both ways, no difference in finished meat quality BUT WAY CLEANER when hide is left on
can be but isn't always. that's where game bags come in.
GREAT picture !Its the small details that seem to escape the big picture in these threads.
Handling elk quarters and getting them into game bags by yourself or even with a buddy is a PITA. And its easy to get the meat dirty
First roll down the game bag like a condom, lay on ground with opening up.
Then get the elk quarter that you've put somewhere [ layed on a log, hang in tree, or taken directly from the elk, etc] a place the large part on the elk meat condom, with leg up, hug the quarter and roll up the meat condom around the quarter and tie off.
Or have your buddy hold the condom and you grab the quarter and lift and hold it there while roll buddy rolls up the bag while you stand there holding the elk quarter off the ground - Telling your buddy to hurry the hell up.
Now what are you going to do with it? Lay it back on a log or hang it in a tree? Put it in your pack?
If in grizz country, you're lugging it away from the carcass.
Do this 4-5 times.
Thats why I dont mind keep some hide and bone on elk quarters. You're handling them A LOT
Remember - this is AFTER you've hunted all morning/day - AFTER youve shot and waited a certain amount of time - AFTER you completed your blood trail...... and on and on.
In the pic below, you can see the game bags in the background, and we have another one ready laying right on the elk. And my son is holding the backstrap from touching the ground while I am cutting it out
Good luck to all this fall
I've packed elk meat from so many different spots ("I" = WE about 1/2 the times) I can't imagine packing a HIND QUARTER with no bone in it, fronts YA, of course BS and freed meat but those hinds NEED the structure for packing - as far as "clean" goes it depends where you might be … sometimes you lose control of what is happening to your meat - packed into Snake R unit by an outfitter (drop camps), routine was get the meat to "the top" where the packer would fetch with mules & take back to base camp WITHOUT us so you'd lose control of how the meat was stored (sometimes not the best if outfitter was really busy but never ever had spoiled or fouled meat), once in a while you'd kill one at or close to the top, most of the time "bottom" or other side was the rule - In the "old" days I've packed hinds out like "Ali Oop" (no fun at all), then came the external frame packs (still no fun but a little less painfull), that ad nauseum mentioned ebay meat pack took the pain completely away, sure we "trained" most all year long for it (and general health and our firefighting duties too I might add)- without hind bones ?, FORGET IT ! (20+ seasons in "the Snake")
I debone all the meat, no sense hauling extra weight around. Its different every time but usually 2 or 3. Dont do that 80lb thing man, you're gonna **** yourself up lol. People over prepare for Idaho like its cag selection and then injure themselves training. I'm fortunate enough to be able to train in the idaho mountains several days a week year round and I can tell you from experience that kind of weight is not useful. Best of luck this year
Bone that sucker out and you can do it in 2 or 3 if you are in great shape.
whatever …..
"priceless" ? having somebody else do the work for you ? why not just go golfing ?
