Post hunt etiquette: Splitting/sharing meat

[lif]

First, you’d hope that it was discussed ahead of time. Always makes these things easier. I hunt with my best friend every year. We have a predetermined deal that if he has a good tag that he wants me to go with him to help, I get half the meat. He’s thrilled with the deal. But for you I guess it would depend on whether you asked these guys to come with you to help, or these were just some buddies that wanted to tag along. If you asked them to come help then I think they deserve a gesture for sure. If they just wanted to come with you, I’d say it’s up to you whether you want to give up meat. I can’t imagine asking a friend if I could come hang out with him on a hunt for the experience, and then expect that I’m owed some meat.

 

[gelton]

When I am not solo there are normally 3 of us, my partner and his dad. The dad usually stays around camp and helps with chores etc.

We always split it into 3 portions for elk (Antelope would be a totally different deal I am sure) I normally take home a hind quarter, half a backstrap, a tenderloin and about 1/4 of one of the deboned front shoulders, they split up the rest.

Never have been lucky enough to double up on an elk.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Have the meat talk before.
We split a caribou this year by 3. Basically 20lbs of meat per person. Not a lot. But we also split the gas cost and we all helped process. Last season we split 4 caribou with each hunting party.
I forked out the most gas money and after last season I had a tough conversation with hunting partners. Some didn’t put in for tags and I simply told them they were welcome to hunt but we wouldn’t be hunting caribou together. I also shared the gas costs. One hunting buddy wanted to leave camp and drive caribou to processor each day. In my truck. I just laughed and said not happening. Because I got stuck with that extra $90 gas bill. I like community hunting, but everyone needs to know what that community means.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Our plan this year was each tag holder got back strap and tenderloin plus any organs they wanted from their kill. Rest was ground then split. Unfortunately we only saw one bou and we’re able to harvest it.

 

[rclouse79]

Talk about how you are going to split the meat before you go so your feathers don’t get ruffled when expectation doesn’t meet reality. Even though my bear hunting buddy and I have split the meat in the past I still ask if that is what he wants to do every year. We usually alternate and determine who is up to shoot based on who got one last. Works pretty good.

 

[Russp17]

I'm usually a solo hunter when I have tags in my pockets, but I did a group hunt this weekend with 4 guys where 2 of us were tag holders and 2 were not. I has the only one to fill a tag. It was an antelope so not a ton of meat to go around and I absolutely love antelope. We shared the heart that night and I definitely plan on cooking for the gang at a later date, but I also want to give them some meat too.

If we were splitting the bill at the butcher it'd be an easy answer, but I do all my own processing so I'm wondering: How do you all split up your meat post-hunt?

So depends on type of hunt (sometimes after work type stuff where each of us is going to hunt a bunch more we just keep what we got..... But on my longer more involved hunts up here in Alaska for moose etc. It is common you only to harvest one animal. So my policy is meat gets split 50/50... So this year we went dall sheep hunting, buddy shooter. He got the trophy we split meat 50/50. I then went goat hunting. We both had tags. I got a goat, he didn't. Split meat 50/50.

 

[WCB]

never split meat in my life...apparently I am the only one to hunt with guys that can fill there own freezers? not saying i haven't got so stuff made from an animal and gave it to someone that was on the hunt but unless offered with no option to decline, it would never cross my mind to take part of someone else's animal

 

[ODB]

I don't think anyone who isn't the tag holder should expect to get any meat. I think that if they do, they are out helping their buddy or hunting for the wrong reason. It likely all evens out over time.

Scenario: you have a once-in-a lifetime moose tag. Your hunting partner bags out on you one week until the hunt starts. You call a guy you’ve only known online. He agrees to take time off of work to go. You get a moose in three days.

the guy doesn’t deserve some meat?

discuss.

 

[CorbLand]

let’s say a hunter took 4 days from work to assist a hunter whose other partner ditched him.


Disagree 100%


Scenario: you have a once-in-a lifetime moose tag. Your hunting partner bags out on you one week until the hunt starts. You call a guy you’ve only known online. He agrees to take time off of work to go. You get a moose in three days.

the guy doesn’t deserve some meat?

discuss.

If the agreement was that he would come help in exchange for meat, then yes he deserves it. If that wasn't the agreement, then he cant expect you to give him some.

Doesn't mean you shouldn't give him some but he cant expect it. That's my stance.

 

[280Ackley]

This discussion really shows some people’s true colors. Saying only the tag holder deserves meat is ridiculous. My buddies father in law has joined us in camp 2 out of the last 3 years. We talked this over as a group and decided shooter gets half the rest is split among the group. Did we cut him out when splitting the elk? Heck no! He stayed at base camp had hot meals and a fire ready for us every time we came back to base camp. Seeing everyone responses just shows the need to have these discussions before the hunt starts.

 

[cnelk]

I take my meat. Im the one who killed the animal. I don’t rely on others.

You don’t fill your tag and want meat? Stop by, you can have some of last year’s bounty

 

[Oregon]

Well, I guess I hang out with the wrong people. Never in my life have I asked for meat, nor has anyone ever asked me for meat. Lots of long packs by multiple people.
Guess I hang out with the wrong folks.

I go to camp with a group of buddies that share the same sentiment as myself. You pack meat when needed. Whether you killed or buddy. The best I ever gave out was a Thanks. The best I ever received was a Thanks. Good enough.

The reward is keeping a core group together for 30 years with zero questions needed asked.

 

[cnelk]

^^^^ Bingo - folks should read that about 3 times

 

[Scoot]

Personally I don't think the answer to your question matters, so long as it's decided upon before the hunt.

 

[sndmn11]

let’s say a hunter took 4 days from work to assist a hunter whose other partner ditched him.


Disagree 100%


Scenario: you have a once-in-a lifetime moose tag. Your hunting partner bags out on you one week until the hunt starts. You call a guy you’ve only known online. He agrees to take time off of work to go. You get a moose in three days.

the guy doesn’t deserve some meat?

discuss.

This here is a great answer

If the agreement was that he would come help in exchange for meat, then yes he deserves it. If that wasn't the agreement, then he cant expect you to give him some.

Doesn't mean you shouldn't give him some but he cant expect it. That's my stance.

I help pack meat and spot animals because it is fun. "Expecting" meat is tying a reward to the event. Why turn an awesome time into something that can be soured and sullied by an expectation that wasn't met? Why make the relationship transactional? I expect to have fun when I am there to help, I expect to do what I can to help my friend be successful, and I expect to work really hard when they are successful. That stuff is a lot of fun for me.

One of the recently posted in the photo contest muleys is a buck I spotted first, second, and fourth, videoed the stalk, and packed out 3/4s and some choice meats. The agreement going in was I got the heart to serve at my kid's bday party this weekend. When it was over I was asked if I wanted steaks or grind, and I said nothing because I had a blast and I am certain the roles will flop flip flop a bunch of times in the future. @KickinNDishin and I did an after dark 7 mile moose pack out last year for someone who we met a month prior and helped us out with something (gunsmith), we were the first on scene, that was a heck of a lot of fun and great experience for the two of us. We didn't expect any meat.

If I were the hunter and I incurred 3x the expenses as one of my friends or someone who is out to have a good tie helping, and I don't fill my tag, I wouldn't expect them to hand me some cash to even out the costs.

 

[280Ackley]

Well, I guess I hang out with the wrong people. Never in my life have I asked for meat, nor has anyone ever asked me for meat. Lots of long packs by multiple people.
Guess I hang out with the wrong folks.

I go to camp with a group of buddies that share the same sentiment as myself. You pack meat when needed. Whether you killed or buddy. The best I ever gave out was a Thanks. The best I ever received was a Thanks. Good enough.

The reward is keeping a core group together for 30 years with zero questions needed asked.

^^^^ Bingo - folks should read that about 3 times

I don’t think not sharing your meat has anything to do with having the same core group for 30 years. I think that it has more to do with you all are like minded and understand each other. I would help any of my buddies pack meat out and not expect them share. But our elk group all agreed on a plan like your group did. Just cause those plans are different doesn’t make either group right or wrong.

 

[Oregon]

I don’t think not sharing your meat has anything to do with having the same core group for 30 years. I think that it has more to do with you all are like minded and understand each other. I would help any of my buddies pack meat out and not expect them share. But our elk group all agreed on a plan like yours group did. Just cause those plans are different doesn’t make either group right or wrong.

I never said I was right or wrong. Never did I say only the tag holder deserves the meat.
The dude that started this thread asked a question. I answered how I do things. Plain and simple.
I honestly could care less what anyone else does. I just know what I do.

 

[gelton]

I take my meat. Im the one who killed the animal. I don’t rely on others.

You don’t fill your tag and want meat? Stop by, you can have some of last year’s bounty

When you say you don't rely on others - please expand. Do you only hunt solo?

IMO - there is no other hunting experience that defines teamwork like archery elk. If you called in the elk, stopped the elk for the shot, helped butcher 1/2 (or more) of the elk and pack 1/2 the elk out, then by god you deserve to take home some of that elk.

Now, if the only help was the pack out then I would agree with you. This has always been the rule in our camp and I guess since we are southern boys it's assumed that it would be shared.

 

[280Ackley]

I never said I was right or wrong. Never did I say only the tag holder deserves the meat.
The dude that started this thread asked a question. I answered how I do things. Plain and simple.
I honestly could care less what anyone else does. I just know what I do.

Wasn’t trying to offend you or anything. I was just responding to @cnelk response saying that everyone needs to read your post 3 times.

 

[Treeseat]

Another option is have the dudes over for a lope bbq and a couple of pops.

This is what I would do.