Skin on or skin off when field dressing Elk?

[ScreamingPotato]

I've thought about it for time savings on quick deer hunts, started to try it once but I can just do the whole thing so much cleaner pulling the skin first and using game bags.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

I have never quartered with hide on. I actually use the underside of the hide as a clean place to set meat before it goes into bags.

Interesting use of the space blanket @180ls1. That's a cheap lightweight clean surface, good idea.

 

[bmart2622]

I tried the space blanket before, if its cold the meat sticks to the blanket and tears when you move the meat.

 

[180ls1]

Yeah, its not perfect but I've found its a little easier to keep things clean.

I also tie/attach it to the rack for the pack out for added safety.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Depends on the situation. If for some reason the carcass can be dragged easily, I’d traditionally gut and get it where it needs to go. However, most of the time (95%) I go gutless and remove the hide. Cooler meat equals tasty meat. Less hair in the meat, less weight on the pack out.

 

[Indian Summer]

If you have the kahunas, leave the hide on. It is the best game bag on earth. And once the meat does cool down, it will stay cooler because the hide is also the best insulation on the market. It really is worth packing.

My hides don’t come off until the quarters are hanging from a tree in base camp. I pull the hides while they are hanging and get them onto the tailgate of the truck on a clean tarp. Take the time to pick every single piece of dirt grass or hair off of them. Only then do they go into synthetic game bags. I get the maximum amount of meat as well as the cleanest meat possible this way. After all we put into it, isn’t that the goal?

 

[cnelk]

A couple strips of the space blanket tied on a nearby branch also works to deter critters from the quarters if you have to leave some meat.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Hide always comes off immediately. Its hot and dirty…

The other thing that comes off are the lower legs. I never understand why guys leave them on, a bunch of unnecessary weight.

 

[KsRancher]

Hide always comes off immediately. Its hot and dirty…

The other thing that comes off are the lower legs. I never understand why guys leave them on, a bunch of unnecessary weight.

Don't even get me started on this. We packed those darn things out so my brothers woman could save them for the dogs.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Don't even get me started on this. We packed those darn things out so my brothers woman could save them for the dogs.

At least there was a reason behind it. My dog loves elk bones when I’m done butchering.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Don't even get me started on this. We packed those darn things out so my brothers woman could save them for the dogs.

Lol I give all the deer shins to my dogs and they love them, but I'm not packing elk shins out miles for that!

 

[KsRancher]

Lol I give all the deer shins to my dogs and they love them, but I'm not packing elk shins out miles for that!

Worse than packing it out was smelling that stinky thing in my porch. She gave one to my dog, dad's dog and her and my brothers 2 dogs got one. I kept throwing it out in the pasture and the dog would drag it back up every day.

 

[cnelk]

Don’t your dogs get the shits after chewing on fresh elk legs?

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Don’t your dogs get the shits after chewing on fresh elk legs?

My old dog is 11.5 years and has eaten all sorts of scraps intentionally and not, ate half a rotten stingray in the beach once and I fed her raw chicken quarters and beef kidney just ten mins ago. Up til about a year ago she'll whipe out a deer leg skin bone and all in about ten minutes, now it's taking her about a day. I can count on one hand how many times she's had the shits in her life.

 

[Taudisio]

Hide off, everything, always.
As for the dog bones…

He has to be tied up while I am cutting meat, otherwise he will just watch and drool. Only reason I have taken the lower legs home (we had enough help that I didn’t mind the extra weight the last trip).

 

[KsRancher]

Our dog gets his 2 scoops of dry food everyday. Sometimes he eat it all and sometimes he doesn't. If he can catch a rabbit, snake, rat or anything like that he will kill it and eat it. He is the nicest dog we have ever had. But he is a nasty ol thing. Reminds he of Hank in the Hank the cow dog books. Rolls in anything dead or a fresh pile of cow crap is his favorite. I think his guts are conditioned for anything

 

[cb2176]

Hide off immediately and into game bags.

 

[Jblodgett]

Absolutely take the hide off and get the air circulation to cool and dry the meat.

 

[butcherboy]

Hide off. I use the elk skin to lay a quarter on then place into a contractor bag. Carry it over my shoulder to tie up on the game pole. Contractor bag comes off then back for the next quarter. When it’s all hung up then I put on game bags. Most of the time I will use the same contractor bag to put the backstraps, tenderloins, and rib meat in and pack that out first. Take out of the contractor bag and then go back for the next piece. I leave the lower legs on for hanging purposes only and they are taken off when the pack out starts.

 

[SonnyDay]

Hide off and bones out ASAP to get the meat cooling. "Gamey" meat is 95% inadequate cooling.