Afraid? Worried?

[iccyman001]

We have all the threads talking about all the good stuff. I want to hear the bad stuff.

For the people like me, who this is their first time, you haven\'t been too many times, or even if you are a seasoned vet.
Are you worried about anything on your hunt? Afraid of something?


I will start it off...


Physically and mentally I am ready, I am happy with the spot I am going to, I have 15 days off straight so I can be flexible and make something happen. My biggest worry is after the shot.....

I am use to 100-200lbs animals that I can gut and drag right out to the truck.


Now I will be doing new things I\'ve never dealt with before and depending on the temps, I\'ll be under a time constraint.
I am worried about quartering it, deboning it, and getting it out in a safe time. On top of that I am going alone, so I wont have someone who has done this before be able to show me. It\'s been youtube videos and..... will be luck




Anyways, I got that out. What about you guys?

 

[Swede]

I am always a little apprehensive before a hunt. I have nothing specific, but realize there are many things than can go wrong. Maybe my first concern is if I should take the first reasonably mature elk that comes along.

Iccy: Quartering an elk is much easier than you would probably think. To split the backbone from end to end, take a hatchet or large knife and set the edge on the end of the spine. Pound it in to get a start. If you have a hatchet, as soon as you get the spine opened up a little ways, you can chop down the length to the spine in a coupe on minutes. It just naturally just splits down the middle. You do not have to be a great aim. I prefer to quarter rather than to bone out or go gutless.

 

[mainebrdr]

No worries, but a couple of concerns. will my knees hold out and with a limited time available to scout, will there be elk at plan A or plan B?

Oh to have Swede\'s concern of which one to shoot!

 

[Lark Bunting]

Yes I am nervous. This my second official year but I don\'t really count last year as I found out about OTC tags two weeks before season opener. As someone that didn\'t grow up hunting I am trying to learn everything. My son is 12 and I have to look out for him. I have to hunt as hard as possible but still keep it fun for him. I am nervous I may push too far at times...considering I have a 34\" inseam and he doesn\'t. I can walk faster, step over blow-downs, etc. I will have to slow down a bit...which may be a good thing.

I too am nervous about getting the chance to pack out an animal. I\'ve cleaned fish before, and squirrel and rabbit but nothing bigger. Elk should prove to be interesting. I am nervous that my son may not be of much help packing meat, about bees, about moose, bears, mt lion, badgers, The Boogie Man.

I am very excited but also very nervous I won\'t see an elk.

 

[iccyman001]

Yes I am nervous. This my second official year but I don\'t really count last year as I found out about OTC tags two weeks before season opener. As someone that didn\'t grow up hunting I am trying to learn everything. My son is 12 and I have to look out for him. I have to hunt as hard as possible but still keep it fun for him. I am nervous I may push too far at times...considering I have a 34\" inseam and he doesn\'t. I can walk faster, step over blow-downs, etc. I will have to slow down a bit...which may be a good thing.

I too am nervous about getting the chance to pack out an animal. I\'ve cleaned fish before, and squirrel and rabbit but nothing bigger. Elk should prove to be interesting. I am nervous that my son may not be of much help packing meat, about bees, about moose, bears, mt lion, badgers, The Boogie Man.

I am very excited but also very nervous I won\'t see an elk.

I am sure your son will be great help out there. Even if he can just take the weapons I am sure that will help.
Have you been watching any videos or reading any books on how you plan on cutting/packing it out?

Iccy: Quartering an elk is much easier than you would probably think. To split the backbone from end to end, take a hatchet or large knife and set the edge on the end of the spine. Pound it in to get a start. If you have a hatchet, as soon as you get the spine opened up a little ways, you can chop down the length to the spine in a coupe on minutes. It just naturally just splits down the middle. You do not have to be a great aim. I prefer to quarter rather than to bone out or go gutless.

I will have to look more into this method. I am probably over-thinking it too much, but I just don\'t want to mess up something. I would be absolutely beside myself if I ruined an animal because I was not prepared. I always want to get as much of the animal as I could.

My game plan was to gut it, quarter it with bones in(debone later), get the tenderloins/back straps, and somehow figure out how to get all the rib meat.

So if your plan makes it easier, I will certainly do it until I have some more experience.

 

[Swede]

Iccy: When you cut across the backbone, sever the spine between the forth and fifth rib, counting from the rear of the elk. That will give you fairly even loads and will not mess up your tenderloins. If it is important to save every morsel of meat, then you will need to butcher it yourself. It is my observation that you will save more meat by quartering your elk, than going gutless and butchering more in the field.

 

[F M]

Dan one tip I can give you that I found out the hard way.If you use the guttless try to have the hind end uphill. Two times now I quartered one out with the hind end down hill. First one I didn\'t know any better and once we had no choice. When you cut around the ball of the quarter with the insides pushing down it is very easy to pop the insides. It can be done but by yourself its harder to do.

 

[iccyman001]

Iccy: When you cut across the backbone, sever the spine between the forth and fifth rib, counting from the rear of the elk. That will give you fairly even loads and will not mess up your tenderloins. If it is important to save every morsel of meat, then you will need to butcher it yourself. It is my observation that you will save more meat by quartering your elk, than going gutless and butchering more in the field.

I really like this then, because the less I have to do in the field the better for me. After you quarter it do you throw them in coolers just as a quarter or do you wrap them? If you do put them in coolers, do you skin them first or do that all when you get home as well.
Also, do you treat them at all maybe with citric acid or anything?

I would love to have that thing quartered out thrown in a cooler, and then get it home. Then I can have my buddies come over and show me where to go from there.


Thanks Swede

 

[F M]

Swede I was wondering what you think the weight difference would be for
packing between quartering and guttless.

 

[Swede]

I gut, skin entirely, and quarter in the field. I never put whole quarters in a cooler. I drive about 45-60 minutes and take it to a meat locker. I get all of the hide off asap, to keep things clean and to dissipate the body heat rapidly.
If you need to carry your meat home to butcher it there, and you have a long drive, then I would bone it out, or saw the legs short, either in the field or in camp. I would cut out the backstraps, ribs if you are going to save them, and the hams. Remove the shoulders from the remainder of the body. I would debone them too. You can easily do that with just a sharp knife. Probably even a dull knife will work. This will allow your whole elk to fit in a 150 qt. or larger cooler, and provide room for some ice.
Butchering is pretty easy. I would rather you spend your time worrying about something else, like killing a monster bull.

FM: Going gutless is significantly lighter. I would guess a minimum of 50 pounds total when you include some meat loss. I think that is the best option for long or difficult pack outs. Where I am packing less than a mile, I will carry the extra weight unless it is in a bad hole.

 

[Lark Bunting]

Yes, I have been watching tons of videos and will go gutless method. I also have an app on my phone that let\'s me download youtube videos onto my phone. That way I will have them with me if I get overwhelmed out in the field. I have three different videos that I have downloaded on my phone. Should be helpful.

 

[iccyman001]

I gut, skin entirely, and quarter in the field. I never put whole quarters in a cooler. I drive about 45-60 minutes and take it to a meat locker. I get all of the hide off asap, to keep things clean and to dissipate the body heat rapidly.
If you need to carry your meat home to butcher it there, and you have a long drive, then I would bone it out, or saw the legs short, either in the field or in camp. I would cut out the backstraps, ribs if you are going to save them, and the hams. Remove the shoulders from the remainder of the body. I would debone them too. You can easily do that with just a sharp knife. Probably even a dull knife will work. This will allow your whole elk to fit in a 150 qt. or larger cooler, and provide room for some ice.
Butchering is pretty easy. I would rather you spend your time worrying about something else, like killing a monster bull.
.

I definitely appreciate it. I didn\'t want that to be what stops me either or keeping me worried.
I have a 100 qt and 75 qt cooler, so I should have enough room. I\'ll keep reading around and rereading what you wrote so it\'ll just happen in the field.
Thanks again

Dan one tip I can give you that I found out the hard way.If you use the guttless try to have the hind end uphill. Two times now I quartered one out with the hind end down hill. First one I didn\'t know any better and once we had no choice. When you cut around the ball of the quarter with the insides pushing down it is very easy to pop the insides. It can be done but by yourself its harder to do.

That\'s a great tip! I would hate to learn that the hard way haha. Thanks FM!!!

 

[iccyman001]

Yes, I have been watching tons of videos and will go gutless method. I also have an app on my phone that let\'s me download youtube videos onto my phone. That way I will have them with me if I get overwhelmed out in the field. I have three different videos that I have downloaded on my phone. Should be helpful.

Now that is cool.... I may have to find that app. It will definitely be a good backup if I start getting overwhelmed.

 

[Olympushunt]

If you follow 3 rules to the best of your ability you will find you have a far superior quality meat product in your freezer to enjoy.
1) Avoid tainting your meat with contaminants like guts, urine, bone marrow, spinal fluid and rutting oils in the fur. If you are lucky enough to get a nice bull that\'s been rutting...there will be fur on the belly and around the glands that is oily and awful. When you are hunting and run into that pungent smell....that is what you are smelling! KEEP that away from your meat! I avoid cutting the spine. Peeling the hide away and going gutless method will insure all of that and I don\'t get ANY less meat than any other methods.
2) Get your meat cooled as quick as possible. Bone holds a lot of heat so does the hide. You don\'t have to bone an animal out if you are close enough to pack quarters but if you keep whole quarters get them in a cool place as soon as reasonable. An elk has much bigger bone and surrounding tissue than a deer so getting the bone out will help...a lot. An elk hind quarter is huge and thick!
3) Butcher your animal yourself when you get home. Yes it is a big job but you know exactly what you are getting and you can slow down to do it right. You can be as picky with getting perfect meat packages as you want. Last year I got the best tasting, sweetest meat to date. I followed those rules and it was the best product I\'ve ever had.
As far as my concerns...it is over things I can\'t control. Weather and other hunters.

 

[Eyeeyecaptain]

My biggest worry is always my bull fever. I get it bad!!! I have been working on it/reading up on combating it and the more encounters I have the better I feel. Had a FANTASTIC year last year for that but I never connected. My buddy got his first bow kill and I could have taken shots at cows, but I have one of those with a bow and want my first bull with a bow. Confidence in my shooting I feel is key to success. I finally got my bow tuned in sweet today :dance2: . Been a struggle with my Tomkat to be honest... Got broadheads flying straight and accurate and putting groups within 2\" at 40 yards. Will start working on the 50 and 60 pins this week.

 

[timberland]

Two worries that I\'ve experienced so think about every year. Vehicle trouble and knee issues. The first year hunting I never had any physical issues. The second i did everything the same but by the third day I could hardly walk because my knees hurt so bad. By noon the were better, but they got progressive ly worse. A physical therapist was hunting with us and she said you have muscles around your knees that help hold the ligaments and bones together. It was these muscles that gave me so much grief. So every year I don\'t worry so much about conditioning because I don\'t need to be cam haines where I hunt, but I do try to strengthen my legs, knees and ankles.

 

[Swede]

EyeEyeCaptain, I do not remember welcoming you to the forum, but I am pleased to have you here. Focus on the exact point you want to hit with your arrow. Convince yourself John Fitzgerald is going to punch you right in the nose if you don\'t make the shot. Give yourself something else to think about other than the elk you need to shoot. Concentrate totally on what you are doing after you have determined you want to make the kill. It may help to draw and aim at other big game animals you don\'t care to shoot, just to prepare yourself. Good Luck.

Timberland, my only help for you is to suggest you get a good tree stand and give your knee a break. :lol:

 

[F M]

EyeEye as Swede said welcome to the forum. He also said something else that I will second. When you see those cows you don\'t want to shoot, practice drawing on them this will give you confidence that you can do it.

 

[razorback]

I wonder if my old truck will make it. Hopefully it does and when I get there I hope my knee and hip make it. I hike about 8 miles with my pack on and it usually swells and is a little sore when I finish. By the next day it\'s fine I don\'t do anything for it so surely it can make it a couple of weeks in the mountains. I mean I\'m hiking in Southeast Missouri humidity and not even seeing a WT and I\'m still motivated so surely some Colorado mountains and an elk or two will keep me going! :upthumb:

 

[OldMan]

I\'m always worried about getting shot by some trigger happy Bubba from his truck.