Quartering or deboning

[Huntnfolk]

I've only boned out the meat once, but my buddy and I were 4 miles in.  If I have some help we'll pack or cart quarters out 2-3 miles.  If I'm by myself it will probably be boned out so its less trips. 

 

[basco]

For me it all depends on the weather conditions and how far away I am. Im almost always by myself so I tend to keep my trips to the minimum. So I usually bone everything out and make two trips.

 

[Primitive]

For me it is all about distance.  If I know I am only a little ways to a road or the truck, I will just quater as it is easier to hang that way.  If I am miles from the truck I get my packs as light as I can get them(well heavy, but less trips). 

 

[Muddy bull]

I like to de bone at least the shoulders as the bone to meat ratio is high. In warm weather I will split the hinds open to the femur bone to allow for quicker cooling. We also do all our own butchering so the debone portions are cut in the field just like I would if the whole elk was hanging in the garage. You loose some meat with more cuts exposed, just try to leave the deboned quarters as whole as possible.

 

[rose-n-arrows]

We will leave it on the bone for better hanging, but we have boned it out also.  When we bone it out, we use the gutless method so the cape serves to keep the meat debris free.  We are OCD about ensuring that the meat stays nice and clean.

 

[FerretWYO]

I have always boned. Keeping the meat clean will become more of a challange, though it is easily fixed by carrying a few extra good game bags to lay meat on. 

 

[no limits do what it take]

how do you leave evidence of sex on deboned meat?

 

[planebow]

I leave the evidence attached but wrap it in a plastic bag and tie off. Easy to do with either sex.

 

[Elkoholic]

Depends on how far back in I am. Would prefer to quarter. Easier to hang and let cure and also to clean. If I'm a long ways back in will debone. I would say right around 5-6mi pack out it's going to get deboned.

 

[radmansciteach]

We debone after we get the quarters back to the rig. as people have mentioned it is better packing with the leg bones in, better support. 

 

[COLOelkman]

I prefer keeping the bone on also but I always debone the ribcage after it has cooled.  I only carry one or two game bags  with me so I just hang the quarters by the bone as it's a lot easier then I bring back the other bags on my return trip.  I'm not usually more than a couple hours from the road and usually have someone else to help out.  I'd rather get it back to the vehicle and get it on ice blocks in the coolers as quick as I can if it's warm out.  I've always thought about boning it but by the time I do that I can often get another trip in if I'm not too far back.

 

[idelkslayer]

I prefer to leave the bone in.  This year I weighed the bones after I got the meat off at home, and even on a big cow, the leg bones from each quarter only weighed 6-7 lbs.  To me that extra weight is worth the trouble to help keep the meat in a manageable shape and fairly rigid for packing. 

I would think that deboning and placing in bags would prevent the meat near the center from cooling fast enough.

The best however, is when you're lucky enough to drop your elk on an open logging road and you can get it out whole.