not here to put any one down but in Montana to let the meat spoil as not legal and caries a punishment similar to poaching . in my opinion if you dont save the meat your no better than someone who shoots an animal and just cuts the antlers off and leaves the rest lay there.Backpack Hunter said:
Responsibility of getting meat out and processed before spoilage...
- Thread starter kikinhorse
- Start date
plan ahead with every thing not just safety,there are other options than an outfitter to get an elk out.every elk hunter knows how much an elk weights and needs to plan ahead,3 to 4 trips per elk.I have helped pack out over 100 elk in my days of hunting,obviosly not all mine.Some have been for compete strangers that needed help and even one an out of stater that shoot one right out from under me.And I know a lot of teens or young adults that would be happy carry a pack for 50 bucks.If the meat is not important to you I have no problem with that,get it out and donate it to someone who needs it.
brett.fowers
New member
- Jan 4, 2013
- 7
Being a responsible and ethical elk hunter first starts with education
Knoweledge on how much one of these animals truely weighs, a small bull can tip the scales at five hundred pounds on the hoof, hence you and your buddies can't drag it to the truck like a deer.
Second know how to butcher and take care of a downed elk in warm weather especially if you are an archery hunter. Next take game sacks with you this will let quarters cool and keeps flies off. Then prepare to work your guts out to get him out. (First rule of killing elk is you can rest when you die)
Not to brag but ive packed 15 elk out on my back with my son and we havent lost one yet because we understand you cant waste one moment,make it quick to bone and pack if you plan on hunting one of the greatest trophies on earth, then plan accirdingly. They are to special to waste.
Knoweledge on how much one of these animals truely weighs, a small bull can tip the scales at five hundred pounds on the hoof, hence you and your buddies can't drag it to the truck like a deer.
Second know how to butcher and take care of a downed elk in warm weather especially if you are an archery hunter. Next take game sacks with you this will let quarters cool and keeps flies off. Then prepare to work your guts out to get him out. (First rule of killing elk is you can rest when you die)
Not to brag but ive packed 15 elk out on my back with my son and we havent lost one yet because we understand you cant waste one moment,make it quick to bone and pack if you plan on hunting one of the greatest trophies on earth, then plan accirdingly. They are to special to waste.
TooFar, the thing is you are already thinking about the scenario and are doing the best you can to plan for it which shows your ethical stance. I don't have a problem with that. it's the fact that these young hunters went in without thinking of that scenario and didn't seem to think about after either. That is where poor ethics comes into this situation.
kikinhorse
New member
- Jan 23, 2013
- 104
This was in Idaho where there are laws against waste. I understand that these were young hunters, but you have to take hunters education and bow hunters education, Both teach you about ethics and waste of game laws. Only one of these hunters was under age and the other two were young adults from what I was told. No excuse in my book, and I sure let the fellow who showed me the pictures know what I thought too.
Backpack Hunter
New member
- Jan 2, 2013
- 364
turbo1967 said:
Yeah, I made a post a couple up regarding quite a few states having wanton waste laws. Obviously, not advocating anyone breaking laws, nor am I advocating the actual practice.
Merely stating that I'm not going to get worked up over what someone else does with their animal after its killed. They have to live with it, and they did pay for the privilege to kill it.
That just sucks! I think its your number one responsibility to get the meat out. I have a friend that I stopped hunting with after he had already shot a bull for the year then shot a 6 point out from under his cousin who had never shot one. He then let the meat go to waste. The whole elk went bad and this was in the dead of winter when the thing should have been frozen solid, but he put it in a heated shed for about two days. I was pretty ticked. Another kid and I havent hunted with him since and that was about 5 years ago. This wasn't the first time this had happened either.
Steven r ward
New member
- Jan 25, 2013
- 2
Everyone wants to shoot a monster bull and going deep into some God forsaken hole to do so is not advised unless you have pack animals already in place. With the past September tempatures reaching into the high 80's you will surley loose your meat. Hunters need to backwards plan prior to going into such places. My partner and look for cool drainages to cool and store the meat between packs, even so we limit are hunting distance.
Kmbingham92
New member
- Dec 30, 2012
- 283
I fully agree that the animal should be taken care of and the meat packed out for those who want to eat the meat. In fact, it is a responsibility of the hunter to do so even if he is not going to eat the meat. If we want to hunt we should do everything we can to get the meat in the hands of those who want it or need it. I will say that I enjoy a good elk roast or steak as much as the next guy but I personally am not out there to fill the freezer. Hunting is not just about feeding our families for many hunters. I am after the antlers and not ashamed to say it. Having said that, I am still responsible to take care of the meat which is why I run the Utah chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. I get the antlers and the amount of meat I will eat without it sitting in the freezer for two years and getting thrown out and the rest goes to the food bank for those less fortunate.
Let me ask, do some of you believe it is wrong for people to hunt with no intent of eating the meat themselves?
Let me ask, do some of you believe it is wrong for people to hunt with no intent of eating the meat themselves?
Garrett Weaver
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 168
I know a lot of guys won't make a hunt mid day in a hole just because they will spoil the elk. They just stay at camp and wait a little bit for an evening hunt. People that go out and come back with a rack and no meat to show for it give ethical hunters a bad name.
I have no problem what so ever with some one who horn hunts.I do my self but in 33 years of hunting a never let any meat go to waist.I even make use of the neck meat,ribs and hart and liver.If it was just about the meat it wouldnt be called a sport it would be called shopping!!!Kmbingham92 said:
Kmbingham92
New member
- Dec 30, 2012
- 283
Chad44 said:
Amen
I had to leave a bull over night without finding him early archery season. Early next morning, I deboned him into small chunks. In a matter of minutes you could feel a noticeable cooling effect. I was only able to pack half the meat out that day. I laid a bed of sticks down with the bags of deboned meat in the shade. Temps hit mid 80s that day. The next morning I packed out the rest without loosing a single piece of meat. I was using the Caribou bags. I'm not sure if they helped with cooling but no bugs got to the meat.
