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When the quarry is down, the real work begins

By Ken Adams, Western Wasatch Contributor - | Aug 24, 2020
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This beautiful blackpowder buck was quickly field dressed, cooled and hung. It made for excellent fare ranging from steaks to jerky.

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This opening morning bull was quartered and cooled within two hours of the shot. Big animals like elk and moose should be quartered and cooled to obtain best results unless you have a meat processor that will accept the entire carcass shortly after the kill. 

It took my brother Chet and me thirteen years to harvest our first Wapiti. Back in those days in the area we hunted, you were more likely to come across a camel than a bull elk!

We spotted a small herd with a satellite bull mid-morning. We moved swiftly to get into position. Our hearts were pumping as we each took a different ridge to get close enough for a shot. I soon learned that elk are a lot bigger than deer! My Remington 243 was not a very good match for the big bodied animal. Fortunately, I was able to place a shot in the neck and the animal tumbled to the ground.

When I walked upon the downed bull, the first thought through my mind was how do you field dress an animal the size of a horse? Luckily there was enough daylight left to clean the animal and open him up for cooling. A winter storm was forecast for the next morning.

Our aging father had gone with us and stayed by the truck. He lit a fire and it guided us back to him and the vehicle. On the long drive out, we planned our strategy for the next day. We would bring back our other brother and two of our brothers-in-law to help bone and back out the meat.

In the crisp silence of the next dawning day the troop was on the march to the carcass. In short order the animal was boned out and the meat placed in backpacks for the descent back to the truck. It was a proud day for the clan and we were excited to share our adventure with other members of the family.

Luckily for us, the temperatures both days were cool enough to preserve the meat from the heat of the sun and flesh consuming bacteria. Two of the greatest enemies to the taste and quality of game meat are improper field dressing and not assuring the carcass can cool.

Big game hunting in Utah is extremely popular. This year because of Covid-19, General Bull Elk tags were sold online only. Within days if not hours of the site opening, all tags including all rifle, muzzleloader, and multiseason for both spike and any bull were sold out! Deer tags are acquired through the draw system and most of the tags are gone as well.

Weather conditions this year can be described in one word: Hot!!! If you are taking to the field in pursuit of a big game animal you’d better be prepared to act quickly once the animal is down. Bacteria grow most rapidly in temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit according to several university and wildlife sites including the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The IDFG recommends the following:

Skin it now: Remove the hide of a harvested animal as quickly as possible so it will begin to cool down. A deer or antelope can hang and cool as a whole carcass in air 40 degrees or cooler, but elk and moose should always be quartered. Even with the hide off, the larger body mass takes a long time to cool and meat can spoil in a matter of hours if the heat cannot escape.

Meat can spoil overnight: When an animal is harvested in the evening, it still needs to be found, cleaned and processed as quickly as possible. Keep in mind that the ground is a great insulator. The elevated part of the carcass might cool slightly, but the bottom-side will retain heat and sometimes spoil if left overnight.

Have ice available: If you’re making a relatively short trip from the field to home or field to camp, fill the body cavity of an unskinned antelope or deer with ice bags to help cool it. But beware, body heat can remain in the thickest parts of the animal, such as the hindquarters, and stuffing with ice is only a temporary measure. You should not rely on ice in the body cavity to cool larger animals like elk and moose.

Don’t hang meat if it’s too hot: It’s safer to skin and quarter it and put the meat on ice. A large cooler will hold most or all of a deer that’s been quartered, or an elk that has been cut into smaller pieces. Remember to leave evidence of sex and species, as per rules found on page 102 of the big game rules booklet.

Find a meat processor: Know where the nearest meat processing facilities are located and know their hours of operation. Remember space may be limited in those facilities, so it never hurts to make a phone call before you go hunting.

Pack ice blocks: Bring an extra cooler and pack tightly with extra blocks of ice. Block ice stored in a quality cooler that’s left closed will last for days and be available when you need it in the field. Block ice last longer than crushed, and water should be drained from the cooler to maintain the ice longer.

Protect the meat from insects: In temperatures below 40 degrees, flies are rarely a problem, but in higher temperatures, flies are your enemy. Game bags are essential to keep meat free of flies and clean as well. In warm weather, always bag skinned meat immediately. It is far easier to keep meat clean than it is to remove fly eggs, hair, dirt, grass, and pine needles later.

Use water carefully: There are conflicting views about washing down a big game animal with water after it is skinned. Most professional meat processors agree that using clean, cold water to remove animal hair and dirt is a good practice as long as the carcass air dries quickly so that the water does not encourage bacterial growth. A cold water spray can also hasten the cooling process.

Good luck this hunting season and go prepared to care for your trophy once it is down. You’ll appreciate your planning and hard work once those delicious steaks are off the grill and on your plate.

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