Hind Quarter Funk

I'm a bit more selective of where and when I take shots now. Years ago, I shot a cow elk across a canyon before dark. My brothers and I were a lot more enthusiastic then, so we went in with headlamps and got the job done. Not so much now haha.

I passed a nice bull yesterday evening in a steep canyon, just due to the fact I'd need to get down to him, gut, and attempt to quarter before dark. Then try to safely get out of the canyon. Didn't want to risk it, so I was fine with just watching the bull.

Now if I had seen that bull at first light, it would've been a different story.
 
jarodjohns said:
Who said anything about scared of the dark? How the hell would you ticket me when it was shot within legal hunting hours and I went back the next morning to retrieve?
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Only thing that makes sense. Why else would you leave a full intact animal with the hide on overnight? If you don't want to pack out, you can still quarter and hang it in a tree to cool. Not doing any of that and running back to camp makes me think you were scared to be out there.

I'll stand by my comment. Don't shoot them in the evening if you don't want to process them in the dark.

I bet that other hind quarter has some sour around the ball joint. The side that's laying against the ground will always sour faster, neck too.
 
Muddybuddy said:
Only thing that makes sense. Why else would you leave a full intact animal with the hide on overnight? If you don't want to pack out, you can still quarter and hang it in a tree to cool. Not doing any of that and running back to camp makes me think you were scared to be out there.

I'll stand by my comment. Don't shoot them in the evening if you don't want to process them in the dark.

I bet that other hind quarter has some sour around the ball joint. The side that's laying against the ground will always sour faster, neck
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Muddybuddy said:
Only thing that makes sense. Why else would you leave a full intact animal with the hide on overnight? If you don't want to pack out, you can still quarter and hang it in a tree to cool. Not doing any of that and running back to camp makes me think you were scared to be out there.

I'll stand by my comment. Don't shoot them in the evening if you don't want to process them in the dark.

I bet that other hind quarter has some sour around the ball joint. The side that's laying against the ground will always sour faster, neck too.
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Okay.. I was here asking for help and advice and you proved there is always an ******* in the comment section.
 
jarodjohns said:
Thank you for a helpful comment!!
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To supplement what was already said there about hind quarters holding heat..it's to the extent that even if you do quarter it, it can still get bone sour.

You have to cool that down as fast as humanly possible. The manner in which that happens is debatable and also dependent on what season you're hunting and where you are.
 
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Some crazy things being posted here by a guy!! The quarter is probably toast ! Elk spoil from the inside out and it sounds like you lost the quarter it was laying on . My buddy has always said if you have to leave a elk for what ever reason first gut then hide then remove the bone in the rear quarters . Just some branches under the quarter to let air cool will save the meat . The temps will dictate how much time you have before it will turn. This is from lessons learned and a few lost quarters. Things happen and not all animals can be recovered after the shot . It's part of hunting . Some are best to leave and recover in the morning so there not jumped and lost due to not being able to track and find . Again temps will dictate!!! I'd rather loose a quarter that loosea whole animal and sometimes it doesn't matter how good there hit. My last cow elk was hit with a 300wm at under 100 yds right thru the top of the heart . No blood even tho it was a clean pass thru.. shot at prime time and luckily she fell back towards the way she ran and the glow of her eye gave her away . We almost called the search for the night as there was no blood or obvious tracks. I to always have Para cord in my pack just incase I need to hang anything.
 
jarodjohns said:
Appreciate all the input and will know next time. Made several calls to others and they advised against going back up and gutting and quartering and just leave it as it was. Guess I'll check with Muddybuddy next time to see exactly how he would handle the situation.
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From your statement here I read you did not gut it?
I have had more trouble with neck meat, so I always open up to the jaw plus try to get the whole animal on a log or something to get air flow around it.If nothing else cut it in half so you can handle it easier.I read alot of stories about bow hunting where they don't find the animal till the next day.In that case (if it died right away) they are just retrieving horns!
 
20 years ago I shot a big 6x6 on the Gardner mt late hunt 7 miles back in February, 28degrees below zero, gutted him then I blew my knee out ( snow and rocks gave out under me) me and the elk slid down the mountain. Packed him with snow and did the best I could with a dislocated knee 8 hrs out with a makeshift crutch next day borrowed horses and massive amounts of rx pain killers went back in I lost 1/2 the . My wife shot a big cow this year in a August shoulder season late evening, got her out gutted skinned her at home ran a water hose over her while skinning 60 degrees that night didn't lose a bit of meat. Give the guy a break I'm sure he is beating himself up. Lesson learned move on and I bet $ he doesn't do that agin
 
Jarodjohns,
Congratulations on killing and Elk.
And yes some people on here are being a bit harsh to say the least.
I can't tell you how many times we (family and friends) have not been able to retrieve an Elk until the next day for one reason or another. (And NO not all archery killed Elk left over night are wasted as someone comented).
If you look past the egos here there was some good advice. A couple points to keep in mind to cool as quickly as possible. Gut it and at least pull off the hind quarters to open up that hip ball joint. Which it pretty quickly done and is where 90% of the problem starts.

As far as the meat you have now smelling sour. It has to smell pretty darn bad before it will not cook out. I have had a couple that smelled pretty bad in the passed that cooked out and was still edible. I would cut off a steak and cook it up and try it. Eating a small sample will not make you sick.

I hope I get lucky enough to Kill one tonight when I go out this evening to hunt just before dark!!!!
 
Not piling on. Many of the comments are spot on. The real work starts after the shot. A cut up in the dark and a walk out with at least something makes for good stories as well. "Weren't you worried about bears?" No, cuz I was yelling F,,,, !! every 50 steps or so….. no bear or anything else in their right mind would come close. Keeps you warm too 😁
 

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