Hind Quarter Funk

[Frank in the Laurels]

..I'm had this explained to me by the butcher who possesses most of the PA elk...he said in warm weather, anything above 40 degrees you must get the hide off as fast as possible..the hide does not let it cool off fast enough and will be ruined, must be really insulated..here's some pics he shows that occurred quickly because the hide was not removed..

 

[Hardshot]

They were not, we didn't want to try and pack it out in the dark. It took 8 hours in the daylight with 3 of us the next morning. Just hate the thought of losing a whole quarter. Especially when it didn't smell at all when packing out

Wash it down with a little vinegar and water . Cut away anything that looks off

 

[skipglo]

Really? If you're scared of the dark, then don't shoot one right before last light. Irresponsible and if I were a warden I'd give you a ticket in a heartbeat.

WOW....Officer Muddyboots...be gentle...you got a sore tooth...or just a sore back brother? But... you're right!

 

[skipglo]

Leaving the hide on the animal can't cool! Meat rots against the bone first. You have to get the hide off as soon as possible. How soon is soon...2-3 hours max

 

[Treeslug]

Leaving the hide on the animal can't cool! Meat rots against the bone first. You have to get the hide off as soon as possible. How soon is soon...2-3 hours max

Everyone should take you hunting them! They could learn how to skin and quarter an elk in less than half an hour. I know, I've seen you do it! Here is to hoping you got an elk to keep you in practice!

 

[sp6x6]

This a few years back, evening.I chunked it up to get air to it, solo.Was getting down to zero.Hiked out many miles in dark.Got next day with my son

 

[sp6x6]

Done this about 100 times

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Decomposition starts when the animal dies. Cooling the meat is paramount to slow the decomposition process. That means hide removal and butchering ASAP.

 

[Muddyboots]

WOW....Officer Muddyboots...be gentle...you got a sore tooth...or just a sore back brother? But... you're right!

Skippy, Skippy, Skippy! Did you leave your glasses in the john? You are having a wonderful conversation with Muddybuddy..... not Muddyboots! I truly enjoyed our phone call tonight when you realized the error of your ways. I couldn't stop laughing! Only us older than dirt will get this....

So are you now skipmagloo?

 

[Quicksilver338]

Not an elk, but those hides are no joke. I shot my deer last year in the snow in the morning. Was under a tree laying on snow all day in the shade as we went to retrieve my buddies deer down a drainage. We opened the hide up as much as we could, deer laying on its stomach and exposed the back and quarters and much as possible. Got to it after dark to finish the job and wouldn't you know it one of the quarters that was touching the ground had a slight funk to it. This was right on the bone and not bad. I would imagine an elk would take 3 times as long to cool down.

Best tool is your nose. When I process them back at home I sniff the areas well. Find where it doesn't smell and that's your line for good meat. I rarely lose much, but it is a reality and sometimes it's from flat out being lazy.

 

[1wildcatfan]

Was told a long time ago by an old timer to 1) skin 2) always cut/separate the backstrap along the spinal cord as it holds a lot of heat and 3) to remove the trachea for the same reason.

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

If a person got to lookin at older elk hunting books and talkin to outfitters and such you can see and hear tons of examples of ways to take care of ur meat. Some always do as sp6x6 and quarter hide on, a lot of packers do this to haul quarters true quarters with hide on to keep horse sweat off the meat, get to camp n hang in the shade.


The time isnt always as critical, thousands have been hauled home in pickups every year with hide on and then taken care of there. Lotsa pics of folks horseback draggin elk to camp with a lariat. All that meat didnt spoil.
It really is a "it depends" kinda deal.

Here elk seasons are rut hunts in weather that might be 85 during peak heat. That adds to the pressure but its still not a race. Gettim em gutted as soon as ya can is important. Prop that cavity open with a stick for good air flow n u jus bought urself some time.

No matter the weather or locale if you dont care about saving the hide you can get a big animal quartered pretty fast, especially if u have a sharp hatchet/axe, just chop thru them hip joints, cut the hide free and lay the quarters meat side up and across some branches for airflow all over.

Once u have ur quarters layin out if u have a lil more time u can skin the inside of the hams to increase air n then take ur knife run it to the bone and slice open all the way down the leg, expose that bone like u were gunna take it apart. Thatll help a ton!

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

So my tribe has a wild cattle removal program ive done quite a bit of work for. These are generations wild now n no normal cattle catchin works with our situation so the rifle and backpack it is.

We go in find sign n track em on foot just like elk or anythin else. All the meat goes to our food program so we're hauling out at minimum the quarters, backstraps, tenderloins, and as much brisket and neck we can handle. Then its taken back to camp n get it in ce as much as possible n hauled a few hours to the chiller to hang a 2-3 weeks before we cut into steaks.

One evening we got into em and it was close enough to a road that we dropped 5 full grown bovines right last shooting light.
We were quick skinnin n quartering until after 10pm n made it to camp by 11pm empty. Only skinning the meat we were cutting off. The quarters we laid on the ground as you see.
My coworker got on the sat phone n arranged to picknup a quad back in town so he left, returning about 3am.

At daylight he took the quad n crossed the small river to where they lay as i went n tried to locate 2 we werent able to get.
As i tracked they the brush and creek bottoms he made several trips hauling meat back to camp.

We met up and he left around noon with the first load, this pic here was taken at 2:30pm and i played musical chairs with the coolers and the shade and rotating meat into ice trying to make sure it all stayed cool as possible. This second load didnt make it into the chiller until around 6pm. So about 24hrs from being shot.
None of it was able to be covered in ice the way youd hope, none of it was high high in cool night air before packing to camp and it all sat on top of ice because it was too big to fit down inside.

3 weeks later we cut it up n vacuume sealed it, didnt lose anything but normal outter rind and bloodshot trimming.