Overview of my Elk Hunt

[chanumpa]

Just make sure that they are cotton meat bags that the blow flies cant spit their eggs through.You can easily hold meat when its hot out,because it gets cold at night you can get it cold.I use meat bags that are made out of old sheets with draw strings.The most important thing when you get your elk,{and you guys are going to}is to get them cooled out a.s.a.p and skinned out.Then when bagged you can useally hang in the shade while you are packing out.Also,if you are going inway far make arrangements in advance with one of the local horse guys/packer and then you will get them out.Especially if you get two down at once.Then it can get a lil crazy if its just two of you.Its going to be a trip of a lifetime,and I am stoked for you guys.Keep us all posted when you get back.Oh yeah,if it was me I would want the last week of the season for the rut.

[fnshtr]

Originally posted by shortynes:
Not sure, but lining your game bags with plastic might not be the best way to go, I would think you need to keep it open to the air to prevent bacteria growth, just a thought.

I too would have concern about using the plastic bags (inside the game bags or outside). One of the advantages of the game bags is that they allow draining and air circulation around the meat.

I killed a bull this past september when temps were in the low 60s for highs. We hung the deboned meat in game bags in shade of an evergreen. From death to the cooler was a total of 48 hours and I didn't lose any meat.

I've read the trash bag suggestion before, including putting them in streams, just not sure about it myself.

[IdahoCurt]

I also wouldn't use plastic bags.I have layed pine branches over spring creeks to keep the game bags out of the water and the meat cool.The most important thing is to debone the meat asap after the Elk is down.

[fnshtr]

Oh yeah... you WILL have a blast. And I too would recommend the 10th and later. I called in two bulls the evening of the 14th last September.

Paid an outfitter to haul my meat out as I was in 8 miles. Money well spent!

Good luck.

[mnbearbaiter]

What does it usually cost to get meat packed out? Is a guy supposed to climb a mountain, and make a phone call with gps coordinates of the cached meat?

[longarrow]

Travis...there is a great paperback book, called "Elk Talk" if you can find one, it's the best reading "TIPS" available. Last time I had an outfitter come in and pack an elk out the mountains (IN Idaho) it was $300.00

[fnshtr]

I was 8 miles in and it cost me $125 to have the deboned meat hauled out on horseback. I had to hike out and drive 11 miles in order to get cell phone reception, and then call the outfitter who arranged for a lady wrangler to come in the next morning to get it. (I had to walk the 8 miles out and then 8 back in the next morning to make sure she found it... and 8 back out... behind the horses.)

I also lost 4 notches on my belt during my two week hunt.

[IdahoCurt]

I would call the outfitter before hand and line everything up before you go in the woods.Say you get one,debone all meat and hang it in cloth bags, either call out or hike out with meat on your back to meet the outfitter.An average size Elk is about 6 trips if you decide to pack it out yourself.

[Doug Treat]

...or 2 trips if you take 75# on your back a trip...I personnally would never do that :^)...right Fnshtr?