Do you field dress or go gutless on Elk?

[Bjorn]

Adam and I do the gutless method; we skin and quarter, remove the tenderloins, heart and backstraps leaving very little actual meat on the carcass.
Either way you need really good, sharp knives to help you along the way

 

Michael Bankston, 75diagg, makes some wonderful blades that work as good as they look.

[Barry Winner]

I have never elk hunted, but that's how I do my deer.  Deboned in the field and all meat and, hopefully, antlers carried out in a backpack.

[Ringneck]

If I am packing it out it gets boned on the spot. Agreed on the sharp knife and I would add edge retention and stability to that requirement as well.

[ChuckC]

bone it all out.  Why carry all that extra weight ?
ChuckC

[LongbowArchitect]

I also use the gutless boning method.  I packed out 230# of elk meat last Fall. I used to pack out elk quarters one at a time but got smarter as I got older.

[Mark Baker]

Gutless for my boys and I....we even go gutless on our deer anymore.   It saves bunches of work for us.  

Good blades and a good sharpening kit as well, I'd reccommend.   Thats a good looking knife there, Bjorn.

[75diagg]

This is Bjorns blade......bad pic taken with flashlight and nikon.....For a fundraiser I think?
Same knife differant sheath..
I have a great method for meat gettin...PUT IT ON A PLATE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bjorn]

Thanks for the much better pic Michael.
This is going to be my donation to the St. Jude's auction right here on Trad Gang!

[Hummer3T]

I start with the hide, and use it for a tarp to lay everything out on. Then remove the legs, loins, etc.  
I de-bone what I can in the field but some time do after. We have CWD here so I try not to cut into bone, or spinal/major nerves systems.

[steadman]

Gutless only here as well. Lots easier to pack stuff out than drag. At least out here in the west.

[Jack Skinner]

Gutless here. I have never shot an elk anywhere close to where I could just gut and load an animal that large. See it all the time here in WY., pickup going down the road with whole animal in back of it. I also use the method with deer and antelope.

[Orion]

Gutlass.  Usually bone out the quarters before packing.

[Sixby]

I like to shoot them above a road. Then roll the entire animal down to the road and load them up whole. It always impresses every one to have a bull elk in the back of your pickup. Its surprising that more hunters do not kill elk close to roads or hunt close to roads. I killed a really nice six point bull withing 400 yards of I 5 and took him out whole. Rolled him to an old log road and then got the 4 wheeler in and loaded him whole on the 4 wheeler and very slowly drove him out. the tires were like 1/2 in thick with the bull loated on it. I walked by the Foreman and had to be really careful to not run over my own feet.
But truth is, here in S Oregon there are really few places where a road is not real close. When in one of those areas I pack quarters.

God bless you all, Steve

[Zradix]

Gutless??

You mean you leave the guts in the game?

...I couldn't do it. Those inner tenders are way too good...

You guys know a trick to getting them by going thru the back?

[Hess]

Zradix

Poke in through the last rib and you can easily get out the inners.  Cut through gently and massage those goodies out of there with your knife.  Easy Cheesy!

Gutless is the only way to go...

[Zradix]

Hess is my hero today!
         

[FerretWYO]

Gutless is the way I go as well.

[LongbowArchitect]

Yup, the tenderloins are super easy to remove whole using the gutless method.

[joe ashton]

gutless this year for my elk and the whole process took less than a hour. I'm thinking that it is the way to go...

[zootown2007]

Ive been on the fence about it. Ive watched some videos, but never tried it. Maybe I will give it a go this year..if the Elk cooperate