The USDA has done all the scientific tests and states "The need for prompt and thorough chilling of warm carcasses cannot be over emphasized "

This forum has all the information you will need. Click on "Hunting/Shooting," and then look for and read " Hunting For Trophy Meat." You will have to dig around, but there will be lots of other useful information at the Alaska F&G site.



Alaska F&G



If you kill the game cleanly (no gut shots), you won't have to wash the ribs, nor any meat such as the tenderloins (inside the moose, and right next to the spine). Remember to keep the meat cool, clean, and dry. You will have to skin the moose right away, then remove the legs on one side, and the back strap on that side, and if allowed in Canada, the neck meat from that side, and the rib cage from that side. Then roll the moose on the other side, skin that side, and remove on this side the same meat you removed on the other side, in the same order. That's all there is to it.



Caution #1: All the meat, legs, etc., should immediately go into large game bags, and hung in the shade to cool and dry.



Caution #2: If evidence of sex must remain attached to one of the legs (as required in Alaska), make sure that you tie the penis sheath around its opening. You can use a plastic wire tie, or a string. The idea is to avoid getting urine on any of the meat on the legs, etc.



Caution #3: As you cut around the hind leg joint (ball joint), be careful so you don't slice the intestine or colon. Make sure you proceed slowly when cutting there. You don't want any stomach/colon contents on the meat.



It sounds difficult, but it's not as long as you have good lighting. If raining, stretch a tarp from the trees over the work area. I use 3 propane lanters, and a headlanp (if I have to). I have been lucky lately, and have killed my moose in the morning

COOL, CLEAN, DRY.

Air blowing over a surface will cool/dry it faster than anything. You want circulation on all sides of the meat (so don't lay it on the ground). The perfect setup would be hanging from a tree or pole with a tarp over it to shade from the sun and protect from rain.

With that setup, if you have a cool night, the meat will cool below 50 F and form a "crust," as mentioned, by the end of the next day. Once that happens, as long as it stays dry, you're pretty much good to go.

We just used a similar setup in Alaska with a caribou. The meat stayed perfect for 5 days. It's much more tender 24-36 hours after it's killed, BTW.

The blood on the meat will form a nice protective glaze over the meat. Wipe your meat with dry rags or paper towel.

Pure water will through osmosis burst cells and promote spoilage. Get the hide of quickly and let the meat cool asap.

This is very important with the larger ungulates like moose and elk. Deer sized game in temperatures of 50 F or less do not need to have the hide removed and can be hung with the hide on to age the meat. Why??? Deer are much smaller massed animals and the gutted propped open carcass will cool sufficiently fast even with the hide on.

Hope you get your moose.

D Hunter ,I spoke to a florida hunter and he said his practice was to take a 25 Lb bag of ice in a cooler.After dressing out the deer put the bag of ice in the body cavity......Meat spoils at temperatures above 40 F.

There's a lot of pretty good suggestions here. Its interesting, because there is also a lot of conflicting info regarding washing a carcass out. A relative is a long time butcher and says "go ahead". I've done it on several deer, and certainly had no ill effects; I think its a good idea if intestines/stocmach have been punctured. Just dry it out afterwards.

I live in Maine and was drawn for a moose permit last year, so I'm probably a little more familiar with what you will be facing in New Brunswick. Most of northern New Burnswick is very similar to northern Maine, as far as terrain and population density, so you shouldn't be too far from town- certainly no more than 3 hours by road????

I would strongly suggest bringing lots of ice; the new 120 quart 5-day Igloo coolers are available at Wally World for about $60.00 (or less), and will hold a pretty good supply of ice for at least several days. Even though its a hassle, I'd go in to town to replenish this once it starts to melt down (I was about 1 hour from a store, but was glad I had the ice).

Use a come-along to help you position the animal, and you'll find field dressing it is like dressing any other 700-800 pound deer. There's a lot of paunch, but it really isn't much different than dressing a deer, just a lot more of it and it doesn't pull free very easily. Once you've got it dressed, drain it out (using your come-along or 4-5 friends). Once you have it loaded in your truck or trailer, hit it with the ice. I used blocks, but cubes or crushed are said to be better for chilling. A simple trick is to use a large trash bag and put two blocks of ice in it, and twist/or tie the middle. You now have two blocks of ice the you can lay in/on the animal with some hope they will stay put (I've done this for large saltwater fish and it works pretty well). Four or five blocks in the body cavity, several between the legs, a couple along the backbone, neck and shoulders should get you going (that's why you need a lot of ice!). The next step is to hit the nearest town with a butcher/cooler facility and get it cooled down properly. Here in Maine there are a number of outfits that will skin, quarter and chill your animal for about $50- money well spent. If they end up cutting it for you, this is usually included in the total cost. I suspect a little searching will find something similar for you. Good luck and enjoy your hunt.

Interesting discussion. Dry is best as has been said. However down in Georgia if you kill one in the heat of bow (or sometimes muzzle laod) you better get the meat on ice soon. In ninety degree plus heat just hanging in the shade won't do. We often leave the meat in quarters on ice, WET, for up to a week. Then work it up or have it done for us. It is still good. Not slimey at all. Don't believe everything you hear. The main thing is to get it cool quick. If you put it on ice you will not form the nice firm dry coating that comes from the first layer sealing things up. If you keep it cool it will not spoil though. Good hunting. "D"