All you elk hunters, who don't have the luxury of driving the carcass to the butcher, I'd like to hear what sort of knife/axe/saw/cleaver, game bags, hook&tackle, etc., you use for field processing.
I read the thread, "What knife do you use?" and got some good info.
I'm thinking, for the money, a rubber handled Vanguard and a Backpack axe might be a good setup.
Especially interested in hearing from anyone who practices the no-gutting method - seems a good 4" drop point and some canvass might be all you need.
But for the rest, how do you get it done?
Doziers and Randalls are indeed beautiful to behold, but I'm not looking to get heirlooms, more just the sort of equipment used.
Thanks!

Bwana-be,

We never have the luxury of taking a moose or caribou to the butcher so you have to become somewhat competent at dismembering the carcass in the field.

I usually like to take 3-4 sharp knives for skinning (no field sharpening). A knife with a stiff blade for open the rear leg hip joints. Now I always carry an Estwing axe since I am using the no-gut method as you mentioned. Also I take a bone saw for removing the skull cap.

Regards,

Mark

I normally don't gut, just skin and bone 1/2 at a time right into my game bags.I use just my Buck knife with a couple back-ups and a stone and I always have a saw with me.Nothing fancy with my stuff.The key in boning atleast for me is getting large pieces other than inbetwean the ribs.

If I'm close to the road or where I can get my truck into I'll keep the quarters whole.Personally I think the hardest part is cutting the Antlers off.By that time my hands start cramping reaaaaaly good.

Atleast for Elk,I think the "Poachers Cut"(Thats what a few here in Idaho call it) is the best way to field dress them especially when it's semi warm and Bee's are around.

Best of luck.....Jayco.

Two young eager nephews who don't know any better.Two knives
and a saw for skull cap...Let them have at it while Unc goes
and kills a mulie.

Should work once.
Jeff

jaycocreek,

Only a guy that had done it a few time would mention the difficulty with sawing the horns off. It is my least favorite part of killing a moose. I bought a saw made by FISKARS from Cabela's that looks like a tree limber and comes in a leather scabbard. It was fairly spendie but it is far better than anything I have owned for working on game. It literally takes half the time to remove the horns with this saw.

Regards,

Mark

I will vouch for the Fiskars saw. I have one of the " lazer saw", pull ring jobs I picked up at a gunshow, and they work fine for deer, but not elk. I tried the no-gut method the last time and will do it that way from now on. Beyond that, a couple of good stiff knives ( I use a six inch fix blade buck and an old four inch Remington that was my dad's) and take your time. I also carry a combination stone that has four different grits on it, I can't for the life of me remember where I got it though. Good luck.

DGK

A scabbard knife with gut hook, a case three bladed pocket knife, and a mid-size Eastwing axe and plenty of small rope will do the job nicely. Good shooting.

I use a 4" lockblade, an old Schrade Old Timer. The steel is easy to sharpen with a small stone. Aside from that I have about 30' of rope to tie legs up out of the way and allow access to work. I DO NOT gut them. If you do you wind up working in a pile of smelly guts! Work one side at a time. Skin out the elk on one side, use the hide as a table to place your boned meat. After one side is done, flip him over and repeat. You can cape them out for a mount if desired, pulling the shoulders, neck and head off as tube. When done I have the meat hung in breatable game bags to cool. You can cut through the pelvis area & ribs and pull out the tender loins. All boned...........no guts!! Works like a charm with just one knife, a good stone & some rope. I can do an entire bull by myself in a little over an hour. But Packing the meat out.............takes some time!

http://www.butcher-packer.com/pg_knives_butcher_boning.htm Take a look at these, the blade shape and lenght in particular. Most boning knives are stronger and shorter than a "fish" knife, but not by much.

Since I am a greenhorn when it comes to Elk butchering, I need to ask this question. If one uses the no gut method on Elk, then I take it that one then leaves the tenderloins in the Elk to go to waste. Is that correct?

You can pull the tenderloins out even if the elk is not gutted. You need to take them out from between the ribs, pulling it out of teh pelvis area while working by feel. When fresh they come out easily. No need to waste them!

I'll never gut another elk after using this method.

Where is this no gutting method described?
Bill

Basically, you cut the hide open, stem to stern as usual, but then just peel back one side to get at your two quarters, then roll to the other side and repeat. From the ribcage you get the organs, and then cut (or chop) through the pelvis to get to the tenderloin.
Be careful to do the right thing if you need sex on your meat, of course. Otherwise you're better off staying at home. [Someone put that on their sig line, please!]

That is about it. The key is to bone out one whole side before you roll them. Take some weight off.

I have never seen a written description of this method, I just had an old Colorado guide tell me that he never gutted elk and he explained the method to me as it has been described above. As I have said, after I tried it I swore never to gut another elk.

If you butcher your own game animals it makes boning easier. You know how you want to cut & bone the meat to make final processing easier. When done it just looks like ribs, torso & a boned neck. Through the proces I end up cutting the front legs, shoulders & back legs off. USing the peeled off hide as a work table to bone the meat off legs & shoulders.

If I get another bull this coming September with my bow I will take pictures of the process & post them. I can't wait for September!!!!

That is the way we did our moose in Alberta a couple years ago and it was slick as all get out. We kept the quarters and ribcages intact because we had ATV's to haul it back to camp, but it sure was quick and clean. All that was left when we were done was the spine and the head above the neck meat. Of course, the guide had a chainsaw for the antlers, which made it nice, but all the rest took was a couple knives and about an hour's work. - Sheister

Blue,

What works for me is to roll the skinned carcass after removing the legs up onto its brisket. Then use the axe to remove the back from the ribcage by cutting along the short ribs. The back comes off in one peice with the backstraps and rump roast attached on the top and the tenderloins on the inside. You then can either bone this out or if you have a canoe or boat just take it home intact. Of course to cover the letter of the law you will need to remove all meat from between the ribs. The guts, lungs etc. stay in the ribcage unless you want the organs.

Regards,

Mark