I tried the guttless method on my elk this week and am wondering if others have observed the same thing as I did with this one.

Perhaps this animal was an exception, but there appeared to be a lot more blood in the meat (even that in the hind quarters on an elk shot in the front quarter) than when I gut an elk before quartering. I wonder if when gutted, a lot of the blood drains out through the main veins and arteries into the chest cavity when the animal is gutted, leaving the meat with less blood still in the vessels.

I really can't see that making a difference. Where did you shoot the animal? If it was a CNS shot there may be blood left in the meat from minimal bleed out.

the chef

calgarychef1:

The animal was shot in the high shoulder area, and the bullet took out the spine. A second shot to the head was used to finish her, so you may have a point regarding the CNS shot shutting down the heart before she could bleed out internally.

Dave

I have not seen that. In fact when I remove each muscle or muscle goup I believe I may actually be getting the oposite result, particularily in the hind quarters. Either way if that is what you have time to worry about, you are a very lucky person.

Have to agree with SG. I've been doing the gutless method, working from the top for a number of years. Seems to me we have less blood when the final butchering an packing occurs.

If you use the gutless method, do you get the tenderloins out???

PS The heart is really good to eat as well.

Pretty hard to get the tenderloins out with the guts in. I have however skinned and butchered game on the ground with the gutting going last. If saving the cape it is probably easier. If a meat deer, I go ahead and gut it.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
If you use the gutless method, do you get the tenderloins out???

PS The heart is really good to eat as well.

I have no problem getting the tenderloins out. After taking the rear quarters off, you can stick your hand in under the spine and follow the tenderloin all the way up. Sometimes you can just pull it loose or you can cut the front off by going between the ribs. Then you pull it out the back. If you want the heart and liver, you can always go in afterwards. It's much easier to do the whole job gutless.

Unfortunately we were not successful this year for elk but that was a comparison we had in mind... My partner has a "gut it first" mindset where as I wanted to try the gutless method... It would have been interesting to see which went smoother/quicker....

Ken....

I think that I am less bloody and the meat is the same either way. When you are quartering the animal, the blood is still hot and will flow more easily which might make it appear more bloody.

Veins are like balloons, once the heart stops pumping the pressure is taken off the viens and they get smaller, pushing some blood out into the wound.

One thing I am careful about with the gutless method is when taking the hinds off I try to cut as much of the upper and outer meat BEFORE cutting the interior where the main arteries are located.

The tenderloins were no trouble to get. What do you guttless guys do if you want to keep the ribs/rib meat?

Since this was the first time that I have tried the guttless method, it took me a bit longer than the old fashion way, and the steep hillside that I was on did not help any. However, I am willing to give it another try.

I don't bother with the rib meat, but if you want to take the time, you can trim it off if you want to. I also take the neck meat and as much of the rump meat as I can. The last one that I killed, we had the meat off in less than a half an hour hanging in a cedar to cool. Another hour later, it was at the processor. That elk meat was the best that I've had. It had not been tainted by gastric juices or fecal material at all. Whenever I get an elk , I will be using this method from now on.

I get the inside tenderloins out last after the hindquaters.I make a slit down the short ribs then use my fingers and knive along the back bone to cut it out.I quit gutting game long ago.If I have to take the ribs I take the guts out last .There is alot less gutsey tasting meat that way.

There is a good book out there that shows how to do this in detail. It is "All About Elk" by four famous authors. Lapinski, Van Zwoll, Schuh,and Wiltse. Shows step by step. Good read.

I'm going to try this on my next moose or boo smaller then that i'll still gut.

When caribou hunting or if moose hunting and away from our base camp, we often times use the gutless method. For 2 guys, we find it easier and cleaner.
We start by cutting the top hind quarter and front off - leaving the hide on. These are pulled away from the carcass & placed hide side down. We then (usually) skin those out and may leave them laying on the hide. We then skin the neck up as far as possible, taking all available neck meat. We just run a knife up each side of the ribs for the rib meat, giving us small strips. Of course the backstraps & tenderloins are taken off too. It's usually not too difficult to roll the carcass over and do the same procedure on the other side. We've found this method is not nearly as messy as removing the internal organs.
Here in Ak., you have to remove ALL of the edible meat which includes meat from the neck, ribs, backstrap & tenderloin. Otherwiswe it's wanton waste & you definitely don't wanna get written up for that. Also, as a side note, one of the quarters always has evidence of sex attached to it, per hunting regs.
If we're moose hunting out of our base camp, then it's the good old chainsaw. Lots easier yet. Bear in Fairbanks

The gutless method works perfectly for me. No additional blood in the meat. When the heart stops pumping at death, blood (exsanguination) stops. End of story. Getting the tenderloins out is really no problem. Make a long slit just behind the last rib, reach in and filet. You are doing this by feel, but no big deal if you've butchered a few animals before. Works on game up to moose.