Pack elk out bone in or out?

[Swede]

I have field butchered elk bone in and bone out. I can find no difference in the texture or flavor of the meat. There is some of both in the freezer now. I have to look at the date on the package to know which is which.
Sometimes I take a tarp with me to lay the meat on. If insects are not a problem, the old bed sheet or tarp can be good. When field butchering alone, a game bag goes over the skinned hams and shoulders before they are detached from the carcass. That keeps them very clean. Other meat is detached from the skeleton and placed into bags before it touches the ground.
I take all meat to a cold storage locker within a day. Cooling is no problem with either the bone in or bone out method. I have killed elk when the temperatures go well up into the 80s. A hunter just needs to get their meat butchered and cooled somewhere.

 

[Ross]

Grew up thinking the only way to do it right was bone in. Then learned at times it can make sense to bone out. Distance, moreso elevation gain that is the killer, number of friends to help, and temperatures. IMO keeping hind with large muscle groups helps keeping structure as noted and fronts tend to be all burger for me. I will quote one of my elk killing uncles “ I don’t know whose elk it is I just like packing elk” as noted also much easier when younger you threw them on and went now more about pace and especially when have limited help.

 

[mtmuley]

Guys that shoot a Creedmoor have to bone out. mtmuley

 

[GIS]

I prefer to leave bone in but ultimately it depends on the packout.

Last year I had a grueling packout and started out thinking I'd make four trips. First day I packed out both hind quarters bone in. Second day I decided I wanted to make just one trip so I boned out the front quarters to lighten the load as much as I could.

I like leaving bone in at the kill site so I can easily hang the meat and let it cool. Then I have the flexibility to carry it out when the time comes or bone it out if needed.

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[muddydogs]

Maybe if it was a mess. The way I do it by removing the bone on one side, the entire quarter is still intact and hangable. The other parts the butcher just leaves in my game bags and hangs. I feel boned out you can also carry a heavier load safer, more balanced. I fit both front and hind quarters plus gear in my backpack.


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It doesn't matter how clean, they ask if its boned and say no without looking at the meat, not the first time I have heard about this. Its definitely worth checking into before boning an animal if you must take it to a butcher.

 

[cnelk]

Most elk meat processors I use weigh the incoming game quarters and the process fee is based on the gross weight.
That is why I debone my meat prior to taking it to a processor - if I dont have time to do it myself before my next hunt

 

[MTguy0341]

I'm half and half. Depends how many people there is packing and the distance from the truck. Don't believe either is the wrong way though