what meat bags

DakotaFlinger · Jul 2, 2015

Well I'm looking at the TAG bags on sale but need help making a decision...
I will be on a early season archery hunt for Elk... I would like to debone the meat, however I'm worried about weather being warm and the fact that, if I'm successful, this will be my first elk. Ive only debone a couple antelope and one deer before so I don't have alot of experience de-boning and don't wanna waste time and worry about meat spoiling due to me being kinda slow at it...
So I guess what I'm asking is, first, what are your recommendations, and if I did go with the bags for the quarters, is medium size big enough for a bull or should I get the large?
Or do u recommend different bags, maybe cheaper? Seems like alot for bags but if they are worth it.....

Craig4791 · Jul 2, 2015

If your worried about not getting it off quick enough then quarter it out and hang it as you go. It will be off and cooling then you can spend time deboning the quarters. Having the quarters hung and deboning that way for your first time is probably better anyways as it's easier that way for most.

DakotaFlinger · Jul 2, 2015

Ya, I planned to hang it or creek.. was just a little worried if its hot in early September, and I hung it and debone a load, meat all packed together and hafta hike back however far... just dont wanna ruin the meat... this will be a bivy hunt.. elk is new to me for the most part and just trying to have things figured out.. looks like alot of meat. I think I can get it off in reasonable time
Ok, let me put it this way, I would like to get the small debone bags so it holds the meat more like a tube for more surface area (than if it was deboned in a bigger quartering bag) to help cool faster and sit in the pack better, so it just isn't a big meat ball, and less weight.... however, do u recommend this if its a really hot early season day and I have a rough 4-5 mile hike back..
Or should I just stick to bigger bags for quarters, as meat on bone should cool easier and debone later... this is the way I'm leaning due to lack of experience...

Craig4791 · Jul 2, 2015

Hanging quartered meat on the bone in a nice shady creek bed with good airflow for a couple days is totally possible even in warm temps. Just need to make sure that the shade is consistent throughout the day and airflow is moving. If not move it a couple times during the day. You can also buy the quarter bags and use para cord to lash the quarter bags into the shape of a boned out bag to keep the meat in a more uniformed "tube". If you bone it just make sure you rotate it in the bags frequently.

Larry Bartlett · Jul 2, 2015

If you plan to debone but not at the killsite, I'd suggest getting the 24X44 set and then filling your deboned meat bags later. Any of the 24X44 not used can be washed free of blood if available and then packed away dry until back at home.

Some of our customers claim 2-3 bags from the medium set is sufficient for deboned meat. But some guys like to qtr the legs and deal with the finer points of deboning at base camp...

Hope this helps.

Larry

cowboy300 · Jul 6, 2015

TAG bags are worth every penny. I have 2 sets of the 24x44 bags. They seem to work out great for everything I have used them caribou, elk, deer, bear and antelope. Just hand wash and keep reusing them. They hardly weigh anything, dry fast, are breathable and woven tightly enough that the bugs cant get to your meat. In the bigger bags you can spread the meat out easier for faster cooling.

lonedave · Jul 7, 2015

I just got the set of five 24x44 bags in the mail yesterday (thanks Larry) and I think they'll be great. I've been using/repairing an old set of bags that I made years ago out of light cotton material and these are much lighter and stronger. They're a bit smaller than my old bags, but I doubt I'll have the multitude of small tears to sew up after the season. I'm pretty sure you can get each hind quarter in a bag and at least each front shoulder in another pair of bags. That'll leave only the backstraps, neck meat, and rib trimmings for the 5th bag. If you de-bone, I'm sure you can do it with less than all five bags. Probably three or four if you want to split up the load more. I'm looking forward to using mine this year, hopefully even for a moose!

jmez · Jul 7, 2015

If you take your meat for processing mark your bags with a sharpie and tell them not to throw them away. I usually do my own meat but we had temps in 90s last year and were a long way from ice so had to take mine in.

Never thought about the bags until I picked up the meat and asked for them. They threw them away.

roadrunner · Jul 12, 2015

Saw these pics on another forum and thread. Not a bad way to do it. They mentioned using big 10 gal ziplock bags to put the meat in for packout, then take it out once back at camp. They put the ziplocks in canvas game bags so they don't tear. I think they have a meat cutting shop.

Larry Bartlett · Jul 12, 2015

dont spend the money on the large bags, IMO. Unless you're bustin' down a moose or a freakishly large elk, the 28XX60" bags are overkill...no pun intended.

Our customers have never complained that a whole hind qtr wouldn't fit inside the 24X44" bag.

bwlacy · Jul 13, 2015

What is the best way to hang the BOMB bags with meat in them? Tie some cord around the top of the bag? Can you hang them full from the drawstring?

rayporter · Jul 13, 2015

my bud got a set of the large-moose size- and they are awful large for elk. the excess bag has to be tied up.

TEmbry · Jul 19, 2015

rayporter said:
my bud got a set of the large-moose size- and they are awful large for elk. the excess bag has to be tied up.

I own a set of the Large, Regular, and two sets of the BOMB bags. Great product. For weekend hunts or when I'll be basing out of a vehicle I admittedly just use the cheap disposable Alaskan Game Bags... But for back country hunts I always use the TAG bags.

Tony Trietch · Jul 19, 2015

Not sure if anyone answered this yet. But You can fit an entire deboned ell no problem into a Bomb bag set. I have done it several times.
So if your going to debone is get the bomb.
If you are going to quarter then get the bags Larry mentioned. His bags are great and you will be happy with what ever you get from him.

Donny Land · Aug 30, 2015

Do ya'll think that large pillow case's would be to thick to use as meat bags?

what meat bags

DakotaFlinger

FNG

Craig4791

WKR

DakotaFlinger

FNG

Craig4791

WKR

Larry Bartlett

WKR

cowboy300

WKR

lonedave

WKR

jmez

WKR

roadrunner

WKR

Larry Bartlett

WKR

bwlacy

WKR

rayporter

WKR

TEmbry

WKR

Tony Trietch

Part Time Bow Hiker

Donny Land

FNG

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