Meat/Skull Logistics for CWD restricted Travel

Joined
May 16, 2018
Messages
71
Headed out for our second elk hunt tomorrow, headed to CO (Grand Junction/Collbran general area). Last year we struck out but in case we were successful we were discussing logistics considering we are from TN and we have CWD importation restrictions (no bone or nuerological tissue)

Meat: Planning on quartering out to hang and cool, then boning out either before we hike back or at the truck (depending on how close we are at the kill). Then probably just taking it to the processor when we return to TN.

Skull: This is what gets tricky, more than likely any bull we kill we will just Euro mount it like we do our deer. usually we boil and then pressure wash/pick the meat off and bleach. However, if we cant travel with any tissue on the skull, that get tricky. What do you all recommend. Can you get a euro mount done locally within a few days (most guys out there use beetles which take time no?) or try to clean the skull ourselves before heading back?


thanks for the input!
 

sram9102

WKR
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
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999
Location
IN
I posted about this a while back and boiling seemed like the consensus if you wanted a euro.
 
Joined
Nov 20, 2018
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889
Location
Wyoming
Most responses will be personal preference, so here's my opinion, take it for what it's worth.

Meat: I try to leave the bone on for at least a week. Reason being the meat will "shrink" once the animal is dead. Having the bone will keep it "stretched" and end up more tender. I know this isn't always possible. I've deboned in the field to save weight for a pack out, but I much prefer leaving the bone in while it hangs for at least a week. Crossing the country this may not be possible, just throwing it out there.

Skull: Local euro mount in a few days is probably a really tough thing to find. If you can pressure wash that would be ideal. No clue about the rules transporting with meat on, but you can get a lot of it off in the field if you want. Sorry, nothing productive to contribute.
 
Joined
Jun 7, 2018
Messages
420
Location
South Carolina
I dropped my head off with a taxidermist to have a Euro done. Got it 5 months later when they did a big shipment east with numerous mounts. This was with us driving to CO. Last thing I wanted to happen was to get stopped somewhere and lose my mount due to regulations.

Personally, that’s the route I’d go, and what I’ll do next month in Wyoming, just so I don’t have to worry about that kinda stuff. Since we are flying, we’re going to do something similar with meat


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WTFJohn

WKR
Joined
May 1, 2018
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358
Location
CO
There are taxidermists that will do 24 hr turnaround on skulls for traveling. Do some googling and make some phone calls to get the most current info, but I can think of three elsewhere in CO that advertise the service.
 
OP
jyoung1901
Joined
May 16, 2018
Messages
71
There are taxidermists that will do 24 hr turnaround on skulls for traveling. Do some googling and make some phone calls to get the most current info, but I can think of three elsewhere in CO that advertise the service.

Thanks!! I’ll do some searching now that I know some do that! That would be ideal vs buying a pot and trying to scrape brain matter when I could be back in the woods with buddies calling for them. Thanks so much for the tip!!!!
 
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