What game bag for two boned out elk quarters or a whole boned out deer?

180ls1

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I am looking for a game bag that will fit two boned out elk rear quarters and/or one whole boned out deer. Any suggestions on a bag or size? I like the Kifaru one but I imagine it'll be a little too small (at least for the elk). This will be going on a Kuiu pack.

I can handle the weight. Ive done two bone in quarters + hoof + hide but I'd prefer not to do that again for obvious reasons lol.
 

fishslap

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I know I can’t answer your question exactly but If I remember correctly, I think I put two boned out elk front shoulders and rib meat from one side in a TAG boned out meat bag. It was a small bull. I’m sure TAG/pristine ventures could answer your question better on capacity if those bags look good to you. I’ve used them for years and the only durability issues I’ve had is minor tear if you snag them on something when hanging them. Even then, I just sew them up after the hunt. Wash and bleach great. Light. Sized right. Dry against the meat really well. You could always use two and stack them one on top the other I the pack.
 
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I would never put two boned out elk hind quarters in one game bag. That would be an enormous amount of meat together. I think you will have a lot of rotten meat, even during colder rifle seasons unless you are killing your elk close to the road and can get it to a meat locker in a few hours.

Even on rag horns I typically spread the meat in 5 or 6 game bags to hang, big mature bulls 6-8 separate game bags. I do hunt archery season, so it is pretty warm the first couple weeks of September normally.

I use the 20 inches wide and 34 inches long gear game bags, and a rear hind 1/4 boned pretty much fills that up from a bigger bull. Check companies and find one double that if your dead set on your plan.

Caribou gear used to do custom sizes for a small charge. Order up a 42wide by 34 long bag from them if they still do that.
 

Marble

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I would never put two boned out elk hind quarters in one game bag. That would be an enormous amount of meat together. I think you will have a lot of rotten meat, even during colder rifle seasons unless you are killing your elk close to the road and can get it to a meat locker in a few hours.

Even on rag horns I typically spread the meat in 5 or 6 game bags to hang, big mature bulls 6-8 separate game bags. I do hunt archery season, so it is pretty warm the first couple weeks of September normally.

I use the 20 inches wide and 34 inches long gear game bags, and a rear hind 1/4 boned pretty much fills that up from a bigger bull. Check companies and find one double that if your dead set on your plan.

Caribou gear used to do custom sizes for a small charge. Order up a 42wide by 34 long bag from them if they still do that.
I dont think it will necessarily ruin the meat. More variables to consider than how much meat in the bag.

But I agree with Rankin. I wouldn't put that much in one bag. Smaller bags are easier to move, pack and secure.

For a cow, I can bone it and put all the meat (around 150 pounds) in 4 game bags that are built for deer actually.

They hang better, easier to maneuver, cool faster and pack easier.

After they are back at the truck and they are all cooled down, ill stack them together for the trip home. Then insulate them against any heat. If I have just one animal it can go into an ice chest. Done this for 20+ years and never had anything come close to going bad. They can ride for 36+ hours if they are already cooled.

When I say cooled I mean they have been in a meat bag over night, hanging, with temps at least into the 30s. If it only got into the low 40s I would find a method to add ice/coolness of some type to the exterior to ensure complete cooling for a trip home.

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I dont think it will necessarily ruin the meat. More variables to consider than how much meat in the bag.

But I agree with Rankin. I wouldn't put that much in one bag. Smaller bags are easier to move, pack and secure.

For a cow, I can bone it and put all the meat (around 150 pounds) in 4 game bags that are built for deer actually.

They hang better, easier to maneuver, cool faster and pack easier.

After they are back at the truck and they are all cooled down, ill stack them together for the trip home. Then insulate them against any heat. If I have just one animal it can go into an ice chest. Done this for 20+ years and never had anything come close to going bad. They can ride for 36+ hours if they are already cooled.

When I say cooled I mean they have been in a meat bag over night, hanging, with temps at least into the 30s. If it only got into the low 40s I would find a method to add ice/coolness of some type to the exterior to ensure complete cooling for a trip home.

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We’re pretty much on the same page on the amount of meat we put in game bag to cool. I would just want to be prepared for the best case scenario, killing a nice big mature bull!

Just the two boned out hind quarters of a mature bull would more often than not weigh the same as the 150 pound boned out cow you posted above.


I think you would have a bad outcome if you killed a decent size bull and and have 2 big game bags.

If the OP is just wanting this for the pack out only, try contacting Carabou gear game bags for a custom size, or heavy duty contractor trash bag from Home Depot would probably suit your needs.
 
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180ls1

180ls1

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We’re pretty much on the same page on the amount of meat we put in game bag to cool. I would just want to be prepared for the best case scenario, killing a nice big mature bull!

Just the two boned out hind quarters of a mature bull would more often than not weigh the same as the 150 pound boned out cow you posted above.


I think you would have a bad outcome if you killed a decent size bull and and have 2 big game bags.

If the OP is just wanting this for the pack out only, try contacting Carabou gear game bags for a custom size, or heavy duty contractor trash bag from Home Depot would probably suit your needs.

So I'll probably kill my elk within 1-4 miles and 500-1500 feet of elevation from the nearest road so it really won't be too bad. Last year it was right at 1000 feet gain and 1.5 miles, I just didn't let myself stop hiking until I made it to the rig. I'd guess that took 45 mins on the way out uphill.

I really don't think meat waste will be that big of a concern but I appreciate you pointing out the multiple bag strategy.

I have a large Kuiu game bag (23.5"x42") which may be about perfect, what do you think?
 
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180ls1

180ls1

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We’re pretty much on the same page on the amount of meat we put in game bag to cool. I would just want to be prepared for the best case scenario, killing a nice big mature bull!

Just the two boned out hind quarters of a mature bull would more often than not weigh the same as the 150 pound boned out cow you posted above.


I think you would have a bad outcome if you killed a decent size bull and and have 2 big game bags.

If the OP is just wanting this for the pack out only, try contacting Carabou gear game bags for a custom size, or heavy duty contractor trash bag from Home Depot would probably suit your needs.
Yeah, that's the main goal. Get as much boned-out meat off, into a bag, and into my pack as possible so I can get back to camp and worry about the rest from there.

I would never hang all the meat bundled up together. Odds are it'll be in a cooler on ice pretty quickly also.
 

Marble

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And it seems if you can kind of get the meat to hang in a "tube" type shape instead of a gigantic ball, its easier to manage.

I've got a kifaru meat bag that can hold a fair amount. It's tubular and easy to secure. In sure there are other choices.

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180ls1

180ls1

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And it seems if you can kind of get the meat to hang in a "tube" type shape instead of a gigantic ball, its easier to manage.

I've got a kifaru meat bag that can hold a fair amount. It's tubular and easy to secure. In sure there are other choices.

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How much meat can you get in that? Maybe 1.5 bull rear quarters?

Edit: just looked it up and they say 75lbs. I wish it was just a little bigger maybe (120lbs) as I'd like to get out more than that, but I really like the design and weight.
 
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Marble

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How much meat can you get in that? Maybe 1.5 bull rear quarters?

Edit: just looked it up and they say 75lbs. I wish it was just a little bigger maybe (120lbs) as I'd like to get out more than that, but I really like the design and weight.
It can handle 75 pounds. Whether or not you get 75 pounds into it is a matter of volume. I would rather use the cheaper standard synthetic bags and tie them into the desired shapes as I went, then to jam it all into the bag.

A boned out bull rear quarter (a hind leg detached at femur/pelvis junction) will probably not weigh more than 75 pounds. Most guys have not actually weighed one by itself. Awhile back there was a really good thread about actual weights of animals with a link to actual weights. A good rule of thumb is the yield is 1/3 of the total weight of the animal.

Just an example, most bulls I drop off at the locker are somewhere around 250 pounds, usually less than that. This includes all 4 legs with the bone removed at the knuckle.

It does not include back straps and tenderloin or some of the grind, just depends on what I got going on. Some have weighed over 300 but rarely. Very rarely.

Bones for all 4 quarters as described would be around 40 pounds IIRC.

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180ls1

180ls1

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It can handle 75 pounds. Whether or not you get 75 pounds into it is a matter of volume. I would rather use the cheaper standard synthetic bags and tie them into the desired shapes as I went, then to jam it all into the bag.

A boned out bull rear quarter (a hind leg detached at femur/pelvis junction) will probably not weigh more than 75 pounds. Most guys have not actually weighed one by itself. Awhile back there was a really good thread about actual weights of animals with a link to actual weights. A good rule of thumb is the yield is 1/3 of the total weight of the animal.

Just an example, most bulls I drop off at the locker are somewhere around 250 pounds, usually less than that. This includes all 4 legs with the bone removed at the knuckle.

It does not include back straps and tenderloin or some of the grind, just depends on what I got going on. Some have weighed over 300 but rarely. Very rarely.

Bones for all 4 quarters as described would be around 40 pounds IIRC.

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Thats great input. Thanks for all of that!

I was figuring about 60lbs completely boned out each for a public land ID rear quarter. Plus or minus some.

So if I could do 100lbs x 2 trips and my dad (70yo, still throws down!) could do 50lbs in one trip we could get it out pretty "easily."
 

Marble

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Thats great input. Thanks for all of that!

I was figuring about 60lbs completely boned out each for a public land ID rear quarter. Plus or minus some.

So if I could do 100lbs x 2 trips and my dad (70yo, still throws down!) could do 50lbs in one trip we could get it out pretty "easily."

It's all relative depending on a lot of stuff. My dad's the same age and I wouldn't let him carry more than 50 or 60. I need him in October and he'll be riding a horse. So I'll carry the extra weight and save his old ass.

I would estimate 3 to 4 loads total including your camp.

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