Applying for my first elk hunt right now, and I wondered if you guys had any tricks for keeping scavengers off your meat. I had an incident this past December where I killed my first deer and left the carcass for about 20 minutes after gutting it. When I got back to drag it out I found more buzzards on it than I had ever seen in my entire life, and they had picked it almost completely clean in that short period of time. I'm pretty nervous now about the idea of leaving elk meat in the field for an extended period while I pack it out. Don't know if there are as many scavengers out west, but what do you guys do to keep your meat protected? Would bagging it up and hanging it be enough?
Protection against scavengers
- Thread starter westonp7
- Start date
Had a bald eagle eat the ham off one of my deer that I had shot with a bow. It was late and decided to wait until morning to track him because the hit looked a little far back. Just lost a little meat but had I waited longer his friends could have joined in.
If you need to leave it over night, do your best to find a place to hang the quarters a little ways from the carcass. I go at least 100 yards before hanging away from leaving the carcass but prefer to go more. Never had a problem with four legged predators or winged predators.
So this is going to sound crazy, but if I leave something alone I leave an article of worn clothing on it. I left an elk for 30 minutes to pack 1 load and came back to a sow and cubs munching it. Since then I've started doing it all the time. It works well. We all know if an animal smells a human it will avoid the area. Why not use that to our advantage? I just change out of my sweaty shirt and leave it with the critter.
Gellar
Well-known member
I had a moose tag on the Koyukuk river a few years ago. You have to check your moose in at a small camp at the edge of the hunt zone and you had to bring the lower jaw for aging purposes. Some sort of critter ran off with the jaw bone before we got to the check in. Camp robbers and jays were horrible too.
Gutless method, Alaskan game bags, hang them away from the carcass. Seems the elk I've taken have been mostly evening kills and my typical first order is to start a fire so maybe that has played a factor when packing out the first set. Along with this, and it holds some division whether its an attractant or a repellent, though I dust over the shrubs with a quick shot of my bear spray. I've not had an issue though cautious when return to camp.
CampRipleyLF
Active member
Getting your meat away from the carcass or the full carcass away from the gut pile is pretty key. I wouldn't be too concerned unless you are leaving it over night but if you are quartering it you should have it bagged and hung in a tree before leaving anyways.
I have never heard this before. Makes sense to me though. I might do this as an extra step next time just as an extra precaution. I think it's a good idea and to give it a go.
I've left two elk overnight one we hung up in the trees peed around the area and left a sweat shirt there. The next one I gutted it left a sweatshirt and peed around it never had any problems. The last one I pissed all over it and never went back to see if anything thing ate it hell I wouldn't eat it.
archer wapiti
Member
This is what I do. 100 yards or more. I've never encountered any scavengers on my carcasses (except for a gray jay), but in my mind, I think the soft organ tissues are going to be more smelly and palatable to critters than some bagged, hung meat.
I met a guide who said he brought a can of aerosol Old Spice deodorant with him and he'd spray down a piece of clothing and hang it on the antler.
brnsvllyjohn
Active member
Interesting thread. I have left a few deer overnight and have never had a problem. Some I have managed to hang in a tree and a couple were in sage brush with no trees around. I always pee all around the area and I leave a tee shirt near them. I do try to get them away from the gut pile. I am usually back at the kill at first light so not as likely for birds to get on the meat but bears or coyotes could be an issue. I carry a small rope and pulley system to help hang the animal if trees are around. When hunting alone until dark in can happen so I guess you just do the best you can.
I carry king size pillow cases to keep the meat clean if I am going to cut the deer up before transporting. It just depends on how long I stay at the kill site. The pillow cases help a lot with flies and meat bees. They also keep my pack a little cleaner.
I carry king size pillow cases to keep the meat clean if I am going to cut the deer up before transporting. It just depends on how long I stay at the kill site. The pillow cases help a lot with flies and meat bees. They also keep my pack a little cleaner.
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I have left deer and elk over night. I cover the carcass with fir tree boughs, hang a disgustingly smelly shirt over the boughs, and drag the gut pile away from the carcass. The boughs keep the birds off the carcass and perhaps keeps some of the blood/meat scent down.
Addicting
Well-known member
Reading thru this there is a lot of good info. I just wanted to note that leaving one overnight if not properly cooled down prior creates spoilage. I left mine Elk about 8 hours in the cold ungutted and it spoiled. I had done that many times with deer and never had an issue. With the elks insulation it won’t dissipate heat enough. Please don’t make my mistake.
PaulRevere
Well-known member
You oughta be ashamed of yourself.
TheDudeAbides
Well-known member
Addicting
Well-known member
FYSA, that was a troll statement. What did it add to the OP question? Also Who the F are you to judge me? You have never made a mistake?
JohnCushman
Well-known member
Hey douchebag...how many elk have you killed and gutted and packed out? It's pretty funny that someone who's never done it is going to troll someone who has and did his damndest to do what needed to be done for the situation. Crawl back under your little rock, troll. When you've hunted and killed an elk (or anything for that matter), then come tell us about how perfect you are, dude. I was in constant contact with Tony durinig his hunt and I know how torn up he was about what happened. What's the saying....? Judge not lest ye be judged?
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