Preserving Your Meat!
- Boss Crewmember Shellie McCarthy
- Aug 6, 2015
- 2 min read
Hunting elk in hot weather presents problem on a backcountry hunt where the closest meat locker is hours, or even days, away. I've been in several of these situations on hot September days that required some FAST work!
Here are some tips to help preserve your valuable meat:
Bone the meat immediately: Sharp knives are a must! The number one reason for meat spoilage is the animals own body heat. The key is to lower the animals temperature. In hot weather the meat closest to the bone tends to go sour first. If you need to keep the meat on the bone for easier packing, be sure to make a deep slice toward the bone to let heat out.
Keep it gutless: Keeping your meat clean and dry are huge factors in preventing spoiled meat. To get the meat cool, remove the hide as quickly as possible and get the meat away from internal organs. Your job will be quicker and easier if you quarter your animal without gutting it. IF you do not know how to do this, there are many great how to videos that can teach you this easy method. This is a great one:
Air out the meat: Once the meat is clean and bagged, get the bags off the ground where the meat can cool easier. Make sure you hang your bags in an area that remains in the shade throughout the day. In 90 degree temps it can take 30 minutes for bacteria to over double! Keeping your meat dry can significantly reduce spoilage.
Season the meat to beat the flys: Blow flies and Yellow Jackets can be your worst enemy in while trying to bag and preserve your meat. Minimize the effect of these annoying insects by covering all exposed meat and the outside of the game bag with a liberal dose of black pepper.
Clean game bags: It is also very important to utilize game bags that prevent blowfly contamination.
Good luck this archery season!!
- Shellie
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