Assistance from fellow elk hunters please...

[Bukslayr]

I am leaving next friday for a 10 day trip to Wyoming on my first ever bowhunt for Elk. (Finally drew a tag!!!)

I am wanting to know if I shoot a mature cow, how many pounds meat will I plan on having to haul home. I would like to process the meat myself but if I happen to shoot one early I may have to have it processed out there. What do you guys take for coolers out there??

Any other things that I need to know so that I am not blindsided on the trip?

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[blake]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bukslayr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">if I shoot a mature cow, how many pounds meat will I plan on having to haul home. I would like to process the meat myself but if I happen to shoot one early I may have to have it processed out there.</div></div>

The rule of thumb is that a skinned and quartered big game animal usually weighs half of its live weight. If a bull weighs 600 pounds, then the shoulders, hindquarters, and backstraps (without the 50-pound ribcage) will weigh about 250. The hide weighs about 50 pounds and the head, skinned out, with a decent 5x5 rack, weighs about 30-40 pounds. The liver and heart can vary, but generally weigh about 15-20 pounds together.


<u>Cow:</u>
500 pounds (225 kg) live weight
4 1/2 feet (1.3 m) at the shoulder
6 1/2 feet (2 m) from nose to tail

<u>Bull:</u>
700 pounds (315 kg) live weight
5 feet (1.5 m) at the shoulder 8 feet (2.4 m) from nose to tail the biggest bulls can lose up to 20 percent of their body weight protecting their harems by the end of the rut.

The following link may help.

Butchering

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[Bukslayr]

Hey thanks for the info!!!

 

[Willie]

I killed a mature cow elk last year and the meat I took to the locker for sausage and packaged ground weighed 130#. This didn't include the tenderloins or the backstraps. Plus the front shoulders were shot up a bit so I was selective on the cuts up front.

I don't care who you are, a grilled medium rare tenderlion out of a cow elk is hard to beat /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Good luck out West /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif

 

[teeroy]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I don't care who you are, a grilled medium rare tenderlion out of a cow elk is hard to beat</div></div>

sounds like a load of crap.........you're going to have to prove it. what time will they be ready?

 

[Benny]

I have been hauling a freezer and generator these days on trips out west.

Something to consider if you have that option. Works slick.