DaNewf

I was thinking about buying a bone saw to bring caribou hunting this year but in my never ending quest to do things on the cheap I decided to buy a coarse (18 teeth per inch) hack saw blade instead (price less than $2.00 CDN). I slapped it on a small bow saw my Dad had kicking around and then me -n- him went hunting.

We found a small herd (9 animals) that appeared to be all does at first glance. A closer look revealed that the largest animal was stag that had already dropped his antlers. I like sausage more than trophies so I knocked him down with a shot thru the lungs. The fun part was over.

The bow saw with the hack saw blade worked just great. It cut through the pelvic and ribcage like they were butter. They lower legs came off in a flash and it only took a second to remove the head. Good thing too because we were three miles in and we really had to hustle to get back to the truck before dark.

I've never used a real bone saw so I can't compare one to the hack saw. Having said that, the hack saw blade on the bow saw did a great job of taking that caribou apart cleanly and quickly.

Anyone else out there try this? A better question might be is anyone else willing to admit they are as cheap as me?

I'm interested to hear about other "hunting gear" people have improvised to save $$$.

L8r.

Nomercy

I do almost the same thing with my bone saw. I don't have caribou to hunt here, so I usually gut and drag my whitetails, even if it's a couple miles, at any rate, I don't need a long blade. First, I was looking at FDT's, ya know, with a bone saw, gut hook and a blade all in one, $75-175, no thanks, so then I got to looking at some of those folding bone saws, since I have a good knife, and found that they were like $35 or more in most cases, I went over to hardware, and bought a folding utility/plumbing saw for $12 with 2 extra blades. Then I got my heirloom gut knife stolen out of my truck, went looking at some more of them, $35 and up!! No thanks, went over to hardware, carpet cutter/hook-bladed utility knife for $8, so I came out for a jackson and change, rather than $110 or more!!!

Screw the 10 ring, keep them in the zero!!!

ArcticBowMan

DaNewf, I guess we could be called cheaper than you.

We don't use saws on caribou that we take with exception of cutting the skull plate to get the antlers off. We remove the quarters by finding the ball socket, we bone the ribs out and they become burger, and we don't saw through the pelvic bone, but rather cut the meat right off the bone.

I have used both a hack saw and a bone saw at the same time, and they both had their +'s and -'s. The hacksaw cut smoother, mainly due to a finer grain on the teeth, but it was bulky, especially with the handle we had on ours. The bone saw had a more ergonomic grip, and was easier to handle in and around tight spots. It cut faster, but not as clean.

Congrats on the stag!
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's

moosehunter1954

Hi there DaNewf how are things on the Rock. I bought a saw a few years ago called a Whatasaw. I got it from S.I.R. in Winnepeg it comes with 3 blades a hacksaw, bone and a wood blade. It sold for less than $30 back then and has worked great. It saved a fly-in moose hunt one time as I left my keys with the outfitter at his request and of course it had the keys to the gun locks on it. The hacksaw blade cut the locks off in no time flat. I prefer my chainsaw to quarter moose though as they take too much cutting.

DaNewf

Hey moosehunter1954,

Except for the out migration and unemployment everything is great on the Rock.

SIR is a great place to buy outdoor gear. I saved $150 dollars by buying my savage from them. I would have prefered to buy local but no one could come close.

You didn't add a LOL or a smilely when you said you used your chain saw to quarter moose. Are you serious? I can see it now. &quot;Okay guys, grab them legs. Bubba, you idiot, go get your goggles!&quot; <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

moosehunter1954

No DaNewf it wasn't a joke I do use a chainsaw to quarter moose. We used an axe to do the first one that we had taken and it turned out terrible sharp pieces of bone all over. The next one we used a buck bone saw must have sweated out 3 beers by the time we were done. The next year I had a chainsaw and have used it ever since. All I have put in it is vegetable oil as it won't taint the meat. It has a fine blade nad works real well. I've had people say it will make the meat full of bone splinters but that isn't so and it really isn't as messy as you would think try it you may like it LOL

Lilhunter

ditto ABMs comments.

The hacksaw blade will also start to cut slower as it clogs with tissue/bone.

You can buy a bone blade if you want but there is now need

A 3&quot; knife is the only thing you'll need on all but the antlers on animals to include moose! A saw blade and saw is nice to have on longer packs as it greatly reduces weight from carrying the head! IMO buy a spare bone blade that will fit your hack saw.....or a blade similar...you dont need pretty cuts when you are field caring an animal when it comes to a saw!

Also learn to flesh a hide out if you have time and are a distance from you mode of trans and have to spike camp it. After carrying my spring bear hide 00, partially fleshed, then carrying around flesh, what a world of difference!

Here is a quick and efficent way to take care of truely big animals, to include caribou! Much quicker and CLEANER then gutting first, or using a saw!

http://home.att.net/~sajackson/bugle.html

as you will see there is very little left when you're done. The only meat left using this method is meat you didnt care to get or take the time to pull out. The only saw you will need to use is to cut the antlers/horns off the skull. The most efficent and imo BEST way to take care of something the size of a caribou or bigger, where the law permits!

dalliwacker

You need a bone saw for one thing, and one thing only...the skull plate. The only exception to this is if you like ribs (I don't), but if you are one of those who just burger your rib meat (like me), you can cut it free or roll it (haven't quite mastered that one). There are sockets/joints at the head, rear quarters, and below the shanks on all four attached only by ligaments. You just need to get in the tight spots with a knife. The front shoulders just cut right off. If your hanging the quarters, it is best to hang it by the ball at the low end, and then let your bag hang loosely around the meat. Lilhunter attached a pretty good slide show, but it doesn't mention everything, just the basics. Save yourself some time and misery, don't saw anything but the head (not only does this keep from exhausting you, but also prevents bone shards, don't gut the animal unless you are leaving it overnight in the field, and keep a sharp knife.