Let' s See, At $200 each....
10-30-2003, 11:42 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
Let' s See, At $200 each....
I' ve mentioned we butcher our elk while still in camp. Let' s see, 4 elk at $200 each, our group saved $800 for one day' s work; plus we pay more attention to the meat than a commercial processor could afford to do. It is work, but it does build camaraderie and yields what we call " gourmet elk meat."
A chunk freshly seperated from the bone....
Let' s see.... I see a roast, and some steak, some jerky, and some burger, time to start cutting....
Dim photo, sorry, but this is one butchering bunch; however, someone is ready for bed....
Stainless Steel Bowls, jerky meat on the left and hamburger to be on the right....
Plastic Bins With Liners, Steaks (loins & tenderloins) on the left, Roasts on the right....
Processing the hamburger, we use a KitchenAid, but Cabela' s has a great little grinder for just over $100 that works super....
Here is the Elk Camp Dog, taking his share, he will have a elk meat hangover tomorrow morning. Note the cordage used to hang the quarter in the tree still attached to the leg bone....
We take our own freezer and generator and after 24 hours or so of freezing, the meat is ready to distribute as the camp tear down is nearing completion and my fine crew will be going their seperate ways. Meat on one side and group members coolers on the other side, one for you and one for you and....
To me, good company, packing out the meat, a little libation, and butchering it is just as good as the hunt and the kill. [8D]
Never Go Undergunned, Always Check The Sight In, Perform At Showtime,
EKM
A chunk freshly seperated from the bone....
Let' s see.... I see a roast, and some steak, some jerky, and some burger, time to start cutting....
Dim photo, sorry, but this is one butchering bunch; however, someone is ready for bed....
Stainless Steel Bowls, jerky meat on the left and hamburger to be on the right....
Plastic Bins With Liners, Steaks (loins & tenderloins) on the left, Roasts on the right....
Processing the hamburger, we use a KitchenAid, but Cabela' s has a great little grinder for just over $100 that works super....
Here is the Elk Camp Dog, taking his share, he will have a elk meat hangover tomorrow morning. Note the cordage used to hang the quarter in the tree still attached to the leg bone....
We take our own freezer and generator and after 24 hours or so of freezing, the meat is ready to distribute as the camp tear down is nearing completion and my fine crew will be going their seperate ways. Meat on one side and group members coolers on the other side, one for you and one for you and....
To me, good company, packing out the meat, a little libation, and butchering it is just as good as the hunt and the kill. [8D]
Never Go Undergunned, Always Check The Sight In, Perform At Showtime,
EKM
10-31-2003, 02:01 AM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Being held POW in ALEXANDRIA VIRGINIA USA
Posts: 811
RE: Let' s See, At $200 each....
purty cool pics!
I' ll help you butcher anyday. I ' ve never paid someone else to do our deer. around here the rate is about $60 a deer no fancy cuts. an extra $20 if they skin it.
I got a nice setup I' ve worked out over the years and can bust one down cut, wrap grind in about 3 hrs a deer.
Speakin of grinders, Northern tool has one for $104 shipping and all.
Item #168620
Northern tool and Equipment Co. Inc.
PO Box1219
Burnsville MN 55337
They have a website also NorthernTool .com I think.
this grinder will put the Kitchen aid to shame. I have both.
good luck
brad
I' ll help you butcher anyday. I ' ve never paid someone else to do our deer. around here the rate is about $60 a deer no fancy cuts. an extra $20 if they skin it.
I got a nice setup I' ve worked out over the years and can bust one down cut, wrap grind in about 3 hrs a deer.
Speakin of grinders, Northern tool has one for $104 shipping and all.
Item #168620
Northern tool and Equipment Co. Inc.
PO Box1219
Burnsville MN 55337
They have a website also NorthernTool .com I think.
this grinder will put the Kitchen aid to shame. I have both.
good luck
brad
10-31-2003, 05:19 AM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Being held POW in ALEXANDRIA VIRGINIA USA
Posts: 811
RE: Let' s See, At $200 each....
ps.
have to disagree on the ribs. i consider that premo for sausage.
Can' t speak for elk, but deer will yeild abot 10# + for grinding
per 120# deer
can only imagine an elk will yeild more.
still looks like fine meat. have to get out there some day to enjoy the fruits of your harvest(hint, hint, hint)
brad
bj, i like the necks too
finest roast on em
have to disagree on the ribs. i consider that premo for sausage.
Can' t speak for elk, but deer will yeild abot 10# + for grinding
per 120# deer
can only imagine an elk will yeild more.
still looks like fine meat. have to get out there some day to enjoy the fruits of your harvest(hint, hint, hint)
brad
bj, i like the necks too
finest roast on em
10-31-2003, 06:24 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky (by God!) Mountings
Posts: 572
RE: Let' s See, At $200 each....
EKM,
With a set up like you pack in, I wouldn' t be surprised if you got a generator an' a walk-in freezer at the back of thet wall tent. I volunteer to camp jack for ya next season, jus' to see an' operation like this that still ain' t too overrun to have elk nearby. The road campers ' round here ain' t been doin' well in recent years. Lots of ' em bring the kitchen sink an' never see hair. Is there any backcountry where you are? A friend of mine tolt me that in Colorader, you cain' t ride 10 miles in any direction ' thout hittin' a road. Sounds like you could hunt the whole state from trailheads.
With a set up like you pack in, I wouldn' t be surprised if you got a generator an' a walk-in freezer at the back of thet wall tent. I volunteer to camp jack for ya next season, jus' to see an' operation like this that still ain' t too overrun to have elk nearby. The road campers ' round here ain' t been doin' well in recent years. Lots of ' em bring the kitchen sink an' never see hair. Is there any backcountry where you are? A friend of mine tolt me that in Colorader, you cain' t ride 10 miles in any direction ' thout hittin' a road. Sounds like you could hunt the whole state from trailheads.
10-31-2003, 07:20 AM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Let' s See, At $200 each....
Captain,
Regarding butchering fees, yeah, the locals might do a bit better; however, most folks bring them in and have to have the meat and be gone in a couple days and the processors in Craig " ring the bell" on that cash register! My hat' s off to you for cutting your own, it makes the " whole thing" much more personal and rewarding.
BJ,
This area has pretty easy going terrain and certainly is not part of any wilderness area. Colorado got pretty well settled and cut up before they started declaring wilderness; hence, your friend is pretty much right you usually can' t go much more than 10 miles or so with out " punching through the other side into civilization.
Our camp is two miles down the graded road from the " jumping off" spot (we lead the horses behind the pickup, just to " take the edge off of them" before getting down to the business of riding or packing) and then it is four miles back in to where we hunt. That is why we end up getting up at 1:00 am for the pre-dawn hike in or end up using the spike camp which DOES eliminate a lot of walking/riding in the dark.
It is pretty crowded around my main camp and some of these poor souls just hunt around their tent --- most go home empty handed --- as you know you gotta get back in there!
Regarding butchering fees, yeah, the locals might do a bit better; however, most folks bring them in and have to have the meat and be gone in a couple days and the processors in Craig " ring the bell" on that cash register! My hat' s off to you for cutting your own, it makes the " whole thing" much more personal and rewarding.
BJ,
This area has pretty easy going terrain and certainly is not part of any wilderness area. Colorado got pretty well settled and cut up before they started declaring wilderness; hence, your friend is pretty much right you usually can' t go much more than 10 miles or so with out " punching through the other side into civilization.
Our camp is two miles down the graded road from the " jumping off" spot (we lead the horses behind the pickup, just to " take the edge off of them" before getting down to the business of riding or packing) and then it is four miles back in to where we hunt. That is why we end up getting up at 1:00 am for the pre-dawn hike in or end up using the spike camp which DOES eliminate a lot of walking/riding in the dark.
It is pretty crowded around my main camp and some of these poor souls just hunt around their tent --- most go home empty handed --- as you know you gotta get back in there!
10-31-2003, 01:07 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: Let' s See, At $200 each....
CB, you mean to say you get 10% from the intercoastal space off the ribs, sorry been butchering game for a lot of years and never seen that high. Maybe our deer are thin ribbed or are you including some other cuts as ribs?
Butchered a mulie doe last sunday from hanging to freezer 54 minutes, no grinding though. That is the 16th animal I have done since sept, get lots of practice and I just love doing it. I agree it is rewarding and worth the effort. never had to worry about is that my meat, did I get what I brought in and it is cut to my specs not the guy with the bandsaw
EKM, very nice setup. Must have taken a while to get it to the stage it is in now? I know we have 2 camps and they have taken a lot of years, work and so on, aren' t fully their but getting close.
Butchered a mulie doe last sunday from hanging to freezer 54 minutes, no grinding though. That is the 16th animal I have done since sept, get lots of practice and I just love doing it. I agree it is rewarding and worth the effort. never had to worry about is that my meat, did I get what I brought in and it is cut to my specs not the guy with the bandsaw
EKM, very nice setup. Must have taken a while to get it to the stage it is in now? I know we have 2 camps and they have taken a lot of years, work and so on, aren' t fully their but getting close.
10-31-2003, 01:18 PM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Being held POW in ALEXANDRIA VIRGINIA USA
Posts: 811
RE: Let' s See, At $200 each....
Skeet,
let me rephrase.
ribmeat, flank included. plus rump meat, and skanks of hams and shoulders.
my cowhorn spike was 95# fd and had 15# with those cuts.
added 3.5# pork fat to 7.5# for sausage 3.5# beef fat to 7.5# for burger.
worth the extra work for me as I hate waste.
still i' m talkin deer. elk I can only imagine as I' ve never killed one
brad
let me rephrase.
ribmeat, flank included. plus rump meat, and skanks of hams and shoulders.
my cowhorn spike was 95# fd and had 15# with those cuts.
added 3.5# pork fat to 7.5# for sausage 3.5# beef fat to 7.5# for burger.
worth the extra work for me as I hate waste.
still i' m talkin deer. elk I can only imagine as I' ve never killed one
brad