DARKSIDE55

As I said in an earlier post, moose and caribou are somewhat alike. You have to clean them pretty quick. The smell you are getting doesn't have anything to do with the rut. It's the guts and their diet. The meat is good I would guess. The lichen they eat tends to be like grass under a lawnmower that isn't cleaned. It tends to spoil real fast, even in -20 weather. Just make sure you've got it cleaned really good on the inside and the hide off of it. I'm sure somebody else will have comments too. But I've had caribou do the same thing to me. I don't believe you will totally get rid of the smell. But for the cost of butchering and all the time and effort you put in to get it, I'd wash it good, have it butchered or just wash it good and cook a piece.

JonBarleycorn

Darkside,
Thanks for the response.
I cannot see how the meat could have spoiled and what you write does make sense, although I do not understand how it tainted all the meat. Lesson learned although in retrospect I could not have gotten to it any faster and it would have been wrong to have let the animal lie there.
I have wondered about grinding it all as sausage and seasoning it as such-maybe that would help.
I look forward to other ideas.
Thanks!

luv2hnt

Hey Jon you may have to marinade your steaks in milk overnight like some people I know do with their spruce grouse. Never tried it myself, but they claim it gets rid of the gamey taste of the meat. I commend you for retrieving your caribou. I have seen too many instances were deer and moosewere left tospoil because hunters did not think they hit the animal after they shot at it and searched only a little to try and find some blood or any sign that they hit it. A good hunter is judged by his ethics and respect for the game he hunts not by how many he killed and how big they are. I must admit though Ido admirenice set of antlers as much as the next guy. 2 more days until I leave to go to Mirage. Sounds like it will be agreat trip judging by what everyone else is saying on the forum.

B&C Wanna B

It's time to leave. I am leaving in about 5 hours. Staying at nouchimi 25-28. We are driving a blue f-250 with a camper in the bed. We will be towing a black trailer as well. I mentioned the advice from this forum to my buddies but they ensure me it was not a problem last time they went. The roads were pretty bad then as well. I have been getting less and less work done as today got closer.

I know a few of you were going to be there at the same time. I can't wait to see what every one is talking about. Wish me luck!

harness racer

hey JBC I have shot many large game here in Northern Ontario and finding them in these forests are not always quick and easy. Your belly shot has nothing to do with meat discoloration , there is no chance that your stomach contents tainted your rump roast , trust me I have been butchering meat for 20 years. As for the discoloration of the meat (lighter) comes from the meat boiling a bit but that dont mean its no good, its just pre-cooked a little . Had a large bull moose do the same thing and it was very good. Your mistake was that you plugged the cavity with snow, you insulated it . You can wash the cavity a million times the only thing your accomplishing is your cleaning the tenderloins , I remove them immediatly and gorge . Like the other fella mentioned grab your knife cut a chunk and try it, I bet its fine...

fire3517

JBC they are right the weather was not warm enough to taint the meat caribou's stomach's swell fast after the are shot cause of the lichen they eat they need to be gutted right away if possible but in your case that wasn't possible your meat should be fine harness racer was right never pack it with snow you can use the snow to clean it out but never keep it packed inside just a few pointers if you didn't know that but congrats on you bou's i posted some pictures a few pages back hope you all got to see them

Colorado Bob

harness racer------ At Mirage last years hunters have 1st choice to rebook for next year. That's why you have to wait till Feb if it's your 1st time. I got on the waiting list & finally gave up & booked at Donat.It's 1st come, 1st served there. I'm not sure on Kimis.Nouchi was a little to far out of the area for me. Hope this answers your question. CB

harness racer

Hey c. Bob thanks for the info. How have you done @ these other places . I am a meat hunter, my trophys are in the freezer or in our belly's so im not afraid to rough it a bit. Im going to check out donat's web site if they have one . I recall reading something on this forum about the amenities of this outfitter, hate to speculate .

lousacs

Fire357 thanks for posting the pictures along with everyone elses inputs. Boy it looks like you have to be really careful taking a shot at these caribouif they are all so close together. It is like shooting a flock of ducks you could take down a couple at the sametime. Taking off in the early morning to head up to the Mirage to hunt from the 26th through the 29th. Looks like the weather is going to be a little more coorperative just light snow and flurries forecasted.

harness racer

Safebuster I emailed you ,I do not know if I did it right , reply if I did . I checked out Donat Asselin web site and it does not look to bad , i hope c.b. gives me more info . Get your visa ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1