Home › Forums › Campfire Forum › Speed-quartering an elk
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Here’s a video, 10 minutes or so, of Fred Eichler speed-quartering an elk without skinning or gutting. It’s a small cow, apparently a yearling, so roughly half the size of a big mature bull. Yet the technique is the same no matter size; you could do the same with a deer. The speed and exactness with which he works is amazing. I differ with him in some regards, specifically leaving the hide on even when packing out in game bags. A green hide weighs about 80 pounds and he is packing out maybe half of that for no reason. Also, I am more concerned about getting hair on meat than with dirt or leaves, etc. And finally, I personally can’t stomach neck or over-rib meat and even my dogs choke on elk neck since it has SO much connective tissue. Leaving the hide on the quarters until you’re finished is a good idea, but I would remove the hide before bagging the meat, and of course many times, if you lack help and/or are miles into the backcountry, you’ll have to debone the meat anyhow to save packing weight. But no matter these minor differences in approach, this is the slickest quartering job I’ve ever seen. My average time to quarter and bag an elk (working alone and usually not under the ideal conditions shown here) is about 90 minutes. Fred does it here in about half that time. I plan to work on taking the leg joints apart with a knife, as shown here, rather than a saw. I used to do it that way but somehow lost the magic touch. In all, this is a great way to go and should ease many inexperienced minds as to what you’re getting into by killing an elk. The knife he is using must be sharp as a scalpel, though he’s not shown stopping to touch it up. And his speed strokes in removing quarters are the sign of tremendous experience … you can do the same thing but more much slowly and carefully at first.
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That’s a good video to show how the quarters come off. I always skin one side first then take off the quarters like he does. The last few elk I have done I have boned out. I don’t even carry out anything I am not going to eat.I have found through cutting up my own elk that it is best to separate individual muscles. It takes me at least two to three hours to finish the job but when done I don’t have as much weight to carry. I always carry my two knives. Razor sharp. My favorite now is a Helle Knife. When I finish packaging an elk now I don’t have very many scraps left. I leave it all for the forest. A hide is way too heavy unless I am fairly close. Besides I have six or eight already. Bones are also unnecessary to carry. It takes me about eight hours to cut and wrap an elk. I don’t mind spending two or three of those hours in the mountains. Just remember to carry a couple of good headlamps and plenty of batteries. I have learned these things of necessity. Elk always seem to die in the worst possible places. Gary
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Dave & Sagebrush —
Good video for folks not familiar with the technique { looks like he is using a “leatherman type tool” which at least with the one’s I have had, can be made quite sharp}. I also do, as you both do, in lightening the load further for pack out { deboning specifically}. I first heard of this as “Alaskan Quartering” { while hunting there}, I would presume to keep the great bears from finding you while in the process,as it is quick and skips the mess & smell of gutting. A good technique anywhere, but especially in “Grizz” country.
Scout
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Great video! Thanks David for posting it
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Yep, there are lots of valid variations on the theme,depending on personal pref and circumstance. But in general, the idea of quartering without gutting is the useful point here, no matter how we individually handle bones and hide.
The most apt response I’ve heard so far, from a local friend I sent it to, is “Wow, that’s the perfect method for high-grading roadkill!” Yes, esp. if it’s illegal where you live — cut and run. 😛
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Ya, good. I watched him skin out an Alaskan Brown Bear on one of his shows here awhile back. It’s good to watch talent and learn.
Kinda like learning how to “milk a rabbit”. Good to know if you got warm weather going on when your bunny hunting.
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R2 wrote:
Kinda like learning how to “milk a rabbit”.
Is there a vid of that too? 😆
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I don’t know why but when I first saw the title I thought quartering the animals had now turned into a competition:D
Really liked the video though always good to watch and get an idea of how to minimize the amount having to carry out on the back. To just the meat and anything else needed.
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Great stuff. Very well done. Thanks for sharing Dave!!
todd
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