Just for those who may have never had the chance to deal with an elk-sized animal once it's been harvested, I took a few pictures as I worked on mine. It's a bit daunting to be looking at a 400-lb.or larger animal laying in a pile, but there are a few tricks that can make the job easier.

It was a big plus for me that this one died on a steep side hill. I tied off the front and rear left legs to trees on the uphill side, which made it very easy to get a clean cut line on the gut, and then to let the entrails roll out with the help of gravity.

Because of severe arterial damage in the heart-lung area, this one bled out completely inside its body cavity...and again, the steep hill was a blessing, as I could just swash all of the blood out and away down the hill. This kept it pretty clean in the work zone, and gave me a good view of where I was working inside the elk.

In that previous photo, you can see the entrails way down the hill; the heart and liver beside the aspen tree, and the blood and clots that washed down over the hillside.

In this photo, I've peeled back the skin on the uphill side, with those legs still tied off, so that both quarters are exposed. But I leave them attached--because I need to keep it tied off, and flip it so the other side rolls up.

So now I've flipped it, leaving both left legs still tied; but now I also tie the right hind leg up in the air, to make the skinning easier.

Though you can't see it in this photo, the elk's down side is resting on the already loosened skin. Basically, I use the skin as a sort of sterile rug to keep from getting dirt or leaves on the carcass.

As I finish skinning the top side, I lay that flap of skin on the downhill side, as a work surface to lay meat on.

Now I'm ready to start the quartering. I take the right front leg first (you can't see it because it's laying on some fir boughs that I laid out for it a few feet away). Next, I untie the right hind leg, and remove that. There's no easy way to describe removing a hind leg, except to say that it helps to wiggle it in the ball-and -socket joint, like a stick shift in a car, to give you a better idea of what connective tissues you need to cut through. In this photo the joint has been cut off and the leg is lying on the clean skin. It too will then be moved onto a bed of boughs.

looks like some fine eating, good job all around

Whoops...my mistake, try this photo...there's that right hind leg, I think!

Before moving on to tackle the other two quarters, this is the best chance to get at the true tenderloins (the long straps on the inside of the ribcage, which are the most tender part of the whole critter. I've outlined them in yellow...and they come out very easily, but you need to use your knife mostly in a pushing and scraping manner, rather than just cutting. I'm sure this is basic stuff to most, but again, some may find it useful. The good thing about taking them at this juncture is that they are easily accessed and well-illuminated in full daylight.

In this photo, you can see the two tenderloins on the right, and a couple of side slabs that my son will love for his hobby of making jerky. Once again, that skin makes a great rug to lay the meat on as you cut the pieces off.

Okay, now for those other two legs. I untie the hind leg and cut that off at the joint...

And finally I untie and remove the left front leg. By now the carcass is light enough that it doesn't slide away down the hill...

Now it's time to get those quarters hung, so they can keep shedding heat, and be up off the ground. I've found a good spruce hang-up to deploy the quarters from, in a nice shad and cool grove of black timber.

It doesn't take the Canada jays ("whiskeyjacks) long to find the hung meat, and they aren't shy about demanding their share...which I don't begrudge them.

Meanwhile, back at the carcass, I've tied the neck off to an uphill tree, and arranged it so that the backbone is up, so I can have good access to the long strips of loin on either side of the backbone. Notice that the skin rug is still being very useful as a working surface.

And here, finally, are the sections of loin coming off. Tomorrow I'll show pix of my loaded pack frame as I head down to the car.

You need to learn the gutless method.

That's probably the cruddiest looking butcher job I've ever seen. I think I've lost my appetite for elk meat. I better thaw some doe backstrap when he stops, lol!

Joe

Hey Frisky, at least Kerry's elk doesn't have any tire & grill bruises like your doe backstrap! Ha,ha

Geez Joe...after all your prognostications that crookedstix was going to come up empty- handed I thought you'd mostly be eating crow when he visits!! HAHA!!

Congratulations Crookedstix!! Makes me wish i could go this year lol hoping next though

No need to apologize for boring folks with step by step descriptions and photos. My hunch is that there's plenty of folks on LW that have never done this for themselves. Plus, you cant emphasize enough how important it is to keep the hide under the animal to keep the meat clean or the importance of gravity, good and bad, in this process. These details are less critical when you've got an intact 100 lb whitetail thrown on the back of your pick-up or UTV on the way to a meat processor.

A lot of work for one man. You made it look easy. Well done!

Oh, I know the gutless method--but that leaves the tenderloins behind. And heart is great too;I know they say you shouldn't eat a lot of heart and liver (cadmium is the culprit I think), but one elk heart a year won't kill me. Plus there's a lot of good jerky meat in the belly and diaphragm...and then again it's always fun to slit the stomach and see what they've been eating.

Frisky, you're just squeamish--this was all done with surgical precision, LOL. I suspect that MT Quiver has done all the gutting on your various trophies; for all I know these photos may be the first time you've seen the insides of a large animal.

So here's the pack frame with one load tied on--front quarter, hind quarter, and the heart inside the black T-shirt, which I will toss in the laundry at Frisky's if I stop there.

The heart is actually double-bagged, because I also leave it inside the pericardium, the sac that surrounds it, until I get it all the way home. I miss I knew what has happened to my fourth white cotton game bag though--luckily, I was eventually able to rustle up an old sweatshirt that pretty well covered it.

Once I had all four quarters lugged down the mountain, along with a rucksack with all the loins and body meat, I hung everything in a grove of big spruces in a deep dark ravine with a little brook running through it.In addition to being cool and shady, there is always air moving up or down the mountain in these ravines--so the meat got air-cooled down into the 50's by the end of the day, at which point I put it all on the roof of my car for the night--and crashed out for a good night's sleep in the reclined driver's seat. The meat had cooled down to about 30 degrees by morning.

This allowed me to go back up the hill at daybreak

Great job, thanks for the info.

Congrats Kerry! The last guy to post on your other thread wants you to give the Rocky Mountain Oysters to Frisky, Bless his heart! ;) bvd

Heck of an adventure, thanks for taking us along,,congrats on your successful hunt.

The last thing on my mind when butchering any animal is taking time to take step by step pictures and the unneeded additional burden and logistics of it (bloody camera and race against the flies, for example)....so THANKS for taking time; I know a lot of guys that can benefit from this. Well done!

Way to put an adventure together Kerry, good on you! Thanks for taking us along.

Nice job, thanks for sharing and congratulations. For me it was very informative. Thank you.

Rocky mtn oysters?! I believe Kerry pointed out several times that this animal was a COW elk!

Anyway, a few neck scraps and trimmings would be fitting for Frisky. It might be a little chewey but at least that would get the taste of crow out of his mouth!

Well done, congrats on a fine cow!

Thank you Sir...now, all I got to do is get there and kill one. An I'm all set.

This is a great thread. I have never been elk hunting much less shoot at one. I’d love to work that in someday. Thanks for taking the time to document it all and post it.

Very informative, thanks for sharing this "one man job" and the thoughts behind.

Way to go Kerry! Congratulations!

CS, thanks for this entertaining and informative couple of threads. I think your butchering process took the best advantage of slope and gravity; you clearly thought it through. I am already looking forward to your adventure next year!

Backcountry, Surveyor61 thought giving the Rocky Mountain Oysters to Frisky was grand idea. ;) bvd

He won't even touch that contaminated meat. If he does stop here, it will be to get a decent meal and maybe his 1st shower since the last time he was here.

Joe

Boy, I'm having a devil of a time keeping connected to the 'net this whole trip. I was posting from a coffee shop in Pagosa Springs this morning, and they lost power in the whole town! Luckily my elk was already frozen rock solid, and so now I've got it nicely swaddled in a big canvas dropcloth, with 2 ten-puond bricks of dry ice on top of that. Then comes my wool army blanket, followed by two sleeping bags.

Bernie, the guy who owns the Buck Stops Here meat processing business here, thinks I'll be fine to go all the way back east with it like this.He said that he does a lot of shipping as well, but that anyone could expect to spend about a grand to get the meat from a good-sized elk frozen and shipped to their house back East.

Here's the last pic of the pack-out I was trying to show you--front quarter, hind quarter, and the heart (inside a black T-shirt that I'll have Frisky toss in the laundry for me). It took two trips like this, plus a third with my rucksack stuffed with about 75# of all the really good pieces of loin, tenderloin, and numerous body trimmings that will become jerky.

Somehow I've lost one of my white cotton game bags, so that last quarter is inside an old sweatshirt now. I'm sure it will taste just fine.

Sorry for the double posting of that last pic...I forgot that it had made it out before the cafe lost power this morning.

Now I'm in Chama, NM; looking like I'll reach Kristina's place in Taos in time for a late lunch.

Oh, I should have mentioned--one indispensable tool in the whole process is a folding pruning saw. In addition to being the best way to get firewood at camp, they also go through bone quite nicely. I hate to imagine separating the head from the neck without one. I also always have plenty of 1/4" nylon line on hand, which is another all-around godsend at any campsite.

I know I am addressing a learned and experienced person, so please do not take offense. CS, take care with the dry ice in your SUV: the CO2 vapors can displace healthy air. A driver in Washington was recently killed this way. Have a safe journey!

Oh--and thanks again to all who have tagged along on these threads. I hope that those of you who have been thinking about taking the plunge will take some encouragement. As you can see, any 62-year-old with a bit of determination and conditioning can pull it off, even with no companions. But, it's always a bit more fun with a buddy along.

If you're wondering about costs, my guess is that I've spent...lessee...$650 for the license, probably $600 in travel costs by the end of it all, and maybe $150 for the costs of preserving the meat...and of course it used up a gob of vacation time. But it always feels like money well spent. I don't count the cost of getting good barbecue, Mexican food, etc. because I'd have to eat no matter where I was. Likewise, the cost of a few PBR drafts at the Last Dollar is the price I had to pay to share the story with you guys...but for their internet connection, I would never venture into any such den of vice. But I'm willing to take that cost for the team, LOL.

Thanks for posting this--I'm sure I'll never do it, but I really enjoyed watching the process.

Dan, thanks for sharing that very sensible point...and yes, I'm driving with the windows open, and also leaving them open at night.

Of course this dry ice is increasing my carbon footprint, but I consider that I have a 4,500-mile credit to that account based on all my bike riding this year.

Good LORD, Kerry! I can’t believe you hauled all of that bone off o’ the mountain...

My brother and I did that with my big cow. Once. Now he hangs quarters bone-in overnight, then he and his wife go up the next day to bone it all out & pack it off.

Kerry, Congrats....oh how quickly the green, envious head of imposters will rear.....sad, sad, sad.

Best thread in the few years I’be been on the wall. I really think you for the time and effort to keep us posted . I’m going to remember this as “ Cunning Crookedstix’s Classic Colorado Conquest.” Be careful driving home.

Kudos.....great read and follow along! thanks for sharing....PaLongshank

That’s supposed to be I’ve been. Nothing like checking it after you post it. Good grief.

Actually, I think Frisky's on better behavior than usual! I was expecting a well-deserved dose of ridicule for getting myself "turned around" that first night, and he pretty much let me off the hook over that little miscue.

Just for that, I'll be extra kind and scrape all the aspen leaves and spruce needles off any meat that I give him. It may be the only protein he sees all fall...unless he secures another "bumper crop" of whitetail, heheh...

My mom is back home, and I'm making shipwreck for supper. Shipwreck consists of layers of sweet onions, venison, sliced Idaho russets, dark kidney beans and a topping of fresh garden tomatoes. It beats the heck out of dirty elk! I'm just glad he's staying well to the south of me. There's no reason to come up here, when it's faster to just stay down on I-70 and head east. My mom said Crookedstix is a fine fella and is welcome here, but I do the cooking and don't agree with her.

Joe

Per Batman's recent PM request, here's another shot of the elk, just as she was when I walked up to her.

And I'm finding a few photos that I haven't shared yet, which some of you may enjoy. This was my celebration breakfast--scrambled eggs with torn up smoked deli turkey and pepperjack cheese tossed in, all cooked in a real heavyweight frying pan. It's worth the extra effort to carry in the good stuff!

Hmmm...one of these arrows seems to be shorter, and redder, than the others...heheh...

And here's the calling card of the 6 x 6 that Pdiddly will shoot NEXT year, I hope! I call this bull "the Blazer," because he's left dozens of these compact little antler rubs that look like some kid with an Estwing hatchet has been out blazing a trail.

Welp it sure looks to me like the Lord showed favor on you sonny. Thank you Lord for allowing him the opportunity to shot at an elk and then guiding his arrow straight enough to kill this elk.

I'd rather shoot what you did for meat rather than some lathers up testosterone snorted trophy bull that came all over himself stinking to high heaven. LOL

Good going Kerry. Prayer works.

Here's what the fresh (10 minute old) blood trail looked like--not all that much came out of her, but it was sure running freely inside her. The dark red color makes me think that the pulmonary vein was what took the hit.

This is Sheep Mountain, across the valley from where I hunt. The difference is that Sheep Mtn. is in National Forest, whereas my campsite is in the National Wilderness. No four-wheelers or other vehicles allowed in the Wilderness--that's my cuppa tea!

And here's an overview of where I believe the black bear killed an elk calf. It sure feels like maybe the bear was hiding at the woods edge (which was where I jumped him), and just waited for the calf to be in the wallow and succeeded in charging out and getting it. Has anyone else ever encountered scenes like this? It gives me a whole new appreciation of what a black bear may be able to do!

Thanks Kerry, always need a refresher and how others do it. Great idea on using the hide.

Ignore Frisky, at least your kill doesn't have Firestone imprinted on it.

CS, Really enjoyable and interesting. I would make steaks out of those tenerloins and sirloins, instead of jerky. But that's just an opinion. You earned her. Martin

Wow, those were great threads. Thanks so much for the imagery and the whole shebang! Congrats on your successful elk hunt!!!

Kerry, thanks for these two threads and all the photos. This has been fun to follow.

But somehow I missed the photo of the twins. ;)

Congratulations and thank you for the thread

Hap

wmb238, I think I was misleading--the loins and tenderloins are definitely going to be steaks!! The jerky will come from the odd bits, like the diaphragm and the belly and the thin layers under the hide on the ribs and shoulders.

I do almost no hamburg or roasts when I process a deer or elk; mostly just stew, stir-fries, steaks, and jerky. Frisky's out of luck if he thinks there's any roasts in his future!

To be honest, I wouldn't eat meat processed by such a slob. However, I earned an elk roast and expect to get one! I'd have to look it over and smell it before acceptance though.

Joe

Great adventure Lots of good hard work,,and some steaks to boot

"Bumper crop"...lol, that's a good one Kerry. There's a rumor going around that he's installed brush guard as well and I'm not sure that's even ethical. Joe's mom has her heart in the right place, but probably shoulda used a hickory switch on him...now you know why tigers eat their young!

Thanks for the great thread...nice to see it all came together for you. It was special for me because I know where it happened and how it all came together.

Also glad the fry pan was still at the BFM aka Black Velvet camp for your breakfast!

That is going to be good eating because you took such care processing it.

Where did the arrow enter and exit and what was the elk's reaction to the shot?

Also, did you get up to the high camp below the LH? Was the fry pan there as well and how was the fireplace?

Kerry, you should’ve cut a roast out of the bear kill for Frisky, bear or bumper it doesn’t matter

Thanks for taking us along again this year Kerry.

Peter, I'm sorry to say that I didn't even make it up to the original camp; the reason being that when I first arrived at the spring there (which was running just fine), it was bright and early with a good snap in the air...time to be hunting, in other words. So I hunted my way through all the wallows there, and was seeing less sign than ever. I kept going lower in the basin, feeling like I'd eventually start seeing more manure...but there just wasn't much of any fresh sign there; at least compared to the BF side. So when I reached the bottom of the basin, I had already decided to return to the Black Velvet camp, and it just felt like a too big an outlay of time and energy to go all the way back up the hill just to see the campsite.

The arrow went in just right of center and just above the point of the brisket (as I was looking at the elk), and exited just behind the animal's right front leg. It was an awkward angle and I probably got a better result than I deserved..but the Forgewood pushed straight on through. It was a pass-through with enough force that when it hit the rocky slope behind her, the shaft bounced back towards her a few feet.

She just sprang into the classic "dead run" of a heart-shot animal--straight uphill in a mad dash. She just made it up to the next elk path along the side hill, stood there a couple of seconds, and then tipped over (at least that's how it sounded to me).

I wasn't even totally sure that I'd hit her, because my shot was so far forward...but then when I heard her fall (I thought), it seemed likely that I'd gotten a real good hit. I got glimpses of the bull moving up the sidehill too, but I wasn't even going to think about him until I took a look at my arrow shaft. It was nice quiet ground between me and the arrow, so I really only waited two or three minutes before checking it. The remaining elk did spook and run off when I went over to it, but even from ten yards away I could see enough blood all the way to the fletching that I was pretty sure the cow was done for--and that proved to be the case.

I'll also add that this event reminded me of how important our listening can be. The place where I sat was alive with forest noises, because there were literally dozens of squirrels dropping cones and chattering, along with the occasional Canada jay chiming in. But amid all the chirping and chattering and bumping and branch-rattling of the falling cones, it only took one clear sound of hoof scraping gravel and rock about thirty yards away to jolt me to red alert. I just had time to stand up, turn around 180 degrees to look uphill, and nock an arrow...and boom, she was right there.

Thanks again for taking the time to provide all the information and photos of your hunt. Like Peter, I can picture it all in my minds eye. It sure would have been great if we could of had this result last year when Peter and I were there with you. Buy hey, that’s why it’s called “hunting”! I’m sure that you and Peter will have another fine adventure next year when you once again return to the CO mountains. And I look forward to reading about that one too. Lance

Great description of the shot Kerry...your choice to take the cow was wise once she cut your track.

I am impressed but not surprised with the Forgewood's performance with a Bear Razorhead.

I bet you were around 9 gpp and that arrow went through some meat to get through...the bounce backwards when it hit the talus slope behind the elk shows it still had plenty of juice. That's impressive!

Your diligent practice certainly paid off because you hit her right in the sweet spot.

Yeehawww!

I was in Pagosa Springs the 12th. Saw a bunch of elk hunters in town. Been staying in Durango. Spent yesterday showing the bride around Utah. Giving the bride a two week tour where I spent a lot of time in 1966-68. I was poorly equipped to bow hunt the area in those days, now I'm too old and beat up to handle the area. :)

Congratulations on a good hunt.

I'm extremely skeptical of the shot placement. I also think he should have pulled a Rymancat and pursued the bull, claiming he missed the cow.

Joe

That's the way to do it!

You're my kind of huntin' partner!

Congrats Kerry, great hunt and story. Thanks for taking all of us along.

Cliff, I was there on the 12th as well! Did you see this hot air balloon go by? I was standing under it with a strung bow when it floated overhead, wondering just how much trouble I could get myself into with one shot, LOL.

No, missed the balloon. If you can hit a elk, you wouldn't have any problem with the balloon. :)

I was going up hwy 39 in Illinois this morning and looking for a Subaru as I passed over 80..but no go.

I think the Subaru deserves an honorable mention and a pic in this tale of high adventure.

Nice presentation crookedstix. That's just about how we do it. We carry a small, cheap plastic tarp or contractor's bag and bone it all out right there to save weight on the haul out. Use the tarp like the hide and transfer all to elk bags or pillow cases for the haul out. Long gone are the days of quartering and hiking out for horses, let alone packing out quarters. You did good! Enjoy the roasts this winter.

Frisky, the shot placement was perfect. Lay off of Crookedstix. You need to be concentrating on how to make that 3 piece bow shootable enough to finish off a bumper bashed road crossing deer.

Mine all died at the BOTTOM of steep drainages! Lucky dude...way to go!

What about the twins?

Goodstuff, and lucky enough to say I have done that solo, kill and quartering thing myself four times in Southwest Colorado. I re=lived some of it reading this post. Thanks for sharing

Way to go Kerry see you have meat for the winter! My Dad carried a pocket knife just like that one LOL.

Check your PM's the bow is a go. Have a safe trip home. Since Frisky lost his appetite for elk meat from your butcher job guess you won't have to share any with him LOL

No word from Crookedstix. Let's hope he stays well south of here. I'm not interested in contaminated elk.

Joe

Very happy for you Kerry! Thanks for sharing.

Great story and very entertaining. Thank you.

I'm crossing Illinois as of 10 PM. The darn hot weather has me very nervous about keeping the meat cool and getting it back to Maine as fast as I can...so no roast for Frisky this time.

However I did have a nice visit with Kristina in Taos...and just got a text message that the elk meat (chunk of loin) that I left with her was a big hit.

I left Taos about this time last night...my dry ice is used up, and I don't know any places east of the Mississippi where I can get it roadside. I guess I'll keep the caffeine flowing and the hammer down; maybe I can make Ohio before I take a nap, and then Maine by tomorrow afternoon...and just use regular ice as best I can.

East bound and down! Go, Bandit, go!!

Thank the good Lord he didn't stop here with that rotting elk carcass! HAHA!! Gonna drive back home with green meat! This is funny, lol!

Joe

Update--it's Monkeyball to the rescue!!

My cross-country travel, with 200# of elk meat inside the Subaru as temperatures soared, was getting dangerously close to becoming a disaster. I took two bold steps-- I bought a 5 cu. ft. freezer in Canton, Ohio; and then I called Craig to see if he had really meant it when he had previously PM'ed me to "just call if you need any help" while I was crossing Pennsylavania.

Little did he know what he was in for! I rolled into his driveway round 8 PM last night, and by 9 I had all of the meat trimmed up enough to fit in the freezer, and it was chilling down nicely. Craig and Lori were perfect hosts-- I felt badly about the imposition, but they pooh-poohed my concerns. I even got to use their shower--in fact, they insisted--and, unlike my previous visits to Frisky's, I got to sleep inside the house in a real bed!

Of course, it wasn't my own comfort I was concerned with--it's the meat that counts! By morning it was cooled down perfectly, right around 30º and ready to travel the last leg of my trip back to Maine. It's all still in great shape, except for a few trimmings that I stuck in a box and mailed to Frisky on my way out of town this morning. Craig even loaned me a nylon ratchet strap to make sure the freezer stayed tightly closed as I'm driving.

This was all a huge favor. I've met a lot of good guys through this forum, and Frisky as well, but it was really just super of Craig and his wife to help out a perfect stranger in such fashion. Naturally, we had to have a little bow show-and-tell at the table this morning, and trade a few hunting stories. When I pulled out, Craig was already hosing away all evidence of my visit to his driveway. Naturally, I tried to leave gobs of meat as a thank-you...but for some reason they wouldn't hear of it. But he certainly has my deepest gratitude--thanks Craig!

A big tip of the hat to Craig and Lori. Another perfect example of the wonderful people on this forum. Lance

Wow. What an adventure!

I think Craig is a good guy because my Son likes Him. Take Care.

Kerry is quite the Leatherwall ambassador--weaving this motley group together trip by cross-country trip!

What a sad situation, lol! I'm so glad I didn't have to put up with that crap. I did leave the grass long in case he stopped and set up his tent in the yard. Anyway, looks to me the meat has already turned to jerky, hahah!!! No wonder Monkeyball and wife rejected it! Haha! Now Monkeyball knows what I had to put up with twice.

Joe

Can you imagine when he gets home, with no running water or refrigeration? That gangrenous meat is gonna be really good, haha!!

Joe

Awesome job on the hunt and the meat processing. I'm not surprised.

Well, good news--my Cross-Country Carrion Carryin' Caravan has finally reached Maine. My only regret is that Frisky can't smell the back of my car right now, heheh.

Not to worry--the meat is perfect; it's just the tiny bit of blood that dribbled onto the rubber mat in the cargo area that's getting fragrant...well, and maybe my laundry.

It was great staying at Craig's, where I was actually allowed to sleep INSIDE the house rather than out on the lawn! I was quite impressed with the wildlife at his place--coyotes howling and fighting right in his back yard last night, and then several large black birds perched in the tree right above my car when I went out to check on the meat this morning. I was kind of weaving all over the map after I left Monkeyball's place--I drove all the way north to Albany via I-88, hoping I might bump into Trapper Kayak in upstate New York somewhere.

I'm already planning next year's Mooch-A-Thon: I'll start paying careful attention to who among our forum lives in which state, and how much hospitality I think I can wheedle them out of. My goal will be to leave home on foot with just a toothbrush, and then borrow everything--bows, arrows, food, and hunting gear--from Good Leatherwall Samaritans across the country. In return, on my way back I'll leave them each a healthy measure of hunting tips, elk meat and tall tales about my hunt.

Sorry it’s over. Great adventure, methodically planned and executed. Very good updates along the way. I almost felt like I was on the trip. One very troubled soul on here tried to degrade the accomplishment. Wish there was some way I could help him. Thanks again to Crookedstix, the Leatherwall Man of the Year.

Man of the Year my foot! I mean, where's the hide? That was the trophy. The meat perished on the way home. I'm just glad I get to keep my freshly made jam and also all of my backstraps.

Joe

Yes, great adventure for sure...and I really enjoyed the action and the drama, and even the posts by the "troubled soul".

So glad it worked out for you.

You come through Mississippi I’ll put you up. Glad you made it home safe.

"Sorry it’s over. Great adventure, methodically planned and executed. Very good updates along the way. I almost felt like I was on the trip. One very troubled soul on here tried to degrade the accomplishment. Wish there was some way I could help him. Thanks again to Crookedstix, the Leatherwall Man of the Year."

My sentiments exactly. Well said Lost arrow!

Thanks Lowcountry. I’m in the winter of my life, probably late winter. Crookedstix’s adventure has made me want to plan one more solo trip. Maybe a southeastern Minnesota whitetail hunt. Don’t know, I’ll ponder on it.

There! The last hundred miles is behind me, and I'm safely inside the palace walls here in New Bowmania. The mighty Subaru held itself together and got me home safely. The bows are back on the wall; the Forgewoods in their case. The meat is safe inside the freezer, finally; almost a full week after shooting the critter. Feels like a minor miracle that everything has worked out...with more than just a little help from my friends.

Thanks for all the encouragement from those who followed along and wished me well...and of course to Frisky, who didn't hesitate to offer his sound counsel and constructive criticism, heheh.

The freezer is set so as to just slowly chill the meat down a bit more overnight; it should be perfectly firm for cutting and packaging tomorrow. I'll weigh it all up and report on the tally when the work is done. Cheers, Kerry

Lost Arrow, from what I hear if you use the guy from Minnesota as your guide it would be a good idea to add brush guards to your car.

Craig is a good guy. Glad you made it far enough to get his help Kerry.

Lost Arrow- I suggest you DO go on a solo hunt to SE Minnesota. Solo means no guide. You could hunt the Rochester area, so when you have the "big one" they can get you quickly to St. Mary's hospital where they did such a good job on my mom, lol!

Joe

Kerry don't pay Joe boy any mind he's just jealous he can't do it and then has to mooch off you for meat. LOL

You should of taken Joe as your packer then you could get some really good laughs at the camp fire as the Legend tells it how it bee's. LOL

Take Frisky as a packer??!!

He would have to be carried in!!

That mountain air would gas him!!

And Joe...as for your deer meat, it's still on the deer!!

As we say in Quebec, "Don't sell the skin of the bear before you shoot it!!"

Glad to hear you made it home safe Kerry with everything intact...the drive back is always tougher than the drive out. Look forward to some more pictures and next year's hunt!

Here's a rub that "Blazer" likely made last year about 400 metres from where you were seeing him.

Kerry, A wonderful conclusion to your marvelous adventure. I was right there with you and let me tell you it was easier to breathe sitting here at home than at 11,000. + feet. Great pictures, and you’re a natural story teller with just the right amount of humility and humor. My door is always open if you ever decide to come to WA to chase the Olympic Elk. I’m glad that you made it home safely and look forward to reading about the trip you and Peter will be making next year. I’m thinking that maybe I could make a visit to my sister in Erie CO at the time you’ll be heading for home and we could have a visit. Just a thought! Lance

Hell Kerry you can hunt my place in VT anytime just to make Frisky cry : ) Plenty of black bear,,,or moose if you can pull a tag

Awesome adventure! Glad you made it home! Craig and Lori are great people, they would help anyone out. Congrats again to you!

Tonight I can really, finally, relax and enjoy the aftermath of the hunt. I got the meat all broken down, and it's safely in the freezer. Anyone would have a hard time believing what wonderful condition it was in when I sat down to cut it up today...there wasn't a single piece showing any browning, nor was there a single piece that had even a whiff of funkiness to it. It was all just the right color and smell..,a small miracle, given that I was seeing high 80's and low 90's as I drove across country. But down underneath both sleeping bags and my wool blanket, with help from about 60# of dry ice and another 20# of conventional ice, the meat must have stayed in the 40's or below for the whole ride. The chance to cool it down at Monkeyball's was absolutely key to the whole venture, because at that point I was completely out of options.

I used about 42 gallon-sized and another 16 quart-sized freezer bags getting it all wrapped today...maybe tomorrow I'll have a chance to weigh the whole business. It's more than enough for me, that's for sure.

I'm happy for you that the meat is cut and wrapped and in the freezer. I cant imagine a more nerve-wracking drive than worrying about the hard -earned meat starting to go bad but being stuck in a well-used Subie. Every mile seems like 2. Sleep hard and dream of "Blazer".

I'm still upset about the hide. I can't believe anyone would waste a perfectly good elk hide.

Joe

Thanks for a good follow a long story and showing how the cutting up job is done. This is very helpful for people like me who have not done this yet.

You did good, Kerry! Kind of wish I hadn't gone to Cambodia to evade you that time. Enjoy the meat.

I wish I could have gone to Cambodia to evade him twice!

Joe

What an adventure with all the photos to go along with it. Very informative enjoyed the thread,well done congratulations.

Good one Frisky. I got choked on my toast.

We can make everything right this coming year: Larry can come hunting with Pdiddly and I--we'll drag out his elk, cook him his meals, and download all those Howatt stories from the 60's that are stored in his noggin.

Meanwhile, Frisky will take Larry's place on the anuual trip to Cambodia, to disarm land mines. Regardless of how well he succeeds, he will either help solve one of Cambodia's biggest problems, or one of the Leatherwall's biggest problems. Heheh.

The final weight tally was 164# of clear, boneless meat. The legbones and trimmings added up to another 26#...so I wasn't far off with my estimate of having 200# of elk in the back of the Subaru. My hunch is that the cow's live weight was pretty close to 400#.

Kerry, I think your solution for next year shows an ability of "compromise" and a talent the United Nations could use to bring about world peace! Congratulations on a safe and successful hunt.

Kerry Thank You for sharing your trip. I enjoyed, AND your bicycle trip of days past, AND Doing it for us that can't. Congratulations on Your success. Love of the Bow. Take Care

This was probably the very best two posts I have ever read in a hunting forum or anywhere else for that matter. Kerry, expert job all around. Well done Sir!

Joe's posts just crack me up. Craig and Lori's hospitality is apparantly without bounds. Peter, I hope you get the big boy next year.

We all look forward to next years saga.

Frisky should know he has to watch for these guys. Not your locals.

I think I'll skip Cambodia and just hide out in the woods, the next time Crookedstix is in town.

Joe

Drop breadcrumbs so you can find your way home.

or just stay close to the highway where you normally hang out.

Grizzly that was awesome! I love it when frisky gets beat like a drum.

Congratulations!

Thoroughly enjoyed this thread, you all. Could have done better without the Frisky angle, that was absolute blather.

No Wild Bill! No! This thread needed my expertise and approval, and so do you!

Joe

I am all for crookestix's suggestion of Larry joining us next year and Frisky filling in for him in Cambodia!

I spit up my tea when I read that!

It was a great hunt and a great thread, with Frisky's blather forming an important part. Joe in person is a happy, welcoming guy (even to Canadians haha) with a big heart and I know he missed seeing Kerry, despite his postings to the contrary.

Kudos to monkeyball for his generous and timely intervention...it saved the day!

Let's hope "Blazer" is hanging around next year and one of us gets the opportunity to save him from the perils of another hard cold winter!!

Good grief.

Lost Arrow- I'm with you. Happy and welcoming my foot, lol! The worst thing you can have happen is a Canadian showing up at your door and trying to steal your cats. I was so happy when he left! I jut hope they don't stop here next year. I'll make sure I'm out of town, even if I have to go to Cambodia.

Joe

The Good grief was supposed to have been after your post. I hadn’t seen Pdiddly’s post when I pressed the button.

No LA, the "Good grief." was aimed at Piddly's post. Anyone with eyes can see that.

Joe

Y'all are too much.

Stealing the cats!!??

I had to keep pulling cats out of my SUV and the roof box when I was trying to leave...they were like an infestation and they weren't too fussy about spending any more time with Frisky!

Meanwhile, while crookedstix and I were thanking Frisky's mother for her gracious hospitality and kindness her wayward son was at the back of the truck rummaging around in our gear looking for things to swipe and trying to steal the Mojostick back..Kerry and I needed eyes in the back of our heads!

Pdiddly- - Everyone knows what you're all about. Just another Canadian braggart, calling yourself the best shot, best hunter. Saying your bows are the best. No evidence to support it at all.

Joe

Boy I sure wish Crookedstix would chime in and reclaim HIS thread. I’m becoming extremely disgusted.

Haha Frisky! Ain't that the pot calling the kettle black!!

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