I haven't gutted an elk in years. We take the quarters off and frame meat (brisket, neck, loins, etc), skinning the quarters if there is no snow to drag with (leaving hide to stich over the open area with para-cord like mentioned earlier). I like to leave the meat on the bone on the quarters as it allows you to age it properly without losing a lot and it also helps in identifying the cuts. If you can't id the meat when packaging it leads to Russian Roulette in the kitchen. For maximum yield, it is best to keep the hide on the quarters when possible.
To avoid bone fragments and bone marrow all over from sawing bone I use a knife for everything. With a bit of anatomical knowledge you can have the rear quarters and hocks off in a few minutes. Of course, I am probably ignorant and obviously waste meat, so go ahead and pass this over.
I weighed all the parts before, but I don't have the records in front of me. I know a mature bull hind quarter will be about 80 lbs, with about 10 of that being hide. The front is about 50. A decent skinned/de-boned (lower jaw) head is around 50 as I recall. The hind bones must be about 20lbs. The frame will yield about 80lbs in the field depending on how much you trim it. A cow will be about 1/2 or 3/5 of that as I think. It has been a few years since I broke it down. I can't remember the weight of the hock, as it has been a long time since my truck has seen an elk hoof.
