175rltw: My interpretation of the Alaska rules was that with moose etc the long bones were to remain in the legs (or portions of legs) while the back bone and ribs could stay in the field. Even the non-gutting technique video that non-residents are required to watch makes that implication.
The regulations were going though a shake up back when we made our first trip up. With some obvious cases of wanton waste at the time, a regulation requiring bone in transport was proposed. Transporters resisted the bone in deal for obvious reasons (excess weight), and the compromise came down to long bones only. My moose was checked in the field with all the bags being weighed. All the legs carried their long bones and I passed muster. Antlers or horns will not come to camp though until all meat has made it in.
My only resistence to boning in the field is the long term storage and added surface area issue. If I'm truck hunting and will make it to a cooler at the end of the day, boning is fine.
That is typically not the case though as I usually get away and will not return for 12 to 15 days. If the meat will be hanging in camp for another 10 days, I want to minimize exposed surface area and will bring out full quarters. A couple of years ago I lucked out with snow and a 1-mile down hill pull, and got a raghorn bull into camp and on the meat pole in one piece. My goal was to have it up before anyone returned. I almost made it, but a buddy walked in just as I was hooking the carcass to the pickup to hoist it up. Likely that will never happen again.
With our chronic wasting issues down here, interstate transport in at least the Pacific northwest is mandating that spines and brains will not cross state lines. That being, I now wait until the last evening, remove those components and head out in the morning.
Again, boning probably cuts ones pack weight by about 30%. While there are likely some educated individuals on this site, I'd suggest the majority of hunters lack the skills needed to dismember an animal in the field and deliver a clean and palatable product to the table. The job is a cinch if one is in 2 feet of snow, but some planning and preparation are needed if one is going to single handedly roll a moose or elk around in pine needles on a 80% slope and bring a good clean cut back to camp. Time and patience will certainly help. 1Minute
Last edited by 1minute; 06/18/09.
