Mama elk is hanging in the cooler for another week or more but I whacked off a piece of loin for bbq chops. Tasty and tender. This is going to be one of the good ones.
Conditions vary greatly but if I can, I like to gut and skin them then leave them lie overnight if possible. I'll come up the next morning with the llamas and dice them up before the pack out. That gives them plenty of time to go in and out of rigor mortis which makes for more tender meat. Boning before they cool and go into rigor can make them much tougher. I've learned that the hard way. I've had some really tough meat when I bone them hot.
Bear and wolf problems abound but so far I've been lucky.
Agree 100% ,
