So, son is in New Mexico. He killed a nice 5x6 bull today in Carson National Park. It’s cut up. They hauled out tenderloins and backstraps today and will be going back for rest of it tomorrow.

Question — what is best way to deal with it once he has it out? The guide apparently had no suggestions. Does he find a processor in Santa Fe to bone it out, pack and freeze it until they leave? There are four hunters. This was first day of hunt, so they’ll be there til Wed. or everyone gets their bull. Two guys drove out in a truck. They have coolers.

Advice would be appreciated, including suggestions for a place to take it.

Thanks.

Jimmy Boomer is gonna say you asked in wrong forum...

Classifieds may be the wrong place to look for advice…

Green valley meat dies only wild game . I have used them for years. He will have to drive 1 hr south of Santa Fe . Green valley does vaccum packing . Well worth it . I don’t know his route home but he could pic it up in his way out . I’ll send you a pm with their number

Easiest would be to find a local processor if temps will be too high to hang in camp for the remainder of the season.

I know this is the wrong place, but I also know the classified gets the most eyes looking and we’re kind of short on time. My apologies.

Prefer not to debone until it’s hung for a week.

Throw it whole in an ice chest packed with ice and leave the drain plug open.

This probably shouldn't be an afterthought but rather something researched before the hunt.

Get it to a butcher and take it home cut, wrapped, and frozen.

Not much help this time but if he goes again a freezer and generator. New Mexico can be warm.

We always hauled freezers. Find a butcher shop and just get it cut and wrapped. Congrats on the Elk.

If there is a meat locker locally to hang there, then they can take it home.

You should probably just ship it up to me and save all the hassle. I’ll cover the freight. Seems like the right thing to do.

Carson National forest is pretty big, but if they are close to Espanola, they can try Valley Game Processing 505 753 4749

Emply a better guide?

Definitely need a better guide.

Why would you not think about that before the hunt?

This

Good lord, maybe he thought his guide would do his [bleep] job.

This. Replace ice as needed to ensure the chest stays full; keep it drained.

Surprised on the "guide" issue as well.
I always thought it best to hang for a bit in game bags to keep bugs at bay,then proccess.

Big coolers lots of fresh ice & drain every day if the processor can’t get it done in time. Wet aging isn’t as good as hanging in a cooler but I’ve eaten over 20 elk cares for that way & all tasted great. Guide is a generous term for whoever their idiot companion is - but you shouldn’t go hunting without a meat care plan - ever.

Many Safeway stores in hunting country cary dry ice.
Water is your enemy...i never, ever use regular ice unless I have no other options..
A prerequisite to all elk hunts is having multiple large ice chests....unless you are bringing it to a meat locker or butcher shop.
I always bone mine out, put the meat in cloth bags or pillow cases and stack some dry ice above and below the meat.
Usually by the time I get home in a dozen hours or so, the meat is firm to the point of being semi-frozen.
Been doing it like this for 30+ years.

Get a 150 gallon plastic horse watering trough with a drain. like this one:

https://www.rubbermaidcommercial.com/material-handling/farm-garden/stock-tanks/?sku=FG424500BLA

Place a pallet or some pieces of wood in the bottom. Take every piece of meat, that is already in a game bag, and put it in a non scented garbage bag to keep water from touching the meat. Place a layer of ice at bottom of trough then layer it with meat and ice till full. I use an old sleeping bag on top to help insulate it. A drain hose is useful too. Add ice as needed to the top.

I have put two cow elk, with intact legs and shoulders, in one trough and kept the meat cold for up to 10 days. If they have to store two bulls then the meat from the legs and shoulders may have to be deboned to fit. When I get home I drag the trough out and put it in the shade while I process each piece. Frequently have to stop to warm my hands the meat is so cold.

Lots of States require the meat to be boned out for transportation because of CWD regulations. It’s up to your son if he wants to risk getting caught with meat that has not been boned out. Check each State he will be driving through but from what I have seen, all States have the same guidelines. Skulls are supposed to be cleaned with brains and eyes removed and no meat at all on them.

FMR!

H&H Meat Processing
Springer NM
575-483-0018

AFAIK, they specialize in game meat.

Couple of hours out of Taos, right off I25.

Thanks for the help everyone. Meat is being transported as we speak and going to Green Valley for processing.

And thanks to whoever moved my thread from classifieds to thus forum.

Chuck

Congrats!

I would say he should have thought about all of this before setting foot in NM. I always have a plan and the eqpt on hand for meat care. Every responsible hunter I know does as well. To kill an elk and then think "Golly I wonder how I am going to take care of this 600 ln carcass?" is absolutely uncalled for.

And now the pictures! Post ‘‘em up!

[bleep] happens. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

Pulled my bull back from Raton to GA last week. I was told by the folks there that Texas would be no problem. Oklahoma and Arkansas WOULD be a problem if I was pulled over and checked out. Son and I were going to Euro mount our bulls and was told in no uncertain terms that if I have a complete, intact, skull and was pulled over, I could be in a world of mess in those two states. John, I know you’ll want to Euro your skull like you did last time….might have to re-think. The solution is to cut it, leaving just the skull cap, cleaned well. Then have a taxidermist attach to a fake skull.

Good folks

And if you go elk hunting without a plan for taking care of the meat you're a fool. You are also a moron if you cannot grasp the point I am making.

Generator and a freezer to run intermittently. Keep the carcass under 40 degrees. Need to have a plan before you hunt. That's a lot of meat compared to a deer.

Well, that reply was predictable. Maybe you don’t know the whole story. A little grace goes a long way.

KMA. Moron.

Bone it out pack it in ice take it home and process it.

Bone out the meat, put it big plastic bags, put it in two coolers with several bags of ice on top (leave the bags intact and the ice will last longer).

Leave the drain plugs closed until you take a break for gas, etc. Then just pull the ice chests back so the drains clear the tailgate to drain the cold water. You may need to leave “proof of sex” attached somewhere on the boned out meat.

Years ago Arkansas impounded a guy’s meat and head when he stopped at a fast food place with a head and meat that had not been certified. A local deputy saw the head in the bed of the truck and ir went downhill from there.

What kind of guide can't help their client with a little meat packing/processing advice? It would seem to me that since many of their clients come from afar those clients may not be familiar with local resources.

He killed an elk in a National Park? Isn't that illegal? It is up here.

Something fishy about what is going on here......I don't know if dad is clueless, or son did something fishy? Or maybe it's just a chitshow.

+1. What kind of Guide ie local person doesn't know the whereabouts of game processors in their area?

Believe OP meant National Forest.

Agree, something isn't adding up.

I fingered - stirring the pot.

Looks like you were successful. People smelling fish in what may turn out to be a dry creek bed.