Gutless vs quartering

[dhog]

I just watched a video on removing the quarters by the gutless method and was wondering How much meat do you lose compared to gutting and quartering

[Fella]

Bits and pieces. How much you "lose" is up to you...

[Whonnock Boy]

You won't lose any if you basically cool, then cut and wrap. If you hang for a while, you may lose a lot more of the "skim" or "trim", as there is more exposed surface area now.

[Carrollizer]

I would imagine with the gutless method you aren't able to get the tenderloins. Since you aren't able to access the inside of the ribcage.
Other than that you can get everything else

[Gateholio]

There is not one scrap of meat that you cannot retrieve using the "gutless" method.

[adriaticum]

I would imagine with the gutless method you aren't able to get the tenderloins. Since you aren't able to access the inside of the ribcage.
Other than that you can get everything else

Yes you can get the tenderloins no problem.

With gutless you are wasting heart, kidneys, liver and ribs, but many don't consider that to be good eating so depends on what camp you belong to.

[Sportster]

There is not one scrap of meat that you cannot retrieve using the "gutless" method.

X2 with Gatehouse, the tenders are easily removed. go on YouTube and checkout the video on how to do it.

[Wentrot]

Gutless loses nothing.

[KodiakHntr]

Yes you can get the tenderloins no problem.

With gutless you are wasting heart, kidneys, liver and ribs, but many don't consider that to be good eating so depends on what camp you belong to.

If you aren't getting the heart and liver, you are doing it wrong. Really quite simple to get everything you want from inside the ribs, and the ribs if you feel so inclined.

[BiG Boar]

Only bone eaters take em whole. I'll never gut again. Do gutless once properly, you'll never go back.

[Ron.C]

I would imagine with the gutless method you aren't able to get the tenderloins. Since you aren't able to access the inside of the ribcage.
Other than that you can get everything else
Like others have said, nothing gets left including the tenderloins.

[firstshot]

If done right you don't loose any meat. I am only into doing the gutless method if I'm a long ways from the truck or boat. I would say gutless takes more time then quartering and I would rather be cutting meat in the shop at home rather then out in the bush.

[Frango]

If done right you don't loose any meat. I am only into doing the gutless method if I'm a long ways from the truck or boat. I would say gutless takes more time then quartering and I would rather be cutting meat in the shop at home rather then out in the bush.
I completely agree with firstshots statement.

[Ubertuber]

Not sure why one would think you would leave any meat while doing the gutless method. Sure, some of the bones have wee bits of meat on them, but no more than what you end up when you de-bone at home. Tenderloins slip right out once you remove the hip. It's cleaner and easier than removing from a gutted animal.
Overall, I find the gutless method faster and cleaner than quartering as well. It may take a bit longer to head back to camp on your first or second animal, but when you do get back to camp, all you have left to do is hang the meat. No skinning, no blood shot cleaning, no hair removal, no hide disposal. All that was done out in the field.

[boxhitch]

Can even get all the rib meat without taking the bones, with The Rib Roll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIDkLman-FE

[boxhitch]

You won't lose any if you basically cool, then cut and wrap. If you hang for a while, you may lose a lot more of the "skim" or "trim", as there is more exposed surface area now.Bag all the bits in pillow cases and hang as long as you want

[Carrollizer]

Well I obviously watched the wrong video of it. Good thing I've yet to try field dressing a deer. So no lost tendies
Hopefully I'll get my first try this weekend.
Good luck to everyone out there!

[Sitkaspruce]

If done right you don't loose any meat. I am only into doing the gutless method if I'm a long ways from the truck or boat. I would say gutless takes more time then quartering and I would rather be cutting meat in the shop at home rather then out in the bush.

It depends on how you do it, but I find the gutless quicker, cleaner, less messy and while I am cutting at home and enjoying a cold one, you are still struggling to get the whole animal in the truck for the ride home......:biggrin:

Other than a couple deer, I have not gutted an animal in 15+ years......

Cheers

SS

[two-feet]

hauling out whole animals is ridiculous, unless you get very lucky road hunting. I go gutless every time, go in for the heart after all the meat is off.

The one compromise is getting back straps vs tbone steaks. Love me them moose tbones but its just not worth the hassle to handle a whole animal.

[BChunter]

Take in a sack of potatoes and spend the winter! Really, some carcass left may help many birds, a bear, fox, wolverine, etc make it through the winter. Feel good about what you've left behind.

[BigBanger]

Only bone eaters take em whole. I'll never gut again. Do gutless once properly, you'll never go back.

Such a legend.

[Ron.C]

I would imagine with the gutless method you aren't able to get the tenderloins. Since you aren't able to access the inside of the ribcage.
Other than that you can get everything else

After the backstraps are removed, You can cut the back 2 ribs, cut the spine (fwd of the tenders) and lift the back part of the spine open, exposing the tenders. Did this solo on my last elk, was a bit difficult but would be simple with a partner

[horseman2]

Made my first bear using the gutless method but having never seen the video some was obviously left at the scene.
Got the hams, top back straps plus the shoulder and shanks.
With a Kershaw gut hook knife which has three inches of cutting blade it was like one using a zipper.
Was all alone but it was an experience.

[Arctic Lake]

As a fella that used a knife , slaughter house and processing for a lot of years I have never done the gutless method ,but I just might try it next time .
Arctic Lake

[Darksith]

I just watched a video on removing the quarters by the gutless method and was wondering How much meat do you lose compared to gutting and quartering

you don't lose any meat if you do it right. You have to pull the guys out and cut the ribs (or I do anyway) at the end to grab the front and rear loins and then just spend some time trimming.

Billy Molls (Modern Day Mountain Man on Youtube) showed me a slick way where you start at the spine and cut into each quarter before you go in from the bottom, it totally saves the guy lifting from having to hold the quarter for a few extra moments and helps keep that quarter completely whole.

If Im back packing I do gutless. If I can get the animal out whole or I have a saw to properly quarter the animal down the spine I gut it. Those are the 2 options. Its nice to have a T bone or tamahawk in your repertoire

[Arctic Lake]

Darksith do you have a link to that particular video ?
Thanks
Arctic Lake
you don't lose any meat if you do it right. You have to pull the guys out and cut the ribs (or I do anyway) at the end to grab the front and rear loins and then just spend some time trimming.

Billy Molls (Modern Day Mountain Man on Youtube) showed me a slick way where you start at the spine and cut into each quarter before you go in from the bottom, it totally saves the guy lifting from having to hold the quarter for a few extra moments and helps keep that quarter completely whole.

If Im back packing I do gutless. If I can get the animal out whole or I have a saw to properly quarter the animal down the spine I gut it. Those are the 2 options. Its nice to have a T bone or tamahawk in your repertoire

[Darksith]

Darksith do you have a link to that particular video ?
Thanks
Arctic Lake

I think this is it? Haven't scanned through it to see but Im sure he does it the same everytime, he kind of gives mini tutorials on his hunt films as he does things which is what I recall learning it on. sound kicks back on at 3:01

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3dZDfPX0bE

[Arctic Lake]

Will check it out !
Thank You
Arctic Lake
I think this is it? Haven't scanned through it to see but Im sure he does it the same everytime, he kind of gives mini tutorials on his hunt films as he does things which is what I recall learning it on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3dZDfPX0bE

[horseman2]

https://youtu.be/4wZE-UqjIHM

This is a site I found for Black Bear.

[Arctic Lake]

Thanks for posting Horseman2
Arctic Lake
https://youtu.be/4wZE-UqjIHM

This is a site I found for Black Bear.

[moosinaround]

Such a legend.
I was talking with his aunty last week, and we spoke fondly of him. I got caught up with his lovely families life since he passed! Gone, but never forgotten!!

[Livewire322]

I think this is it? Haven't scanned through it to see but Im sure he does it the same everytime, he kind of gives mini tutorials on his hunt films as he does things which is what I recall learning it on. sound kicks back on at 3:01

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3dZDfPX0bE


It was the gutless method, right up to the point where he gutted the moose :tongue:

[Darksith]

Yes you can get the tenderloins no problem.

With gutless you are wasting heart, kidneys, liver and ribs, but many don't consider that to be good eating so depends on what camp you belong to.

I still get the heart out no problem, just cut a few ribs out with your hand saw

[Darksith]

It was the gutless method, right up to the point where he gutted the moose :tongue:

haha,

I didn't say it was gutless, I just said there was a neat idea to precut from the top down before pulling a quarter off

[Arctic Lake]

Darksith I watched the video . I can see using this method for sure when backpacking a fair distance out . When field dressing another set of hands helps a lot doing the traditional gut method on a moose . I don’t see that the what he was doing was any faster but it would be a lighter pack out for sure . I have seen a few of his videos on hunting but not the one you linked .
Arctic Lake

haha,

I didn't say it was gutless, I just said there was a neat idea to precut from the top down before pulling a quarter off

[RackStar]

Big animals always gutless for me. I never knock ‘em down next to a road anyways

[BigBanger]

I was talking with his aunty last week, and we spoke fondly of him. I got caught up with his lovely families life since he passed! Gone, but never forgotten!!

Impossible to forget. He was so easy to get to know and like. I think about him every time I am out in the bush. I like to believe he is with me out there.

[MOOSE MILK]

Back in the 60s we never knew anything about the "gutless" method, on the last day of a fly-in trip we knocked down a moose only minutes away from our pickup time. We knew we didn't have time to pack er back to camp so we started taking off the hinds so we would at least have some meat to take home.
That went pretty good so we carried on with the fronts, and pulled the backstraps, now we could hear the float plane, got our meat piled into the canoe while I split some ribs and salvaged the tenderloins. The neck guts backbone and ribbs were left for easy pickins for the forest critters.
MM

[Bigdoggdon]

Just wondering how the "gutless" method conforms to:

EDIBLE PORTIONS - with respect to big game, excluding wolf, lynx, bobcat and wolverine, means the edible portions of the neck, ribs, four quarters and the loins of the animal and with respect to game birds, means the edible portions of both breasts of the bird.

Because from the descriptions that some people are giving it sounds like some things are getting left behind.

BDD

[MOOSE MILK]

Remember I said this happened in the '60s, ribs, and backbone were not considered edible. Just like the lower leg and hoof nowadays.
Nothing goes to waste in the bush, just a little easier pickins.
MM

[KodiakHntr]

Just wondering how the "gutless" method conforms to:

EDIBLE PORTIONS - with respect to big game, excluding wolf, lynx, bobcat and wolverine, means the edible portions of the neck, ribs, four quarters and the loins of the animal and with respect to game birds, means the edible portions of both breasts of the bird.

Because from the descriptions that some people are giving it sounds like some things are getting left behind.

BDD

That isn’t due to people using the gutless method, its due to laziness or not knowing the law. Those portions probably would have ended up tossed even if the animal came out whole, assuming self processed.

For me, gutless is a fast and clean process that generates a better meat quality on the table. Split the hide from ears to tail down the spin. Spine down to knee on top side quarters, pop lower legs, skin from the knee going up, while also rolling a game bag from the knee up as you go. Tie it off when you get to the top and move quarter away. Peel backstraps off, put in bag. Peel rib roll off in one big slab, debone neck, same bag. Reach in behind last rib, pull tenderloin. Pop off the head, flip critter over, repeat.

I’ve timed it over the last handful of years as that interests me, a bull elk will run an hour and 40 to hour 50 minutes. A smaller bull moose (ie spike fork) will be 10 minutes more.
A big bull like this year was 3.5 hours, as the quarters were too big for me to lift up and hold to skin the underside so they had to be winched up and that added time. Back when there was an August season, a smaller bull moose would run an hour and 35-45, as the hide is a lot easier to cut through in August.

If you want rib bones, a sharp axe will have an entire side free in under a minute.

No risk of puncturing a bladder or intestines and getting anything on your meat.

[Ubertuber]

Just wondering how the "gutless" method conforms to:

EDIBLE PORTIONS - with respect to big game, excluding wolf, lynx, bobcat and wolverine, means the edible portions of the neck, ribs, four quarters and the loins of the animal and with respect to game birds, means the edible portions of both breasts of the bird.

Because from the descriptions that some people are giving it sounds like some things are getting left behind.

BDD

Gutless conforms 100%.
When we do gutless, we take every bit of meat we can, including ribs, heart, and liver. Sure, there are visible red bits on the bones when done, but we're talking about a skim of meat on the bones, no more than any butcher leaves on the bones when they cut up an animal.

[Quince2]

Quarter after rigor if possible. Chewier meat with gutless. Listen to meat eater 227 red cutter podcast(i agree as well). Just my experience, everyone has their own method.

[Treed]

Quarter after rigor if possible. Chewier meat with gutless. Listen to meat eater 227 red cutter podcast(i agree as well). Just my experience, everyone has their own method.

I listened to that podcast. Gutless method doesn’t mean you are deboning anything other than the neck and back straps, and I haven’t noticed a difference between an easy road edge deer (into the truck) or a packed and deboned deer in terms of toughness.

[digger dogger]

Quarter after rigor if possible. Chewier meat with gutless. Listen to meat eater 227 red cutter podcast(i agree as well). Just my experience, everyone has their own method.

I killed a buck at my neighbours property a few yrs back.
I had the buck processed in a 1/2 hour.
Cut it up before rigor set in.
It was by far the chewiest wild meat I’ve eaten.

[HarryToolips]

That isn’t due to people using the gutless method, its due to laziness or not knowing the law. Those portions probably would have ended up tossed even if the animal came out whole, assuming self processed.

For me, gutless is a fast and clean process that generates a better meat quality on the table. Split the hide from ears to tail down the spin. Spine down to knee on top side quarters, pop lower legs, skin from the knee going up, while also rolling a game bag from the knee up as you go. Tie it off when you get to the top and move quarter away. Peel backstraps off, put in bag. Peel rib roll off in one big slab, debone neck, same bag. Reach in behind last rib, pull tenderloin. Pop off the head, flip critter over, repeat.

I’ve timed it over the last handful of years as that interests me, a bull elk will run an hour and 40 to hour 50 minutes. A smaller bull moose (ie spike fork) will be 10 minutes more.
A big bull like this year was 3.5 hours, as the quarters were too big for me to lift up and hold to skin the underside so they had to be winched up and that added time. Back when there was an August season, a smaller bull moose would run an hour and 35-45, as the hide is a lot easier to cut through in August.

If you want rib bones, a sharp axe will have an entire side free in under a minute.

No risk of puncturing a bladder or intestines and getting anything on your meat.
This exactly....you're very quick (which isn't a bad thing), it takes me roughly 2 hrs to do a deer solo... the gutless method also cools the meat faster, and what I really like about it is when you're home, you hang your meat and if needed, wipe it down with vinegar water, then you're done for the night - don't have to skin anything once you're home..

[FishandSticks]

This exactly....you're very quick (which isn't a bad thing), it takes me roughly 2 hrs to do a deer solo... the gutless method also cools the meat faster, and what I really like about it is when you're home, you hang your meat and if needed, wipe it down with vinegar water, then you're done for the night - don't have to skin anything once you're home..

I will have to look into this.

For my first time it took me 2 -1/4 hrs to field dress and quarter my deer.

[Norwestalta]

Out of curiosity how do you get all the hair off the meat when using the gutless method?

I've seen it done the gutless way and thought holy shit there's hair all over the place.

[KodiakHntr]

I will have to look into this.

For my first time it took me 2 -1/4 hrs to field dress and quarter my deer.

Going gutless, there’s no need to gut the animal at all. Save yourself 8 to 50 minutes right there, depending on how efficient you are with gutting.


Out of curiosity how do you get all the hair off the meat when using the gutless method?

I've seen it done the gutless way and thought holy shit there's hair all over the place.

I think that comes down to how much care and attention a person takes in general when handling meat. I’ve seen some carcass pictures of animals done both ways where to me they might as well just have just tossed it in a bag of loose fur…

Cutting from the spine down - with the grain of the hair - on the outside of each quarter, and you’ll get less hair. Also, some guys don’t really know how to handle a knife properly when it comes right down to it. Cutting from underneath the hide with the heel of the blade makes a difference as well.

But mostly its just the care and attention an individual takes I think.


Barring that though, pop out the tongue and use that to lift hair, nothing works better apparently. (From what I read).

[stoneramhunter]

I listened to that podcast. Gutless method doesn’t mean you are deboning anything other than the neck and back straps, and I haven’t noticed a difference between an easy road edge deer (into the truck) or a packed and deboned deer in terms of toughness.


When I debone i don't take any bones out of the mountains when sheep hunting. if it's elk ,moose or deer and a very short pack out then ill take bones but would prefer not to. Just my preference , i think i went that way because i solo hunt mostly.

[HarryToolips]

I will have to look into this. For my first time it took me 2 -1/4 hrs to field dress and quarter my deer.Interesting, shouldn't have to field dress with the gutless method, we're you removing the guts, or maybe I'm misunderstanding you? Cheers.

[HarryToolips]

Out of curiosity how do you get all the hair off the meat when using the gutless method? I've seen it done the gutless way and thought holy shit there's hair all over the place.I'm just skinning the animal while it lays on the ground, one side at a time.. for me, I skin the underside of each leg, then around and up towards the back, including the neck of course until half is skinned out..once the meat is all removed on the one side, flip it over, then repeat.. I personally never had an issue with more hair on the meat to remove later.. have to remember to leave enough hide on though to adhere to the regs..

[Treed]

When I debone i don't take any bones out of the mountains when sheep hunting. if it's elk ,moose or deer and a very short pack out then ill take bones but would prefer not to. Just my preference , i think i went that way because i solo hunt mostly.

Yes, depending on the packout weight and distance, I’ll debone or leave bone in. Time of day makes a difference too. I hate cutting up animals alone in the dark. The shorter I’m there the better. Bit a wimp when it comes to being bent over cutting up meat in the dark. I’ve lost one deer to a bear that I was cutting up (black bear were LEH only and it would have gone viral in the community if I’d shot it) and that was in the day time. Night time would be scary.

[mod7rem]

I'm just skinning the animal while it lays on the ground, one side at a time.. for me, I skin the underside of each leg, then around and up towards the back, including the neck of course until half is skinned out..once the meat is all removed on the one side, flip it over, then repeat.. I personally never had an issue with more hair on the meat to remove later.. have to remember to leave enough hide on though to adhere to the regs..
This is how I’ve always done it as well. Maybe the only difference is after removing lower legs, I skin around the undersides of the legs, then skin down from the back. Tenderloins also from the outside. If you’ve accidentally punctured the gut with a shot, getting the tenderloins from the outside avoids contact with the gut contents because there’s a membrane separating it from the stomach cavity. Much cleaner tenderloin this way. I’ll open up one side of the belly/chest cavity at the end to get heart and liver if they’re not damaged.
If I’m completely deboning for long pack outs, I’ll lay the quarter directly on the rib cage and debone, then put in meat bag.

[KodiakHntr]

I’ve lost one deer to a bear that I was cutting up (black bear were LEH only and it would have gone viral in the community if I’d shot it) and that was in the day time. Night time would be scary.

Bull elk from this year I made some errors, like not making sure my headlamp was fully charged, so it would turn off if I tried for anything other than the lowest flood setting. Had a full meter and change circle of light, lol. Had a blackie come in repeatedly while I was working on the elk and managed to slide a havalon blade right into the bone of my thumb when I dropped it to snatch up the rifle at one point. Moved the bags 25m away as they came off, but it was still a bit disconcerting going back on each trip to hear him crunching ribs and clacking when I was putting quarters in my pack each time.

[HarryToolips]

This is how I’ve always done it as well. Maybe the only difference is after removing lower legs, I skin around the undersides of the legs, then skin down from the back. Tenderloins also from the outside. If you’ve accidentally punctured the gut with a shot, getting the tenderloins from the outside avoids contact with the gut contents because there’s a membrane separating it from the stomach cavity. Much cleaner tenderloin this way. I’ll open up one side of the belly/chest cavity at the end to get heart and liver if they’re not damaged.
If I’m completely deboning for long pack outs, I’ll lay the quarter directly on the rib cage and debone, then put in meat bag.
Good idea regarding laying the quarter on the rib cage to de-bone...like you said also, great way to remove tenderloins - I find once I get the cut from the inside started, I can almost tear each one out by hand they come out so easy, with a little help here and there with the knife of course..

[FishandSticks]

Interesting, shouldn't have to field dress with the gutless method, we're you removing the guts, or maybe I'm misunderstanding you? Cheers.

No I gutted, skinned half, halved that side and repeated. Took skinned quarters home in coolers, then butchered after a few days.

I meant I will have to try gutless.

[FishandSticks]

Yes, depending on the packout weight and distance, I’ll debone or leave bone in. Time of day makes a difference too. I hate cutting up animals alone in the dark. The shorter I’m there the better. Bit a wimp when it comes to being bent over cutting up meat in the dark. I’ve lost one deer to a bear that I was cutting up (black bear were LEH only and it would have gone viral in the community if I’d shot it) and that was in the day time. Night time would be scary.

Yikes!! :eek: Did the bear come while gutting or was he on it before you got to it? Were you in a heavy bear area?

Yes by myself too, I was constantly checking over my back, but being late Oct and snow around, plus hadn't seen too many bears in that area, I felt a little bit better. I had given myself a cut-off time so to avoid the dark, I don't know if I could do it in the dark solo, I would need a guard.

[wideopenthrottle]

Personally, if i can get it out whole (but gutted) i will...i have even dragged a couple of smaller deer a fair ways (1km +) through nasty swamps or creeks before gutting them...

Before hanging, i always skin back the ankles so no hair falls from there while skinning around the hanging rope....before skinning we always thoroughly wash out the inside cavity...we cut off the front feet at the knuckle with a knife when skinning and we saw off the rear feet before lifting it up so we dont get bone sawdust on the meat..for the tail we skin it back 1 inch then a plastic bag with tape or string keeps that hair off the meat... penis and or balls also get bagged ...

I learned a method of skinning where you twist with a pointy fist to do most of your skinning...this avoids any cuts or knicks into the meat (and hide if that is important)....i also find it way easier to keep the flank meat in place for protection.....it also means almost no hair or blood on the meat when done (other thing i learned was always keep your knife hand clean)...dont let the hair side of the hide touch the meat and dont touch the meat with bloody hands....use your knife blade to swipe off hair and wipe clean your blade on the skin side of the hide (the hair sticks to it well)....

i also freeze my rear roasts without doing the final trim until i am preparing to cook it...my philosophy is: the less times you make a cut, the less times you will have to retrim it...it isnt impossible to keep meat clean once it has been sliced in the field but in my experience, it can be difficult and will usually need a retrim before freezing then another little retrim before cooking...all good if you have a dog to enjoy all the scraps.. for moose and elk shot way back in the bush, well ya gotta do what ya gotta do to get it out...

[Treed]

Totally not a fun place to be. Sure gets the heart going. I wasn’t too worried about being attacked. I had an animal moving out around my light about 6 years ago. So disconcerting even though I had a non-hunting buddy along. I now have a 1500 lumen headlamp and a 750 lumen backup. Im getting more chicken as I get older.

[Treed]

The bear took the entire deer except the one front quarter that I got off. I chased him off once but he came in at a jog the next time around and no amount of swearing slowed him down. I was doing it gutless.
Apparently gutless applies to me too. In my defensive, the bear was big, I figure 400lb and one of the biggest black bears I’ve ever seen. He picked up the 90-100lb deer and ran away with it held high in the air.

[Treed]

Bull elk from this year I made some errors, like not making sure my headlamp was fully charged, so it would turn off if I tried for anything other than the lowest flood setting. Had a full meter and change circle of light, lol. Had a blackie come in repeatedly while I was working on the elk and managed to slide a havalon blade right into the bone of my thumb when I dropped it to snatch up the rifle at one point. Moved the bags 25m away as they came off, but it was still a bit disconcerting going back on each trip to hear him crunching ribs and clacking when I was putting quarters in my pack each time.

Totally not a fun place to be. Sure gets the heart going. I hate being alone in the bush with a dead animal in the dark. Makes me feel like bait.

[KodiakHntr]

I tend to talk to myself out loud during the process, and remind myself that I’m the meanest m*therf*cker around.

And I like to think back to a time when my kids were little and we were hunting elk and a big pack of wolves lit up howling all around us after I bugled. My boy (he was maybe 4 at the time) asked if we should be scared. I told him nope, because we had the rifles. When the wolves have rifles and can shoot back, then we can be scared.

[HarryToolips]

No I gutted, skinned half, halved that side and repeated. Took skinned quarters home in coolers, then butchered after a few days.

I meant I will have to try gutless.
Gotcha................ya it's pretty convenient ....

[Ron.C]

I tend to talk to myself out loud during the proces.

Lol. I do the same. A couple years back on a solo hunt, called in and shot a 5x6 bull elk at last light.

Was the 3rd day of rifle season, hot as he'll and no shortage of Griz/black bears in the area.

Took me about 90 minutes by headlamp using the gutless method to get all the edible portions removed bagged and a couple hundred yards away from the kill site. The entire time I belted out my best rendition of various songs or talked to myself occasionally stopping to look around and listen.

The rest of a very long, hard night was spent packing out and if anyone would have heard me they probably would have thought I was bat shit crazy.

[FishandSticks]

The bear took the entire deer except the one front quarter that I got off. I chased him off once but he came in at a jog the next time around and no amount of swearing slowed him down. I was doing it gutless.
Apparently gutless applies to me too. In my defensive, the bear was big, I figure 400lb and one of the biggest black bears I’ve ever seen. He picked up the 90-100lb deer and ran away with it held high in the air.


For the animal to come back at a charge would have sent me screaming, lol.

Any animal with sharp bigger than a Lynx would have me worried especially if they came in fast.

[mod7rem]

The bear took the entire deer except the one front quarter that I got off. I chased him off once but he came in at a jog the next time around and no amount of swearing slowed him down. I was doing it gutless.
Apparently gutless applies to me too. In my defensive, the bear was big, I figure 400lb and one of the biggest black bears I’ve ever seen. He picked up the 90-100lb deer and ran away with it held high in the air.

I think you were braver for not shooting. I bet a lot of us would have been shooting and deal with the consequences later.

[TheObserver]

For the animal to come back at a charge would have sent me screaming, lol.

Any animal with sharp bigger than a Lynx would have me worried especially if they came in fast.

Badgers and Wolverines can do damage

[TheObserver]

Lol. I do the same. A couple years back on a solo hunt, called in and shot a 5x6 bull elk at last light.

Was the 3rd day of rifle season, hot as he'll and no shortage of Griz/black bears in the area.

Took me about 90 minutes by headlamp using the gutless method to get all the edible portions removed bagged and a couple hundred yards away from the kill site. The entire time I belted out my best rendition of various songs or talked to myself occasionally stopping to look around and listen.

The rest of a very long, hard night was spent packing out and if anyone would have heard me they probably would have thought I was bat shit crazy.

Sometimes i'll play some music off my phone when working on an animal far back depending on the area and if I care about that noise being made or not, could keep preds away but obviously also enjoyable. But kind of stupid at the same time might not hear something coming up

[FishandSticks]

Sometimes i'll play some music off my phone when working on an animal far back depending on the area and if I care about that noise being made or not, could keep preds away but obviously also enjoyable. But kind of stupid at the same time might not hear something coming up


Well if your playing Barry Manilow it might put them asleep ;)