Flies On Meat - How do you deal with it?

[Sylus]

Hey Guys

I recently returned from a successful backpack hunt, during which I encountered a problem I did not really know how to deal with. I was hoping you guys could help me out.

I got an animal down in the morning, packed the meat back to my camp and hung it up in game bags in a shady, breezy spot. However, as the day heated up the flies came out. And they were all over the meat. I was concerned about them laying eggs through the game bags so i ended up throwing a trash bag around the meat and taping it shut until the day cooled off and the flies buggered off. It seemed to work okay but I would have much rather kept the trash bags out of the equation as keeping the meat in there stopped the nice "crust" from forming.

How would you guys have dealt with that situation?

Just for reference, I got the animal down on a saturday morning and I was planning on hiking out on the sunday.

Thanks in advance,
Cheers, Sylus

[rocksteady]

A lot of people sprinkle the meat with pepper.. I find the wasps are more of a bother than flies...

a good spray with vinegar works for most insects...

[tomahawk]

Flies can not get through proper game bags, they are fine mesh, allowing air flow but not flies through and should be tied off on the open end. Not sure how the flies would get through the bags you were using?

[Dougielightning]

Pillow cases with a zipper. Work great, bulletproof material can easily pack a large amount of meat and breathable. Worked great for my buddies elk this year.

[Sylus]

I was using "alaska game bags". They are quality bags as far as durability goes. You are saying they are good enough for protecting from flies?

I could have sworn I heard somewhere that flies can lay eggs through game bags.

[Wentrot]

Get good bags. Caribou or tag are a couple.

[RiverRunner]

Citric acid in a spray bottle is another way to deter the bugs.

[ajr5406]

Just listened to this podcast this morning - addresses this and other meat care issues

https://exomountaingear.com/46/

[Surrey Boy]

Garbage bags have a fungicide that damages meat.

Multiple layers of game bags have been my best solution so far, as the flies can only put eggs so deep. I use old bedsheets as the outer layer, putting them on the the morning and removing at night as it cools.

[gutpile]

Spray urine on the meat cloth !

[srupp]

Hmm lowering the PH helps..from 7 you want the PH down to 2 or 3..that helps the meat crust over, and it also keeps flies from depositing eggs..supposedly burns the flies.ensure it is food grade..safe for meat...
The directions are on the bottle..mix with water.
As been mentioned vinegar works..mixed with water so it still has a significant pucker power..
In the shade..windy place..over a creek..
No to plastic garbage bags..home sewn new cotton sheets made into game bags are best. .In my opinion.
Don't let the bags touch..breathing room
Don't stretch the bags to ripping pressure..
I usually have 8 quality game bags for 1 moose carcass..

Cheers
Srupp

[two-feet]

I use regular game bags, then burlap sack over that. The burlaps are super cheap, super tough and very breathable.

[wos]

Don't take gut piles advise. Good quality game bags are key pillow cases work great. If you get Flys on Yor meat you will need to go through the chore of trimming fly blow from the folds and crevices of all the meat. Not what I consider a good day. Then off to some place cooler.

[RiverOtter]

Flies aren't the problem, it's the eggs they deposit. If your game bags aren't impervious to eggs, you're gonna have maggots hatching on your meat. Large pillow cases or home sewn bed sheets that can be tied or zippered closed are the cheapest most secure choice for keeping fly eggs off your meat. Hang in a cool shady area and simply wipe the blow off the exterior before you pack out.

[BCHunterTV]

pillow cases and TAG bags is what i use

[boxhitch]

Garbage bags have a fungicide that damages meat.wtf did that come from ?

Plastic bags work good but can't be used full time. Meat will still cool in plastic but the moisture is the problem so at night while the bugs are down take the meat out and air dry.
wash the blood out of the bags and reuse the next day.
Have handled lots of game in a combo of plastic pack boxes and garbage bags , and when aired properly have never lost any.

As far as how to deal with the eggs in the event they do get on the meat, just wipe the off carefully. They take up to a day to hatch. Eggs can be killed with salt or vinegar.
If you do get maggots, its not the end of the meat, its just gross in our civilized world. Clean them out at the time of butchering

[shortrange]

[QUOTE

a good spray with vinegar works for most insects...[/QUOTE]

Vinegar and a dollar store spray bottle. Also useful if any dirt or hairs get stuck on the meat. I spray and wipe with paper towel.

[North]

Hi there.
Try Using Citric acid. This is from an email a friend sent.

I fist heard about using a spritzer bottle of citric acid solution on game meat while watching an Alaska Dept of Fish and Game film on meat care and field butchering techniques. I have read up on it further and several sources, including butchers endorse the idea, especially on float trips in mild or wet weather when bacteria can get a hold of the meat and begin to spoil it as you make your way home. I plan on using this method on all trips where it may take me more than 24hrs to get the meat home.

We bought our citric acid powder at Aroma Borealis at the end of Main St, across from the Goldrush Inn for $9.00/500g. (IN Whitehorse, YT)
Carry the powder and a spray bottle with you. Mix 57g citric acid pwdr/litre of water and spray all meat until the mixture runs off of the meat. Allow this to dry on the meat and then cover in clean game bags. Reapply every 2 days, including to all surfaces of burger meat. Carry out all other normal meat care measures (clean, cool and dry). A grey crust will form on the meat and flies and bacteria will be inhibited by the citric acid. When butchering, there is no need to trim and throw away the crust since citric acid is simply lemon juice...yum, marinade...

Anyhow, maybe you already new this trick. I was stoked to learn it and find somewhere in WH to get the powder. Happy hunting!

[.264winmag]

Backpacking I always debone, gamebags until cool, rinse in creek, back in game bags then contractor bags and sink in creek. I've heard something about the garbage bags not being good grade, meat always made it home and deliciuos. Had a ram go off a cliff halfway through butchering. Blowflies like crazy when I made it back down to him. Finished up, back to camp in the dark and rinsed meat in creek under headlamp to rid the eggs. Not ideal but again tasted great, just don't tell the wife��.

[Surrey Boy]

wtf did that come from ?

Most garbage bags have fungicide applied. It's that unique Glad Garbage Bag smell. Biodegradable lawn cuttings bags don't have it.

[.264winmag]

Most garbage bags have fungicide applied. It's that unique Glad Garbage Bag smell. Biodegradable lawn cuttings bags don't have it.
I know the smell, contractor bags don't have it...

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

Dont worry about . short term. .there is no damage from flies

[Arctic Lake]

Hmm lowering the PH helps..from 7 you want the PH down to 2 or 3..that helps the meat crust over, and it also keeps flies from depositing eggs..supposedly burns the flies.ensure it is food grade..safe for meat...
The directions are on the bottle..mix with water.
As been mentioned vinegar works..mixed with water so it still has a significant pucker power..
In the shade..windy place..over a creek..
No to plastic garbage bags..home sewn new cotton sheets made into game bags are best. .In my opinion.
Don't let the bags touch..breathing room
Don't stretch the bags to ripping pressure..
I usually have 8 quality game bags for 1 moose carcass..

Cheers
Srupp

Just to add to Srupp's post ,Low Ph is what you want to help preserve meat . This combined with low available water content and curing agents is what meat processors use to cure meat.
Arctic Lake

[Arctic Lake]

I do know about cool temperatures and dry meat .The vinegar solution is widely used, I'm wondering about Lemon juice mixed with water or on it's own sprayed on meat as a fly deterrent. Hmmm... Little research to do, maybe a check with CFIA.


Arctic Lake

[xcaribooer]

I tried the citric acid thing and it didn't seem to work that well, there were still lots of flies landing on the game bags. I bought a powered form from a wine making place that used it for cleaning the equipment, I mixed it with water in a spray bottle and gave a good misting to the quarters, I was quite disappointed when the flies continued to land on them. Lol I was sure I had the winning solution but not so. It is possible that I didn't have quite the right stuff or mix the right proportions. I know there is an outfit in Alaska that sells it to hunters just for this purpose. I would like to know if others have tried it and with any results. I HATE the thought of those buggers laying their little wiggler eggs on something I plan to eat!

[srupp]

Get a $5 container of ph test strip. .you will know if it works in lowering the PH. .the stuff I last used was a gift from a lady canning tomatoes .worked fine. But so has the correct vinegar..water mixture.
And yes lemon juice with water works also..it is a citric acid. .and already edible..
With the cold fall , early snow and frost, and friends return g from trips north..bugs were not present at all .

Hmmmmmmm all the trivial knowledge one aquire over 44 years of hunting..and yes seeing blowflies laying eggs on the outside of game bags still bugs me.
I have heard of guys soaking their game bags in citric acid. .drying the bags and storing in zip lock bags till needed. .they still misted the meat .
Cheers
Steven

[Sylus]

Thanks for all the response guys, gave me some good ideas moving forward.

[Gateholio]

Most garbage bags designed for food waste absolutely will have chemicals to reduce odor and repel insects. If a health inspector walks into a restaurant and finds food stored in garbage bags, they will definitely freak out. Some suggest that you turn the bags inside out as the chemicals are only on the inside, and that may be true, but I don't know.

[.264winmag]

Would the same inspector freak out at the sight of a backpack stuffed with meat, even if it's in gamebags��

[boxhitch]

Few bags come in odour control versions or scented for rodent repulsion. Boxes will state on them if they have additives for rodent or scent control. Don't use these.
Read the labels. Most are safe

[chris]

The use of garbage bags for food storage is not recommended because garbage bags are not food grade and may leech chemicals onto the food. Even if you choose to believe that your meat doesn't need air flow to cool properly. Or if you choose to believe that most garbage bags don't have an added fungicide. At the end of it all they are not safe for food. Just because you can't smell or see a chemical does not mean it isn't present.

[.264winmag]

The use of garbage bags for food storage is not recommended because garbage bags are not food grade and may leech chemicals onto the food. Even if you choose to believe that your meat doesn't need air flow to cool properly. Or if you choose to believe that most garbage bags don't have an added fungicide. At the end of it all they are not safe for food. Just because you can't smell or see a chemical does not mean it isn't present.

And a dirty old backpack is food grade? Cmon man, far from ideal circumstances to care for meat 30km+ back in the mountains. Cooling down is #1 in my books, plastic bags and glacier water allows this. Use clear fish bags if you don't like the colour black. Air flow? Wtf good is a prolonged 25 degree air flow in August??? Just had last pack of sheep steaks last night, bloody delicious. Happy meat packing all.

[boxhitch]

....... At the end of it all they are not safe for food. Just because you can't smell or see a chemical does not mean it isn't present.There is a difference between being not safe for food and not being approved for food. You won't find a garbage bag with a food safe approval label, doesn't mean the are not safe.

In the end, folks will believe what they want, and urban myths will endure.

[Gateholio]

Information is only information. It's up to the individual to decide what he wants to do with that information. There are other large plastic bags available that have no risk of chemical treatment.

[sdurango41]

Once we have picked all hair and leaves, twigs etc. from the meat we rub a vinegar and water solution over the entire quarter. We then hang them in good cheese cloth game bags and make sure we tape off the top of the bag so they can't get in and ensure that any little rip or tear is taped over. Duct tape works best we have found.

[ajr5406]

Once we have picked all hair and leaves, twigs etc. from the meat we rub a vinegar and water solution over the entire quarter. We then hang them in good cheese cloth game bags and make sure we tape off the top of the bag so they can't get in and ensure that any little rip or tear is taped over. Duct tape works best we have found.


What is your ratio for Vinegar/water solution?

[Wild Images]

Tag Bags and your good to go

[srupp]

What is your ratio for Vinegar/water solution?

Hmm ensure mixture is pucker producing..lol 70 % vinegar

Betty one year had a moose shot early season really hot weather she placed the meat in plastic bags that were used to store food..she sealed the bags and dumped them in Ghost lake for 2 or so hours then removed them and hung them normally.she said a little heat remained at the core of the meat and this would work out quickly.considering how hot it was..it really did work.so I have seen it once..never had to use it..
Steven

[sdurango41]

We use probably 70%-80% vinegar to water and really give them a good wash with it once all debris pulled off prior to wrapping.

[Xenomorph]

Most garbage bags have fungicide applied. It's that unique Glad Garbage Bag smell. Biodegradable lawn cuttings bags don't have it.

Large plastic clothing bags then, some of them just tough or tougher than garbage bags.
Plenty of options, but yes, good to be mindful of what might be applied on the bag to use. I was oblivious to the above to be honest, never thought of it.

[ROY-alty33]

Can't offer much advice as I have never done a backpack hunt where weight is an issue. But we use a about a 75% solution of vinegar and water as others have said. Helps the meat tack up real quick and even keeps the wasps at bay, who for some reason feel the need to sting through the game bags. As for game bags we use home made jobbies that I had the old girl sew up for me, way may durable than any of the "high" quality bags on the market, and are easy to wash and reuse.

[M.Dean]

Even with game bag's doubled up I found that flies still managed to crawl there way into the meat and lay there egg's, and the only way we've kept our meat from spoiling was to take each quarter down off the meat pole, Every Night and place them on the tail gate of the truck and unwrap them. We then took a bucket of clean cold water with a real good "Glug" of vinegar and wiped each piece of meat down really good, and by that I mean every little fold was wiped down hard just in case there was egg larva starting there. Oh ya it's a lot of extra work, but we don't like eating maggots here. When we were quartering up one bull we took a few extra cuts here and there and put them in a game bag and hung it on the pole too, and for some reason we didn't wash it each night like the quarters, by the time we got back to here the insides of that bag was covered in maggots and fly larva! Sure glad we took the extra time with the rest of the moose! But a lot of guys wouldn't be able to find the time to do that each night cuz they'd be passed out around the campfire! If your not going to look after the meat, don't kill it!

[gcreek]

Hey Guys

I recently returned from a successful backpack hunt, during which I encountered a problem I did not really know how to deal with. I was hoping you guys could help me out.

I got an animal down in the morning, packed the meat back to my camp and hung it up in game bags in a shady, breezy spot. However, as the day heated up the flies came out. And they were all over the meat. I was concerned about them laying eggs through the game bags so i ended up throwing a trash bag around the meat and taping it shut until the day cooled off and the flies buggered off. It seemed to work okay but I would have much rather kept the trash bags out of the equation as keeping the meat in there stopped the nice "crust" from forming.

How would you guys have dealt with that situation?

Just for reference, I got the animal down on a saturday morning and I was planning on hiking out on the sunday.

Thanks in advance,
Cheers, Sylus


Tell your girlfriend not to wear panties.....................

[RiverOtter]

Even with game bag's doubled up I found that flies still managed to crawl there way into the meat and lay there egg's, and the only way we've kept our meat from spoiling was to take each quarter down off the meat pole, Every Night and place them on the tail gate of the truck and unwrap them. We then took a bucket of clean cold water with a real good "Glug" of vinegar and wiped each piece of meat down really good, and by that I mean every little fold was wiped down hard just in case there was egg larva starting there. Oh ya it's a lot of extra work, but we don't like eating maggots here. When we were quartering up one bull we took a few extra cuts here and there and put them in a game bag and hung it on the pole too, and for some reason we didn't wash it each night like the quarters, by the time we got back to here the insides of that bag was covered in maggots and fly larva! Sure glad we took the extra time with the rest of the moose! But a lot of guys wouldn't be able to find the time to do that each night cuz they'd be passed out around the campfire! If your not going to look after the meat, don't kill it!
Sounds like a fun time in moose camp.....Regular cheese cloth game bags are about as useful as a perforated condom.

Ever considered pillow cases or home sewn bed sheets? Way more useful than rubbing your meat every night after flies have puked eggs directly on it all day.

[Arctic Lake]

Was just thinking of some cheaper alternatives to pre made game bags. We know that depending on the weave cheesecloth can be open enough for flies to get in and lay eggs. What about landscape fabric, replacement nylon screen that you buy for screen doors not the metal stuff, or plain nylon from a fabric supplier that breathes and does not have a backing on it ? You could possibly make up bags from the above material. What are your thoughts ?
Arctic Lake

[RiverRunner]

Some more info here...

http://www.outdoorsdirectory.com/magazine/citric_acid.htm

[.264winmag]

http://www.koolabuck.com/product/anti-microbial-deer-quarter-bags/

Flies won't land and lay eggs, helps prevent bacteria growth...