What do I do? Ideas please...

[BiG Boar]

Hey fellas (and the odd broad),

I am going on a caribou hunt this next week. It is a fly in. I may have to store meat for over a week as the hunt is 11 days. What do you do if there are no big trees, no rivers, and only lakes? Will be flying into region 6. My one idea was to float out onto the lake, put it in a plastic bag and sink it or float it in the lake. There will be grizzlies and wolverines prowling the neighborhood which is why I want to have a back up plan. I will also have contact with the outside world, but don't want to pay for all sorts of extra flights if at all possible. Any ideas?

Secondly, if you were at this region 6 lake, would you bring a rod and reel? If so, what are the best type of lures and tackle to bring. No real boat, maybe an inflatable canoe.

[Mr. Dean]

Just follow the herd and whack one a day or two before you leave.

[Mr. Dean]

Salt???????

[Mr. Dean]

Smoke?????????

[blackbart]

Hang the meat in the best way possible, and keep an eye on it. You are in bear country so if you can get it away from your camp and in a spot you can watch it from. Pretty sure that there will be some form of trees at your lake, they may not be tall but will be better than laying the meat in the water. You want your meat to have air circulating around it as much as possible. Some guys put pepper on the meat and some guys spray a "food safe" citric acid compound on it to keed the bugs off - both work to some degree and are better than not treating the meat if bugs are still out and about.

Bring a fishing rod and some tackle, it doesn't weigh much and might be handy. Not sure which lake you are thinking, but some various flies, spinners and spoons would usually be good enough for any fish in BC that doesn't see people on a daily basis.

I personally would avoid sinking, or floating it in the lake. Meat sealed in plastic for a couple of days would not be a good scene. Might even be worse that a big Caribou shot in early October, than again probably not!

[The Dude]

If you shoot a caribou two days into the hunt, you're still going to stay there for the next 9? Don't get it. What else are you hunting?
Ask your fly in company what they do. They might have a plastic barrel you can put meat in for a couple of days. Other than that, take a shovel, dig a hole, and bury it in a dry bag. You up around Atlin?
I have a Grizz tag for 6-25, shame I couldn't transfer it over to you Dave.

[browningboy]

Well just hang out and follow the herd as previously mentioned, fish, drink or whatever unless a booner comes on the scene? I wouldn't put it where air cannot contact it such as a bucket or plastic, otherwise it will go bad (Talking just after gutting), maybe make your own teepee and hand quaters from it inside, cover outside of teepee with cheap tarp and piss around the outside.

[BCHunterTV]

for our moose fly in's if we down a moose early into a 7 day hunt we put out meat into cotton pillow cases (knotted close) we let the boned meat completely cool down and the following day change the the stained blood pillow case to a fresh one...then we put the individual game sacks into construction garbage bags and get out as much of the air you can ...seal them good and wrap with a rope design to secure a main line and submerge them in the lake.

[Everett]

Dave I usualy bring some large dry bags and if it gets hot I put the meat in them and drop them in the lake with a strong rope attached. Now last year we got a Caribou day one of our hunt in that same neighbourhood and we just left it in some waterproof game bags on a big rock next to the lake for 7 days with no problem. This was in August and I was more worried about the meat freezing.

[BiG Boar]

I did some more reading on the subject today and found a couple interesting ideas.

1. If you de-bone, which we likely will, don't just let the meat ball up, keep separating it if possible so all layers dry.

2. Cool immediately in a creek if its not going to chill soon, and is super hot out.

3. Air circulation to all parts is very important, leaning it against something, or laying on something with no rotation is bad.

4. If there is a cool creek running by, you can either build a bridge, or hang a rope over the stream and get the meat near to the water. Then hang a tarp over it to keep the sun off and trap cool air in from the stream.

5. If you know its going to heat up in the day, use your sleeping bag and wrap the meat during the day once it has cooled overnight. Then let it out again once the mid day heat has past. This may mean though that a grizzly bear takes the bag, or you in your sleeping bag at night once some blood has come in contact with the meat.

6. If possible, just leg the animal, the animal will then stay put, and stay alive, when you're ready to leave, just dispatch and take home. (may have to remove some gangreen)

[Rubberfist]

I did some more reading on the subject today and found a couple interesting ideas.

1. If you de-bone, which we likely will, don't just let the meat ball up, keep separating it if possible so all layers dry.

2. Cool immediately in a creek if its not going to chill soon, and is super hot out.

3. Air circulation to all parts is very important, leaning it against something, or laying on something with no rotation is bad.

4. If there is a cool creek running by, you can either build a bridge, or hang a rope over the stream and get the meat near to the water. Then hang a tarp over it to keep the sun off and trap cool air in from the stream.

5. If you know its going to heat up in the day, use your sleeping bag and wrap the meat during the day once it has cooled overnight. Then let it out again once the mid day heat has past. This may mean though that a grizzly bear takes the bag, or you in your sleeping bag at night once some blood has come in contact with the meat.

6. If possible, just leg the animal, the animal will then stay put, and stay alive, when you're ready to leave, just dispatch and take home. (may have to remove some gangreen)

De-boning, drying and chilling in a creek in dry bags is the most sensible option. Option #6 is not an option imho, both from an ethical standpoint and from the perspective of not wanting to give the anti's more to b*tch about.

[BiG Boar]

http://www.mopo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/reindeer-people1.jpg

Don't pack it out or worry about the meat. Ride it out and then keep it in a coral till the plane pulls up.

[steel_ram]

Possibly arrange for the pilot to cruise by every couple of days if he's working in the area to check for a pre-arranged signal on the ground. Otherwise refrain from shooting anything but a monster on the first few days, especially if they aren't in migration mode. If it warms up, the meat may sour. Take a big fork.

[Mr. Dean]

I've been thinking.....

And I come back to smoking it, IF I had to nail one early and IF the weather wasn't in my favour.
It would be relitive simple to do and is likely what I would do with it when back home anyways - That stuff tastes like stale, curdled,,, ass cheese.

Pack spices and tarp; Done!

[tomahawk]

Sounds like your not going to be high in the mountains so small patches of snow on north facing slopes is not an option? I have used the creek idea you had and hung it near the cool running water, it worked ok but not great. If it cools at night get it in the shade during the day.

[BiG Boar]

It snowed a foot three days before we got in there. So keeping the meat cool was a non issue in the end.

[Buck]

Has anyone ever stored the meat in Salt?Storage bins 50lbs of salt anyone?

[budismyhorse]

We hung our deboned sheep Meat in game bags with the rope slung over a rock or creek bank. Hanging only a foot or two off the ground but it was the best option for us with no trees around. It's tempting to put it in bags and sink it but I'd lean towards hanging and watching the meat from a distance;)

[The Hermit]

It snowed a foot three days before we got in there. So keeping the meat cool was a non issue in the end.


Sounds like there will be a story and pictures coming! Way to go Dave! One question... was a kilt and bearskin involved?

[srupp]

hmmm do not like the idea of covering the meat with your sleeping bag..sure makes night time visits more threatening when they are keying in on the blood smell from your sleeping bag..

air is the key..wind and close to the water but not in..seperate muscle masses must NOT touch keep "flat as possible..not touching..GOOD quality game bags..pilots and a SPOT machine will send a custome message "meat ready for pickup IF your in the area.."

waiting for the story Dave.....

cheers
Steven

[ribber]

We once shot a moose early in a hunt, we quartered the animal and submersed it in a creek for three days, the meat was perfect, a grizz. stole two quarters and we went and got them back from him, that caused a bit of a rucuss but meat was still good.