Thread: meat questions

Originally Posted by JSV

At this time of the year, for the backpacker hunters, how do you bring your meat home? with or without bones? and why?
I'm used to bring the whole animal (moose(4 pieces) or deer) at the bucher with skin. but I won't have ATV or meatwagon in NZ so this all new to me.

As per previous answers, I do a lot of butchery in the bush. More or less skin animal and harvest back legs, shoulders (if not smashed) and backstraps. Sometimes take ribs and heart. If the animal is big enough, I take tenderloins as well. I don't see the point of carrying out skin and bone which is going to be discarded anyway.

As for what you should do, it depends. If you're going on a guided hunt on private land, there may be an ATV waiting for you and a guide may do all the hard work. If going unguided on public land, you could carry the whole animal out, but you may regret that decision after a couple of kilometres. Guess it depends on your strength, distance to be walked and size of the animal.