Meat Care in the Field

 

On a recent hunt Ray transfers the meat from the lightweight synthetic bags we use hunting to the thick cotton bags we use for drying and cooling off in the meat shelter.

Meat care in the field is a HUGE part of hunting. Taking good care of the meat is the difference between bringing back stinky meat that smells up the whole house when you throw it in the frying pan, and that sublime medium-rare roast that comes without any hint of off-tasting flavors or smells.  And yet, I fear far too many hunters are not doing a very good job.  I actually think this is why 'deer' meat is often expected to be a bit 'gamy'. I contend that 'gamy' is not good, and that if you don't hunt during the rut (no help for a big buck harvested in the rut), and take good care of your meat that you will end up with meat that tastes excellent - far better than anything you can buy at the store.

One of the critical components of meat care in the field is heavy cotton game bags. 20 years ago, or so, the only game bags you could buy were made of cotton.  But, lately good cotton game bags are getting harder and harder to find and I fear they are getting phased out at hunting stores by far lighter game bags made of synthetic material. The new synthetic game bags are amazing - they weigh next to nothing and are easy to clean and dry in the field. They are the only game bags we carry when we are actually hunting.  And yet, the synthetic bags are not good for meat care back in camp.  They do not absorb blood and moisture very well, and if you leave meat in them the meat stays 'wet' and starts to go bad.  It is best to change out bags from synthetic to cotton as quickly as you can.  Once switched over to the new cotton game bag the new bag absorbs all the blood, protects the meat from flies and helps dry it off.  

Even on remote hunts, where every ounce of camp weight is at a premium so that we can fit in the plane, we still take along more than 50 pounds of game bags.  That's close to 15 percent of our total camp and food weight! We use an extra tent as a meat shelter to keep the meat dry.  But it still often gets damp, and if the bags seem a little too 'damp' and bloody we will change the bags again.  While in the field we somewhat clean and dry all the synthetic bags. But we end up with a large dry bag filled with used dirty cotton game bags. We often change to new clean bags more than once.

There is a lot more to caring for meat in the field than just using cotton game bags.  Butchering techniques is another whole story.  But basically keep the meat cool and dry - and err on the side of dry.  I've actually had meat kept dry in trash bags and packed into a hole cut into a snowfield go bad.  It was certainly cold enough in the snow but I fear the plastic bag could not breath and the meat condensated onto the inside of the bag and started to rot.

Anyway, I am worried that cotton game bags have become considered obsolete, and that hunting stores will stop carrying them.  This would be a big shame.  They really are an essential component to good meat care in the field.

Patrick

drying out the washed synthetic 'hunting bags' - they clean up easily and dry quickly

Ray at the thankless job of meat care - the meat in the shelter needs to be constantly monitored and often flipped

Elk quarters hang to dry and stay cool in heavy cotton bags which absorb moisture and dry the meat - if it starts to rain we put up a tarp over the meat

Elk meat in the field cooling off under a tarp (protect from the rain) - there are no flies so the meat is taken out of the synthetic hunting bags to cool and dry off

Meat (and an elk rack) on the pack in the synthetic hunting bags - note how the bags do not absorb much blood at all and become saturated with it.  Long term this is not good for the meat.

Elk meat hanging in cotton bags in the barn back at the house - it's time to take the meat out of the bags and either put on new clean bags (if there are flies) or to leave the quarters  bare and exposed to the cool dry air

Butchering elk meat back at the house - if it has been well taken care of there should be no offending odors

The inside of a meat shelter prior to the addition of meat with wood on the ground to keep the meat dry and cotton game bags to keep it clean

Arriving back at camp with meat in the synthetic game bags - it needs to be transferred to cotton bags and put inside meat shelter immediately

Elk hunt meat shelter with electric fence to keep the bears out - note 'Luci light' hanging from ski pole to maybe help keep the bears away