Question about Elk meat

[txtrophy85]

Shot this elk at dark in Colorado in Late October

Went and gutted it and left it there. Bone head mistake but I did forget to prop the cavity open

It got down to 18 degrees that night.

Went the next morning and started work on him ....steam was still comming out between the hindquarters

Got him skinned and quartered and deboned and put the meat on ice and a few days later took him in to the processor here in Helotes

I ate some ham steaks the other day. It was ok... a bit of a gamey taste and smell. Jerky and salami is delicious.

had some ground meat for lunch today and about gagged when I cooked it
This ground meat is pretty rough...It smells like he did when I walked up to him and tastes like it too


anyone else had a elk that was nasty?

[drwilliams]

I dont know the truth to this.... I was told this year by an old timer in Colorado this year hunting that if you kill one and leave it like that over night to make sure after you gut it, to cut the neck and head off at the front shoulder. He explained they have glands in the neck that will spoil the meat no matter how cold it gets at night. Said he threw a whole elk away because it got rotten for that reason.

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[luv2hunt]

Every time I have shot one in the evening we quartered it that night. Most of the time there was snow and we set the quarters on snow and went back the next morning to pack out. Elk should not be gamey. It is one of the best tasting animals out there.

[Split Arrow]

Every time I have shot one in the evening we quartered it that night. Most of the time there was snow and we set the quarters on snow and went back the next morning to pack out. Elk should not be gamey. It is one of the best tasting animals out there.

Elk should be significantly less gamey than whitetail for sure

[Saltyag15]

I dont know the truth to this.... I was told this year by an old timer in Colorado this year hunting that if you kill one and leave it like that over night to make sure after you gut it, to cut the neck and head off at the front shoulder. He explained they have glands in the neck that will spoil the meat no matter how cold it gets at night. Said he threw a whole elk away because it got rotten for that reason.

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Interesting story, and it fits the op's description.

[wacm]

Elk are bad about getting bone sour. Their hind quarters are so thick they will start to rot before they cool down. especially the hind leg the elk is laying on.
I shot a bull this year on public land, took us 17 hours to pack him out. I lost some meat because of this. My butcher told me it was bad, and we decided to throw out what he thought was ruined,but the meat I’ve eaten has been very good!

[hbuck]

I have left elk out in field over night many times. Always quartered and bagged. Never lost any meat. You need to get that hide off as soon as possible.