Wanted to get some opinions/advice/tips on handling a large critter (bison)so to lose zero meat. My plan is to have the bison quartered and in meat bags hung in a tree and packed out hopefully within 12 hrs or less depending on a few factors. Im wondering if a plan like this will be enough to cool meat down and not to lose any meat getting it out soon after and if there are some tricks to making sure I don't lose any meat.
Large Critter Meat handling
- Thread starter tperry5
- Start date
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
The best advice I can give you, is take many friends with you. It's a tough job, and you need to break it down as quickly as you can. Good luck.
tdcour
Veteran member
How quickly will meat spoil if it is in 75-80 degree weather in the shade? I'm used to doing deer which can be handled with one person fairly easily.
genesis27:3
Member
One person per one deer. Animal 10× larger than deer=10 people?
That sounds like a heck of a chore! I'd take the advice from the post earlier and take a few friends.
RICMIC
Veteran member
Gutting and skinning alone will be a huge chore, best done with the aide of horses or mules. Even hanging a quarter may require a block and tackle, or at least some strong rope and a pulley. I deboned a bison alone once, but the critter was hung on a meat pole (by a tractor) and had cooled all night. It was about 50 when I started and was warming fast. I got 603# of cut and wrapped meat off a 3 1/2 year old bull, and you will get WAY, WAY more than that off a mature bull. Here's where it would be prudent to line up the pros who have the equipment and the experience to help.
tdub24
Veteran member
I had read that as long as the air temperature gets down to 65 degrees, the meat would be good for up to 3 days. If it gets down to 40 degrees at night, then the meat can be good up to a week. Assuming that you do have it in the shade. I have no idea on whether or not this is true, just read it in an article somewhere once.
I with all the others, bring a small army with you if possible.
Sounds like I might get some help on this hunt, that will be big. I do have a plan of using block and tackle to get meat into the trees, about the only way I can think to do it. I have someone setup to pack out my meat as soon as it's down, but I just want to take every measure I can to not lose any in the meantime.
tdub24
Veteran member
I think if you get the hide off as soon as possible, you should be just fine. It needs to air out immediately since the body heat can rise after death.