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Care of wild game meat after harvest
Gene Plihal
for Smoky River Express
The best part of hunting, in my view, is enjoying the wild game meat harvested during the course of a hunt. Much of what I am including in this article is not based on my experience but on research done at the University of Wyoming in the 1970s and corroborated by a recent book, Field Dressing Your Big Game by R.M. LeMay published in 2005. All of this information is also found in the 2009 Alberta Guide To Hunting Regulations but is reprinted here with my observations added based on 31 years of outfitting and the handling of carcasses in my camp. One piece of sage advice in the “Regs” book is from Susan Doyle, one of Canada’s outdoor recipe champions, “What gets ruined in the field can not be made better in the kitchen.”
Bear meat must be skinned as soon as possible after the harvest of the animal. I have a number of people who swear that bear meat is as good as pork if properly cooled and refrigerated. And, the big caveat, make sure bear meat is thoroughly cooked.
Generally speaking, skin the animal, be it moose, deer or elk to maximize cooling as soon as harvest occurs. Meat can sour if there isn’t proper cooling of the meat and the threat is even greater when the hide is left on.
After the entrails are removed from the animal, immediately after harvest, wash the inside of the body cavity with cold water and drain all fluid after washing. Using a sharp knife, cut off any excess fat off the carcass.
Dry the inside of the body cavity with rags or paper towels.
Do not leave an animal touching the ground. Heat is trapped and simply placing poles or logs or rocks under the animal will help the circulation of air and hence the cooling of the meat.
Any bloodshot meat needs to be trimmed from the animal immediately. Decomposition occurs around this area especially if the animal is hung for any time to age.
Aging elk and bull moose can be done at a temperature of one to three degrees Celsius for a period of up to 14 days. DO NOT AGE the meat if it was harvested in warm weather, stressed of if gunshot wounds did serious damage to the meat. Meat made into sausage or hamburger does not require aging anyway.
In this economy, or at any time for that matter, do not waste meat. It’s against the law to allow most wild game meat to go to waste and it’s particularly morally wrong when many people do not have jobs and are looking for food. As I have said in previous articles, moose meat has 27 times less cholesterol than beef and, especially calf meat, is pure ambrosia. So, take care of it.
Good hunting but more importantly, be a good hunter.
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