Help please.

[Deer Hunter]

A bit of dirt, hair or grass on the meat is no big deal
We always trim off the dry layer of meat anyways so any dirt/ hair/ grass is long gone before it is ground or wrapped.
But getting the hide off is the first thing you should do, sorry it spoiled on you but it has turned into educational post at the end of the day which hopefully some will learn from.

[Derek]

First thing you do is get that hide off................... the hide will destroy that meat in no time if left on.

[wildwoods]

I think some need to ease up on the OP. He had the guts to post it and obviously feels sick about it. Lesson learned. Moving on

[fish_e_o]

if you debone it i know a bunch of people who feed a raw diet to their dogs who would love it and it wouldn't go to waste

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

I think some need to ease up on the OP. He had the guts to post it and obviously feels sick about it. Lesson learned. Moving on

Indeed. A valuable teaching moment.

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

I think some need to ease up on the OP. He had the guts to post it and obviously feels sick about it. Lesson learned. Moving on

Agree.

One does not intentionally plan to let that happen. Close to zero temps at night, covered and kept in shade during the day may have fooled them into thinking they were safe. I'm sure i read there were other moose in camp and no issues.

Good lesson thread and reminder to all who hunt the early season. Have a plan in place to keep that meat cool.

[Solohunt]

I am sure this is not the first time nor the last time this will happen. Just a person that had a question about something that obviously went wrong. Good lessons and I am sure more then one person took away some added knowledge

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[Hunter4ever12]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

I think some need to ease up on the OP. He had the guts to post it and obviously feels sick about it. Lesson learned. Moving on

+1 couldn't have said it better!!

[bb356]

[Smokinyotes]

I don't care if it's November and -20 at night the hide comes off before I go to sleep.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

If you have inlaws or non hunting friends who ask " You got a moose??// Where's my steaks" well problem solved.

Green means stop in this case.

Yup give some to the favorite neighbour...

Looks like complete spoil to me.

Too bad.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

if you debone it i know a bunch of people who feed a raw diet to their dogs who would love it and it wouldn't go to waste

So the dogs get the squirts too or worse

I know dogs have a better stomach then us etc but man think about the scene in the house after a long days work and you walk in to the aroma of explosive internals all over the place...fun times for all

[ramonmark]

Lost one quarter out of 3 moose and 5 whitetail. Lesson learned. Although not that bad considering most people think it was all a waste. Either way ill be taking off the hide next time. One quarter or one steak lost to neglect is too much in my books. Thanks for the help fellas. Happy hunting. The rest of you, Have fun on your computers this season.

[Bigfeet]

Taking the hide off soon after getting an animal down is great advice. One other thing I would recommend, to prevent bone sour, is to open a cut to the bone in the hind quarters. Large animals, like moose or elk, can have a lot of heat at the bone that might prevent it from cooling properly. This can be an issue in warmer weather and opening up the meat to the bone lets that heat escape. Its an effective method to prevent spoilage. Our typical method, for elk and moose, is the gutless method including taking the hide off. We put the meat in game bags (we have the 'solid' polyester type that prevent any bugs from getting in) and move the meat into shade or a cool area. Along a creek is a good area if it will take us a trip or two (sometimes a day or two where we hunt) to get them out. If it is warm, we open a cut to the bones prior to bagging. Never had an issue with meat spoilage, even in warmer temps.

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

So the dogs get the squirts too or worse

I know dogs have a better stomach then us etc but man think about the scene in the house after a long days work and you walk in to the aroma of explosive internals all over the place...fun times for all

that wont get dogs sick.

my dog has dragged home a random rotting leg and been perfectly fine.

[Sneeze]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

Indeed. A valuable teaching moment.

The value is in the awareness of the OP's group to acknowledge the mistake and not repeat it.

5 days in 15 degree weather?

It wouldn't have mattered if the hide was removed.

To enhance this teaching moment, perhaps some of my own quasi-wisdom.

I leave hide on all my animals as I do not have a temperature and humidity controlled area to hang them in. I find the hide prevents the meat from drying out and can feather out the days temperature high's/lows. (If you get the meat down to proper temperature the hide can help it stay there) Success with this has a lot to do with outside temperature. In Southern Alberta even into late November you have to be aware of the hanging temperature. I suggest a thermometer. If the meat isn't staying under 6 degrees or so you do not have an option but to proceed to butchering quickly. Quickly is tomorrow at the latest. If its a 25 degree Southern Alberta day, if you don't have a walk in fridge you should be getting out the knives when you get home.

The little buggers that can grow quickly on the meat are very difficult to keep out of the unspoiled meat unless you have some sort of crazy procedure to disinfect everything as you move through the carcass. Cooking a moose roast to the temperatures required to kill those bacteria would be a horrible thing.