Cooling the meat is the most important thing in Elk preperation and after getting the hide off don't be affraid of washing the meat as it helps the cooling process you'll have better end product and if you have it packed commercially the packer will thank you.

In talking with Larry Jackson in Longveiw/Kelso and a number of other custom meat processors here on the Olympic Peninsula their biggest peeve is the number of animals that come in that have been improperly cared for and transported after they were down.

Unless you get that Hide off ASAP the meat will sour and spoil real fast. We'll even dump the meat in a stream and wash it if we are close to one and the cost of game bags to put the meat in are cheap if you you want good eating, besides after the hunts over and the meats processed the game bags or sheets used can be washed and used again on the next hunt.