Fin's article in RMEF Bugle Magazine

[NVLongbow]

Did anyone read Fin's article in RMEF Bugle Magazine? "One Thousand Reasons to Hunt Elk This Season" starts on page 42 of the Sept-Oct issue.

Just got mine in the mail.

Another well written article by the busy guy promoting our sport.

Good job Randy!

Long live the OYO hunter.

 

[WV Hunter]

So do we all still hate the RMEF or are we cool again? I can't keep up...

Great article though, I skimmed most of the issue but I did read that.

 

[mixedbag]

good article.Allows people to realize their dream is within reach.Most people out here think it takes a ton of money to go elk hunting.It can be fairly cheap if your willing to do alot of homework on hunt areas

 

[dmserpa]

Another great article promoting our passion!

 

[onpoint]

So do we all still hate the RMEF or are we cool again? I can't keep up...

Great article though, I skimmed most of the issue but I did read that.

As a very longtime but now former member, I can can say for myself, that I have no hate for RMEF. I believe the current administration and direction of the outfit is somewhat lost. I do know that at local levels, chapters are still doing good things. I wish RMEF the best, meaning, I hope it someday goes back to it's "small guy doing a huge thing" status.

Believe me when I say that I know RMEF has done great things. I was a volunteer - parking cars - at the Mid 1990's Northern Yellowstone Elk Habitat Acquisition party in Gardiner, MT. Hell, I wore the Event T-Shirt until it was a tattered rag. I think my wife still has hers. Today I floated/fished along a portion of the banks of the Yellowstone River, near Corwin Springs, MT., which RMEF funds helped to acquire and put into public hands.

So, I think some of us who have parted ways with RMEF, did/have done so with heavy hearts, hoping we will again want to be a part the organization. I was a member for many years, witnessed a major changes in the Foundation, and sent a letter to Membership describing my reasons for letting my affiliation with RMEF lapse. Never heard another word from them, which leaves me - as an extremely average little guy member - believing my concerns as a longtime member are really of no concern to the Foundation and it's administration.

This reply takes nothing away from Randy's article (I don't get the Bugle anymore - haven't seen the article), it is only meant to address "do we hate the RMEF...."

No hate involved, only concern and hope for it's future.

 

[intheknow]

Nice article but Randy should be more accurate on his suggested yield of 300# of lean meat from an elk. Only rare cases will a large bodied bull yield this amount of edible cuts. A typical younger bull is more on the order of 140# packaged product once all the trim is removed.

 

[Sytes]

140#'s? We talking about a nice pig muley or small elk? I have yet to pull an elk under 250#'s of meat. Of course - the elk in Montana are maybe 140#'s... maybe that is what is being spoken about... I hear those 300# elk are in Wyoming and Colorado...

 

[NVLongbow]

Nice article but Randy should be more accurate on his suggested yield of 300# of lean meat from an elk. Only rare cases will a large bodied bull yield this amount of edible cuts. A typical younger bull is more on the order of 140# packaged product once all the trim is removed.

I realize many folks tastes are different. No offense, but glad I do my own butchering.

We use a great amount of "no fat added game burger" in cooking our meals such as tacos, chili, spaghetti, etc. grinding everything possible off of the neck, brisket, shoulders, and ribs. Also throw most all the trimmings (except the pure fat) off the other cuts into the grinder and end up with a great amount of quality burger. It takes a little longer.

Believe me when I say that I know RMEF has done great things. I was a volunteer - parking cars - at the Mid 1990's Northern Yellowstone Elk Habitat Acquisition party in Gardiner, MT.

I agree, they sure have done some great things.

 

[intheknow]

Ok- I'll buy 250 pounds of useable meat on some big bulls that can be brought out without being boned out in the field- which can lead to considerable more loss even for the most careful hunters. However, just to make sure I wasn't too crazy I did a quick internet search. The most complete data was provided by the state of Wyoming. They studied meat yield based on sex and age of the animal. None of their groups were over 300# of lean meat. In only game farmed elk did I find some suggestion that a single elk could yield over 300.

Not trying to start a fight here- it is just unlike Randy to not be spot on accurate with his facts. When a typical reader finds a statement in an article hard to believe it can make them question the validity of the entire article. It would have been better to go with a more balanced value- probably somewhere between our high estimation of 300 and low estimation of 140.

 

[elkfarmer]

I know the last time I was out west, we had 3 bulls and a cow butchered up and divided between 7 of us. All equal shares. 1 guy air mailed his back home and it wieghed 97 lbs. So that was about 700 lbs of butchered meat. All animals were delivered to the butcher whole (but split in half).

When I have my elk butchered, a cow will have a hanging weight of around 220-230 and I get back 140-150 of deboned meat.

 

[Sytes]

Don't mean to divert this from the great article further... though, example, last year a 5x resulted in 278#'s of processed / packaged meat... 1/2 was steaks - 1/2 was burger (1/2 of that no suet the other w/ 10%) (least that is what we were charged for...

 

[Craig S.]

To each his own on the processing stuff.

It's nice to see a guy that has sponsors paying big time money, write about how to get it done CHEAP. Honestly, you don't need all of this tech stuff or high dollar stuff to get it done (it makes it nice though). Very nice article, but we all know Randy likes to eat out & stay at motels! LOL

 

[EatOrganic]

Great article as usual Randy. I appreciate the way you can put into words the way we feel about hunting and the out door experience.

On the other topic that has grown here, I killed a 7 1/2 year old 5X5 last fall that loaded the freezer with 320 lbs of boneless deliciousness. Eight pounds of that was suet. I would weigh it again, but oops it has nearly all been eaten.

 

[6speed]

Good article. Made me think, I wonder how many guys come through my area that could use a good meal and a hot shower. Maybe we should start a hunt talker group for people willing to help out folks headed out west on the cheap. I'd be willing to give up a little freezer filler and some hot water to earn a good friend and hear some new hunting stories.