7 minute read
AFTER THE MOOSE IS DOWN
Chris Stewart, the author’s hunting partner, with his first moose, a whopper! Once down, moose are a lot of work, and being thoroughly prepared for field dressing is key. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
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AFTER THE YOU’VE TAKEN A BIG BULL AND NOW THE REAL WORK BEGINS – ARE YOU READY FOR THAT? MOOSE IS DOWN
BY SCOTT HAUGEN
“I don’t care if I even kill a bull after that!” said my buddy Chris Stewart, who’d clearly made his point.
I’d shot a big bull moose on opening morning, and four of us worked hard over the next 11 hours to pack it out in pieces. We waded through marshes, tripped over alders and popped two rafts, but eventually we made it back to our boat and then base camp.
The next day we rested. On day three Chris’s mind changed, and on day four of the season he tagged a whopper bull. His field dressing and packing out was much easier than mine.
The next day we headed downriver to get the meat of the two bulls into coolers in a nearby village, something that had been arranged prior to the hunt. That’s when another buddy filled a tag on a bull that crossed the river in front of us.
The third bull was in a tidal zone and we had to make certain of the tides before he pulled the trigger. Fortunately, he dropped the bull on the river’s edge – amid sparse alders – so the packing job was easy since it was only 20 yards from the boat. Still, we hustled to beat the clock and were able to get all the meat in the boat before the incoming tide reached us.
THE REAL WORK OF moose hunting begins the moment the trigger is pulled, and the key to a safe, productive field care experience comes down to preparation and a willingness to work hard.
For a first-time moose hunter, the most surprising moment comes when they walk up on a downed bull. A big bull moose can stand over 7 feet tall at the shoulders and weigh upwards of 1,500 pounds. You’ll get about 700 pounds of boned-out meat off a big bull. If you’re going to have your bull mounted, add at least another 150 pounds for the antlers and cape. They’re massive animals, and once down require a lot of work.
Be sure to have the proper tools to handle a downed bull. The same knife you use on deer will work fine, but be sure to have a sharpener. If hunting near water, having a one-man inflatable raft is a great way to pack out moose meat. If not, then make sure your pack frame is the best you can afford.
Start with quartering the animal, then removing the backstraps, rib meat, neck and brisket meat and securing it
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Whether it’s moose, bear or other big game, you can prepare your harvest a variety of ways, including Tiffany Haugen’s twist on meatloaf.
MAKE A LOADED ’LOAF WITH YOUR BIG GAME
BY TIFFANY HAUGEN
When properly taken care of from field to table, moose meat can surpass prime cuts of beef.
The preferred cooking methods for most cuts of this large-grained meat are via slow cooking, stir-frying quickly at high temperatures, or grinding and using in casseroles or fillings. Moose also makes great jerky and sausage.
Here’s a family favorite that not only works wonderfully with moose, but can be prepared with any other big game meat. We have used caribou, elk, deer and bear to create this dish.
MOOSE SWIRL MEATLOAF
1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup diced onion ½ cup diced bell pepper ½ cup shredded carrot ½ cup diced celery 3 cloves minced garlic 2 cups packed cooked spinach 2 pounds ground moose meat 1 egg 2 teaspoons salt ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley ⅓ cup marinara sauce ¼ cup Parmesan cheese In a skillet, sauté onion, pepper, carrot and celery in oil on medium-high heat until soft. In a large bowl, mix meat, egg and seasonings. Spread meat mixture onto waxed paper (about ¾ inch thick). Spread spinach, parsley and sautéed vegetables evenly over meat.
Carefully roll meat around vegetables. Place on a baking sheet. Cover with marinara sauce and bake in a preheated, 350-degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Big Game and other best-selling titles, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.
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in game bags. All shank meat and the tenderloins must also be taken. Alaska meat salvaging laws are very clear, and there’s no hiding a moose carcass from troopers patrolling from the air, so make certain to abide by the regulations and recover all the required meat.
Prior to finalizing your moose hunt, make sure you have a plan to get the meat out of the field and all the way home. A couple seasons ago, three buddies filled their moose tags in the Interior. They weren’t planning on 100-percent success, but it happened. Six plane loads
Packing out moose meat sometimes takes longer than the actual hunt, and being prepared to tackle this project takes serious planning and a lot of effort. Be in the best shape possible. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
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Todd Crawford is all smiles over this moose backstrap, taken from the bull he dropped with one shot along a river. Not all packs are long, but moose are big and heavy animals, which requires hard work for
hunters. (SCOTT HAUGEN) later, their meat was out of the field and it took two more loads to get the hunters and their gear out. That cost them nearly $6,000 they hadn’t planned on, and they still had to get the meat and antlers home from there.
A DO-IT-YOURSELF MOOSE HUNT can be one of Alaska’s most rewarding adventures. It’s far from easy – or simple. But that’s what makes it so appealing. Nonresidents don’t have to hire a guide for moose hunting, as is required when hunting brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep and mountain goat.
Moose numbers are doing well in Alaska, and the last few seasons have seen a tremendous success rate on big bulls. If you’ve ever dreamed of hunting moose in Alaska, now is the time. ASJ
Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s best-selling book, Hunting the Alaskan High Arctic, visit scotthaugen.com. Only a few copies of this book remain! Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.
