It was fun trying to cut a tomahawk steak from a moose carcass in Newfoundland last year (2019) for my friend Scott Leysath, the Sporting Chef, one of the original, best wild game chefs around.
Most hunters and outfitters break down the moose in the field - it just makes for easier packing. And, in some locations, the outfitter has resources such as helicopters available and a whole, field-dressed moose can be loaded onto a sling and flown directly to a processor. We wanted to do a little moose processing of our own during last year's trip with Arluk Outfitters, so when Missourian Jay Simpson tagged a nice bull on the second day of the hunt, he and the guides saved a section to work on back at the lodge.
I used a Havalon Talon knife and saw kit to do the job. This kit is very light and packs easily. The biggest challenge was that the work table consisted of thin plywood laid atop a small shooting bench. It was a tad wobbly and made for some shaky sawing - haha. In the field, you improvise. We also used the Foodsaver GameSaver vacuum sealer to seal several cuts from a moose a buddy took.
The weather was windy, foggy and rainy. But daytime highs were above the temperature thresholds to deter bacteria growth on hanging meat. We were glad we brought a couple packs of KoolaBuck antimicrobial bags sized for moose and elk quarters. These help protect the meat when conditions are difficult.
You can read more about the hunt and the gear we brought to the field, including our two Bergara rifles on this post from last autumn. One thing is certain: we ate well and our lodge chef Trudy Bennett prepared some delicious dishes featuring moose ribs and heart.
I am supposed to return to Arluk this year, but coronavirus is still causing a clampdown on border crossings. Supposedly, it will be re-looked next month. I sure would like to visit beautiful Newfoundland again - still hoping... #foodsaver #arlukoutfitters #sportingchef #havalonknives