My Dad's Montana Elk Hunt

Here are some pictures from my dad's Elk hunting trip in Montana.

They rode 29 miles (10 hours) into camp, carrying their supplies on horseback and mules.
My dad told me that they averaged about 200 miles on horse back for the week.

This outfitter and location didn't allow vehicles or electric/gas powered equipment.
They stayed in tents, and the cook stove that had been brought in was wood burning.

There were about eight horses and three mules for each hunter and guide.
They would switch the horses each day, to let them rest. The mules were to
carry out the meat and packs.

The lake was on the way to camp. It was about 4 hours into the ride.
They passed several beautiful lakes during the ride into camp.

This fish is a "Cut Throat Trout" they caught in the
Flat Head River, which was walking distance from their camp.

My dad said this bull Elk was an estimated 650 to 700 lbs.
It was the first Elk he has ever gotten.

They needed to leave it overnight and go back in the morning with mules and horses. He and the guide had to field dress it, and cut it into smaller pieces to get it back to camp.

L to R: My dad, his best friend B, along with P and A (two guys they met from North Carolina).

They were in the same tent together. It's pretty cool that all four got an Elk. B got the first Elk, and then P and A got theirs. My dad got his close to the end of the trip, but it was the largest one in body size and antler size. (The outfitter told my dad that they would like to use pictures of his Elk in a brochure and on TV.)

Here is the box of Elk meat that arrived today.
Kira was very interested in sniffing it.

My sweet dad sent one package to my sister and her husband, and one to J and I.

It's about 50 pounds of meat, all different cuts and sizes.

Ground Elk mixed with beef to get some of the fat for burgers, sirloin tip and round, chuck roast, and backstrap. There are some other cuts as well, but you get the idea.

Sirloin tip steak, mmm.

Ground Elk with beef added for some fat content.

If any of you know any good recipes for Elk, please share them with me. For starters I'll try a recipe my mom has for "wild game soup". I always enjoyed when she made it, and I think J will like it too. (I actually found four recipes on allrecipes.com, and I'm looking for more.)