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I have carried around an 8oz spray bottle with a 50% white vinegar and 50% water mix which we use to spray meat while breaking down an animal when the bees are bad. Anyone else doing this? I know some carry pepper. What else do folks use?
Never tried any of that stuff. I've started wearing a cut proof glove on my off hand and a nitrile glove on my cutting hand. Seems like the only times I've gotten stung is when I accidentally grab one.
I do always carry a couple benedryl tabs in my pack. I've never had a bad allergic reaction to any sting but they can happen and there seems to be a number of opportunities to get stung when out elk hunting.
They've never stung me when breaking down an elk, however...I was cold calling once, and beating a log with a stick...turned out, it was a meat bee nest.
They tore me a new one...I got hit about 15 times, mostly around my face, ears and neck. Had to sneak back around the swarm, to retrieve my gear!
Just ignore them and get to work!
I haven't brought anything along, I figure its a good problem to have!
Jeff I did the same thing last year. I took off downhill and lost them but not before my neck was stung 2-3 times. Thank goodness o had my jacket on.
Black pepper keeps bees and flies away!
Put a little piece of meat aside away from the carcass and let them eat, just close enough they smell it and can find it near your kill.
I do what Aspen Ghost does, cut proof glove on one hand, nitrile on the other, meat goes into game bags as it comes off the carcass, and I swat the bees that get in my way...
Yeah...wasn't thinking about bees on me....just eating my damn meat....er.....elk kill.
Yep, filet glove on my "handling" hand. Seems like the ones that sting are the ones tucked into crevices in the meat.
I had a front row seat from my saddle to a bear coming into a wallow last yr. She started tearing apart a stump 16 yds from me looking for a bee hive...but it was yellow jackets...hundreds of them swarmed her face and her cubs ran off. She trotted into a small thick Shrub at the base of my tree trying to wipe them off of her for about 5 minutes. Too funny.
I've been stung 3x on one hand and since I'm allergic to the stings [with my benedryl in my other pack] my arm swole up to 2x- very uncomfortable.
I think the key is to get that animal broken down ASAP. This one,I was solo, I had hiked out to get my frame pack and by the time I came back the bull was covered in yellowjackets.
Black pepper. It's light weight and effective.
And thanks for the reminder to fill a zip lock of pepper and put it in my pack!
Matt
When we are truck camping and weight is not a problem, I always bring an el cheapo screened in canopy. We butcher the meat inside the screened area. Butchering when the bees are really out is a nightmare. When quartering in the field we try to get into game bags as soon as possible. Some years the bees are much worse than other years.
Jeff I did the same thing last year. I took off downhill and lost them but not before my neck was stung 2-3 times. Thank goodness o had my jacket on.
They are wasps, not bee’s, just in case you are wondering...
I shot s bear years ago that had meat bees and hive in its stomach. Liked spicy food. Someone on here years ago had an elk die right on top of a meat bee hive. He said it was a war. I’ve capped out an elk during one of those horrific bee years. I put on nitrile gloves and went to work. It was a constant buzz of wings. There were hundreds flying around me. I only got stung once when one got pinched in between my fingers.
Yup, the bees, (ones I had were no doubt - yellow jackets - not wasps) at times, really suck.
Got set up pre-daylight once - just as the sun came up got stung once on the upper leg, then second time same place the third time in the hand and I started looking around, sure enough sat right on the entrance. Cleared out for 10 minutes, came back and got my pack and found a different spot.
Yellow jackets are vespid wasps, not bees. I’m an entomologist so that kind of thing counts for me.
Dang yellow bugs, they’re the devils pets.
If the wind isn't bad my Thermacell works great just hanging it from the antler.
One Antelope hunts I like that Liquid Game Bag stuff.
Good luck, Robb
I agree. Yellowjackets, and they hurt like hell. Also will chase you down as you run off screaming and cursing if you disturb their nest.
Bees give it their all in defense...... lay their lives on the line for that one shot.....
Wasps have high capacity mags.....
Ahhh...I thought you were talking about actual meat bees. They’re about the size of a fly. At least that’s what we always called them. Yellowjackets usually leave you alone and I just keep working. I’m cautious where I put my hand when they’re bad. The bald faced hornets are a different story. They did whenever I get a chance to kill them. Be careful though. They’ll chase your ass down a mountain and into a pond.
We have big black hornets that don't bother us but snatch blowflies off the meat and fly away to suck their miserable husks. I love those critters.
White vinegar mixed with black pepper in a spray bottle..no noticable flavor to the meat...
Couple years ago I stopped by a camp to chat with some guys cutting up an elk. One guy couldn't talk, he had picked up an open can of coke, took a swallow, yellow jacket was in the can and stung him on his tongue. Ouch!!
meat bee's. hate em. i prefer to kill in the evening if I can. less to deal with just before dark.
Black hornets? are those the bald face hornets?
Got stung twice this year by yellow jackets. I’m honestly starting to hate them more then ticks and skeeters.
