Last GRAPHIC photo of Moose Kill

Well, this seemed to be the most difficult part of the process. It took his entire family plus a friend or two to gut this moose. The smell was horrible and it was still steaming, but that is what has to be done if you want fresh meat taken to the butcher and good for your family. I am not sure about this Alaskan lifestyle. I have much to learn. I have much to think about and reverence for our native brothers and sisters who fought this wilderness to survive. I have much to be thankful for, for my life is so simple compared to theirs. I have much to be excited about, for if the Lord asks us to stay here, these are the kinds of things I have to learn to do and experience. I have much to ponder...

More moose kill photos again, WARNING GRAPHIC

Our pastor's entire family helped with this moose. This is his daughter doing some of the skinning work.
This is his son working on skinning the neck so they could remove the head. The Butcher doesn't want the head! LOL
Here is Pastor removing the head. I won't show you that part. It wasn't pretty.
This is our pastor's wive doing her part. She is a doctor so I guess it doesn't bother her. It would take me a little bit to get used to doing this. The smell was tough for me to handle.
Pastor wanted to make sure I took a picture so Ralph would realize where the moose was shot. So, Ralph, here is a picture from behind with the church in the background.

WARNING: Graphic photos of moose kill

Last night our pastor and his son went moose hunting on the first day of cow tag permit hunting. They looked all over the mountain behind our church. When they finished they arrived at our church and what do you think was standing in the parking lot? A cow moose. So, being this is Alaska, you can shoot a moose just about anywhere. Our pastor's son shot this moose and I happened to be in a store with our pastor's wife when she got the news. I just had to join them to watch the process of getting the moose ready for the butcher shop. Ralph really wanted to see this done and since he is out of country still I thought I better take lots of pictures for him. Since this is an important part of Alaska living, and this will be my pastor's family's meat for the winter, I felt it appropriate to blog. If you are queezy about these kinds of things, please don't look at the next 11 pictures! LOL
The first step looked to be taking the legs off and then skinning the moose all except its head.
Two of the leg quarters, skinned and ready for the butcher.

Even the little ones joined in on the skinning process.