how many miles?

M

mshred

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how many miles from the truck would you say is too deep for a couple of guys in decent shape to pack out an elk with no horses, without risking spoilage? assume relatively rough country, but not necessarily the nastiest canyon you've ever seen. assume it is archery season - warm days and cool nights.

what about a guy hunting solo?

thoughts?...
 
We packed my friends LE rifle elk, out a little more than 7 miles on our backs, while his cousins packed out one of theres on three horses. Sad thing is, we kept up with the horses




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Depends on the weather a mostly, and how in shape you are. If its cool enough, meat can be left a day or two if not more. At that point it just matters how much help and how much weight you can move.
Meat need two things to keep: cool temps and air flow. With out one or the other, bacteria will grow.
I know the old timers, such as my grandpa would let meat hang for days at a time before we would butcher it.
 
you wont be going on any archery elk hunt leaving the elk hanging for days. you will end up with more blow flies then you know what to deal with. The stink would be so bad im not sure the coyotes and vultures would eat it.

Id say shooting an elk by yourself is one of the dumbest things you could ever do and Im guilty of being dumb enough to do just that. I just hope im some what close enough to get it out or in a place I can actually get the mules in.

Id say get the hide off as quick as you can, hang it in the shade on a north facing hill with a breeze or hang it over a stream in the shade. Then get packing and dont stop until its all over with.

Last but not least try and remember your lesson when next hunting season comes around. If you are like me you will forget how hard it was and do something stupid like that again.

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Nets are for fish!!
 
I would say no more than 1 full day until you are full of blow flies. I shot one with my brother last fall at 5pm we took one load out three miles and went back the next moring and made two more trips and by the last trip out the blow flies had been all through it. I would recommend getting it covered up with some game bags at the least and like the others said hang in cool shady areas. Good luck
 
Buy a bottle of liquid game bag and put in your pack. Skin the elk then spray and rub it on the meat and the flies and yellow jackets will leave it alone. Just don't get it in your eyes has alot of oil and pepper in it. I have used it several times and it works great.
 
For an early hunt by yourself I wouldn't venture more than 2-3 miles from my truck max. Under 2 miles is more realistic, but still very difficult. Even with a modest sized bull you are looking at 5-6 trips total with your camp and boned out meat. Much of this depends on the weather, terrain, and your physical fitness. I've hunted in wilderness areas over 2 miles in, glassed elk perhaps more than a mile deeper and passed on those elk due to the difficulty in getting the meat out before it spoiled. That's one of the downfalls of hunting alone. Often the key is to find those areas that are overlooked closer to the road. In one particular instance I found good elk hunting on the fringe of a wilderness area in between two popular trails into the wilderness, and I only had a half mile pack out. Horseback hunters would ride past this chunk of country as they travelled farther in. These hunters overlooked the fact that the elk often get pushed out to the fringe areas as activity increases 3,4, 5+ miles in. As far as being successful, get the elk quartered and deboned immediately, and in game bags hung where the meat will be in the shade as much as possible. This is where 4th quarter kicks in and your only job is to get the meat out as quickly as possible. I generally will get my camp out along with the backstraps/tenderloins in one trip, boned out quarters to follow in a few more trips, and the head/cape the last trip. One good strategy is to have a few loyal friends lined up to help you pack. This depends on cell service, which often is not very good. The bottom line is to think about how you will get an elk out before you attempt a stalk. In many cases, because of the nasty places elk call home, this could be your worst nightmare.
 
A excellent post by HiMtnHntr and I agree with him 100%, 2-3 miles with under 2 miles better. I normally hunt with my bro and maybe a 3rd, but sometimes I hunt alone and depending on my draw results, I most likely will be hunting MT alone this year and this topic will be at the forefront of my mind the whole hunt of course. No need to recap what HiMtn wrote, so below are some of my experiences in packing:

A. Oregon bull - 1.5 miles, 3 people, easy terrain - Good workout

B. Oregon cow - 1 mile, 3 people, straight up out of a hell hole in the rain. climbing over deadfall - Absolute Nightmare, felt like 10 miles, pure hell the whole way.

C. Montana bull - 1 mile, 4 people, mild terrain - No Problem

D. New Mexico bull - 2 people, .5 mile to base camp - Good workout; 6 miles to trail head - Only option, called in the horses, packing out this far never an option.

E. New Mexico bull - 2 people, 8 miles from trailhead, called in packer to kill site - God I love horses! Packing out never an option.

F. Montana cow - .5 mile, 4 people, easy terrain, No problem

G. Last day Oregon bull - .25 mile, 2 people, easy pull, dam we were lucky!

Not sure the above kills are all that helpful, but the 2-3 mile rule is what I use, then its pony time.

I carry my game bags with me and my portable pack frame, so that I can take care of the meat and maximize that first trip out. Kind of a no brainer, but you do not want to kill and have to hike back to your camp or truck empty to get your packing gear. I know this sounds like a no brainer, but I know alot of guys who are not prepared for success.

Good luck.

WillPower

"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"
 
Theres no way an elk of any size, including a mature bull, would take 5 trips to get out.

I've packed a bunch of them...and 2 guys in decent shape, with good packs, can walk away from any elk, up to a raghorn bull in one trip (boned)...no question.

The key is to hunt with a pack that is capable of taking a good portion back the first trip if hunting alone. I usually take the head, cape, a boned front and back straps and scrap meat the first trip. Second and Third trips are the remainder of the elk, and camp if necessary.

My Wyoming bull came out in two trips this year. I took the head, cape, and both unboned fronts the first trip. Went back the next day and took both unboned hinds the second trip...6.2 miles round trip the first day (the day I shot it). Second day I found a closer way to get in...about 2.0 miles round trip with both hinds.

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My Montana bull came out in 2 trips as well...first day, the day I shot it...head, cape, a front and backstraps. Next day, myself and a friend took the rest. Both trips were a shade over 14 miles roundtrip.

IMG_3291.JPG
 
BuzzH brings up some good points. 5-6 trips is definitely not the norm. Hunting with a more substantial pack is an option, and so is leaving one in the truck to get on your first trip out. Pack frames that can handle 100 lbs are out there, though it's up to the hunter whether or not to carry that much weight. My personal choice is to hunt with a relatively small internal frame pack that allows me to hunt with my camp on my back if need be for a sustained amount of time. The most I've crammed into this pack was 110 lbs of meat, but the load was far more than the pack is rated for and it was a very difficult hike out.

As I recall, one particular bull and camp took 4 trips to get out alone. The boned out meat if memory serves me weighed over 200 lbs. The head and cape I hazzard a guess weighed over 60 lbs. The first trip was camp plus backstraps/inside loins. The second trip was a hind and front quarter, boned. The third trip was the other hind a front. The fourth and last trip was the head and cape.

In another case, a bull took only 2 trips with two guys packing.

In another case, I hauled a pretty good sized cow out in 2 trips by myself.

These packs were all in difficult country. If I were to do it again under those same conditions, I would likely take at least one more trip in each case, if for no other reason than to save my body the stress.

One thing's for sure, if your hunting alone you have your work cut out for you.
 
HiMtnHntr,

I agree with this, and tell myself I'm going to do it every year...and I still dont, but should.

"If I were to do it again under those same conditions, I would likely take at least one more trip in each case, if for no other reason than to save my body the stress."

Thats very good advice...

Getting the best pack you can also helps a ton. I hauled a front quarter of a bull elk with a friend one time, along with head and cape in a pack designed more to haul books to school than dead elk. It sucked, and I whined the whole way out. The next day I hiked in and took a full half boned...weighed a lot more than my pack the day before, but nowhere near as tough on me physically. The pack made all the difference. The pack you use is crucial when it comes to significant weight, IMO.
 
I hunt alone alot, and have packed out several bulls by myself. I do not run marathons, I'm in fair shape, but don't train for months before elk season starts. Before I start I always eat, and drink water. As stated before, get the hide of asap. Ive found if you beak down your elk using the "gutless method" it not only saves time but also valuable energy for the pack out.
I make three trips. The first trip is all the boned out backstraps, neck, and rib meat. That load on my last two bulls weighed in at 60-70 lbs. I usually carry that in my arms if I dont have a heavy duty pack. Back at my truck I grab my pack frame (http://www.bullpacs.com/) and make two more trips with a front and hind quarter, per trip. The last trip I carry the rack. If its more than a half mile, I bone out the quarters. I take lots of rest breaks and pace myself, slow and steady wins the race.
I packed out a bull with my brother once about three miles one way. It took two days. The second day we had a friend help with the last trip. Snowy wet ground and nasty steep brushy country. We weren't very prepared and was the most miserable two days Ive had in the elk woods.
After that I always have a game plan and the necessary equipment with me during the hunt.

http://elk101.com/gutless-elk-video/

"Winners make commitment, Losers make excuses.
 
Great advice from all!

Gutless method is the only way to go. Use it every time.

Skin it and break it down as quick as possible. Get the meat in game bags and then hang in the shade while you pack.

Use a high quality pack. Many packs will work, but there are some on the market that just make it more comfortable to haul that kind of weight. I recommend Badlands all the way. The 2200 is a great elk hunting pack.

Did mine last year this way and by the time the 2 of us came back for the second trip the temp had broken 75. The meat was just fine in the shade and we never lost an ounce of meat.

4 miles round trip with 3 trips. Shot the bull first thing and was done by about 7 PM.

I always try and have a few friends and/or family on the line in case I need the assistance. This can be huge and you also find out in a hurry who your true friends are when you make the call.

And PS - never get yourself into a situation where you may have to sacrifice the meat just for the trophy. Just my 2 cents.
 
I've shot many elk by myself and I can honestly say I have never shot an elk in an area that I couldn't get it out of. Unless you are hunting in wilderness areas I really don't think that there is a place you can hike that you can't get an elk out before it spoils. I have made as many as 5 trips by myself to pack an elk out during the middle of the night. If you're not willing to do that then you better not shoot.

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com
 
Last year I packed out a full size cow out two miles in two trips. I didn't waste an ounce of meat. Iwas onnly twelve!
 
There is some good advice above mixed with absolute nonsense.If you retrieve and skin out an elk quickly, they will last much longer than required to pack them out, even in very hot weather. Yes, some shade and preferably cool creekside is best, but only the shade is critical. Of course you need quality game bags, or other fly deterrent to prevent maggots and keep the meat clean and cool.

I've packed lots of elk by myself, many miles. Even very large bulls can be broken down into three loads. If the terrain is especially difficult, or you are a weakling, 4 trips will be more comfortable. As I head into my 50's, I generally plan to make 4 trips with very large elk, but still gut out three trips most of the time. Spikes, some cows, etc., can still be done in two loads.

The furthest I have packed an elk out is 8 miles each way, in the Wind River mountains of WY. We are not talking flat land, for those who haven't seen it. I shot that elk mid-morning, and was out to the truck with the first load in the early afternoon. I turned right around, walked back in, and had a second load back to the truck before midnight. Hit the rack exhausted, but was still up before light, and plodding back up the trail. Had the last load out mid afternoon. Yes, my feet were a bloody mess, and my back hurt for a week. I still enjoy looking at that elk rack.

Few people will ever get so far from the road that they can't physically get the elk out before it spoils. Some impose "defeatist" limits upon themselves, and make sure they never get in to where the elk live. Obviously I don't recommend a 400 pound asthmatic city slicker trying to pack an elk for 20+ miles. Be realistic, but if you are in reasonable shape and have the right mental attitude, you can get the elk out just fine. It is more about determination than it is about pure physical ability. Nobody has ever mistaken me for an athlete, so if this old man can still get it done, so can you.

Good luck.

Bill
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-03-10 AT 06:12PM (MST)[p]For those of you doing mature bulls in 3 trips, what are your loads?

5 easy loads are as follows:
Head and Cape
Front Quarter + Backstrap, tenderloins and neckmeat (2 of these loads)
Rear Quarter (2 of these loads)

I would do 4 loads as follows:
Head and Cape, tenderloins and all neckmeat
Both Front Shoulders
1 Rear Quarter + 1 backstrap (2 of these loads)

I guess I might could see 3 loads as follows:
Head and Cape, backstraps, tenderloins and all neckmeat
1 front and 1 rear quarter together (2 of these loads)

You would be pushing or over 100 pounds on all 3 of those loads though, even if they were all boned out.

I don't think I'm man enough to even think about taking one out in 2 loads unless it was all downhill on a nice trail. I'm generally climbing over blowdown and miles from the nearest trail.

Boning out a front shoulder blade seems like it would be a pain though. Taking it off from the knee down isn't bad, but I like a nice clean table to cut my shoulder roasts on. Hindquarters are super easy to bone out.

Carrying the head and the cape always seems to be one of the toughest loads since it is so bulky. ;-)
 
I am with you on this Npaden.

It seems to alway take me at least 4 trips. Most of the time 5.

I did not think I was a panzy, but am starting to think maybe I am.

How do you do it in 2 trips?
 
Its always 4 trips for me. I tried pushing the weight once and it just isn't worth it no matter how far in.
 
A big bull can be done in three loads like this:

First, bone all the meat. Even a very large 6 point will only have about 225 pounds of boned meat (250 is a truly huge elk!). Bones are relly heavy, and it is very hard to make it in three loads without boning.

I usually take all the boned meat off one side in one load. Using the gutless method, just bone all the meat off one side into a game bag. On a raghorn 6 or smaller, this will be under 100 pounds. This is one load. Repeat on the other side.

Now that most of the meat is off, you can deal with the head, and cape if desired. I only take the cape on really big bulls, and even then only if it is in good condition. The head and cape can approach 100 pounds, but often is less, though not much. Without the cape, you have a very manageable load. Clean up any neck meat, tenderloins, misc. gear, etc., and you have a full third load.

Now if you are talking about a cow, spike, or young bull, since you don't have the head and cape to worry about, and generally the amount of meat is less as well, you can do it in 2 loads. They won't be light, but shouldn't be over 100 pounds either.

Bill
 
with that being said .
I'm calling BuzzH,
He's the man,
let me see the last hine quarter i scaled tipped it at 73 lbs
just (1)quarter. that was last year we weighed it back at camp just for the sake of conversation,
it took 3 of us to take out the first trip.
i caried all the day packs and 3 bows and rug.
the other two guys carried out the head the back straps the scraps of the ribs, neck, and each a front shoulder,
the climb was up and out of a hole just alittle over 1200 ft.
and almost a mile in lg. then another mile relitivly flat acouple hundred up and down el. changes here and there.
we started around 2:00pm
the other (2)friends went back to the bottom and picked up the 2 hines and last step was around 9:30 pm.
like i said each one of them was just at 73 lbs.
these guys were beat when the got back.

so let me see.
3 of us made a total of 5 trips.
 
Here is my 2Cts. I have always hunted by myself and have packed out over 12 elk both cows and the majority bulls. The largest 6 point I shot only weighed 230 lbs including the bones in the front and back quathers. And the rib meat was boned out on that bull and placed in game bags. I don't know how much a cape weighs but I'd guess about 50 to 80 lbs. That bull was either a 3.5 or 4.5 year old bull. Another cow weighed at the locker only weighed about 180 lbs. By the time she was in the truck I would have believed she weighed 300 lbs.

My thoughts are that even a average 500 lb mature bull can be deboned into 150 lbs to 170 lbs of eatable meat, not including the cape. Even with that I stuggled on each trip. By the time it takes about 2 hours to go the gutless method, skinning, quathering, and ready for packing I can be pretty tired. Then making another 3 to 4 trips off the mountain in a day or two I'm beat. Using horses, having dependable help, hunting during the late seasons and /or not hunting two far from the truck are good ideas. Like the poster above hunting in the fringe areas between the horse packers and day hunters is the best spots. That is why I like hunting the rifle seasons better.
 
elkmaster101,

Do you hunt with dwarfs that only own fanny packs?

No way does it take 5 trips to pack an elk out.

If you cant do it in 3 you're either way out of shape, dont know how to bone an animal, or just flat weak...or it could be you just enjoy hiking.

Heres a photo I took a few years ago...myself and 3 buddies with 2 boned elk ( 5-point and spike) we packed out in ONE trip.

Elk hunters piece of cake with the farthest bull being a 3.4 mile pack (one way) and the other just under a mile (one way).

IMG_1496.JPG
 
This elk was three miles. packed out with 3 eberlestock dragonfly packs.Three guys is max it is much more comfortable with 4. Boned Meat only and cape and horns. I carry xxl ziplock bags they just fit inside the pack to keep blood off pack. This is my friend and guide

757nevadaelk022.jpg
 
In 2007, I shot a good sized NM Bull. I separated every muscle from the bone, and each other. The muscles filled two (2) 120 qt coolers and there was only enough room for 1 bag of cube ice, sprinkled on top. I drove to Huffmans Market in Prairie City, OR. and trimmed the fat off the meat, using his sinks and knives. Huffman weighed it and burgered it. He added nothing to the meat as he had no suet to add.
I got 330# of burger from that Bull.
 
Here is a shot you can see the other side. shot in 08. pictured myself and the other horse that packed it out.

2191nevadaelk011.jpg
 
elkmaster101,
Do you hunt with dwarfs that only own fanny packs?

No way does it take 5 trips to pack an elk out.

If you cant do it in 3 you're either way out of shape, dont know how to bone an animal, or just flat weak...or it could be you just enjoy hiking.

I guss you hit it on the nose.
one of hte trips was me just carring out all our gear.
while the other two just carried the elk.
so your right it took 4 trips
da, what was i thinking.
 
A few years back a friend and I packed a nice 6 pt. bull out in two trips, but had we had a camp packed in it would have taken more. Bottom line, especially if you are hunting alone, plan on at least 3-4 trips, especially if you have a camp.
 

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