Another pack-out question

[Mdfowlman2]

Quick question - once you have a bull down, boned, bagged, cooled and ready to pack down the mountain...do you carry your gear first or last? We have three guys so I am thinking we're in for two trips just for the meat/head. The third trip for gear may turn it into a two-day affair, depending on how deep we've chased.

I am inclined to take gear first, but curious what others do.

Follow-on question - how many folks prefer breaking up a very long haul into shorter carries by leapfrogging? If you do this, how long do you like to carry before dropping & heading back for the next load?

I wouldn’t plan on boning put your meat, bone in rides so much better in your pack, also with three guys it doesn’t make a huge difference, your not saving any trips by cutting the bone weight.
As far as gear, it’s goes out last or a little during each trip.

 

[5MilesBack]

Good call on the coolers. Will load them with block ice...but we may be in as long as 10-12 days, so maybe we have ice, and maybe we have warm water. There's a town within 30 minutes of where we will park if we need more ice.

I freeze gal milk jugs with water and some smaller 2-3qt as well. Last year we came home on day 11 and I'd guess that every jug still had at least a 50% ice chunk in it. Still enough to keep the meat cold for several more days if needed.

Test your coolers with block ice now at home. Keep them closed and in the shade and see how long it lasts.

 

[S.Clancy]

Unless you guys kill a big, mature bull you should be able to get everything out in 1 go with 3 guys, especially if you bone it out. Most bulls bone out are going to be under 220 lbs.

 

[S.Clancy]

I wouldn’t plan on boning put your meat, bone in rides so much better in your pack, also with three guys it doesn’t make a huge difference, your not saving any trips by cutting the bone weight.
As far as gear, it’s goes out last or a little during each trip.

I agree, bone in rides better and ages much better.

I've weighed a lot of bones from bulls, they usually add up to around 40-43 lbs, which is basically the weight of another front quarter, so not exactly light.

 

[Mdfowlman2]

I agree, bone in rides better and ages much better.

I've weighed a lot of bones from bulls, they usually add up to around 40-43 lbs, which is basically the weight of another front quarter, so not exactly light.

Ok using your weight on the bones….so 3 guys, two trips each will end up saving 6-7lbs per trip by deboning, at the risk of meat that doesn’t ride the pack very well, is hard to cool as it’s a ball of meat that’s hard to get proper airflow on. Deboning doesn’t alleviate any trips, so is it actually worth doing? Not really.
I packed a front and rear in a single one way 3.6mile trip last September, had I deboned I could’ve never packed that much, it ends up sagging and ending up a ball of meat sitting low on the pack.

 

[S.Clancy]

Ok using your weight on the bones….so 3 guys, two trips each will end up saving 6-7lbs per trip by deboning, at the risk of meat that doesn’t ride the pack very well, is hard to cool as it’s a ball of meat that’s hard to get proper airflow on. Deboning doesn’t alleviate any trips, so is it actually worth doing? Not really.
I packed a front and rear in a single one way 3.6mile trip last September, had I deboned I could’ve never packed that much, it ends up sagging and ending up a ball of meat sitting low on the pack.

I've never deboned an elk out of the 30 or so I've packed out over the last 9-10 years, so I agree with you.

And, just for maths sake, I was talking about a single trip with 3 guys, which is more like 13-15 lbs each.

 

[Beendare]

I've had a couple situations where I needed my "Gear" part way through getting out due to extreme weather, etc.

It's possible to get stranded in the backcountry and having food, water, gear- makes things better.

 

[Ross]

90% of pack outs have been grind each load to the truck. Replenish, hydrate then on to the next round. Mentally like to know what has made it all the way out. One bull in November we did leap frog and left two quarters bone in at a trail junction 4 miles in with 7 stream crossings. Came back in 3 days later and finished the haul out alone. Temps were in the single digits and meat was like an ice block. Only two bulls with camp and camp was last load, both in October the next day with temps in the 20s. Also, staying on the mountain is awesome and brings great memories decades later, but may not offer advantages, it just depends like so many other elk hunting variables. Good luck.

 

[mtnbound]

While I agree Bone-in is easier to strap down to a pack the load is not well balanced and I would always have one side heavier when compared to Boned-out meat. I use the crib load panel on my EXO and because it’s just meat I can easily keep the weight high and tight and because that hot ass bone is gone the meat cools faster.

 

[Marble]

If i am packed in with an established camp, I will leave enough to stay the night and survive if need be. I'll take the rest of the gear on the last trip.


I haven't needed to, but I have an extra bag and pad on my truck. If I made a trip out late at night at least I would have some place comfy to sleep.


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[roosterdown]

I haven't needed to, but I have an extra bag and pad on my truck. If I made a trip out late at night at least I would have some place comfy to sleep.

Brilliant. Titbits like that are why I come here.

 

[mtnbound]

I also keep a backup bag in the truck with fresh clothes, food, shoes, water and sleep system. It really sucks not to be able to rest, replenish and resupply before heading back for another load.

 

[link]

I went with the leapfrog method on a bull I killed in Wyoming two years ago. Killed the bull in a less than ideal spot, with a lot of bears around. The distance varied with the terrain, but I wanted to get it out of the area, and away from the carcass and guts ASAP. I was by myself, and got it shuffled out to where I could get my bike to it in about 6 hours. Probably three miles of terrible terrain. I think circumstances are going to dictate the best approach.

 

[ElkNut1]

With over a 100 elk packouts we've not leap frog a single elk. We don't bivy so all in pack stuff comes out on 1st load as well.

ElkNut

 

[Marble]

I've done the leapfrog method a couple of times. Sometimes the terrain isn't the best to bring a horse to, when I have my horse, or, I want it in my camp to keep a better eye on it while sleeping. And since I normally camp at the bottom of the valley where it's cooler, my meat does better like that.

Meat care in the mountains isn't rocket science and it's easier than those who are inexperienced believe it to be. In the 100 or so animals I've dealt with, only one time did I have some of an animal spoil. And it was my fault.

And I've never had a bear get in to my meat in the woods.

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[Stache Attack]

3 folks? That’s a bull plus gear out.

If I can’t get it all I have left gear on the Mountian for a week stashed and came back in to get it after rested.

Always pack the best meat first, hinds, back straps/maybe loins ,fronts, then the head.

I find leapfrogging to be the biggest waste of time unless you have help coming in and you can get it to a nice cool area before they show up. I have done it twice. Once was a waste and once was to get it by a creek at the base of a 400 foot climb where I knew others could locate

 

[Marble]

I think three guys who are experienced, with good packs, could do a bull in one trip. I would guess packs would be ~80 lbs each max. If the meat was boned out that is Also depends on terrain, distance etc.

Some of the Rosie's are so big I don't think that statement would hold true.

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[mad_angler]

If you are solo, by the time you get the first quarter off and then finish the job that quarter should be plenty cool if you got it off and in the shade with air to it to pack out. I always start with the hams. Worst case you can pack out a front quarter and back straps. The head should be the absolute last thing packed out regardless. I will fight that til the day I die, idc about ur “trophy” if ur hunting just for horns and a cape, your here for the wrong reason. I’ve fined clients before for showing up to pack out an animal and they brought the head first cause it was “important”. I will fight that all day long, those antlers aren’t going to spoil.


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In Alaska, it is a law that the antlers/head have to come out last. Meat has to come first...

 

[justinspicher]

In hindsight, leapfrogging the meat was tiring. It probably would’ve been faster to just carry a load out to the truck and recover on the walk back for the second load.

 

[Jethro]

Ok using your weight on the bones….so 3 guys, two trips each will end up saving 6-7lbs per trip by deboning, at the risk of meat that doesn’t ride the pack very well, is hard to cool as it’s a ball of meat that’s hard to get proper airflow on. Deboning doesn’t alleviate any trips, so is it actually worth doing? Not really.
I packed a front and rear in a single one way 3.6mile trip last September, had I deboned I could’ve never packed that much, it ends up sagging and ending up a ball of meat sitting low on the pac

Ok using your weight on the bones….so 3 guys, two trips each will end up saving 6-7lbs per trip by deboning, at the risk of meat that doesn’t ride the pack very well, is hard to cool as it’s a ball of meat that’s hard to get proper airflow on. Deboning doesn’t alleviate any trips, so is it actually worth doing? Not really.
I packed a front and rear in a single one way 3.6mile trip last September, had I deboned I could’ve never packed that much, it ends up sagging and ending up a ball of meat sitting low on the pack.

Last 2 times I carried a front and a rear, I put the front on meat shelf scapula up/elbow down. Gets some weight up higher and can nest them and get whole load closer to your back.

I don’t leap frog. Once I get upright with full weight, I hate to take it off until at the final destination.