Asking strangers for help hauling meat

[Laramie]

It is kind of an unwritten rule out west with the older experienced guys. We help each other unless there are circumstances to consider. I always offer if I run into someone with an elk down and I have accepted the help on numerous occasions. Most guys will offer a little meat, or supper in camp as a thank you. I know several guys who live out there that are flat offended if they don't get a call to come help pack.

 

[streamerfish]

I'm not generally hunting in the deep, backpacking in mountains....And there are is another camp that hunts the same area, that over the past 15 or so years we have become good friends with...

Our camps pretty much always help each other out, It generally becomes a 1 trip out to get the elk out, takes a few hrs and everyone else is back to hunting....

I also don't elk hunt alone as a general rule. Maybe I'm just weak or whatever, but I'm not interested in dealing with an elk on my own, especially if its a many mile pack out. Deer, fine, but not elk.

 

[Geewhiz]

I would rather crawl on my hands and knees through a thorn ridden swamp with a full pack of meat than willingly let anybody else know where I shot something. Have unfortunately had too many people stab me in the back.

That being said, I am always happy to help pack for others. A couple of years ago I was packed in for a night and ran into a guy and his 14 year old daughter who had just killed her first bull. A nice 6 point 6 miles down hill from a road. I jumped in and saved them an extra round trip. Was happy to help and it was awesome to see that girl with a nice rack on her back lugging him out of a hole.

 

[trevvamos]

2018 killed a bull a little too far back, temps were hovering in the mid 90s. Ran into a guy who was chasing the same bull. He helped me pack in the heat, turns out we lived 5 minutes away from each other, In a unit 6 hours from home. He’s now one of my best buddies.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Its case by case for me.

But I wouldn’t count on finding someone to help you.

I ran into some mule guys out riding around just camping, not really doing anything.

I offered to pay and he was like nahh. Didn’t even consider it

Not even for a whore house high price or anything.

 

[Fullfan]

Prob 6-8 years ago, I killed a bull 3.4 miles from the truck. 4 of us were just putting the 1/4's on pack frames. Here came a young guy down the mountain, said good bull and see you one man short. He took off his pack, grabbed a hind 1/4 and said " where ya parked" I told him and where he took about 6 steps, and said you want it in the truck or beside it. And away he went, when we got to the truck several hours later. There was the hind 1/4. Was glad he came along, because someone was going to have to make the trip again.

 

[justinspicher]

I’ve probably carried out a part of an animal that belongs to someone else at least once every season for the past ten years. Doesn’t bother me one bit. I feel like I’m building up a good bit of karma.

 

[butcherboy]

I will help someone if they ask. I will offer my help if I feel they need it. The only ones I ask for help are in my hunting group but if someone I don’t know offers to help I’ll accept it but I won’t ask them.

 

[svivian]

I've offered to help multiple times, im always surprised by how many dont take the help. Im not complaining im the same way.

Im sure there will be a time when im older that I would like someone to atleast offer.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I helped a guy get a moose in his truck a few years ago
He gave me a front shoulder, neck meat.
And all the busch lattes I could drink

 

[Laramie]

I helped a guy get a moose in his truck a few years ago
He gave me a front shoulder, neck meat.
And all the busch lattes I could drink

That's like hitting the lottery... I love moose meat.

 

[ewade07]

Years ago my brother and a buddy and I ran into a guy on our way out from MT rifle opener who was carrying a front quarter and the antlers off a bull he had shot opening morning. He was probably 50-60 lbs over weight and struggling, said his feet were killing him and that he didnt have it in him to make another trip.. He was from somewhere in the midwest if i remember, first elk he had ever shot. He said he was going into town after his one load and didnt think he would be coming back for the rest of his meat or his camp. He offered the three of us 200$ or so to bring the rest of his elk and camp out. I responded for the group with a 'No' and we went about our business. Never saw the guy again, dont know if he ever got his shit out. The whole situation really irked me the wrong way. Guy could shoot an elk but didnt want to pack it all out.

 

[Geewhiz]

Years ago my brother and a buddy and I ran into a guy on our way out from MT rifle opener who was carrying a front quarter and the antlers off a bull he had shot opening morning. He was probably 50-60 lbs over weight and struggling, said his feet were killing him and that he didnt have it in him to make another trip.. He was from somewhere in the midwest if i remember, first elk he had ever shot. He said he was going into town after his one load and didnt think he would be coming back for the rest of his meat or his camp. He offered the three of us 200$ or so to bring the rest of his elk and camp out. I responded for the group with a 'No' and we went about our business. Never saw the guy again, dont know if he ever got his shit out. The whole situation really irked me the wrong way. Guy could shoot an elk but didnt want to pack it all out.

Guy I was with did that with a caribou last fall. Shot it, boned it out and got it cooling. Made the hike out with the tenderloins and back straps and once he got to the road he told me he wasn't going back to get the rest of it.

 

[Ross]

When your miles in, with sizeable elevation, you better enjoy the reality of moving a lot weight and non comfort on your body. Adrenaline eventually wears off and the hard reality sets in. Packing elk is not for everyone.

 

[SloppyJ]

I was riding out this year after being about 9 miles back. We had our two elk and were headed to the the truck to start deboning it so we could head home. We make it back to the truck and had about 3hrs of light left. Before we started getting into the elk, a younger guy walked up with a backpack on and asked us about our hunt. He said that he had one down about 3 miles back and was looking for help getting it out.

He turned to the outfitter that we were with and asked if he could pay him or someone with him to come help pack out this elk. What really threw me off about this whole deal was that he didn't have a single speck of blood on him or any piece of the animal in his pack that he just walked out with. That rubbed me the wrong way.

The outfitter declined and the guy sulked off. I still wonder if he ever got any part of that animal out of the woods. That was my first elk and prior to that, I had severely underestimated how hard it would be to pack out. After quartering out two, packing up, and riding out, I was beat... and that's with horses to help.

 

[Wizzum]

All of my hunting partners have flaked on me, or left me high and dry when they told me they would help me pack out. I have only ever known backpack hunting but didn't know what I was getting into pulling an elk out of the mountains vs deer/antelope. I generally don't want to burden people with my problems, but after trip #1 on my first bull 4 miles deep, I was singing a different tune.

If I had seen anyone early in the pack-out process, I would have asked for help. I train for this year round and try to optimize comfort, but after X miles, the pain is part of it and it's all mental. On the way in for my last part of camp, I saw a guy that was discouraged and hadn't punched his tag yet. Gave him all the information I could to help him, because I was in his mind state just 24 hours prior.

The only reason I didn't ask that guy for help was because that last trip in was like a light at the end of the tunnel. Hardest thing I've ever done, absolutely brutal 3 trips in, 2 of the trips were double loads out. I had been up and down the mountain 2 other times the same week before the 48+ hour sequence I punched it.

Swore I'd never do it again solo; after 3 days, that's all I've ever craved to do again, and again, and again. If I ever saw a solo backpack hunter as desperate as I felt, I would help them in a heart beat for a couple beers as long as the views up and down the mountain were epic. It's a masochistic sense of fun, and a great achievement to do it yourself though. Nobody can ever take that away from you.

 

[Taudisio]

I have helped folks drag deer a few hundred yards. I would do that again. I’d consider carrying 15 pounds down the trail for someone if I happened upon them and they had it ready.

I’ve packed elk out solo for 8 hours straight. I wouldn’t have asked for, or accepted help if I did see someone. Unless we are friends, I’m not offering any time, pain, or effort to a stranger without a grand in my pocket up front. If it’s going to take longer than 4 hours, I don’t have the time for you stranger. My vacation time is more expensive to me than most guys would ever pay.

 

[elkliver]

I have only ever known backpack hunting but didn't know what I was getting into pulling an elk out of the mountains vs deer/antelope..........after trip #1 on my first bull 4 miles deep, I was singing a different tune.

This is the part that every one of the "Im going to pack in 6 Miles and hunt from there" need to hear. I can't tell you how may posts we have seen on here. "I'm from Florida and am in good shape, I can handle it" And then they get offended when you suggest it's not a good idea. IGTPI6M should be a defined term for a certain type of hunter. Can it be done... yes. But certainly a rude awakening for new Elk hunters

 

[mavinwa2]

had a mind opening experience this past fall...leading cause of injury in old men is still thinking they are young men...

Colorado OTC archery elk. Got on a herd of 20+ elk in the early am, in pursuit, shot successful at 10am-ish.
Looking at Onyx, then realized, OMG, I'm over 3 miles of terrain from my parked vehicle. Being solo, was done field processing in 5+ hours; 2 rear qtrs in bags, front quarters boned out & bagged, tenderloins, both backstraps bagged, neck/rib/brisket/misc meat in 2 smaller bags. I was very tired. But I had yet to hang bagged meat in the tree branches. Thought to myself, well you're 68 now not 40-50 something anymore.

As I was putting away gear in my pack, was startled by voices. 3 hunters, on their way out, stood there. We talked a little bit as I needed a break. Was thinking about asking when they offered to help pack out. Showed them on Onyx where I parked. They were parked off an ATV trail much closer, and downhill 1/2 mile away. The 4 of us packed meat & head to their 2 ATV's, 1 SxS location. Then one guy gives me a ride back to my truck, 7 miles away as the road went. I drive back following the SxS. Arriving at the trailhead parking, the other 2 had moved the bagged meat to the parking area.

At dusk, we exchanged camp locations, offered to compensate them for the help. They said thank you was enough. Overheard one of the fellas say: "man, needing a Coors when we get back to camp".

2 days later, after taking a day to recover myself, I returned to their camp on my way back from the Delta grocery store.
They were happily surprised to get 2 cases Coors, 3 bags of local made beef jerky, pepperoni.

 

[WoodlandCritter]

I haven't been asked, but probably would if I was. Don't think I would ask unless I was truly, truly desperate.

I killed my first deer last year 2 miles in. My phone camera was broken, but I was dead set on getting a proper grip and grin with my first deer. So I pulled the guts out (leaving the tasty parts eg; heart, lungs, liver) and stuffed that mf whole between my frame and pack.

I know that's not the same as doing an elk solo, but it was plenty miserable nonetheless. Attached is the setup.