Thanks to all of you guys for your input. I’ve wondered this also, if road camping and leaving the ponies home would be more efficient than dealing with the daily chores of the animals..? You hunted 2012 correct? Is the hunting pretty similar now compared to then? We typically cover 5-8 miles a day regardless of where we camp when we elk hunt so if we could stay in that range and have good elk encounters that’d be more hunting, less work in the end. However if packing in with the animals would be an advantage I’m willing, this is once in a lifetime.
So anybody else out there that has hunted 61,what say you?? Would the animals be an advantage to pack in a little deeper or does road/trailhead camping offer the same opportunities? FYI, once I’ve reached camp and set up, my animals stay tied up except for a 1-2 hour midday graze and then again when I get back at dark 30 until bed. So not a huge hindrance but takes a little each day. I walk from camp to hunt, we don’t ride the animals to hunt. Thanks in advance.