Going deep solo?

[11boo]

You don't have to believe it. You didn't ask about elevation change of which there is little. Pretty flat walk.

I guess the outlier is that the green trails map that quotes the distance could be wrong. I have never bothered to confirm if their measurements are correct.


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You have found a true honey hole. I don't know of anyplace in that area that gets you a 4.5 mile hike with out a lot of elevation change.

 

[dreamingbig]

Agreed it is rare. High plateau near a well travelled mountain pass. You get to essentially parallel the slope most of the way in... I will go back and double check the green trails trail distance calculation to see where they might be wrong. If you aren't familiar each trail section has a recorded distance.

Let's get back on track... Help us always better. Perhaps you could have a packer on call to help?

And guys I can't agree more that not all miles are equal. We are hunting Idaho this year and plan to hike 3 to 4 miles in. I will be happy if we make it in 3 hours. And there will be 3 of us to pack an elk out.


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[ChrisS]

Heck, depending on dates and my schedule, I can throw my hat in the ring to just be a packer if nothing else. I'm new to elk hunting, but not necessarily to backcountry hunting and I've upped my training this year. I hunt the Adirondacks for whitetails, and while it's not 11,000 ft up, there's 1-2K feet of elevation change and I generally log 4-8 miles a day including through some of the nastiest terrain/deadfall imaginable.

Whether or not I go to CO this year is dependent on work, but I should know by August.

 

[MallardSX2]

Had a buddy kill a bull 5 miles from the nearest road in Utah last season. He lost most of the meat due to the heat and the flies. I told him not to kill something that far away from the road without help....

 

[mallacootasmoothie]

No offense man but less than 2 hours for 7 miles with a pack most likely weighing around 40 pounds? I don't believe it, not very reasonable.

I would venture to say that 95% of people hiking with a pack on in the mountains won't make it more than 4.5 miles in an hour and forty five minutes.

Sure it's possible, I've walked 13 miles in 3hours 20mins with a 33lb pack before, not in mountains, but sure as shit no where even near flat.

 

[dreamingbig]

No offense man but less than 2 hours for 7 miles with a pack most likely weighing around 40 pounds? I don't believe it, not very reasonable.

I would venture to say that 95% of people hiking with a pack on in the mountains won't make it more than 4.5 miles in an hour and forty five minutes.

I need to eat a little crow! I am not afraid to admit when I was wrong. To our main base camp it is only 5.8 miles per green trails map. I double counted a mile section. I better go back to first grade and take math again!

We have shot them close to 8 miles deep bit that wasn't my point in reference to the sub 2 hr trip into camp.

Onx maps confirmed the 6 mile 5.5+ mile distance using their line calculator. Of cloudless I couldn't capture every little squiggle of the trail.

Sorry fellas!

 

[jspradley]

I generally require a partner to go deep...

I am going solo for my first backpacking bear hunt this year and I'll definitely have to keep the distance in mind!

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[the_bowhunter]

He's not crazy haha trust me. I know the area and that hike is as flat as can be. Pm sent!


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[5MilesBack]

I only think far enough ahead as to get into the elk. Wherever that takes me, that's where I end up. I'll figure out the distance and logistics when I have to. But I've never had an issue keeping the meat cool enough for up to 2-3 days. But there's always deep dark timber close to where I'm hunting, 11k+ feet gets quite cool at night, and cold water is almost always around to dunk the meat into with the meat bags inside trash compactor bags.

As for distance traveled in a set time, I took a mini stress test a few years ago on the treadmill. At 5mph I was still walking. The doctor said "you should be jogging by now". For me, 5mph is right at that cutoff line between walking and jogging.

 

[dreamingbig]

5milesback - you sound like my 6'6" cousin who I elk hunt with. I am 5'9" and we have a standing rule. He doesn't lead!


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[HondoArcher]

After the meat cools put it in garbage bags and drop it in a creek while you pack out the rest. That is what Aron Snyder does. Watch this video and start at about 7:40 in and he explains what he does. [video=youtube;FAULo-pxlMM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAULo-pxlMM[/video]

 

[5MilesBack]

5milesback - you sound like my 6'6" cousin who I elk hunt with. I am 5'9" and we have a standing rule. He doesn't lead!

6'6" with long legs does have it's advantages. My standing rule is lead, follow, or get out of the way. I'm definitely not a follower, and my idea of getting out of the way is getting off the trails. My buddy is about 5'9"ish and he just accepts the fact that he keeps up, or he doesn't. That's why I hunt solo so much, when it's time to move.......it's time to move.

 

[Ross]

It can be done but alone would not recommend it especially in September..have packed several alone in October and it sucks...would recommend having at least one person to assist...as noted as well just field processing alone depending on size of bull and how they die can be a BIG chore, then you have to get them out fairly quickly....good luck! As a side note experience and preparation go along way to enjoying this part of the hunt

 

[Elkfitness]

You can do it, but you better have your sh$t together. I hunt solo all the time without horses and it's fun, but the pack out beats the crap out of you. My toughest solo pack out was in 2012. I was back 4ish plus miles and shot my bull with my bow 1000 ft up the mountain from my camp first thing in the morning. I didn't get everything out till 3pm the next day and didn't take any rib meat. I took loads out all through the night. Fitness wise I was good as had ran multiple 50kms in the mountains. My feet though were so sore from the side hilling. And my quads from all the weighted downhills. It took me 2 days to walk right. Be sure to have coolers full of ice in your truck and keep the meat elevate in a cool area. When you solo, the real work struts when the animal is down. And be sure to bring rope to help hold the legs when you are breaking down the animal. A small block in tackle is good too, as you might be lucky and the elk dies in a blowdown

 

[Tony Trietch]

Have a plan. Have a packer on call. Have friends on call.
You can not control how they die. Have one pile up in a log jam on it's death run on a steep slope and you will discover a new way to debone them.
Weather can help or hurt you. Flies can be overwhelming too and they find you fast!
So many things can and will go down in ways that you can not foresee.
Anything is possible, but not without an plan and preparation.

 

[njdoxie]

Great thread....lots of good thoughts....I go deep solo, sort of.....after neck surgery in Apr 2015, decided it would be smart to get a horse ride in, and have my elk packer on speed dial, I have good cell coverage in the wilderness. That's what I did in 2015, and will do that in 2016 and beyond, I do NOT want to return to 7x24 pain and undo what the surgeon did by hauling in my gear or hauling out my elk, post surgery I'm painfree and want to stay that way.

 

[IdahoElk]

Great thread....lots of good thoughts....I go deep solo, sort of.....after neck surgery in Apr 2015, decided it would be smart to get a horse ride in, and have my elk packer on speed dial, I have good cell coverage in the wilderness

Very smart!

 

[Jtelarkin08]

my opinion is if there is a running creek then your golden. Trash bag the meat and drop them in. If not your gonna lose meat. Sometimes you can't keep that from happening but i don't know if i would go into it knowing it was going to happen.

 

[woodmoose]

some good info here,,,,my elk hunt this fall just took a turn as the guy going with me just backed out,,,,,,,ain't no way I am not going and since it's a draw area options limited,,,,,,,

so already talked to a packhorse outfit,,,,they are plan A,,,,,plan B is the tote out,,,,,,,,,,that will factor in to where and how far in I hunt,,,,,

one step at a time,,,,,,,,,first step is to find the elk!!

 

[xziang]

I'm still a rookie but have gone solo last two years. Since you have found them and know the area I say go to same area even if it is 4-5 miles in. Like what has been said above you can keep the meat cool in the backcountry and just be smart about packing out. (since you are on your own limit your risk)
Also have a packer on standby if available. Finding elk is half the battle in my experience. If/When I'll get one I'll be happy and in pain packing one out.