How far would you pack out an elk

[coloradocelt]

All the way to the truck.

 

[TheTone]

As others have said it’s terrain dependent for me. I’ve had three mile pack outs that were relatively easy and enjoyable and 1/2 mile pack outs that outright sucked

 

[willy]

My bull this year (6x6) was 1 1/4 miles on my gps from the truck I shot him just before dark after braking him down I had 1/2 the meat to the truck at 1:00 am alot of work by your self and 65 y.o.

Congrats on the bull and I hope I am able to do that if/when I reach that milestone.

 

[Elk97]

Others have mentioned the elevation and I would add that if you are coming from <1000' and hunting at 8000'+ you are in for a big surprise when carrying a heavy load. I live at sea level and it kills me for the first week or more every year. The bull in my pic was shot at 9am opening day and I had arrived the day before. The second load out of a deep steep hole I was almost useless, glad my son had some friends show up.

 

[Scoot]

Two of us packed out that bull in two trips, leap frogging the bull out, shot the bull at 8:00am, got back to the vehicle at 10:00pm, drove to town 2hrs away, put the elk in the fridge, dropped the head off in my garage, took a shower and were back to elk camp by 2am and up at 4:30 the following morning chasing elk trying to fill my buddies tag.

You sound like someone I could hunt with!

 

[wyosam]

Hard to give a distance. For one thing, the gps distance to the truck might be very different from what you might need or want to walk depending on where the elk piles up. Terrain, vegetation, all play a big role. I have places where 5-6 miles solo is quite reasonable solo if the weather is cool. I have other spots that beyond a mile from the truck is too much. Also depends on my schedule. I live very near my hunt area. Depending on what my work week looks like, I’ll chase elk way deeper Friday evening/Saturday morning than I will on Sunday.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Elkhntr08]

Yes. Within reason. If you’ve never packed an elk out, you’re solo, it’s warm and you’re six miles back in a hell hole... you might want to do some contemplation. Some suffering builds character. Wanton waste is illegal and wrong.

I totally agree with that. Hunted around Yellowpine, I’d one year, it got to 96 each day, up and down in an old burn. A mile pack out would have been brutal. Thankfully, moved on to plan B.

 

[elkbowhuntr]

Circumstances dictate my actions (usually); if the bull is huge I have been known to throw caution to the wind (big bulls have the ability to make the most seasoned elk hunter do things they might not normally do - smile).

Considerations; 1. Solo (98% of the time) 2. Knowledge of the area 3. How much time I have left in the hunt. 4. Time of day.

For instance; One year I was chasing a bull, playing cat/mouse, finally he lost his mind and came in. He was a small 5, it was getting close to the end of the hunt and more importantly I knew there was a logging road less than 150 yards below me. Normally I would have passed; but the above factors played into my decision - he walked right by me 10 yards away - at the shot he ran back up hill (figures haha) and piled up in 50 yards. I hauled out the first load on my back and the rest I took out via game cart. One of the easiest pack outs I ever had !

But there are times I am hunting solo and I hear a good sounding bull in the bottom of certain drainages; I tip my hat and think maybe another day - not today.

Some guys have mentioned game carts as useless; this is true most of the time but I have one in the back of my truck for the rare time I can use one. Nothing can beat a good game cart - again this is an exception - most of the time its on your back and you will dig deep in your soul for intestinal fortitude you didn't know existed.

Elk hunting is tough and to be successful you dig deep, never quit - you can go a few days where its tough then everything comes together - nothing like it. I promise you this - you will either never come back or like many on this forum - BE HOOKED FOR LIFE !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Llamapeaks]

Load your pack with a max load(80-115?) Hike into steep elk County off trail and put yourself to the test. This will give you an idea of the reality of packing elk out. It can be absolutely brutal however extremely rewarding. Best of luck to you on your hunt.

 

[jaredmahoney]

I started elk hunting 6yr ago with my father-in-law and some of his friends. I asked that very same question and their advice was " dont let the thought of the pack out change your decision on when or what to shoot" This advice has served me well, and to this day I hunt where the animals are, not a number of miles from the truck. I think you can get to restrictive on yourself thinking to far into the future.

 

[Sunbkpk]

Worst pack out for me was only 1/4 mile solo to road. Shot an elk standing chest deep in water and it went less than 10 yards and dropped in the 3 ft deep swampy pond. Was wiped out by the time I got it out and butchered.
I have packed 5 elk out of my favorite spot. Average is 7 miles 1 way pack out but mostly downhill and last 5 miles on good trail. I don't do over 80 lbs and take the extra trip. There is cold running stream with a deep pool to stash the meat till I get it all out of it is hot. Had help with all but 1 of those elk.
If I'm not in mountain shape coming hunting season then I limit where I will hunt. In shape and I will hunt wherever I find the elk.

 

[Akennedy6911]

If you debone it you can get deeper in but you need some help.

 

[Indian Summer]

You might think this looks like a good idea. It isn’t! This one wheeled two man cart has brakes and all. We ysed it on a fairly easy trail. We did manage to get an entire bull and most of camp out in one trip. But it was brutal. If I was a litterbug I might have left it on the side of the trail. It would be useful on a gated road but that’s it.

The night after this picture it rained steady. If you have ever experienced Wyoming gumbo then you’ll believe me when I say there is no way we’d have dragged this cart in or out after that. You’re lucky to just walk in that stuff and brakes on a cart are useless!

 

[Huntin_GI]

Genuine question -- what's your reasoning here?

I've always packed out the heaviest load I can manage first along with all my gear, dump it all at the truck, and then taken it easy on the remainder of the loads.

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[rclouse79]

Since I never get one with my bow I never worry about it. I have been some places where if I did put one down I am sure I would have been screwed. That is when you start begging and pleading with every able bodied person in your contact list. I do carry four heavy duty contractor bags so I could at least sink the meat in a creek to buy some time if I needed it.

 

[cnelk]

One wheeled - 2 man carts absolutely suck.

We took my bull out on a closed forest road- about 4 miles.

They are usually made with the handles too high. Making for shoulder fatigue holding it up.

Never again

 

[CMF]

The only one I've packed so far was 3.8 miles in and ~1200' up from the truck, 2 loads each for me and my wife.
After 5 days of hunting hard, we had a hotel on the 5th night and my wife stayed behind to rest. I got up before 4 am on the 6th day and was on the mountain before light and hunted up the mountain all day(~1900').
Shot my bull at 4 pm, hiked straight down to go get the wife. I made a mistake by not carrying out some meat with me.
By the time I drove and picked her up grabbed some sandwiches for later and hiked back up to the bull, it was 10 pm. By the time we deboned and bagged it all, it was after 1 am. It took almost a full hour to get the first .25 mile through steep terrain and brush to a trail. It took until 5 am to get to the truck. At this point being up 24+ hours and going up and down the mountain twice in that time, my wife talked me into getting a couple of hours rest.
Went to the hotel for a shower, a little over 2 hours of sleep and we were back at the trailhead at 10 am. Back at the bull for 1 pm. I shuttled one load the rough, .25 mile back to the trail for the wife(she wouldn't make that trip after sliding and falling several times the night before), then I headed back for last bag and head, skinned the head, removed jawbone and started out. Caught up with her about 2/3rds out and we made it to the truck by 5 pm.
It would be hard to imagine being able to get 4 loads out myself before the meat spoiled, but this was archery in NM.
I think every situation can be vastly different considering the variables. If I were to hunt an area by myself during mild weather I would have a packer lined up to ensure I didn't waste anything.

 

[mtwarden]

Elk are big, but I found bison were even bigger

Our pack out was 7 miles, fortunately on single track trail. However unlike most hunts, from the trailhead you actually lost elevation, so our pack out was all uphill. Day one we managed hauling a full load out each, going back to the kill site and hauling another load about halfway out, hanging it and going back to camp. A nice 21 mile day (half of it w/ a heavy pack). The next day we were able to load the remaining meat (and our camp), hit the halfway mark and load the hanging stuff from the day before and out. That had us bent over pretty good

I agree with the all the comments that on your first hunt, hunt relatively close to the trailhead. Once you get an idea of what you're in for (if you're successful) then consider hunting a little further in. Lots of elk taken within mile or tow of trailheads.

 

[IdahoElk]

Shoot one as far and deep as you want, the real question is how much of it will be edible when you get home.

 

[thewileyone]

Anyone who has packed out elk have learned some hard lessons. Ideally kill next to a road or have horses. But that almost never happens.

Realize it will take you multiple trips. Leave the horns until last or you might talk yourselves into not going back. My advice is either don’t hunt where you wouldn’t be willing to pack one out and don’t max out your packs on the first trip. Some guys take 2 days to pack one out based on where they kill out. They hang the meat as high in a tree as possible and make trips.

Good luck!