Hypothetical Pack-Out

[OkieElk]

I want to pick the brain of some of the more seasoned backcountry hunters in here and gain some perspective. I want to know your thought process and how you approach it.

Scenario:
You are elk hunting, weapon doesn’t matter, and you have a 280 class bull down on the mountain. The bull is approx 2.5-3miles from the truck. The first mile is 1,500 in elevation gain some of it is pretty steep initially. The rest is up and and down to get to the bull. You have quartered the elk. You are solo, there are no packers, horses, llamas, mules available, and you have no one to help you. You have one pack, and it’s an internal frame like Mystery ranch, eco, stone glacier, etc.

How do you gets the meat and head out. How many trips do you take? Do you have 4 bags of meat or 6? Do you plan which loads to take first? Lightest or heaviest first? I want to know how you approach the situation as a whole.(methodology)

And go!
(Many Thanks in as advance)


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[Jimss]

Gutless and bone your bull out is the way to go. I usually save my skulls for european mount. If you want to skin for a wall or pedestal mount that's another pretty hefty/bulky load. I would recommend a 6,000+ cu in pack designed for 100+ lb loads. If you have camp with weapon that's often an addition trip.

Number of trips usually depends on the body size of your 280 bull....some are smaller than others and how much weight and bulk you can haul and stand upright while hauling out. If you are packing out extra rough country you may want to take an additional trip for safety sake....and save your body!

I usually pack the boned hind quarters and loin first. Those are your best eating chunks. The quicker you can get them cooled down the better. It usually around 1 trip/hind qtr. If you can add extra such as the loins, neck meat, etc that will save you a trip. I can usually pack both boned front quarters/load plus additional meat. I'd say 3 super heavy trips with one guy plus another trip with camp/weapon, etc is about right. Antlers/skull/cape are fairly bulky and heavy so potentially it could be an additional depending upon what you pack out. If you ruin some shoulder meat that sometimes saves some poundage.

One word of advice....don't skimp on packs! It is definitely worth it to use the best. I would recommend Kifaru or Stone Glacier. It will save your body and also possibly 1 or 2 trips! If you use a smaller pack or one that is poorly designed it will likely add on an extra trip or 2 plus your body will get beat up (shoulders, legs, back)! Take my word for it....most packs that are less than 6,000 cu in aren't designed for hauling out elk sized game! You can always cinch down a larger pack but if your frame/bag are too small you are screwed!

I stay in incredibly shape year round so have that going for me. I only weigh 145 soaking wet but can out hike most guys....even with hefty loads. The better shape you are in the easier it will be and obviously fewer trips. Elevation can also play a factor...especially if you are coming from close to sea level. There's a lot of factors involved with how many trips it takes...and elk aren't exactly fun. As is often said, the work begins once your game is on the ground!

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

Only thing I have worth adding is if you are going to do more than one lap in a day taking 30-60 minutes at each end leg to hydrate and slam some energy dense food while staying off your legs makes the process a lot easier. I’m always amazed how much better I feel when I stick to that plan. If I’m pushing it due to time etc I end up regretting it in the end.


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[wytx]

You can pack out with a nice frame and not spend a fortune. Sorry a Kifaru or Stone glacier is not necessary. I have a Wilderness pack frame that has packed out lots of elk and it didn't cost hundreds of dollars.
You need a pack or frame that fits your body though.
1st trip out for us , usually with only a day pack is some boned out meat or lions and straps and the antlers.
Quarters are left to cool hanging or on a bush. Pack frame goes in for the next trips out. I can haul only a front should whole, lower leg removed, spouse can haul 2 quarters at a time if reduced down in size by removing some bone.

If you have the money, sure buy a Kifaru or Stone Glacier but they are not the only packs that will work for you. They are light weight and well made but not the only game in town. Even a Kelty or Coleman frame will pack out elk just fine. It just needs to fit you correctly and have a good belt and shoulder harness.

No offense Jimss I just know lots of folks don't have that money to spend on packs they will use once a year and quite frankly they are not necessary. Yes they are well made and worth the money for most folks but not the only way to get it done. If you backpack hunt and use it often I would go that route but if only for once a year, weigh the expense.

 

[Jn78]

Man, there are so many variables - trail vs. no trail, blow down/beetle kill vs open terrain, your level of fitness, weather, snow vs no snow, ect.

If it was hot I would shuttle all of the meat to a cool spot like a creek bottom. Then reconsider my options.

If you in are blow down / beetle kill your loads are gonna have to be way lighter, especially if it is wet or snowy and slippery.

If you gain all of that elevation by hiking straight up a mountain and there is snow, you can bring an entire bull on a sled and the downhill is easy.

Also, that distance solo i would debone in some situations and would not debone in others. But if it was hot and I was deboning, I would keep it as cool as possible and hang it on the bone as long as possible.

Regardless of all of that, the head is the last priority and probably doesn't come out until all of the meat is taken care of.

It really is a difficult question - best case scenario, you are looking at a really long day, but if you are in a really bad spot, it could take like 4 days.

 

[amassi]

I always take as few trips as possible, all moderate heavy loads as the weight doesnt bother me much but I'd like to avoid the miles and elevation

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[Runwilderness]

But if it was hot and I was deboning, I would keep it as cool as possible and hang it on the bone as long as possible.

Why would you wait to debone? I had thought that the bones themselves retained heat.

 

[Aluminum Rain]

The benefit of a really good pack is that most of us will use that as our daypack as well. I personally would not want to make the first trip out less productive because my frame pack is back at camp while i was hunting with a daypack.

 

[Jn78]

Why would you wait to debone? I had thought that the bones themselves retained heat.

If you leave it on the bone you get a nice protective crust on the outside. Also on the bone, it cools better because you have a long piece of meat hanging vs an 80 or 100 pound ball of meat that will retain heat for much longer. Finally, you want the least amount of meat exposed to bacteria for the shortest amount ot time. As soon as you debone, the inner meat gets exposed to the bacteria that was on the outer crust of your meat. With all of that said, I may expose the ball on the rear ham because that bone will hold lots of heat.

 

[4rcgoat]

How does a mouse eat an elephant?.......1 piece at a time.

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

If you leave it on the bone you get a nice protective crust on the outside. Also on the bone, it cools better because you have a long piece of meat hanging vs an 80 or 100 pound ball of meat that will retain heat for much longer. Finally, you want the least amount of meat exposed to bacteria for the shortest amount ot time. As soon as you debone, the inner meat gets exposed to the bacteria that was on the outer crust of your meat. With all of that said, I may expose the ball on the rear ham because that bone will hold lots of heat.

Agree 100%. My preference is to hang it overnight on the bone and debone before the first trip early the next AM.


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[ridgefire]

I like to keep the bone on for packing as well. I like to start heavy and lighten the loads as my body starts to tire.

 

[BruinPoint]

I've managed to get a few bulls out in 3 trips solo and several cows out in 2 trips with a variety of packs, but never with that kind of initial climb. My plan would be to use the gutless method and remove the lower legs below hocks or knees. Hang skinned, bone-in quarters in game bags to cool while working on the rest. You can make some thoughtful cuts on the hind quarter to open it up from the femur and let some extra heat out. I don't think the meat cools very well if you bag it up in a big boneless wad, if you spread it out without a tarp you're just adding dirt and duff, you don't get 360deg air circulation, you're giving the flies more surface area to lay eggs, and you're just inviting scavengers to pick on the pieces while you're away packing meat. Boned out meat on a pack frame is like trying to contain a bag of jello, and I hate putting meat in my pack compartment for a number of reasons.

First and second load will be hind quarters with backstraps and tenderloins. Third load will be both front quarters. Fourth load will be all the rib/neck/scrap meat and head. If the temperatures allowed I would probably be really tempted to shuttle all of it to the top of the big climb, hang it in the shade there, and then start getting meat to the truck.

 

[Dave_]

First and second load will be hind quarters with backstraps and tenderloins. Third load will be both front quarters. Fourth load will be all the rib/neck/scrap meat and head. If the temperatures allowed I would probably be really tempted to shuttle all of it to the top of the big climb, hang it in the shade there, and then start getting meat to the truck.

This is pretty much how I do it. As much as I'm comfortable with each load. If I need to add another trip, extra gear, head/antlers/hide come out last.

I usually chug some water/Gatorade eat a snack when I get a load back. Plus bring just what I need each trip. You dont want to start cramping up. Plus it's a refreshing boost once the initial adrenaline starts wearing down.

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[530Chukar]

That’s a pretty short hike and you should be able to get it back in a day but more than likely a late night. That size bull will probably be 200-240 lbs of meat. Going to make 3 trips. Boned out hind quarter and half of the neck and scrap will make up the first two loads. Front shoulders with back straps for the final load. Throw the antlers on the last load.


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[MULEPACKHUNTER]

My first plan would be to quarter and break everything down and get it hanging in a secure cool spot right where you are then hydrate and eat. Im thinking I would get all the meat up that first climb and repositioned hanging in a secure cool spot there. Now your away from the gut pile and bones and you can spend the next day or two hauling , hydrating and eating. Don't think your going to go non stop like above, im probably taking two days and getting some good sleep in between, like after getting everything secured and cooling im sleeping for 5 hours before taking the first load out to the truck. Maybe hike back in empty and sleep again before hauling out the next load etc etc.

 

[Scoot]

To me this one is easy-- done it tons of times. Take care of elk via gutless method. Debone quarters and hang in 4 or 5 bags. Let the work begin. Drink lots of fluid. Don't kill yourself early in the process. Eat food! Embrace the wonderful pain that comes with a filled elk tag! It hurts but it's the best kind of pain!

 

[Marble]

I would do gutless and choose to either bone while I'm quartering or bone later. The weather would dictate that for me.

If it early in the day, ill probably take the time to debone. Sometimes I get to the animal, eat a decently good meal and then take an hour to nap and work on the meat.

If I have a nasty uphill from the bull that is close, ill shuttle the meat piece at a time so that after its stageg I can carry a full load out.

For a standard size bull fully boned I could do it in three trips. That could possibly include my camp. Really depends on a lot of variables.

And ill put in my kifaru and the only thing that will be sore when I'm done is probably my feet.

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[Gerbdog]

I dont see it mentioned here but I cant stress enough the usefulness of a good set of hiking poles that wont collapse under intense weight when packing meat out. Makes navigating steep terrain, deadfall, anything much easier. I have a pair that break into 3 parts and they go into my day pack.

 

[Ross]

Many of my bulls are just like this scenario not an incredible distance but steep and slow grinds when alone heaviest first and boned out but my first task was getting assistance If alone 4-6 Trips