Packing meat at night in grizz country?

[Scrappy]

So I've only killed one elk and it definitely was in grizz country. Actually had two different hunters tell me that they had seen grizz that week in the general area. So once I had him chopped up and baged I started packing at 5:30 PM. Got the second load out just after 1am and slept in the vehicle for 4 hours then back up the mountain before daylight. Didn't really give it a thought about being attacked in the dark. I made lots of noise but really didn't see it being any different than during the day. If a bear decides not to retreat when it sees, smells, or hears you. Your in trouble either way. Just because you can't see the attack coming doesn't make it necessarily worse. Your still gonna get your ass handed to you.
So what say the experts, am I being a dumba$$ packing meat at night or no different? I posted this question on another forum before and the general consensus was I was nuts.

 

[Gulfgoose]

Curious as well. Will be hunting in some heavy grizz country this year.

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

Curious as well Montana 2020

 

[Coach529]

Following along.

 

[Billy Goat]

I haven't hunted grizzly country but I do hunt a lot of black bear country. To me the more time that passes the greater the chance of bears being there. I wouldn't want to work up an elk by myself in grizz country. I think it would come down to terrain. If it's open and you can see in all directions I would feel better. I have worked up elk in black bear country where you couldn't hardly see 10 yards. That was nerve racking in the daylight knowing how many bears were in that area.

I think if bear are in the area they will find the kill within 12-16 hours. So I think the quicker you can get in and out the better. But this is from black bear experience. Curious what others will say that have grizz experience.

 

[Middleofnowhere]

Not in grizzly country, but had a dear down and dressed as it was getting dark. No trees around, so put the dressed deer over a large rock. We were backpack hunting and at least 5-miles from trucks. Laid out bedrolls about 200-yards from deer.

Middle of the night a sow and her cub grabbed the deer and started dragging it away. Had to confront them and chase he bears off the carcass. The two of us packed the deer out first thing in the morning.

One thing I will say about bears, is their eyes glow really bright in even minimal light. If you are hiking at night with a flashlight or headlamp, you might actually see the reflection from their eyes better at night than you would see the actual bear during daylight. I don’t have a lot of experience in this, that is just a thought. Curios about others more expert experience.

 

[jmez]

I don't think packing out a load in the dark is a huge issue. I would not return to the kill site in the dark however. That is where problems are most likely to occur.

Gutless method and get the meat away from the carcass. Take out one load and return in daylight.

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[mntnguide]

Grizzlies are more active at night in early fall than they will be in the heat of the day...Ive packed a lot of elk out in grizzly country and if i have a choice night surely isn't when I'll make trips especially if it's without horses. The chances of you coming across a grizzly without knowing it are far higher than being able to see in the daylight. And chances of you having time to prepare for an attack or bad encounter diminish to only the distance your headlamp shows you. Not saying i haven't done it, but I will avoid it at all costs.

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[Mosby]

No way I would go back to a kill site to pack meat in the dark, in grizzly country....by myself. No way. Mountain lions are also an issue, when you are by yourself.

I would hang the meat, take a load out and come back in at first light with a partner, guns etc.

 

[Scrappy]

I wasn't returning to the kill site. I moved all the bagged meat down the mountain about 250 yards to a flowing creek and built a bridge over it to cool the meat. As well as there was no way I was going to surprise a bear walking in and out. I had real loud arguments with myself about everythng. When I wasn't singing. Picture the guy on Jeremiah Johnson that went around the mountains screaming so the Indians thought he was crazy. I'm sure that's what I sounded like.


The wife and I was out there last month and was planning on staying in a campground not to far away from my hunting area and it was closed due to bears.

 

[Selway]

I don't think packing out a load in the dark is a huge issue. I would not return to the kill site in the dark however. That is where problems are most likely to occur.

Gutless method and get the meat away from the carcass. Take out one load and return in daylight.

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Exactly my opinion. If there's going to be a problem, 95% chance it's when you return to the carcass.

Walking though the woods in the dark with meat on your back isn't an issue at all.

 

[805Bowhunter]

I don't think packing out a load in the dark is a huge issue. I would not return to the kill site in the dark however. That is where problems are most likely to occur.

Gutless method and get the meat away from the carcass. Take out one load and return in daylight.

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To me this seems like the best course of action. Get the goods away from the carcass and be alert going back in.

 

[FlyGuy]

(Not an expert on Griz, so...)

It seems to me that you significantly reduced the likelihood of a problem by separating the meat from the gut-pile. I would expect that bears would be attracted to the gut pile first, and it would have a stronger odor. Also, with the meat down in a creek bottom and over the water, the scent cone of the meat should be much smaller and less prone to travel than the one from your gut pile.

Secondly, if you have good visibility of the meat cash area, meaning you would expect to be able to see a bear in your headlamp from a “safe” distance, then it may be no less risky to get it out quickly in the dark than to leave it all night and giving a bear more time to find it.

But if it’s me, and especially if I’m solo, I’m coming back in the daylight. I don’t need that kind of stress in my life. F-that.





You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[wymtnpounder]

Move the meat away from the carcass. Take note of how every thing is arranged so that if it has been disturbed you can tell. Take a load with you on the way out. Don't go back until daylight if you can help it. Make lots of noise on the way back in and try and get to where you can see the meat/ carcass from a distance. Go in locked and loaded. I've lost count of how many elk I've packed out in grizzly country.
My 2 cents

 

[Mosby]

I wasn't returning to the kill site. I moved all the bagged meat down the mountain about 250 yards to a flowing creek and built a bridge over it to cool the meat. As well as there was no way I was going to surprise a bear walking in and out. I had real loud arguments with myself about everythng. When I wasn't singing. Picture the guy on Jeremiah Johnson that went around the mountains screaming so the Indians thought he was crazy. I'm sure that's what I sounded like.


The wife and I was out there last month and was planning on staying in a campground not to far away from my hunting area and it was closed due to bears.View attachment 110358

Moving the meat over water was smart. I would still wait until morning to get the remaining meat, but thats me.

 

[Marble]

I don't think packing out a load in the dark is a huge issue. I would not return to the kill site in the dark however. That is where problems are most likely to occur.

Gutless method and get the meat away from the carcass. Take out one load and return in daylight.

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That's about how I feel about it.

19 years hunting heavily populated black bear country. So not griz country so if it doesn't apply then take this for what its worth. I'm guessing have left 50-60 animals over night. Some left multiple days. Had one animal get chewed on by a bear.

Gut piles are rarely messed with either. Is it a concern? Well yeah. But I don't worry about it.

I can say I probably wont ever make trips at night regardless of bears. Its probably better iff cooking on the mountain over night than riding in my pack or on my horse.

 

[Dos Perros]

I think this is a really good read if you want to get scientific about it:

https://prd-wret.s3-us-west-2.amazo...2017_AnnualReport_Final_tagged_Secured_v3.pdf

Don't open unless you have about an hour to do some reading and thoughtful consideration.

 

[Beendare]

I've packed meat in Grizz/Brown bear country at night...multiple times actually.

My Take; You are always better off getting that meat out asap vs leaving it overnight....less chance of a bear finding it.

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