Packing out meat idea

[Hunt41]

Does anybody shuttle meat out. For example. Say I shoot an elk 2 miles in. Rather than pack out the load the whole 2 miles. Then go back for the next load. Then the next, etc. Why not make each trip only one mile (halfway) out and one mile back. Once I get all the meat one mile closer. Then I work on packing it out the second mile.

 

[SWOHTR]

Yes, people do that. There’s a few reasons to do it (distance, bear activity, preference).

 

[DAOutfitters208]

It is a strategy, but you will spend more time shuttling it than just taking one quarter all the way out at a time. You will have to load and unload your pack more.

 

[Hunt41]

I was just thinking that I might be able to decrease the amount of trips (total miles). It would be easier to carry a heavier pack one mile than 2 miles.

 

[muddydogs]

You walk the same distance and create more loading and unloading. Only time I would break up the pack is if I had a really bad section. Get all the meat through the bad section while still going strong then just dead head the rest of the way out.

 

[ndbuck09]

ya loading and unloading plus the temptation to sit down and take prolonged rests end up making everything take longer when shuttling. The only time we like to shuttle like that is in the event of getting meat to the top of a ridge so the rest of the trips will be downhill with weight.

 

[Hunt41]

All the extra unloading and loading makes it a pain.

 

[Hunt41]

I do like the idea of getting the meat thru a bad section while still strong.

 

[Jethro]

A one stop shuttle isn’t bad, but no more than that. A rough section or get it all to the trail before taking it to the trail head. Don’t want to do anymore loading/unloading than that. Once I stand up with a load of meat, prefer to get where I’m going. Don’t even like to sit down.

 

[Hoot]

I never have had to, but there’s a hole I have in mind to shoot a bull in one day, if I’m lucky I’ll shuttle all the meat to the top, just in time for my buddies to help me one trip it to the truck!

 

[DAOutfitters208]

It would probably work best if you want to get it out of a hole to a ridge one day and hang it, and then come back the next day knowing at least you don't have to go back down to the bottom again

 

[Bighorner]

The one place shuttling shines is if you have a hunting partner coming to help. Getting the meat to a trail and then having a partner work from the trail to truck can really speed things along.

 

[MuleyFever]

Shuttling Meat on packout

How many of you shuttle/leapfrog meat on your packout? I will be hunting solo this year so this will be my technique.

www.rokslide.com

 

[Pigdog]

In September I’ll shuttle to a cool spot in the shade by a creek and hang it there and go back for another load.

 

[Elk97]

Makes sense in heavy griz country. We usually move what we can't take on the first load at least a couple of hundred yards from the carcass but even getting that close on the second load can be a little sketchy. Taking the first load half a mile or more might be worth the extra hassle.

 

[tttoadman]

As noted, get away from the carcass. In ID 2013, I shuttled about 1/4 mile to the top of the ridge. By the time i got the last load out of there, the wolves were right below me.

The other real reason is to get to the cool spot. Once you learn an area, you will know those great little spots that are shaded and cool all day.

I have to take a lot of breaks anytime I get about 80lbs. Shuttling doesn't really slow me down that much.

 

[Hunt41]

Good points made here.