Packing out meat -

[D_Eightch]

Sorry for the dumb question. I was just wondering if anybody ever packs out a certain way, and I'm not sure what you'd call it..leap from maybe?

If time permitted do you think it would be beneficial to carry one load half way. Then turn around for another load and do that until you had it all there. Then finish out the same way? Breaking up the trip a bit? A 1.5-2 mile pack with a break vs 3-4 straight miles makes more sense to me if you're able to.

That's how we portage in to one of the BWCA entry points that is 700+rods and it's nice to take the weight off for a while yet still be "working". Just curious if anybody does that in the backcountry packing out the kill.

 

[Beendare]

I've packed many loads solo. There is an advantage sometimes to the leap frog concept. An elk i shot in 2013 is a good example; pouring rain and not sure I could get it out in daylight hours...so I packed each load out of a very steep rocky canyon to a staging point that was easier hiking in the dark. Its bad enough to pack in that steep rocky stuff but I didn't want to break an ankle solo in the dark.

Thats the only reason I can think of to do it that way....maybe get it out of thick stuff in bear country, that sort of thing....

 

[5MilesBack]

I have done that a little bit to get it to a better shade location, or as Bruce mentioned.......to get it to a better place that's easier in the dark. It works......just depends how much effort and time you're putting into tying it down or just throwing it into a pack bag. Sometimes I lash it to the frame really well for a tight streamlined vertical load. I wouldn't want to have to keep doing that over and over multiple times more than I needed to. Whatever works......it's still all the same distance.

 

[realunlucky]

Getting the pack on and getting to my feet can rank right up there as the hardest part of packing out. Once I get my feet I'm totally focused on making the truck. To me it's totally mental one foot in front of the other. They all suck just the duration is different.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[D_Eightch]

I suppose that would add some work to keep getting the pack loaded down right each time.

Thanks for the responses. Just picturing how I'm going to do things next fall

 

[oldgoat]

I've heard of guys doing it a lot in grizz and or wolf country, just be careful with the portion that shows proof of sex.

 

[tttoadman]

Make the proof of sex load the last one away from the carcass to avoid that repack. You want that one to be the first to the truck. Staged loads is very realistic in steep country. You may pack 6 light loads up out of the hole, but ultimately pack it to the truck in 4 loads.

Old goat hit it on the head. Get the meat away from the carcass as soon as possible. I packed my bull out of ID in the dark. By about 3:00AM loading up the 4th load, the wolves were almost on the carcass.

Staging for temp control is the most important reason. Exposure to sunny south slope in November can ruin meat also. the longer the meat is on your back, the warmer it is getting. I can see a benefit to giving the meat a cool off period.

Truth is we should all be doing it in certain circumstances, but as Realunlucky noted, you just want to hump to truck any get that pack off sometimes.

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

Proof of sex load should be the first load IMO, just in case a bear shows up before everthing is packed out. Some of the laws required pos to be with the largest portion of the meat which means the second load of a three load haul.

 

[doverpack12]

From the wardens I've personally talked to about proof of sex and species if you are packing and making a realistic effort to get the meat out and do everything correct they will not care if you have the quarter with sex, species and tag attached out first or not because the way Montana words the requirement is the license is with the largest portion of the meat. Basically they said if you are packing, and they check you, regardless if you have that particular tag at the vehicle or with the rest of the meat, they will either make a decision that they believe you or that they want to see things in person so they are going back in with you.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

If the distance/terrain would otherwise cause you to take a rest with the pack off you might as well leap frog loads. Its all situational.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I have taken the meat to a cooler area on occasion, otherwise it has mostly been a straight pack out, then return and repeat as needed.

 

[Beendare]

Staging for temp control is the most important reason. Exposure to sunny south slope

Another good point.

Your 'wolves on the carcass' comment got me thinking; I might consider packing a treestand or blind material on a return run in Montana/idaho/Wyo as killing a wolf with my bow is a huge "to Do" for me.

 

[LostArra]

I used the part-way shuttle method on an elk this fall. I did it because I shot the elk in an awful place, very steep downhill. I was hoping she could roll all the way down but no such luck. I was not wanting to do this section in the dark so I made some trekking sticks and got it all to the base then packed it to an access point. Lesson learned for old man on where not to shoot a big animal. I now get my torn meniscus scoped later this month.

 

[castandblast]

I used the part-way shuttle method on an elk this fall. I did it because I shot the elk in an awful place, very steep downhill. I was hoping she could roll all the way down but no such luck. I was not wanting to do this section in the dark so I made some trekking sticks and got it all to the base then packed it to an access point. Lesson learned for old man on where not to shoot a big animal. I now get my torn meniscus scoped later this month.

Nice work. Hope your knee recovers well!

 

[kodiakfly]

I think it depends on how many guys will be packing, size of loads, bears/wolves, incoming weather, daylight, terrain, etc. My last pack was solo, nearing dark, bear in the area and three miles from camp. I opted to get meat and hide away from the carcass as primary concern since I had a bear on that ridges same day, and then bag and stash what I couldn't get out that night and go back the next day. So that was actually a few short hauls to get away from the carcass and then two more really short hauls to where I wanted to leave the meat and then the hauls back to camp. If it'd been a deer, I would've just packed it all out that night. Each case is different.

 

[dog812]

For me, I bone out everything.
Once I get moving, I don't want to stop to unload till I am at camp.
But yeah if it's in s bad spot, I'll usually move the best away from the guys / carcass etleast 100 yard.