Shuttling Meat on packout

[MUDDYCRICK]

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

 

[JG358]

I'd just make several full length trips so I dont have to keep unpacking and packing my pack.

 

[bbrown]

What he said - never really understand when it would be worth it to go thru the hassle.

 

[KMT]

I agree with the guys above. You're still going to carry the meat the same distance. Why pack and unpack it?

 

[Terrapin]

I always find it psychologically easier to shuttle, not sure why. Definitely more work. I usually go a couple of miles to a nice cool creek, and hang meat there. Then shuttle to that point. Once it's at the creek, I got nothing but time. On the first load from the creek to the truck, I bring back beer. Place beer in creek, drink one and take another load. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Matt Cashell]

In some situations I have shuttled loads for uphills before doing downhills. Sometimes I stay fresher for the more grueling uphill portions that way, and it is a nice psychological boost to have the "hard part" out of the way. YMMV.

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Just depends on the situation, taking a load of meat to a good hanging spot then going for and taking out the rest buys a lot of time, you could even hunt more before getting the hanging meat

 

[RamDreamer]

I have shuttled meat to get it out of a deep bowl before (i.e., just kept bringing loads to the top until it was all up there before starting the pack out from there). I can see shuttling meat if you have a creek or cool area to get it too that's on your way to your exit and plan on keeping it there for a while. Other than that I wouldn't see why doing that would be better with all the extra work when compared to making the long haul out.

 

[MuleyFever]

I agree with the guys above. You're still going to carry the meat the same distance. Why pack and unpack it?

Muscle fatigue. And if you do it right there is almost no repacking. Pull one bag out of your pack and go back and drop another in. Think of any physically demanding activity. Now you can only do so much in one stint but do some and then take a break and you can do more. By taking a load halfway then dumping it to go get the rest you are really resting the whole time you are carrying your empty pack.

I am not saying it is best for everyone as some can do more than others but for some people it may be better.

 

[Calbuck]

On my cow hunt last year, I loaded my pack with a quarter and my dads pack with a little less than a quarter (he's an older guy). Our pack out was mostly downhill, and I decided I didn't want to make the full hike again, so I would leapfrog. I carried the remaining two quarters ahead, set them down and went back for my pack. It worked well I think in our situation, as once we were loaded in the side by side we were done. And it gave us natural "intervals" to take breaks.

 

[Dos Perros]

Also a good option if you're worried about critters finding your meat.

 

[Donny Land]

We shuttled meat on my bull this year. Where we hunt, the 1st 600' of elevation from the trail is pretty steep and rough, and once we get to the trail it is another mile or so to the camp, so we packed a load down to the top of the ridge above the trail, unloaded, and went back after the head and the rest of the meat, seemed to work pretty well for us, and like most have said, you get a little break in between.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I'll do it when I'm solo on really steep uphill or downhill sections. I can make 2 or three trips up a steep section faster and less painful than one trip at 120 lbs.

 

[tenth1]

For me, it is all about leaving the meat and/or antlers/horns for too much time. Leap frogging minimizing them in one location

 

[tttoadman]

I am sold on leap frogging the meat away from the carcass at least. I don't want to meet up with wolves or bears and compete to get the rest of my hanging meat out of there a day later.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Situational dependent. A shorter distance and I'll just single haul it since it its not a long effort that'll burn me out and I won't leave meat too long. Miles back I'll leap frog to keep moving things closer to the trailhead (if help arrives and/or injury I'm that much closer), rest breaks to recoup legs, helps break up climbs, etc. But I wouldn't abandon a cool or shady spot just to leap frog a load either. Also don't discount the mental game, if you've moved all your loads 1mi from a trailhead as the sun goes down I find it motivating to keep going and just get things done vs dropping a load and facing the need to spin around and head miles back in the dark on already tired legs.

 

[Bubblehide]

I rarely leap frog meat. But of the times I do, it is to get it away from the guts and carcass, and if there is a need to cool it. When moving it away from the carcass, I want the meat at least 100 yards from the carcass. I only do this if the weather is cool enough to leave the meat. I put it in the white 3 mil trash compactor bags, squeeze the air out and seal it, then hang it in a tree in the shade; somewhere that will be shaded all day. I only do this if there is to much meat to carry out, to camp... and I simply must leave meat behind. I have also done this in situations where I needed to keep the meat cool when it is to much to carry in one trip. I use the same plastic bag method, but put the meat in a cool stream, in a place the bears are not utilizing. I have not lost a scrap of meat doing this.

I would never leap from meat if I can reasonably safely carry it in one load, it just makes for that many more miles of packing back and forth.

I know a lot of guys are worried about using plastic, but if the air inside is kept to a minimum, and the contents kept cool, there really aren't any worries, as the environment for spoilage just isn't there. And when the meat does make it to the truck, it goes on ice.

 

[Beastmode]

In some situations I have shuttled loads for uphills before doing downhills. Sometimes I stay fresher for the more grueling uphill portions that way, and it is a nice psychological boost to have the "hard part" out of the way. YMMV.

I have done this before. We didn't have enough time to get the meat all the way to the trailhead so we made two trips to a ridge where there rest of it was down hill.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

Yep, situation dictates.
Sometimes it's best to shuttle meat up out of a hole for mental reasons...just so it's done. Other times you might have to get meat to a cool creek to hang while you pack loads out. Other times daylight hours vs miles play a role.

But generally I prefer to take loads all the way to truck. I know theirs food, cold beer and a cot/bedroll there.
Hunt'nFish

 

[Larry Bartlett]

For me it's about getting the task behind me as quickly as possible while expending only enough energy to see it complete.

When i face this scenario (get meat from kill site to my red wine and weed stash back at base camp)...i reflect on how many pounds vs how much daylight is left, then determine how many trips are required. If I'm strong enough and have enough food reserves to keep me going (and daylight allows), i move with heavy loads like a mindless minion being commanded by a big black aron snyder on a 'roid withdrawl.

From there it's a matter of daylight, safety, grit residual, and food reserves left for the rest of that day (or until meat rests in sacks in safety). If i don't that day, the drudge starts early the next day. Every hour counts after the bones hit the dirt.

Like these guys have said, what happens next and when is determined by a lot of variables.

In the big view though, i think a rule of thought for any meat eater should be to secure food, transport food to home, and then recover/rest. Until those checklists are done, i'm working as hard and as fast i can to ensure the food stays fresh and viable in whole whildst i devise a physical plan to transport it out of the field environment.

If i can carry it all in one load, i'll do it to avoid the second trip regardless of how short the route. If i had to choose between 4 easy loads or two hard round trips that are sure to cause some soreness and bruises...i'll choose the harder shorter round trips.