Solo pack outs?

[Fireflyfishing]

Leap frog hunter/packer here. I like the fatigue management that has been mentioned above. Another big reason for me is getting the entire animal closer to camp/exfill site. If you have to give up on day one and hang the meat overnight, it’s all way closer the next day.

 

[TradLife406]

Usually one full game bag of bones out meat is only 45-50lb. We usually make four trips. Makes going across deadfall and whatnot safer.
While I have had some 100 plus pound deer pack outs (shooting a buck and doe back to back or a big WT with winter gear) it's a little different packing on the flat prairie.

Never really understood the leap frog. We'll leap frog it to our camp where the quads are waiting to take it the rest of the way to the trucks. But usually we only are going a couple miles with the heavy packs.

 

[SonnyDay]

I am hung up on the bone or deboned part of it. Solo this year in an area with Grizz.

I like the idea of deboning for weight savings but it takes a little bit of time. I am leaning more around just packing out with bones for the savings of time.

No leapfrog here if I shoot one this year. Seems like too much time messing with the pack.


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I had never boned out an elk before but it took maybe an hour on a bull last fall. Absolutely worth it.

As a few others have mentioned... don't butcher it into individual cuts or muscle groups... just follow the edges of muscle groups as best you can until you can detach and toss the bones.

Otherwise, I prefer getting all the way to the truck with loads. But I can see the point of leapfrogging depending on terrain, weather, time of day, and distance.

 

[trophyhill]

I take a load at a time all the way to the truck. However far all the way ends up being. I really like it when it’s downhill all the way.

 

[Beendare]

Well if moving the meat away from the carcass is leapfrogging…

Then yeah, I leapfrog. Especially in grizz country.

If I’m solo, I move the meat away and if its going to take me awhile, I typically look for a good spot to stash it where it can stay cool….then hump it from there.

 

[wyodog]

If I’m packing out a mule deer it’s 1 load all the way. With an elk I depends on how long it will take to get the whole elk out. If I am backpacking I will leap frog as far as I can get the whole elk in 1 day, spend the night near by and start again in the morning.

Unless it’s a real short pack out I’m going to debone the animal. It doesn’t take long with a bit of practice. The first time I boned an elk it took me 1/2 a day. Now I can do it in hour or so if I don’t cape it out.

 

[highcountrymuley]

Deboning helps let the heat out of the interior of muscle also. Always debone! Do it often so you get faster and more confident.

 

[Woolsocks]

My standard training for solo hunts: pick a trail with an uphill grade for several miles. Run uphill at a jogging pace. If you’re hunting deer, see how far you can run with stopping and that’s the maximum distance you should hunt from the truck. If you’re hunting elk, run uphill and walk back 6 times. If you can’t make it, train more or shorten your hunting radius.

 

[rclouse79]

I prefer to pack hind quarters and backstraps out first to get them in the cooler if it is warm. I have never had any meat spoil, but I like the peace of mind at least knowing some of it is cooling down in the cooler while the rest of it is hanging in a shady spot. I have also packed in heavy duty contractor bags to keep meat near the kill site in a creek. I have never used this method, but It seems like it could get you out of a pickle if it is very warm outside and you have a decent pack out.
Last year was my first elk kill with a bow. I had a big freaking smile on my face the entire pack out. Hope I get to do it again this year.

 

[idahodave]

What do you feel are the pros of leap frogging?

I never quite understood it. I certainly understand if you’re trying to get the meat to a cool, shaded spot so it will last longer.

But if that is not happening with every load, why would you want to mess with unloading and loading constantly? That’s a lot of time, and just getting to your feet, especially if you’re alone is just about the most difficult part.

This. Hang all the meat in the closest, cool place you can find. Then just get to work.

ZERO desire to load/unload the same quarter 20 times. Frankly it baffles me anyone does this. Put your head down and go to work with the quarter you have on your back.

Dave

 

[WCB]

I am with a lot of guys on here. Unless I am moving it to get away from the carcass or to a better place for hanging I am not leap frogging. I would add that lets say you shot it down in a hell hole and can get it out to a easy spot for storage or to avoid having to drop down into a shitty spot...I would also move it then while I have more energy.

However, just to leap frog for the sake of it makes no sense at all. Expel way more energy unloading and reloading packs. I am of the mindset get the weight on my back and go into drone mode back to home base. As far as fatigue management...maybe just take a break? It is not like just because you are taking the load all the way to point A instead of leap frogging you can't stop.

 

[Beendare]

This. Hang all the meat in the closest, cool place you can find. Then just get to work.

I've seen guys hang the meat and it becomes a big ball, with the center souring.

I put the meat in many smaller bags....and try to rotate the meat so the center can cool. Nighttime in the mountains is your friend and will cool meat overnight as long as it's not in a big ball.

I never understood the guys that leave an animal overnight, then process in the morning giving bears the time to find it. Plus then you are into daytime again and it will be awhile until that meat cools down.

Sometimes I have laid the meat over a log frame that is over a creek or solid rock in the shade for the extra cooling effect. Then I cover with pine boughs so the birds can't peck at it.

 

[roadrunner]

You "leap frog" if you only have one hill to go up and down.

If you shoot an animal at the top of a ridge, it's better to go up and down while your still fresh and not as tired as you would by going the entire pack out distance before going back up the hill and repeating.

Same amount of miles may be traveled, it's just how you choose to expend the energy. Flatter ground is a lot easier if that's the longer portion of the pack out trip without throwing a climb at the end of going back in for another load.

You can also make more lighter trips up and down and then fewer heavier loads along easier ground.

It's not a waste of time.

 

[trophyhill]

Well if moving the meat away from the carcass is leapfrogging…

Then yeah, I leapfrog. Especially in grizz country.

If I’m solo, I move the meat away and if its going to take me awhile, I typically look for a good spot to stash it where it can stay cool….then hump it from there.

^^^^^^^ this