Weight of a Bone-in Mule Deer Hind Quarter

[skunk]

Hey folks, I'm going on my first mule deer hunt this November in New Mexico and I've been training with my gear and loaded pack to prepare.

I want to make sure I can carry a bone in muley hind quarter with my gear but I am not sure what one weighs.

Has anyone actually weighed one? I'd rather not bone it out in the field but if I can't manage the weight of a bone in quarter, then I may have to plan for that option.

Thanks!

 

[ianpadron]

Bout 25#

Hey folks, I'm going on my first mule deer hunt this November in New Mexico and I've been training with my gear and loaded pack to prepare.

I want to make sure I can carry a bone in muley hind quarter with my gear but I am not sure what one weighs.

Has anyone actually weighed one? I'd rather not bone it out in the field but if I can't manage the weight of a bone in quarter, then I may have to plan for that option.

Thanks!

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

 

[COmuleychaser]

I've not weighed one but I would say you can pack 1 bone-in hind quarter, but not 2 (and do it safely). IIRC, the last one I packed out, I took the hind quarters out separately, then put both fronts, backstraps, tenderloins, and neck meat all in one bag, which was heavier than the individual hind quarters. I didn't have that far to go with it, and I think the quarters are easier to handle bone in.

 

[skunk]

Thanks folks. I've been mostly training with a 35-40 lb. load but just moved up to a 50 lb. sand bag in my pack and with water and some other stuff in there it was about 60 lbs total. I'm not that big of a guy and I wouldn't want to be carrying that much very far but it sounds like that'd be a good weight to train with.

 

[ianpadron]

Thanks folks. I've been mostly training with a 35-40 lb. load but just moved up to a 50 lb. sand bag in my pack and with water and some other stuff in there it was about 60 lbs total. I'm not that big of a guy and I wouldn't want to be carrying that much very far but it sounds like that'd be a good weight to train with.

Once the adrenaline gets pumping, you will be amazed with how much you can move.

I just packed out 111# 9 miles and about 4,500 vertical feet. That was a whole boned out mule deer and camp.

Sucked every minute but that's what Western backpack hunting is. Way more painful to walk back to your truck with an empty pack because you were unsuccessful. Trust me.

Go get 'em!

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

 

[durangobrad]

Once the adrenaline gets pumping, you will be amazed with how much you can move.

I just packed out 111# 9 miles and about 4,500 vertical feet. That was a whole boned out mule deer and camp.

Sucked every minute but that's what Western backpack hunting is. Way more painful to walk back to your truck with an empty pack because you were unsuccessful. Trust me.

Go get 'em!

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

Beast mode.....

 

[skunk]

Once the adrenaline gets pumping, you will be amazed with how much you can move.

I just packed out 111# 9 miles and about 4,500 vertical feet. That was a whole boned out mule deer and camp.

Sucked every minute but that's what Western backpack hunting is. Way more painful to walk back to your truck with an empty pack because you were unsuccessful. Trust me.

Go get 'em!

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

Dude you're cray. I'll just do multiple trips

 

[RCB]

Beast mode.....

Injury mode

 

[flinginairos]

Once the adrenaline gets pumping, you will be amazed with how much you can move.

I just packed out 111# 9 miles and about 4,500 vertical feet. That was a whole boned out mule deer and camp.

Sucked every minute but that's what Western backpack hunting is. Way more painful to walk back to your truck with an empty pack because you were unsuccessful. Trust me.

Go get 'em!

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

Dang that’s some weight lol. Me and my buddy packed out two bucks last week. Both were 70lbs deboned meat (weighed at the processor) plus the skull, cape. I’m not sure what my pack weight was but it felt close to 75-80lbs. It was almost all downhill (STEEP) and it sucked but was doable. Not sure I’d want to do over 100# personally lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ianpadron]

Injury mode

Nah.

Just a little sore the next day, nothing different than a good workout.

Appreciate your concerns though


Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

 

[crazyhawksfan]

You could easily do 2 rears if your in decent shape.. not sure what they weigh jus know we do 2 elk quarters occasionally and while it's not fun its doable

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[PathFinder]

One quarter isn't that heavy. My buddy took all 4 bone in quarters, cape, and head in a load once (without his gear). As he took off I realized I'd forgotten to cut the feet/lower legs off It was 4200' down and about 4 miles. With the exception of when I'm hunting with someone else, I take my muleys out in one load with all my gear. They are completely boned out (except the scapula) and skull capped, and I usually have the cape with me. I think it puts me up around 100lbs depending on what gear I took and what weapon I'm packing. My advice is to bone it all out. The rear quarters are especially easy to take the bone out of and still have a whole quarter all in one piece for easy butchering at home.

 

[cnelk]

I packed out my buck yesterday in 2 trips using my Icon Pro 1850

I weighed the game bags when I got home and the were right at 50lbs
1 hind, 1 front, 1 backstrap, 1 tenderloin

 

[rbljack]

Good luck on your hunt. I shot a small muley in NM last year. Id guess 25-30 for a boned in rear quarter, but I'm just guessing. I boned mine out, I carried all the meat except the head and a 14x 24 Tag Bomb Bag which had trim meat. My buddy grabbed that and my day gear. If I was by myself, it could have all gone out in one trip, but it would be pretty heavy (for me at least).

With that number of 30 pounds as bone in, you could get the mule deer out in two trips if you wanted to keep the quarters bone in and make it a bit easier. First trip would be a front and rear quarter, plus Backstrap and tenderloins and day gear. Second trip would probably be front and rear quarter, neck meat and head/hide if mounting it. Obviously dump the excess day gear for the second trip but bring PLENTY of water, and other necessity gear. Water is not everywhere in NM. They did get decent rain this year though. I was up in 36 scouting last month, and everything was very green. Should be a good year.

 

[ianpadron]

Way to get er done!

I packed out my buck yesterday in 2 trips using my Icon Pro 1850

I weighed the game bags when I got home and the were right at 50lbs
1 hind, 1 front, 1 backstrap, 1 tenderloin

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

 

[Lawnboi]

I’m a small guy and a decent size, whole bone in Muley with minimal gear is my max. I don’t know what my last few packouts weighed, but I could tell with the bigger buck I was on the brink of if I go down I’m not getting back up.

FWIW I’m 5’6 and 150lbs. Not a big dude. I’d think half a deer bone in would be doable in just about any terrain, with some gear as well.

 

[npm352]

I have always boned them out completely...this can be done while still leaving the muscle groups together. You'd be surprised the small amount of actual mass of boned meat is on a deer.

I use a tough old REI pack and do them in one trip...if I am with a partner we do halves if we did not each kill one. Usually we are packing downhill though. It sucks, but every step I take I weigh against going back to the top the next morning...at some point my body may only be able to handle half.

The benefit of a bone in pack is you can hang it and age it better....and depending on your pack situation/frame, the meat isnt like a big blob.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J120A using Tapatalk

 

[wyosteve]

You should have no problem with the hindquarters. In my younger and foolish days, I packed out a whole (minus field dressing) mule deer buck on a freighter frame. Was only about a mile and pretty flat!

 

[mtnkid85]

Save yourself a few lbs and at least cut/break off the lower leg at the knee joints. It won't take any extra time, and you'll still have the good femur for bone broth soup!

 

[highcountrymuley]

Never weighed, but if you re packin it out - debone! I ve carried out all meat (deboned quarters, bstraps, tloins, heart, shanks) and antlers with head and cape attached the last two years... guessing about 75 #? I weighed head with cape and antlers in 2017 = 28#. About 8 miles in 2017 and 5 miles 2018 muzzleloader hunt. Im 5'9" and about 155# and its doable. I would say you are in a little pain but it feels good! I wouldnt want to do 2 trips... feels better to get meat in coolers and take time to refuel before going back for camp and everything else.