If you can shoulder press 80% of your body weight, do five dead hand pullups, deadlift your body weight 10 times, and run a mile in 8min or less, all in the same afternoon, I'd consider the bike/cart or similar. If not, I'd forget the whole idea. No elk is worth crippling yourself.
I think this is a bit of an exaggeration. I've packed elk on my back several times - and it sucks. If there is any way not to, I don't want to. I'm considering a mountain bike w cart and a game cart. I'm leaning game cart with a harness to pull and a driver.
I really want to get back this road 5-6 miles. There is some smoking good looking areas 1/2 mile or so above the road. It looks ideal - black timber over the top, green meadows butting up to the ridge top and black timber. Looks to me like elk can bed on north side in timber, pop over the top and feed in the small meadows close to timber and safety. I've killed 2 bulls in that exact same situation. The road also allows me to be more mobile and cover more ground.
BTW: I can do all those things you mention plus a bit.
