If you pick your hunts by your ability to pack out the game. If you recruit fellow hunters based on their ability to pack out your game. If soloing I now restrict myself to varmints and wolves. I love to solo hunt but if I finally get a wolf it will get skinned prior to pack out. If you are shopping for a trailer after deciding no more backpack elk hunts you may be aging gracefully.
mike r
Several years ago I bought several pack llamas for exactly that reason. I figure they added a good 5 years to my elk hunting time.