Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Anybody pack an elk out by themselves?

Of the last 8 or 10 bulls I have shot at least half been hauled out by myself. Most people I talk with think I'm nuts (they could be right) but it really is not that big of a deal if you know what your doing and have the proper equipment to do the job with you. Kind of made me curious how many others go elk hunting solo?

I've done a few, but I really prefer to have help.

Help is always nice, but if I can't find somebody to go -then I just do it myself. I could always drive to town and call for help, but by the time I do that, wait for assistance, I can usually have it out on my own.

You need a sturdy frame pack and the patience to make several trips. Or you can rent a horse...

I do it every year... if you're going to be dumb you'd better be tough.

I've done it and its hard work but is the difference from filling a tag or eating tag soap. Most my friends won't shoot an elk any further then a mile from the truck but they don't harvest many elk either. My dad's about the only person who will help with the pack out, but he taught me how to hunt, so the pain is kinda his fault. 😠

I have done it several times. Many of the areas I hunt are behind gated roads, so I usually get things packed down to the road and then cart it out. Its a chore but one I don't mind doing - leaving in the AM to find a nice spike so I'm hoping to be doing it again in the next couple of days:)

Amen.......short memory helps also.

I do. Had help this year but we both tagged out at the same time around four miles in so the selfish bastard wouldn't help me pack my elk.

I have multiple times. Furthest was 7 miles from the truck. This year was only a mile. I would rather pack solo then cut one up solo. They are just a pita to butcher in the steep stuff by yourself a lot of times.

After cleaning one on my own Monday I can share that sentiment.

I packed out solo Monday. Luckily I was only about a mile from my truck. I packed out 1 quarter on the first trip and the remaining 3 on my second trip, 1 on my back and 2 in the jet sled.

Yo Meatstick!

So I, me, dad, only "help with the pack out" uh? You musta forgot I killed one of them two elk that "we" packed out last week.

Ok, you packed out half of mine too, but only cuz' you're harder headed than I am....

BTW - you're the only one I know tough enough to hunt elk with me and then kill one before I can...

If I'm by myself, I hunt a little closer to the truck. But, several elk and two moose have been "boned-out" for packing. It makes the job a lot easier! memtb

A few, but fortunately for me the ones that I have had to do alone were only a mile or two.
Thank god I've had help on the ones that were in the middle of nowhere.

So you feel better, I hunt moose solo at times. But my limit is one mile from a trail or where I can get a wheeler in.

The only time I"ve harvested solo I was lucky, I managed to get the wheeler right there, but if not, it was only about half mile or less to a trail.

Frankly just making a moose small by yourself and getting it loaded and 12 or so miles back home at a snails pace, took a number of hours, along about 7pm to 4am, and I slept well that morning then until 9am...

I've done elk on my own but never shot one... but it takes time and stupidity.

The longest day of my life though was half a bull caribou about 6 miles as the crow flies in AK over some interesting terrain... and dumb enough to watch my buddy shoot one almost back to camp, where we dumped the packs and then had to deal with that one... and still go another half mile... for some reason that load was almost unbearable at the end of the day. Likely due to the fever I had at the time.

Boned out would make it even better, but illegal where we hunt in AK.

Kind of like child birth...

All but a handful of elk i've shot, i've had to pack out solo.

Every time I shoot one I swear I'm done with them, then a month later I'm making plans to go again.

It aint that bad..in hindsight.

Well---I did it again by myself this year, don't know how I do it but I figure if I kill em I got to pack em. I'll turn 70 in a couple of months and each year while cutting up my elk I say" next year I'm going to leave the elk alone and just hunt mule deer" but I can't seem to break the cycle, been doing it for so long.
The pain has just stopped and I'm looking at the regs for next years hunt already! I told my son I wish to die packing an elk quarter. He replied "that would be a horrible waste of meat" -- guess he's serious 'bout hunting!
God,Family, country and hunting!----- I think that's the correct order
Good Hunting
Lj

Centershot: I have done so many times and helped others do so even more times than that.
Of recent we have befriended a very competent horse wrangler and he brings in horses and pack trains our Elk out.
He does this for a VERY reasonable off the books cash rate!
He even transports said game to a regional butcher for us so we have the option to stay in our remote camp and enjoy more Deer Hunting in that area or we just "woods loaf" and enjoy the wildness.
I have also helped pack out Moose, Bear and Mt. Goats - the hard work was/is part of the Hunt - but horses sure add to my enjoyment anymore.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I've done a few. That's when I said 'this is stupid' and set myself up with a string of pack llamas. Life is good.

Nope.Never had,never will.At most,I maybe have carried quarters 50-60 yards to get them to the mules.

I did pack a Mountain goat off of a 14,000 ft peak once.

About 50 years ago I decided to sacrifice other things in life so I could live where I could have a few head of livestock and have been doing that way ever since

Until this year, every elk I have killed I did so by myself. I often have horses with me, but often do not.

My 6x6 bull last year took me 2 days to get out. I actually prefer it that way.

I always enjoy packing out an animal. It'll be a sad day when the realization hits that I'm no longer up to it.

I have packed out some of my own and several more for my Granddad, Dad and Uncle.

Almost every one I shoot comes out on my back, by myself.

When I was younger, most of the elk I brought out myself.. Since I turned 65 about four years ago, I think I brought out one.. The others I had help.. Now, I doubt I move another by myself, I am about done with this game.. Too many birds to shoot, and whitetail does move easier..

I have only had to pack out one buy myself! I usually have my brother or one of the grandson's with me! Lots of work but worth everydrop of sweat!

Have hauled them out myself several times over the years - wore me plumb out, but it felt GREAT. T'was a lot easier before I got old.

P.S. The first bull (in 1965 up on the Mogollon Rim) was the easiest by far - beginner's luck and was able to back my 1954 Chev station wagon right up to it. Good old days.

I'm 60 years old and packed out my cow by myself this year.

Of course, I intentionally shot the smallest of the three elk standing there.............

Casey

Same here.

I've packed a bull solo. It got my full attention. I've also helped carry pieces and parts of a half dozen more- much more civilized!

Weather is a huge and crucial variable as far as the panic-factor in getting the meat out. It's been WARM generally speaking these last several years here in Oregon during rifle season. That adds a whole level of urgency.

I guess grizzlies add that for some of you guys.

This year's pack out...

I've done it twice and hope that I don't have to again. Gettin1 to old for that chit!

I salute and envy you guys. Truly. J

I have a cow in those panniers. Screw backpacking. Seriously, though, we all reach an age where backpacking isn't possible. I figure these guys added at least 5 years to my hunting career.

Taking notes Rock Chuck. Thinking those are for me soon.

If you do, get hold of me first. I went through a number of them before I got 4 that are really good. There are lots of them out there with foot problems and I can save you some pain.
2 of the 4 in that 1st pic have been retired because of bad front feet.

I'm usually planning the next hunt on the way home.......

Maybe I'm crazy but I've only passed up one animal because of the pack out. I normally don't let having to pack an animal out stop me from shooting big game. I've packed quite a few elk and deer on my back and a few caribou. The moose my wife and I have have killed we've been able to get to with a four wheeler.

I did pass on one 60"+ bull moose many years ago while sheep hunting. We were 8 miles from the closest place to get a four wheeler to and it was 75-80 degrees. I was 20 yards from a bedded bull but knew in that heat and that distance the chance of getting the meat out without losing much of it was slim.

I was a bit surprised this year caribou hunting. We spotted a herd in a non motorized area about a mile or a little more off the road. There were a half dozen vehicles on the road watching them so I asked each one if they were going after them. All said no, they couldn't or weren't going to pack a caribou that far. Most were some to much younger than me. I'm 57. I took out after the caribou and ended up killing a nice dry cow about 3/4 of a mile off the road on relatively flat ground. I made it out in two heavy packs. There were close to a dozen people on the road watching me pack out my caribou and it was only as I was getting almost back to the truck with the second load that a dad and his two teen age sons headed into the same area after the herd.

I don't know if they got one but I was surprised out of all those vehicles no one except that one man and his boys were willing to put in a little work. As far as packing on one's back that area was pretty nice ground. I guess they were hoping the caribou would cross the road into the motorized area.

There's nothing easy about packing out a moose or an elk and honestly a caribou or deer ain't that much fun either. But there is a great sense of satisfaction when that last pack drops off your back and onto the tailgate.

This is where I screwed up. I ran into a heard of about a dozen bulls had my pick - shot the 6 point instead of one of the spikes - rookie mistake....lol

On a couple occasions a few years ago, packed out myself. At 65, I still hunt solo, but I have friends to help if I harvest one.
And the last couple years, I've hunted more forgiving terrain and closer to home. Its way more now, that I just enjoy being out there, and never had expectations of great wall hangers, just some meat in the freezer.

I failed to mention and give "much" credit to my wife, who has packed elk quarters out. Most of these were short packs(most under a mile), but give her much credit for doing it. Just last year,she packed (only about 600 yrds.),a front quarter of a young 6x6 bull I lucked into. And, she did that with a "bum" knee that she's been fighting for two years now! We don't hunt was hard as we once did,hunt closer to the vehicle, and use the Polaris Ranger when we can, but we're still hunting!!!!! memtb

My Wife quit helping a couple of years ago after packing a bull quarter in thick brush kept yanking her off her feet. Now I do it myself. I hope to pack out a cow next week, might even go for a calf since they are so tender.

Between drinking all of my beer and playing Tiddlywinks with those bear, I'm surprised you had time to pack an elk out.

That wasn't tiddly winks, it was grab-ass.

Sounds just like me! I talked myself into another trip in a couple weeks! Every elk that I ever shot has come out in a pack. Ain't fun, but it sure feels good after you do it!

Kind of hard for me to tell, with all the bugling going on.

This is how I prefer to pack elk out, I even help my buddies with theirs!

I've packed out a few smaller elk solo. Nothing to be worried about.

If you're looking for someone to help with the investment, let me know.

Seriously.

Nice!

That chunk of blaze orange on the skull is a really, really, good idea.............


Casey

Years ago, my BIL's father owned a small business. He and several of his employees were deer hunting. He was sitting and watching a patch of quakies when he saw a buck walking through. He could clearly see the head and antlers as it moved between the trees. He got ready and when it appeared again, he was just about to touch one off when he thought he saw a glimpse of orange. He held off and saved an employee's life. The guy had shot a deer and was packing it on his back. The head was hanging over his shoulder with his head behind it's neck. The glimpse of orange was his hat.

I got mules and a wife who wrangles. The packing out is actually the funnest part. Cold beer and the dogs get 2 come with.

What he said.

I have packed two out alone. One was 1.75 miles and 2200 ft higher then the truck in super steep terrain. The other was 80 yds. from the truck on flat ground. So if you go by averages it was not bad, first came out over 2 days, Last one in a little over 2 hours........

This years bull I packed by myself. I was able to cheat by killing it in a road system closed to motorized access. About 2 5/8 miles all up hill to get my cart up to the Elk, the hard part. Then two easy downhill rolls back to the truck. It took all day to do it myself, But I was able to do it. Just put the last packages in the freezer after processing it in the shop.

I'm looking forward to the day that I get to do that.

Gutless method is key. Look it up on YouTube.

I've done several solo pack-outs and it's not so bad if you have the right gear and know what you are doing. That being said, it also pays to be in shape. I have a weighted vest and climb stadium stairs as part of my training. Our neighbor made a comment about me "being the retard (poor word choice, I know) always walking on the road...you know we have cars for a reason?!?"

He's a Texan and hunts from a 4-Wheeler. Guess who kills stuff and who doesn't?

If you are going to do it, get your butt in shape a couple of months in advance. If you are successful, your future self will thank you.

Last two elk were packed out solo. This years was little over a mile from the road, at least it was mostly down hill. Still took over six hours from the time of the shot until I was finished.

Years ago....
My partner and I have used a wheelbarrow numerous times to pack elk. It works fine as long as you don't have any uphill. It's better than a game cart on narrow, rocky trails where 2 wheels are too wide.

Some years ago, I shot a spike a couple miles back. I pushed my wheelbarrow up there and loaded up the meat. I'd only gone a few hundred yards when one of the wooden arms broke. I jury rigged a splint with a limb and started off again. I got another hundred yards when that broke. Anyway, I ended up backpacking it and the wheelbarrow is still there, tucked away in some 100 year old mining junk left from the past.

moral: a wheelbarrow works but DO NOT use a cheap, K-Mart version.

Wheelbarrows are underrated.

I left a hunt to get some supplies in Durango some years ago, stopped to check out an area I was interested in along the way. Killed a buck there, then had the epiphany, "Oh oh, Now What?"

I remembered a little rental shop back down the road. The wheelbarrow made pretty short work of the haul-out.

I've had help with some, but I've packed about 30 elk out by myself:

Some on a packframe. Had to spend the night with a hind quarter once in the Whitefish range in NW Montana. Just me, my rifle, the quarter of meat, and a book of matches.

A couple on a kids plastic toboggan, the toboggan didn't fare too well.

One bull 1/2 at a time in a wheelbarrow. I shot him about a mile up a Forest Service road, behind a locked gate. Luckily the road was dry and it was mostly downhill.

I've pulled several out, 1/2 at a time, on a thick sheet of plastic from Cabalas.

A couple more, 1/2 at a time, just over the snow.

I killed a spike bull one year fairly high on a mountain in the Madison Range south of Ennis, MT. The side of the mountain was snow covered so I tried to drag him down to the flats where I could easily get my horses. The slope was so steep that each time I started to drag him he would get moving too fast for me to keep in front of him, so I would step aside and he would slide 30-40 yards down the hill then pile up against a tree. After several times of doing that, I decided to get him sliding, then I just hopped on and rode him down until just before he would hit a tree, when I would jump off. I continued doing that all the way to the bottom of the mountain where my horses could pack him out in quarters.

One year I was able to pull a cow elk down off a mountain almost all the way to my car, but the last 200 yards was uphill, so I had to cut her in half for that. Then I had to split the halves to get her into the back of my Subaru.

For about 20 years I had a couple of horses, and they carried out my elk every year. I miss having horses now every elk season.

I have packed out many of them At 70+ I can still get the job done. Last year I packed out a spike by myself, an easy hike 1.4 miles down a nice trail. Got help on two this year, the first bull being the largest but only 2+'miles out. The second was 4 miles out and on a good trail. Made 5 total trips between the two. A great year.

We used to use 'em to pack in our camp back in VA, and then pack out deer. You can do two bucks at a time. You can put a heavy load of camp gear in a good wheelbarrow, and live like a king. Coleman stove and lantern, folding chairs, steaks, pork chops, taters & onions, beer, you name it.

Last years "by myself pack out". The middle daughter was with me the week before and we packed her's out on our backs. She is a work horse and a good hand to have along. We even helped a couple of 70+ year old guys pack a bull out the day before we pulled hers out.

She wasn't along this trip so it was up to me. About a mile down a gradual incline. Just needed a little come along help to crest the incline into the pickup.

Brad couldn't have said it better, "if you're going to be dumb, you better be tough", lol.







I can remember as a kid just starting, sitting in a saddle freezin my azz off and thinking "I aint ever doing this again". Been back out there every year since for almost 40 years now. Yes, being dumb and having a short memory does have it's advantages!!

If I ever get to slide one out in a sled whole, right into the truck, I'm taking pictures too.

Ha, ya, the conditions were just right is all I can say. The pack frame was with me just in case I couldn't get it done. Hardest part was trying to run the come along and get her onto the lip of the endgate by myself but I got it done. That otter sled paid for itself right there. A Vietnam era casualty sled works good as well. Brought a spike out whole once on one of those, but I had help with that one.

I shot my cow elk this year in very steep country and as is the case 95% of the time, I was solo. Took me about 2 hours to quarter it out and hang it in a nearby tree. Country was so steep, that when I took the quarters off one side and had to roll it over, it kept going down hill. Did not stop for about 30 yards. Packed out my gear, backstraps and tenderloins the first trip by the time I got to my quad I was exhausted. Estimated I had to go straight up approximately 1,500 ft. Two more trips later, I could barely move. Ibuprofen kept me going.

Hope to do it all over again next year.

A couple years ago I read a story by Jim Zumbo. He said he shot an elk that went down in a patch of really thick brush. It took him 3 hrs just to turn it over to gut it. My thought was that there couldn't have been a better time for gutless field dressing.

That about sums up my trip this year too.

CENTERSHOT -
I think you are good and nuts too along with most of these members.
So glad to hear from hardcore sportsmen and women.
Last bull I packed out was in six miles took my old legs over
3 days. I out lived my horses and then llamas so was on my own.
Two days after home bought a single mule.Now pack in and stash
supplys for scouting.Return each trip backpack hunting till meat
on the ground,go home for old griz mule. Lots of fun.
Works great for hunting alone. It used to really bother me that
a lot of folks take shortcuts but let them have their machines.
There was an old indian that returned an old Model A to Burro
Bill in Death Valley during the depression. At returning the
broke down auto for demand of his burrows back he left a note
"Ford No Good,tires all gone,bring back my mules". Thanks folks
for you finding value in some burden.

I have had two go under logs while sliding down a steep snowy hill. The first one I did upside down under the log on my side. The second required a much larger younger man to get him where he could be cut up. Getting old isn't for the weak of heart.

Don't discount this, my knees and toes tell me it works. From my experience, don't mess with tablets. Get the crystals at GNC. However, if you are running bone on bone, probably won't help much.

I take approximately 2grams a day, which is above Arthritis Foundation recommendation.
Proceed at your own risk.


http://www.arthritis.org/living-wit...l/vitamins-minerals/vitamin-c-amount.php

Funny, 2 grams is my dose when I'm hunting in the mountains, and yes it works. Along with Voltaren gel.

Never heard of the crystals though, may have to check those out.

Meloxicam 7.5mg is my drug of choice if needed.

Jeff probably just takes a puff.



Addition: If I don't get enough sleep, then guaranteed I'm going to hurt the next day. When you age-up, sleep is your mechanic.

I've packed out the deboned meat of three elk, in a backpack, by myself. Two were cows and they each took three trips. One was a bull and it took four trips including the cape and antlers. The longest pack was a cow and it was 5 miles. But I haven't done that in this century.

KC

I've packed more out by myself than I've had help with. The cow I shot this yr I was able to drive my tk to but I didn't have a come-along and I still had to quarter her out.