There are always other options...horses (though owning them can be IS even more work in a lot of ways), private land hunts (though they cost more, and don't have the appeal of public land hunts), as well as other options.
If it is even still allowed, when I am too old to pack game out of the big mountains I have no intention of throwing in the towel. I'll figure something out.
I ran into a woman on the trail that does pack trips with llamas, got her card. She said they'd be happy to pack out an elk for me, very reasonable rates. That just got me to thinking I could go in a few more miles if needed........
Those "businesses" seem to be relatively common these days. I know of an old Vietnam vet that sits (or used to a least: I haven't hunted that area for a few years) at a big, main mountain road intersection/camp in the Wyoming Range with his horses and a sign indicating that for $100 and some GPS coordinates, and he'll get an elk out for you. I don't believe he hunts himself, just makes $ doing the dirty work for folks.
