Also your physical condition and "mental toughness" matter - a lot.
Cool creeks and contractor garbage bags - cool meat fast - can keep a loong time. Best idea ever.
Most people will not drop all the way down into those holes anyway...so there are always elk there. Don't think I'd want to go much further.
Best of Luck, Jeff
All depends on where you hunt. Tons of roads and trails in my area. Between my buddy, son, and myself, I've packed out well over 40 elk. The furthest was 3/4 mi, with the great majority being quite a bit less than that.
I haven't gutted an animal in three decades. I debone everything and make an incision behind the last rib to reach in and get the tenderloins. Works great. By not gutting the animal I'm reducing the risk of slipping and injuring myself to a great degree, reducing fly problems as well as bears and coyotes coming in. I've killed some large bulls that netted 180 pounds of boned out meat but rarely more than that. The head is one load if I'm packing it out.
I may be dumb to pack meat that far but I'm smart enough not to have any bones in my pack.
I did forget to mention trails vs. deadfalls, also huge difference. So:
1. elevation gain (and loos - ONLY because hiking back in is uphill - mine were mostly downhill and literally the hike back in was usually as bad as hike out because of elevation gain. So a steep downhill is NOT good if you have a return trip.
2. Temps, simply put can you physically get the meat out before it spoils? I also always carry a white garbage bag in addition to a contractor's garbage bag - if hunting in snow it is a great seat to keep my butt dry! Also if sunny I cover game bag I leave - which I always put ins shade but somehow hours later sun is on it, so I leave white bag on top to reflect sun light.
3. Travel conditions trail vs busting brush
4. How good of shape you are in and how much you are willing to handle.
5. Distance.
Another neat tip, I have packed elk down a steep hill in snow, through brush it was was actually a piece of cake, I heavily loaded my pack and used it as a sled. Brush stopped it from running away on me most times and I could actually go faster then just hiking because I leaned downhill and held rope tied to pack to use as a balance worked great! Sleds are awesome when possible.
TOTALLY depends on what kind of hunt you want, and WHERE you hunt....
Remember to add up the mileage coming and going for trips. Can you do 30 miles a day? If not, then don't kill an elk 5 miles in if you're going to have to do 3 trips by yourself unless you're prepared to take two days to do it. It's ok to bring in a bivy camp and take it 1/2 way over a couple days if you're prepared to keep your meat out there for 2 days, which could be easier or harder depending on the local conditions. You can also leave it out there and take long trips, again, if you're prepared. Bears, the shifting sun, etc, all have to be considered.
I've kept meat in a contractor bag in a creek for several days and it was fine, aired out each night.
Be realistic with yourself. Many flatlanders overestimate themselves in the mountains.
Personally, I would not shoot an elk farther than 5 miles in if solo and the pack back having minimal elevation gain. And I'd take two days to do it.
I've packed an elk up out of a drainage that required over a 1K foot climb up very steep terrain. It's hard to put into words the kind effort involved. It's not just physical - it takes an incredible amount of determination.
You put the deboned meat in a contractor bag, seal it up and submerge it in a cool creek during the day. The water will keep the temperature down. Basically, if you can keep the meat temp at or below 55 degrees, you won't get bacteria and spoilage. If you're there at night you can let the meat set out once it's cool and the sun's down.
I have used game carts pretty good some places. I saw some guys a couple years ago had a couple 500ft ropes and a winch with some pulleys on an ATV and would haul the whole elk up out of a hole pretty quick. Personally I like to debone them on the spot...gutless. I have carried quarters and it's not good.
This is hell i swore i would have my head examined after this pack out !
My worst pack out was in the bear wallow wilderness in Az 27 many years ago...about 2 miles most of it bushwhacking, all uphill. My first load was 127# my buddies 134# on the scale at the butcher in springerville (I will never hear the end of that one). Second load was easy....I limit my loads these days
