Packin out Bulls - How many trips?
Elk
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Just curious how many trips the average guys takes on an elk solo. I've been drawn 3 times before this year, but each time I've been able to get a quad close to the animal so major packing hasn't even been a necessity :)
This year it will prob play out differently IF I get lucky again. Main issue is I just fractured a rib, so doc says if I get one I need to take more trips than normal. I was thinking initially I could do one in 5 trips easy. Now, not so sure. Just doing the math on how far in a guy is when you shoot one and multiplying the time on trips.
To be honest I think a lot of guys overblow the distance they say they shoot something in. The bush here is so thick and has tons of blowdowns it can take me an hour to walk 1.5 miles through the bush. So mathematically 5 trips that's 10 hours of straight walking ASSUMING you never rest, don't stop, etc which isn't realistic. Then you have to add time to load up etc. I imagine the mountains aren't much easier, so just curious as I've actually never had to pack one more than a half mile, and when you are doing short trips doesn't count cause you can really load up the pack.
Thanks
Usually 5 trips for a bull for me 4 for a cow. 1 trip for each ham then 1 for each front shoulder with a loin and neck meat etc. last trip for head. This will keep your pack weight below 60 to 65 pounds unless you shoot bigger elk than me.
I have been lucky to have never had to pack more than 1.5 gps miles. If it was a tougher or longer hike I would look at deboneing the meat.
You can do in 4-5 trips. 4 if you take a quarter each trip and add a backstrap with each front quarter trip (one of the front quarter trips you'll also add the rack). 5 trips if you take a quarter each trip and the 5th load will be backstraps and rack. You can also bone out the meat and lighten loads.
It's not easy. We have a saying, "everything sounds easy from the comfort of your couch".
3 maybe 4 trips depending on how big the bull is. trips 1 and 2 hind quarters, trip 3 both front shoulders, trip 4 backstraps, tenderloins and antlers. I usually dont take the time to debone unless I kill one in a hole or several miles from the truck. if its a smaller bull I'll carry a hind and front out first 2 trips then the rest on the 3rd. If I had cracked ribs I would call one in close to a road or bring plenty of help
If you shoot a good size bull, and assuming you can get most all the meat off the bone, you're looking between 250 - 300 lbs. 50 lb loads yield 5 to 6 trips. With a recent broke rib, your looking at 6 to 7 trips, possibly more (the more trips, the longer it will take because you're getting more worn down as it lingers on).
1.5 miles in, it's going to be two days packing meat.
Usually three and sometimes two. But I bone it completely out.
I say five trips for a bull. A cow could be done in maybe 4. One thing you might try is leapfrogging. It takes an extra pack frames but the theory is instead of hauling one load all the way out and walking all the way back empty you take one load 1/4 of the way out. Then go back for another, by the time you get back your rested. Take the second load 1/2 way out. then go back and get the first load you left at 1/4 and take it 3/4 out. Each time you return for a load your rested. If you take it out all at once your going to be taking rest breaks anyway.
3 if you bone out, do some of your trimming at the kill site and cut the horns off at the skull plate. 4 or 5 if you don't bone and/or bring out the head and/or cape.
Are you hunting anywhere close to a high school? If you are, call the school secretary and ask her if you could put a notice up asking for guys who would be willing to pack out an elk to text you. 4 high school guys with even cheap pack frames make quick work and a $100 for them to split 4 ways just adds to the adventure for them.
Take care of that rib man, I broke one two weeks ago and hunted four days over Labor Day weekend. Backpacking in to camp hurt, but I was ok as long as I didn't push it too hard...
5 trips work, it was not as fun with a Moose in 5 trips though.
If truly doing it yourself, and depending on how far you have to pack and the terrain, consider deboning. You should be able to knock off at least one of those trips.
By deboning, both front qtrs. can be load one. Hind qtrs. will still be a trip each, but lighter in weight. Back straps, tenderloins and antlers on final trip.
Deboning will add a half hour to an hour on your breakdown work, but save in both weight and that extra trip.
It depends on if you go into beast mode or not! Ha! I usually do 4 trips/loads, bones left at kill site, assuming rack and cape.
You guys are forgetting the cape
Just did a pack out of a 2 1/2 year old bull - so a smaller bull. Over 3 miles in - 3 HEAVY loads. No cape, just the antlers with the skull plate (not the whole head). One load each for the hindquarters (plus a some trim). One load for the boned out front shoulders, backstrap, tenderloins, neck meat. Those loads were a little ridiculous and I'm still feeling it. Downhill most of the way and there were moments I really questioned why I was trying to get it done in 3. Should have done 4 and saved myself some pain!
Took a bigger bull a few years ago in the same area. 4 heavy loads for him, but no cape and just antlers with the skull plate (not the whole head). Would have been 5 if we had taken those.
4 human trips (2 trips for 2 people is about max for most and that is boned out with hide and horns. One time a long time ago when I was a thirty something Army Ranger and my 21 year old surveyor cousin did an adult cow to include hide in one trip (2 people). My Large ALICE frame is still bent from that trip (est 200# meat in it) The bears were all over us and we were unarmed.
5 trips for me, I'm not much of a pack mule :/
Best of Luck, Jeff
Junior. The only time I'm taking the cape on a long pack out is if I plan to mount. Otherwise, it stays with the rest of the scraps. Closer to the road, then I'd consider it.
Lots of factors play into the decision on what and how to pack. Distance, weather (good, bad, heat), terrain, time of day, etc...
For me, late afternoon - dusk kills are the toughest. If you find your bull/cow late, and you're by yourself 2,3 maybe 5+ miles in with a tough hike out. Lots of decisions have to be made and in a hurry. Even with a head lamp, breaking down an elk in the dark can be a pain and dangerous. You get to working to quickly and one slip of the knife can spell trouble. And most of the places I've hunted of late don't have roads, fire roads or established trails to hike out on.
Thanks guys, that's basically what I figured on. Each of my 3 elk and the other couple I've been a part of that is roughly how we've broken them down, even though we've gotten a quad close by.
I hunted a couple days over the Labour Day long weekend, and though the ribs hurt it wasn't too too bad. Accidentally slept on my side one night and that made it real tender the following day.
The Manitoban elk is actually a sub-species of elk with the biggest bodies. Last time I drew a tag I shot a 200" bull (I know a dink by many peoples' standards) but I weighed the meat when i got home and I had 330lbs of meat. I also deboned it at the killsite. I am a big fan of deboning on site as it doesn't take me much time.
For reference for body size I'll attach a pic of a mature manitoban bull my buddy got when I was with him. I'm 5'10 165 He's like 6'2. Not saying they are a ton bigger than Rocky Mountain elk, but they sure are big :)
Best I ever did was three trips worst was 5 which was a freaking killer. Better fitting packs and using my main pack as a day pack has helped a lot over the years. Taking a first full load out no matter watch has been a game changer.
There's a huge difference in meat load depending on what you take too. If you really dissect the meat out of the neck all the way to the back of the head, then add in the brisket and the flank/rib meat, that load right there is heavier than a bone-in ham.
Some guys pull the quarters, loins, and TLs and call it good. My trim bag is my heaviest load.
Bone in, an elk is 6 loads for me: Hams are two loads, shoulder with a backstrap and a TL are two loads, trim (neck, brisket rib meat) is one, and the head/gear is last and lightest. I prefer to leave the bones in because I want them for soup/the dogs.
Bone out and I think you're cutting 2 trips out, although they're going to be heavier loads. Only take the quarters/loins (skip the neck) and that subtracts another trip. But I think that's a big waste of elk burger.
In average large bowl is 800 pounds and one quarter that will be bo ed out meat. Thus 200# This topic has been discussed many times. Absolute very best case scenario you get 240 pounds of meat. There have been a lot of studies that got exact weights.
That can be done in two trips. Ignoring hide head and horns. Worst case it takes me three trips but I am an exceptional shape. I can handle 100 pounds easily and 140 OK but not happy about it. I weigh 185.
I have been taking out a light load after the kill - usually backstrap, tenderloin, and some rib/neck meat (maybe). The rest comes out a day later and is always deboned. I tried "leapfrogging" this year and don't know if I was better off or not. The last ascent and descent was a killer. Of course, the terrain was rough, several sections consisted of softball and football size rocks scattered around on the ground and steep at times.
Yea that cape can be a chore by itself
LOL Pat. I had one die on a road like that. So far I've been able to take 2 elk whole - which is awesome. Elk Ribs are the bomb!
3 trips for a decent size bull. 2 loads at 100 and one at 85 pounds. 2 2 loads consisted of a Ham and one side of trim meat including neck, straps, tenderloin, rib meat, and the last load was 2 shoulders and the head/horns. 4 loads would be a lot easier on the body but the idea of hiking in an additional time sounded terrible.
Last year I got a medium sized cow out in 2 really heavy trips.
Pat, that's a one trip elk... There are bigger ones you know... :)
Depends on a couple factors. A major one is size of the bull. We've taken out a rag bull in two big loads before. We just didn't want to have to make another trip back for a small load. 3 or 4 would have been a little easier. A big bull can be a 1/3 or more bigger than a rag bull.
Second major factor is not just how far, but where. Blowdown forest of pick-up sticks on a vertical hillside and the weight per load goes down a great deal. If the majority is on an established trail.... loads can go up a good bit. Offhand I can't recall doing 5 trips, could be. But lots of 4 trip elk.
I helped my buddy pack out a 4 or 5 year old 5 by 5. It was a good'er one. There was 4 of us. I carried a bone in ham, shoulder, back strap and trimming from the brisket and ribs. It was 121 pounds of meat according to the processor's scale. Uphill, steep at times. 2000 feet up. I nearly died. :^) We did get it out in one trip/person though. It was rough and I won't ever do that again having to come back uphill that much. I packed a cow out three days later, in a much better spot, in three trips by myself. And, was no worse for the wear. So, count on four for a decent sized bull in a good location. More depending on rough terrain. Minus one trip for a cow. God Bless
I too am a 'leap-frogger' type pack-out guy.
More pack-out miles all said and done, all thought I prefer getting my bone off meat out and on ice ASAP along with any cape/Rack.
Good luck, Robb
on small bull hind quarters by them selves, split loose meat with a front quarter, one of the front quarters would get horns and the other gear from the hunt, total of 4 loads. on a large bull it would be a quarter each, cape and horns, the loose meat would be split with the front quarters and cape and horns, total of 5 loads. gear from hunt would also go on cape and horns.
My son and I packed out a large cow split straight across the middle. We left hide and head. I carried the front half and he carried the back half. Never again is all I have to say. Generally we make two trips each but this one was downhill and steep only in one place. total trip one way about half a mile. God bless, Steve
One....I got really lucky! :-)
I don't pack 100# even on the Internet; 4 trips.