Pack Out

Elkman

Handloader
Apr 4, 2010
4,555
41
Got back from hunting in Wyoming a couple of days ago and have been busy catching up, as I leave again next week. Had beautiful weather, in great country, and a very physically demanding hunt. We filled our tags with two young cows, and proved once again that the 300 WM, with 180 gr. Partitions will kill elk. As is always in Wyoming I found that most terrain above 8,000 lacks sufficient air for at least 5 or 6 days. It took me that long to adapt to the elevation. Once again the importance of preseason fitness was hammered home.
Both elk were killed in a meadow at 8000 feet. The pack out was down hill 2.8 miles and nearly 1200 feet. We packed the elk out in two stages. My partner (a young man of 40 in tremendous condition) brought them down the first 900 feet, 1.5 miles. I then carried each load 1.3 miles, which included changing into waders twice, for the stream crossing on each trip to the truck. The stats were as follows: Partner 11.22 miles, 3695 feet in elevation. Me 8.82 miles 1250 feet in elevation. We brought both elk out in one day.
 
Congratulations, Bill. Your pre-season conditioning appears to have paid off in spades. Sounds like a great hunt.
 
Congratulations. This is my best friend!


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Congratulations Bill. Job well done sir.

JD338
 
Great job Bill. All that conditioning pays off! And congrats on taking lots of great elk meat!

Fotis - an awful lot of places that wouldn't work... Unless there's an old dirt road.

I have seen some single-wheel game carts that looked like they'd work better on a typical single-track hiking & horseback trail.

Guy
 
As Guy said the game carts and other mechanical devices have very limited use in the country we hunt. There are few roads, and the trails are typically single lane. My partner had no trail and 50 degree slopes in places. My part of this particular pack out, had a single lane trail the whole distance and then an 18", 50 feet wide creek crossing near the end of the pack. A cart or basket with a single tire could have been used at my end as long as there were two people to use it. I had a pretty easy time of it.
 
"I had a pretty easy time of it" he says... After walking almost nine miles carrying out elk quarters!

OUTSTANDING! :grin:

Guy
 
Good job- as a guy who packs a lot of meat in rough, mountainous country...I (literally) feel your pain.
 
i feel your pain! this year i had two pack outs on separate hunts that my pack weighed 95lbs and 105lbs. the 100+ pounder was a Wyoming buck we killed 8 miles from my truck. we had camp and 4 days worth of food to pack out. there was two of us. mine was 105 my partners was 90. the second pack out was two Utah bucks we killed opening day of rifle season. i packed my whole buck out and may partner packed his whole deer out. it was 6 miles from the truck. although we didn't have any river crossings it was 10,000 plus feet in the high country. Elkman, i feel your pain and know the exact situation that you were in! congrats and keep huntin hard!

PS: the pictures of my hunts can be seen on the 2014 hunting pictures. look for the name.
 
Way to go buddy! Nice work!


I'll have to look for elk further from camp, sounds like your getting soft in your old age! HA!!!
 
I'll have to look for elk further from camp, sounds like your getting soft in your old age! HA!!!

My doctor does have me on a short leash, he says no more 100 lb loads. So I am trying to be a little more cautious, I don't want to be laid up again for several months. My "partners" will be picking up some of the slack, from now on. I will make 4 trips when I am alone instead of three.
 
Unfortunately with my lower back problems I refuse (I can not) to put myself in that situation that will require such manual labor. Hence my bad luck with elk since 2007.
 
Congrats on the hunt and good job packing out. Sounds like we will just have you pack everything out in Oregon in a few days :lol:
 
Woodycreek":19x07nzh said:
Congrats on the hunt and good job packing out. Sounds like we will just have you pack everything out in Oregon in a few days :lol:

Man, I was thinking it was your turn to pack since you scammed out last year... :lol:
 
FOTIS":1oc03pei said:
Unfortunately with my lower back problems I refuse (I can not) to put myself in that situation that will require such manual labor. Hence my bad luck with elk since 2007.

Fotis, perhaps you should look into a drop camp from a reputable outfitter? Someone who will drop you and your camp off in the hills, then check back in a few days and pack out your elk on horseback?

I"ve heard that it's a good way to go. Will always be grateful that my friend had horses to pack my 6x6 bull out of the Wind Rivers.

Guy
 
Finished cutting and wrapping my elk today. Had some steaks both yesterday and this morning with eggs and a potato, great eating. She will certainly go down as one of my best eating elk. Lots of fat on her when skinning and when trimming.
Started on refurbing the camper, and field gear. I should easily have everything ready before I travel on wednesday.
 
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