PEAX Equipment

How many trips for a solo pack-out

NeilD said:
Did my 2.5 year old bull in three trips this year from 1.5 miles in, all meat was bone-in.
First Trip: Hind quarter and antlers/head
Second Trip: Hind quarter and front quarter
Third Trip: front quarter and backstraps, tenderloins, neck meat

Hauled half of my buddy's cow out bone-in from 2.5 miles in one trip the same day as loads 2 and 3 from my bull above. With a good pack (I was using the Exo K3 4800) and some good training ahead of time its not that bad. Granted my legs were tired the next day but it was doable.

2 days later I hauled out a hind quarter (bone-in) and the head/antlers of my other buddy's 3.5 year old bull from 2.5 miles in. That is the one in the pic. View attachment 124790
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That son is a pretty good load😉
 
wllm1313 said:
140lb - 180lb, for a 5 year old, assuming you field butcher at the level of a professional butcher. Assuming hunters keep only the required portions your average 5 year old cow taken is going to be in the 140-160 range. I bet the average hunter packs out 100-120lbs of meat off a cow.

"Oldham did have data on cow harvests though. The data looked at late season private property hunts in Middle Park from 2004 through 2014. During that time period fully 50 percent of the cows taken were five years old or younger "
www.skyhinews.com

Elusive game: Cow elk become more elusive as they age

Fall is in the air in Middle Park and throughout Grand County hunters of various stripes are getting up very early, slipping on camo or blaze orange, and trekking
www.skyhinews.com www.skyhinews.com
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Not sure exactly what you are trying to prove here? The data from the Wyoming study that you yourself posted backs me up - in that yes, i shot an average old cow elk with an average weight for an old cow elk. So now you post a link to an article about how elusive older cow elk are? How surprising that animals get good at avoiding hunters the older and smarter they get. Also, I'm not a butcher by trade but I do in fact take great pride in my butchering skills. Read my first post, I took what rib meat i could, neck meat, heart and liver. Those are things many hunters leave and I'm still right in the average weight range from the table you posted.
 
So far every one of you is doing this wrong. I packed this bull out in 1 trip, including the antlers.
IMG_1192.JPG

Took my wife three trips to get the rest of him.
IMG_1204.JPG

Buzz, don't tell her that the legs break at the knee. I told her that was impossible, otherwise they would break under their own weight.
 
Nick_CO said:
How surprising that animals get good at avoiding hunters the older and smarter they get.
Click to expand...

Most never make it to become old enough to get good at avoiding hunters. Plus, its the luck of the draw since cows are typically not solitary animals...any cow works for most people killing one for meat. Purely bad luck when you're the elk standing on the edge of a large herd when a hunter shows up...nothing to do with getting good at avoiding hunters.
 
Nick_CO said:
Not sure exactly what you are trying to prove here?
Click to expand...

That you shot an outlier, and that you yourself are an outlier in terms of your salvage/attention to detail/ etc.

"Listen person who hasn't killed an elk, Nick is a season hunter who knows what he's doing and that cow was huge. Aspire to do that through a job butchering, and you might get lucky with a big animal, but this is more what you should expect."

^ That coupled with a bug up my ass about people grossly exaggerating about how much weight they are toting around. So... 500lb elk... you have a scale... nope... cool bro.

(Also distances shot, buy dudes who don't own range finders)
 
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sbrville said:
Never elk hunted before but Im looking to try it this fall. Ive been reading and watching videos on the quartering and the pack out. If I go out there alone, how many trips will it take to haul the meat out? guessing one per leg and another or two for other meat and head? more/less? I have butchered a lot of deer cattle and hogs, and worked in a small butcher shop for a couple summers so not worried about breaking one down, just don't want to get in over my head on the pack out and loose any meat. Thanks all. SB
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like most have said or will say there are lots of factors (fitness, distance, etc.) for me and my 50+ year old body, 3 trips with no bones is very doable. I hope you get a chance to answer this question for yourself!:)
 
MTGomer said:
Lot of factors. 120 lbs down a gradual downhill gated logging road is a lot easier than 70 pounds uphill through lodgepole downfall, with 1” of slippery snow on bear grass.
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Can't add much to this other than loins and back straps come out in first load. We got hungry woofs and bears around here. :)
 
BuzzH said:
Elk legs break at the knee...helpful hint.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the "pro" tip.

I came back the next day for the meat since I shot and quartered her late. Was in a hurry that night and joints were rock hard in the AM, so wasn't gonna get them cut. Really didn't matter with the sled, but would have been a big deal if I had to carry them.
 
I've never solo packed a big bull. Several cows took me 2 trips with heavy loads. I'd say most bulls would take at least 3 completely boned out and maybe one more for gear and head/cape. They're big.
 
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