My worst packout was an elk that was only a little over a mile from the truck but through terrible downfall the entire way. First trip out was daylight and the rest were in the dark so even though I kinda had the route marked here and there I was still navigating through and around new obstacles in the dark every time back and forth.
What was your worst packout?
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Hawk Tuah
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My bull moose. I was in a hell hole that was maybe five to six miles in, but the terrain sucked. And it was a moose. It had just snowed a foot the prior day, which was good as far as not worrying about meat, but a little tougher on pack out.
Fast-forward 12 years and October 1 of this past year I was on the same ridge I spotted mine from with a good buddy who had the tag. One side of the ridge is where I killed mine, and there is no access. The other side had some vehicle access within two to three miles.
Thankfully the moose we found was on the good side. I was almost too scared to even glass indirection Is shot mine.
Fast-forward 12 years and October 1 of this past year I was on the same ridge I spotted mine from with a good buddy who had the tag. One side of the ridge is where I killed mine, and there is no access. The other side had some vehicle access within two to three miles.
Thankfully the moose we found was on the good side. I was almost too scared to even glass indirection Is shot mine.
That’s easy, my BILs first elk…January, cold, windy, with waist deep snow on the north slopes (unbeknownst to me when I decided our route out). We packed a sled in thinking it would be nice. It would’ve been if we’d come back the way we came in, but some jackwagon (me) decided to take the “shortcut” back to the truck. I grew up playing sports, used to play entire hockey games when we had six guys on our beer league game, several times getting sick from exertion, but never in my life have I been so spent as I was when we got to that truck after me and my FIL dragging the sinking sled through that nonsense. Truly one of the dumber things I’ve ever done.
I’ve even packed out every load except the head of a moose while my buddy and his grandpa cut and deboned. It wasn’t the furthest distance from camp but it was sink in a half a foot every step… willow choked hell hole kind of country. I was much older on that pack out than my BILs first elk, but it was still nothing compared to that. The only positive that comes from it is that I judge every pack out against the worst, and I’ll never be dumb enough to do that again.
I’ve even packed out every load except the head of a moose while my buddy and his grandpa cut and deboned. It wasn’t the furthest distance from camp but it was sink in a half a foot every step… willow choked hell hole kind of country. I was much older on that pack out than my BILs first elk, but it was still nothing compared to that. The only positive that comes from it is that I judge every pack out against the worst, and I’ll never be dumb enough to do that again.
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perma
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Not to be cliche, but it’s the ones where I go home empty handed.
At least you’re a quick learner. It took me having to have a real bad trip to the Dr. to learn that never drinking water and only drinking caffeinated beverages is a real stupid thing to do.
Gerald Martin
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I don’t always have difficult pack outs but when I do it always involves @Elkoholic …
Last years mountain goat ranks right in the top five.
Last years mountain goat ranks right in the top five.
mtnkid85
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Ive had a few memorable pack outs.
Some of our early trips, would have broke us if we where older. Its funny how youth can make up for so much else. We loaded an entire mature bull onto a sled and tried sledding him out 3ish miles through deadfall timber. It took us an entire night and I now have a very clear understanding of how the egyptians built those pyrimids.
For a period of time my biggest milage day in the mountains was a sheep pack out where I did three trips back forth to get him all the way out, I think it amounted to 36ish miles.
Then there was the time my brothers too-small-for-him-eblerstock pack full of elk was hurting his back so badly that he finally took the thing off and carried it in his arms like a child! Oh, I still laugh about that one.
Some of our early trips, would have broke us if we where older. Its funny how youth can make up for so much else. We loaded an entire mature bull onto a sled and tried sledding him out 3ish miles through deadfall timber. It took us an entire night and I now have a very clear understanding of how the egyptians built those pyrimids.
For a period of time my biggest milage day in the mountains was a sheep pack out where I did three trips back forth to get him all the way out, I think it amounted to 36ish miles.
Then there was the time my brothers too-small-for-him-eblerstock pack full of elk was hurting his back so badly that he finally took the thing off and carried it in his arms like a child! Oh, I still laugh about that one.
You're correct there's been some pretty eventful nasty sucky pack outs for sure, but they all fall in the fortunately they happened category (well maybe one didn't
). There's probably going to be more, so lace 'em up tight 
.Your goat last year did inflict some pain, in the weight category. I'd do it again though!
Irishman
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Probably the mountain goat that my son shot in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Hiked in at least ten miles. Spotted goats about 3,000 feet above us. Hiked up and he shot one late in the evening, too late to finish skining the goat Had to go back down to our camp, then back up the next morning to finish. Then back down that steep mountain, then hiked out with all our camping gear, bow, rifle, food etc. Hiked until long after dark, and I felt uneasy with a dead goat on my back, and only grizzly tracks and our tracks on the trail. Funny thing is that after I walked about 50 yds with my loaded pack, I told my son that there was no way I could pack it. He adjusted some straps and we made it out. His pack was much heavier than mine. The trip ended and started with crossing a river. It was an adventure.
Kaitum
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Happiest day of my life was giving my Eberlestock away for free, and not because I felt I was doing a good deed.
glass eye
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Shot a tahr across a river and it took most of the day just to get to it. Made it back to camp well after dark by climbing straight up the canyon wall coming back.
Worst packout was a lope! Almost died from heat exhaustion(high elevation mountain hunt) and dehydration, could barley walk from cramping got loopy minded and stopped sweating long before i got water.
Did have a memorable moment packing half a debonened bull elk downhill to a bear tree. Treking pole failure led to my face and ribs beating up some granite, that sucked bad. Ruined a scope, had my face all kinds of bloody and breathing hurt but got the elk taken care of!
Did have a memorable moment packing half a debonened bull elk downhill to a bear tree. Treking pole failure led to my face and ribs beating up some granite, that sucked bad. Ruined a scope, had my face all kinds of bloody and breathing hurt but got the elk taken care of!
MinnesotaHunter
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That wasn’t such a bad time….other than the last 1200yds…
Huntnut60
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I think I’ve told this story before. I was 36 and went on a semi-guided (1 guide for 4 hunters) caribou hunt in Quebec. I shot a bull late on the 2nd day on the other side of a river. The next day, the guide, a 70 yr old hunter from Tennessee and myself went to get my bull. The closest we could get the boat was almost 3 miles away from my bull. Everyone had rifles and we ran into a bunch of bulls and there were several really big bulls. When the shooting ended I had shot another and the older hunter had shot his two. While I was taking pictures by my bull, another bull crossed the river and was 20yds away from me when my guide shot that one. 5 bulls down almost 3 miles from the boat. Turns out the older hunter had a heart condition and couldn’t help pack. The guide and I packed loads that evening and the next day he had to help his 2 other OLDER hunters pack meat. For the next several days I packed out all but the last load by myself. Cannot remember how many trips but it was a bunch.
Hunt&FishCO
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- Cow elk I shot 5.6miles from the trailhead, 2,000’ elevation gain/loss. 4 trips over two days
- Buck and Doe whitetail I shot 7 miles from the truck; ended up being a 20+ mile day over 14hrs but I got it done
- Bull elk 4miles from the truck; 2,000’ elevation gain/loss. 3 trips over two days in grizzly country side hilling in the snow on scree was memorable one
- Buck and Doe whitetail I shot 7 miles from the truck; ended up being a 20+ mile day over 14hrs but I got it done
- Bull elk 4miles from the truck; 2,000’ elevation gain/loss. 3 trips over two days in grizzly country side hilling in the snow on scree was memorable one
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I would not be able to pick a worst but have had some dandies by most measures. It’s just part of hunting the kind of places I think are cool.
I don’t actually mind empty trips out. If I was a dark timber elk hunter I probably would.
I don’t actually mind empty trips out. If I was a dark timber elk hunter I probably would.
mdcrossbow
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I took my canoe and crossed over a wide strech of the Potomac River to bow hunt a long island. Durring the day a heavy storm rolled in. I'm tucked back in behind the islands which were on the inside of a long bend in the river, so I didn't realize how bad it was. I grew up along the river so in inclement weather was nothing new to me. As I paddled my way back I was blown a good 1/2 mile down river which made my trek a mile +. No way to paddle against the wind and waves I had to pull the canoe up stream along the bank. Potomac banks are mud !
Mud is the absolute worst with a 17' canoe in tow.
Mud is the absolute worst with a 17' canoe in tow.
Says the guy who it takes both of @Gerald Martin 's and my quads to equal one of yours...
Mine was packing out my buddies elk through the thick and steep. All the sudden my meat pack frame failed and the meat shelf collapsed and the quarter slid down and hit my bear mace. Didn't realize what the sound was until I looked to my left and saw a fog of spray coming my way.
