How much will you pack out?

[Intruder]

25-30% of his weight is a general rule, this includes pack weight as well.  1200-1400 pound animal can pack out, 300 to 360 for a 1200 pound animal and 350 to 420 pounds on a 1400 pound animal.  I usually stay around the 20% mark myself.

This kinda goes to my point about packing too much.  If you gotta a 4 legged critter bred to do the job, the rule of thumb seems to be load em up to around 1/4 of their weight.  If we we gonna follow the same guide lines we'd be carrying a lot less even if we pushed to to 1/3.  Now granted you're likely gonna be havin' that mule carry stuff a lot farther but I think there's a lessen in there somewhere.

[billythekidrock]

I missed DAYS and DAYS of hunting because I knew if I got an elk down meat would spoil.  I would be sick to my stomach if I killed an animal and any of the meat was wasted because I was too greedy to wait for better conditions.  Bear deserve the same respect deer and elk have when it comes to their meat, IMO.

My point exactly!

[ICEMAN]

25-30% of his weight is a general rule, this includes pack weight as well.  1200-1400 pound animal can pack out, 300 to 360 for a 1200 pound animal and 350 to 420 pounds on a 1400 pound animal....

Do they make em bigger?...I need a bigger one!  (Or go on a diet...) 

[Opportunist]

I don't pack out the elk meat, just the horns.

[Ihookum]

Every last stich minus the hide

last 4 elk we did were that way and we were a minimum of 4 miles from vehicles. 4 even quarters with two quarters per horse and head on the lucky horse that was owned by the guy that killed the animal.

only way to fly

[robodad]

I don't pack out the elk meat, just the horns.

NOT FUNNY

[Opportunist]

Gotcha, These guys do all the packin' the country allows.

[bucklucky]

Nice bulls ! Western Washington?

[PolarBear]

I have a messed up back as well.  Major surgery last year and a hit from the rear car accident a couple of months ago that f-ed up the part of my back that wasn't messed up.  I hunt late season for elk and deer because I usually hunt alone and the outdoor temps are cold enough to keep meat from spoiling if I have to make multiple (small pack) trips.  I wont hunt a long ways in if the weather is hot and I cannot get the critter out or cooled off immediately. I dont hunt in September or October unless I have back-up to help pack at a moments notice.   That is also why I gave up fall bear hunting.  I will not shoot an animal if I think that there is any chance of spoiling any meat.  When I hear guys talking about not going back for meat because they are too tired, sore, or lazy I want to grab them by the throat!

[bucklucky]

I hear ya Polarbear. You owe it to the animal to get that meat out.

[Opportunist]

bucklucky, In the woods..... up moose creek, near buck mountain by bear wallow spring, next to blue lake.

I pack out every ounce. I get hungry when I see an elk!

Machias, that is a beautiful mule. Does that mule have Kiger in it? A friend of my dad's has a kiger mare and stud with the same coloration. I think it's called agruille, grey/tan with black dorsal and leg stripes.

[bucklucky]

Guess weatern Washington wasnt vague enough

[rainshadow1]

When I hunted Moose on the Chistochina River in AK, the friend who flew me in told me never to hunt further than a mile from the camp, and to plan on 9 trips if I didn't take a single bone. (We carried trash compactor bags, several knives, and a good sharpener.) Leave a headless bare skeleton for the wolves!

I have never weighed a pack, but I have strapped myself in to one on the ground a few times. Standing up was comical, but there was no way to lift it and get an arm in the straps!

I packed horses and mules in Montana and Colorado... something special about that. I dunno what it is, but it's just a really neat experience! I wrangled and guided in Montana, and got some good experience... packing a string of 8 animals for 10 miles by myself at one point. Then me and some friends (including the Alaska Bush Pilot above) backcountry hunted Colorado, we had a riding horse and 2 pack horses each. Some of the best experiences of my outdoor life!

[Broken Arrow]

Last year was the hardest pack out I have done. 5 elk.... 4 brutal miles from the nearest road. Usual loads were about 90 lbs. I did double up 1x and had a front and rear quarter non boned....that did put me in the hurt locker. Thought that was probably the worse...then a month ago i helped packed out Rubblesph spring pig of a bear. He took the hide and head, and I took all 4 quarters....that was brutal. Luckily I have been gifted with a 6'3 275 pound fame...and not the brains to match, so i get it done...but pay later...back is fine..but these 42 year old knees are feeling it.

[bankwalker]

ive packed a buddie out 3 miles lol. he sprained his ankle down in a hole and i had to be the one to get him out.

i sure wish i could have gutted him. woulda save about 300lbs