Packing out quarters. What order?

[Craig]

I drew a pretty good bull tag this year and from looking at maps, talking to people, and my scouting trip. The areas I'm most likely to hunt it would be almost impossible to get a elk out whole. IF i get lucky and get a bull i will need to quarter it up and pack it out.

For people that have quartered a bull and packed it out what order did you pack things out. I am guessing the head goes out on the last trip. What about leaving proof of sex attached. Is the head and antlers good enough?

I don't have a horse so that option is out.

Thanks

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

We pack head out first, and hide it... Then take quarters out, hind first as they are the heaviest.

[boneaddict]

I usually take the head and hide out while heading back to camp to get my packboard.  I then haul the hind quarters out first while I am the freshest as they are the heaviest. Then the front shoulders and the misc meat.  If I happen to have my pack frame with me, the misc meat and hide and antlers come out last as I think they are the safest out in the woods, especially where I am usually at. 

[ICEMAN]

Don't forget the Heart and Liver!

[bobcat]

What about leaving proof of sex attached. Is the head and antlers good enough?

No, that's not good enough. You'll need to leave at least one nut attached to one of the hind quarters.

[ICEMAN]

Cite me! These are usually fifty feet behind me hanging in a tree somewhere. I have never, ever left them attached. Been checked too! No citation...

[bobcat]

OK, I just looked it up to refresh my memory. If you have the head with the antlers attached, you are ok. That's all you need. But if you do what I like to do, and cut the antlers off the head, so that I don't have to pack out the head (it's heavy!) then you need to leave a nut attached. It's much easier to do that than to pack out the entire head. Do people really pack elk heads out of the woods? 

[rackattack]

Do people really pack elk heads out of the woods?

I guess that depends on how far I'd have to go.  Usual pack-out for me is hind quarters first then fronts.  I suppose if I was in real rugged terrain or miles from a road I might cut the antlers, but on the westside your really never to far from some road. 

[Little Fish]

I've never had the pleasure of packing an elk out of the woods, but does anyone recommend boning the elk out and just packing the meat? After processing a few deer I was thinking I wouldn't be too hard to pack the front shoulders out whole, but bone everyting else out (including the hind quarters). Any thoughts?

[Curly]

I'd tend to want to leave the hind quarters and bone the fronts.  The front will most likely be hamburger anyway, so you'll bone it eventually.  The hinds you can keep nice and clean and know that it is all the "good" cuts in there if you don't bone it out.

[ICEMAN]

We carry the head out immediately and hide it near camp, guy who packs head out brings beer back and packboards. We cut off the quarters, we de-bone the ribcage and spine, we bag and save every tiny piece including the heart, liver, backstraps and tenderloins...and carry all out in game bags on packboards. We usually leave behind ribcage/spine, leg bones, hide.

[high country]

I take horns and cape, possibly straps and tloins on the trip to the truck/camp. they are most likely to get nabbed. next is the hinds which I dont bone unless it is a BIG bull in a BAD spot. fronts I dont lose much sleep over boning, but I only do it if I need to save weight. boneing can be more harm then good sometimes.

as for proof of sex you do not need the testes just the sack attached.

[Ironhead]

I always leave head and cape for last. Meat is my #1 priority. If I just have a day pack I take the loins, heart and liver and back straps first. If I have my pack board or eberlestock I will start with Hind quarters and lastly head and cape. Where I bow hunt it is to warm to leave the meat to long, also if you quarter you must leave proof of sex attatched to hind quarter. Having just the head is not good enough they will confiscate your animal and you will end up in court.

[rackattack]

Page 69 of the Hunting regs, " Evidence of animal's sex--Male---head with antlers or horns attached or penis or testes naturally attached to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of meat."  I've stopped at many check station, and head and antlers has never been a problem.  Usually the twig and berries are the first things I remove.

[billythekidrock]

Do people really pack elk heads out of the woods? 

I don't know anyone who cuts off the rack, they all pack out the head and some times they "long neck" the elk and pack the rack/head/neck on the first trip. I remember trying to cut the rack off of a bull I killed and I was flipped some crap and told "pack the whole head". Always done it that way since. Now that I am getting older, I may switch.