Pack Out

[Nice Racks]

Assuming you can get any one of these three carriers to your quartered out elk; which would you prefer to use: a frame pack, wheel barrel or a game cart? Why? 

[Rider]

Game cart. Easier on the upper body. Push down to move rather than pull up like the wheelbarrow.

Curious how back country hunters get their harvest out.

[johnnyaustin44]

Frame pack. Load it heavy and walk out of there. Gonna have to make a few trips but it's worth the rewarding feeling when you set that heavy pack on the tailgate on your last load. Game cart next. But those seem like a real pain when you're off the road which is where I find most elk.

[Nice Racks]

Frame pack. Load it heavy and walk out of there. Gonna have to make a few trips but it's worth the rewarding feeling when you set that heavy pack on the tailgate on your last load. Game cart next. But those seem like a real pain when you're off the road which is where I find most elk.

My friend from Pa and I packed a cow out last year that he shot, and I know the feeling you just described. It was his first elk hunt and my second. We have hunted and killed plenty of whitetail in our 36 years of hunting, but the feeling of accomplishment we had at that particular time was amazing and satisfying. WOW! We actually harvested an elk with a bow and packed it out 6 miles. However, because of that experience, I'd rather pack it out an easier way if possible. I was hurting for a week after that.     

[Bullkllr]

I'd love to say game cart, but the 2 wheel models are only good for roads around here. Almost all of the elk packs I've been in on required a frame pack- at least to the road and then a cart or vehicle. Depends on the situation, but I'd never be without a frame pack close by (well- I might if I hunted one of those places on TV that look like the hunters are walking around in a park with gently rolling hills and no underbrush ).

[Damnimissed]

Pack boards, all the way to the tailgate. Ahhhhhhh a cold one after setting that quarter down is the best   

[jrebel]

Frame pack is most practical in elk country.....So that is my first choice. 

Cart is second choice, but hey are a pain in the arse if you have anything less than a great trail with mild terrain. 

Wheel Barrel....never tried it. 

[WapitiTalk1]

I'll only quarter an elk if it's ridiculously close to a road (rare occurrence); most always bone out/gutless method for me.  But, to answer your question sir, it depends. It depends on the terrain one has to navigate to get a 'game cart' in to the kill site. If a gated road, several miles back in then sure....a game cart would probably work fine. For most elk down situations, expand your all in one pack and get to humping.  I don't own a game cart anyhow so for me, it's load up the boned out meat and get to humping .... It builds character. 

[D-Rock425]

Pack frame for me.  Most of my elk go down where you can't get a cart to.

[Old Man Yager]

Packboard, but a game cart would be sweet if you were on a road or flat ground. It's a good feeling when you have a heavy pack on, but I would like to someday get a whole elk in the back of my truck!

[baker5150]

Last year we packed my buddies Montana elk out with both a cart and packs.  He shot it in a hole above a gated road.  We packed the quarters up to the road then used the cart 2 quarters at a time to haul to the truck, made for a nice easy haul out once we hit the road. 

[longwalker]

kifaru T-1

[Screaminreelz]

Pack frame loaded to the tilt! Rewarding and satisfying.

[kevinlisa06]

This past fall when I got my spike there were 3 of us to haul it out . My dad and I each had a quarter on our backs then we used the game hauler for the back half of the animal. Very long day for sure! Yes an iced cold beverage was needed when we finally got back to camp!


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[Shawn Ryan]

I've used a game cart and a pack.  Even tried a sled on snow.  Like has been said, the game cart has terrain/access limits.  Now, I only use a pack because I don't even bring the cart anymore.  Gutless for sure. Bone in or out depends on time, distance, how many packers to carry, heat, etc.

[buglebrush]

You could never get a cart to where I hunt elk   I feel happy if I only have to pack a mile to where I can get a horse

[northwesthunter84]

Pack, hands down.

[bigsads]

Good pack frame and canvas game bags, for years I hauled a green wheelbarrow in the back of my truck and the only time I actually tried to use it the tire was flat.  now I have added a gamecart to the haul out options, but will not leave home without my packframe

[Bean Counter]

I scored a good deal at the bargain cave and picked up a Cabelas magnum hauler for $60. That said, I'll probably break down (pardon the pun) and buy a nice pack frame for my elk hunt this year. I'll be at 8,000-10,000 feet where hypoxia & exhaustion sets in fast and will sure use the cart if available!

[Bean Counter]

So whats the best deal on a pack frame right now anyway?

[dreamingbig]

A kifaru duplex frame makes easy work of an elk when you are 7 miles in.


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[blackveltbowhunter]

So whats the best deal on a pack frame right now anyway?

  Without shopping for used or sales, I think it would be hard to beat the Cabelas Alaskan. 

[Rainier10]

Bullpac pack frame for me.  A game cart or wheelbarrow are not useful at some point of the pack and typically most of the way where I hunt.  If you have to pack it at some point without the use of wheels anyways why not just put it on the pack at the kill site and take it off at the truck.

[Bean Counter]

A kifaru duplex frame makes easy work of an elk when you are 7 miles in.

  Without shopping for used or sales, I think it would be hard to beat the Cabelas Alaskan. 

Thanks. They have a few different "Alaskans" which is the better value for the money?

[Bean Counter]

So whats the best deal on a pack frame right now anyway?

  Without shopping for used or sales, I think it would be hard to beat the Cabelas Alaskan. 

Where are the good places for a sale?

[dreamingbig]

Alaskan frames are serviceable and is what I started with but they will fail and break on you.  They also squeak annoyingly.


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[Tbar]

Bull packs packboard will be the last packer you will ever buy.  They are built (overbuilt) to last they are a little heavy but they won't fail you, period.   

[WapitiTalk1]

Here's another option for getting an elk to the truck using a wheeled mechanism      


 

[Rainier10]

Bull packs packboard will be the last packer you will ever buy.  They are built (overbuilt) to last they are a little heavy but they won't fail you, period.   

That's what I thought when I bought my Bullpac, then I ended up buying one for my hunting partner.  Everyone that I have let use it is amazed at how well it works, they are awesome packs.  Now I don't leave it at the truck, I head into the woods with it on and strap a large fanny pack on it that holds all of my gear.  When I get my animal I take the fanny pack off clean the animal, strap it to the pack and then strap the fanny pack to the animals leg.

[blackveltbowhunter]

A kifaru duplex frame makes easy work of an elk when you are 7 miles in.

  Without shopping for used or sales, I think it would be hard to beat the Cabelas Alaskan. 

Thanks. They have a few different "Alaskans" which is the better value for the money?

   The Alaskan Outfitter or Guide series is what I have. I think they also make an "extreme" now or something, it similar to the Outfitter or something along those lines. IMO the upgraded frame was significantly better than the basic Alaskan, and well worth the extra. And I am reffering to frame alone, not with bag.

So whats the best deal on a pack frame right now anyway?

  Without shopping for used or sales, I think it would be hard to beat the Cabelas Alaskan. 

Where are the good places for a sale?

   I picked up an Alaskan Outfitter frame at Cabelas for 99.99 on sale a few years back and it seems  they have sales often. Clearance and Bargain cave as well.

 
 Besides the usual ebay and craigslist searches. I would keep an eye on Rokslide and Archery talk. Rokslide forums has a very active classified section. Many members run Kifaru gear, and are upgrading and offloading very nice stuff to get the latest and greatest. Lucky If you decide your needs require a better frame and are willing to shop I have seen great deals come through there. Kif gear is usually pretty fairly priced, but I have seen some steals on other brands of gear.

  Archery talk isnt as active in the pack department, but the occasional deal will come through as well. 

[Rooster1981]

I've packed out a lot of elk with a frame pack. Last year I shot a cow 300 yards up hill from a main road and tried out my new game cart . I cut the cow in half and made two trips. That was a pain in the but, the cart would flip over on ANY uneven ground. It took me and my ten year old daughter four hours to get that elk out. After that pack out I'm going back to a frame pack all the way.

[Damnimissed]

I too am a Bull-Pac guy. They are made for packing meat. I rarely hunt with mine on, as I usually ditch it in the brush and come back for it if we get something down. All my buddies have them too.

[kentrek]

Here's another option for getting an elk to the truck using a wheeled mechanism      


 

  did tg he same with a cougar once...except my brother managed to ride the bike also 

[WapitiTalk1]

Here's another option for getting an elk to the truck using a wheeled mechanism      


 

  did tg he same with a cougar once...except my brother managed to ride the bike also 

Nice! 

[rfhd69]

Pack frame!


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[Bookworm007]

If you have the pleasure of snow a sled is great. Just strapped my brother and myself to it and hiked 3 miles up hill back to the truck, but 90% of the time it is a pack for me. I end up hunting deep enough into the woods that hiking all the way back to the truck to get a cart isn't worth it when my brother can get an elk out in 1 to 2 trips. Plus exercise is good right? 

[gutsnthegrass]

Bull-pac...the last frame you will ever need.  They are a very solid frame that are built in Idaho.  120lbs packed several miles.

[Broken Arrow]

Pack frame...hands down. maybe a cart is good in open country with nice trails, but i have yet to kill an elk in these utopias..lol. 

[rsarkks]

Two years ago I shot an elk while I was standing on a public trail. We used a one wheel game cart to bring the front of the animal out, bones and all. Put the hind quarters in packs. This worked very slick. Unfortunately this was the only bull I have ever seen while on the trail and the cart only works on the trail.

If I am going to use the trail for coming out of the woods for more than a mile or so I will bring the cart up the trail to this point. I will then pack the quarters to the trail and use the cart from there.

The cart I have only works with two guys.