Packing out an Elk

[Brushbuster]

I have an elk pack out question that I’d like pose. Suppose you kill an elk & it is the end of the day & you only have time to make one trip out. You’ve just finished skinning, quartering or boning out the meat so it would cool properly. For your first trip back to the truck what would you pack? My thinking is to take the head/horns with the tag. Then the next day go back for the rest of the meat.  I would leave the head at the house or in camp (but not in the back of the truck) and take the tag w/ me to accompany and be attached to the meat w/ the remainder of the pack trips.  Am I thinking correctly or is there a better way to be legal? This would be for a Washington hunt. In Idaho, where I normally hunt elk the tag stays with the largest part of the meat once the head is removed.

[huntingbaldguy]

Hopefully i'm not wrong here but i think the tag stays with the proof of legal animal, which in a 3 point or better unit would be the head with antlers.  So it would probably be unit specific.

Personally i'd try to take a front quarter and the head.  I'd also leave the bone in overnight because the meat won't cool as fast if it's bunched up in a bag which can get way more ball shaped than a quarter with bone in.  Then hang the meat up high out of reach of yotes and other predators so take a good amount of paracord to string it all up.  Just my .02 cents.

[Crunchy]

I wouldn't sleep well until all my elk is packed out.  Last year I made it back to camp with the entire elk hanging at midnight.  Was awfully tired the next day but well worth it.  rules here are the same as Idaho. Tag stays with largest piece of meat.

[Bigshooter]

Right out of the regs: "If quartered, the tag should remain with the carcass or largest portion of the carcass.  If you need to take the head to a taxidermist and the meat to be processed, you can complete a taxidermy ledger or invoice, providing information outlined under "Possession and use of wildlife" for the taxidermist, and keep the tag with the meat at the processor."

[go4itlab]

IDK but to me the most important thing is to get the meat out and take care of it, can't eat head, horns and hide. Plus it seems disrespectful to the animal. If I couldn't do it that night I'd secure what I couldn't get out. But head and horns is last on my list. Tag stays with the head.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Unless navigation or big bears creates a safety issue, I prefer to pack at night.  Generally start with rear quarters and premium cuts, saving front quarter and ribs for last. Head generally comes out with one of the front quarter loads unless a big caped out bull.

[MADMAX]

I shoot an elk, gut it and then start
My personal technique right or wrong is take the head whether it be a cow or bull and my tag to the truck.
secure it and start packing meat,  if I have to leave it overnight I get what I can up high enough in a tree hopefully that the coyotes don't pee on it

[xXLojackXx]

Then the next day go back for the rest of the meat.

This is where I'm lost. Once the elk is on the ground, you don't stop until its cared for entirely. Its not going to kill you, turn on the head lamps and work through the night. Sleep the next day.

[huntinluva]

 

[rtspring]

Im not leaving meat overnight, if it takes all night to pack it out so be it.

[Magnum_Willys]

For me some of my best memories are coming back to camp at dusk with a trophy bull head on my back - and enjoying a celebratory evening with buddies with drinks and dinner and bs around the campfire admiring the days harvest. Next morning we all go down and grab a quarter. Good times !   Now Ive packed til midnite too and thats also memorable.  I dont worry about leaving em overnight even in Idaho or BC.

[GoldTip]

I see ZERO point in packing an animal out in the dark.  Headlamps or not, unless your elk dies very near a MAIN and well maintained trail you are just asking for an injury which could end your season and your ability to pack the rest of the meat out.  Get the animal quartered, get it laid out on logs/brush piles if you don't have a tree close by, or hang it as high as possible from the closest tree a ways away from the gut pile.  Piss all around where all the meat is and leave your sweaty undershirt close to the meat and all the animals will hit the gut pile instead of the meat.  Get back in there early the next morning when you have daylight to see any obstacles and pack your meat out safely and with less risk to your well being.  I leave the tag in a hidden place on the animal so no one can come along and make my tag dissappear and claim my elk.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Packed till 3 am last year for my cow shot her at 6 ish.  Then I drove two hours home to get it in the freezer.  I couldn't of slept if I wanted to.

[Kyle1112]

Then the next day go back for the rest of the meat.

This is where I'm lost. Once the elk is on the ground, you don't stop until its cared for entirely. Its not going to kill you, turn on the head lamps and work through the night. Sleep the next day.

Spot on buddy!

[kentrek]

In October it's always a staying out over night to be packed the next day...in September we always get a good first load out even if that takes till 2 am which it usually does

I'm more worried about birds than anything