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

[trophyhunt]

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.

:yeah:We have been too far back to get our elk out sometimes and the terrain can be difficult.  About half the time we get it out that day, but if it has to stay over night it has never been a problem.  And we are definitely in wolf country!  Last year we had to leave an elk on the river bank, it was a beautiful grassy area.  The night before we packed the head and two front shoulders, with the tenderloins just incase animals came by.  We pulled the gut bag a few feet away, put down a sweaty shirt, socks and pissed around the rest of meat witch was already quartered and in game bags propped up off the ground on the boney carcass. This is in October.  The next morning in the dew on the grass you could see the foot prints of a coyote, he must have circled the meat a few times but never came within 3' of the good stuff, he did eat the gut pile.  I'm guessing the pissing and sweaty clothes did the trick.  Most the time we get the animal out that night, once we finished at 1;30 am and then drove non stop to vantage before I needed some sleep.  But sometimes it's just better and ok to let them stay overnight.

[Dr. Death]

So many things come into play here, time of season, temps etc. Had this exact scenario last year come into play in the Margaret backcountry. It was just me and my 16 year old son. I shot my bull about 45 min prior to dark. We started skinning and boning it out, making sure to lay the meat out to cool prior to bagging it. Once it was all boned out, we bagged it all and peppered the bags. We loaded our packs with meat and then hung the rest away from the carcass on the West side of the trees and stumps in the area along with the head, so when the sun came up it wouldn't be on the meat. We pee'd around the area and left a couple shirts, I looked at my watch and it was 1108pm. We headed out with loads of meat, this also included an entertaining hike down the hunters trail. We ended up getting out and back to my trailer at 3am, where my other hunting buddy and his brother were also camping. We took a short 2 hour nap, and the 4 of us headed back in and brought the rest of the meat and head out. The meat was perfect.. IF, we wouldn't have done it this way I do believe that we would have pushed the envelope of possibly losing some of the meat. I also saw 3 other bulls packed out of the same basic area. One guy was hunting solo and had guys on call, he called his guys and they all came in, in the dark (5-6 total plus him). They loaded up his bull and packed it out during the night, they went towards the lake. Saw another packed out across the draw from our camp the same night, 5 headlamps all night long. 3rd one, the hunter had 4 guys with him (awesome deal) they got a bull and packed it to their camp right at dark and hung by a small creek. The next morning they pulled camp and packed out the bull and everything else.

[sirmissalot]

I've left meat overnight on several occasions. Wyoming grizzly country you're pretty stupid to do it at night. Also I've packed elk down the hunters trail like Dr. death, not something I prefer to do all night long, its not worth killing yourself over. We worked all night till 330 am so we could get the first load out and get down and call for help for the rest the following morning. If you're talking bear, I'd generally say its a different story.

[blackveltbowhunter]

   I agree.The point of my post was don't be afraid to move meat in the dark, but use common sense. 

  I have done it both ways. To me alot of it depend on temperature and anticipated temps as well as how big of a task is at hand. If temps are dropping well at night and I will be able to be able to have meat packed out before temps heat up the following day (september primarily) than choices are easy. IF im looking at a big job, ( elk solo or with a partner deep) or warmer temps and its safe to do so, I like to move meat at night. Its cooler for the meat and my body holds up better as well. 

[WSU]

I don't see a reason to pack in the dark.  Get it cut and cooled and somewhere air can circulate.  Come back the next day.  The exception are places that have a lot of coyotes.  I've not had this problem with elk but they can and will eat a deer overnight.

[Jonathan_S]

If I leave meat in overnight it better be darn cool and hanging HIGH. 

I've never been in that position to kill something big enough/far enough to where I had to leave it overnight.  I could have a couple times but I'd rather beat feet and work hard into the wee hours and then sleep in the next day 

[Stein]

Pack it all out that night.  The first load is tenderloin, backstraps, heart, liver and a quarter (front or back depending on how bad the hike is).  Head/horns are the last load.

Even if the temp is perfect, you run the risk of animals getting to the meat, change in temperature and I would rather do it all at once then make a couple different trips where you get bloody & sweaty multiple times.

Hiking in the dark isn't a big deal.

[nw_bowhunter]

IMO most early September  hunts not practical to leave elk overnight in the woods and run a high risk of spoilage. (To warm, predators, etc) A lot factors into how and what steps are taken. Noticed some good suggestions on guys who have dealt with this issue.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Not really an issue if you have it hanging and cooling ASAP. If it hanging in camp, or where it fell.
One benefit of packing at night is the flies and bees are not as annoying as during the day,,,
It is also cooler for the person carrying the pack. 

[JimmyHoffa]

Moving the gut pile far enough away usually keeps predators away.  Although a couple years back one guy from camp moved all the meat and head from the elk away from the butcher site/guts, but kept the heart and liver.  The cat came and pushed around the gut pile until it was scattered about; then wandered up to where the meat was, ate the heart and liver, then drug off the head.

[Band]

One benefit of packing at night is the flies and bees are not as annoying as during the day,,,

Thinking back, I've harvested a lot of animals but have never had to leave meat overnight to pack the next morning.  Lucky, I guess.  But if I did have to do that I would definitely show up to pack meat out very early in the morning before sunup to get it hauled out before it gets too warm and the big buzzing insects become active.

I always bone the animal out and pack it out immediately (no matter what time of the day or night it is) and camp gets broken so I can get that meat home for processing.  When I have partners who are still hunting it gets put in plastic tubs or heavy duty garbage bags and placed in the creek next to camp for cooling during the night and the tubs/bags go in the back of the truck covered with sleeping bags for insulation during the day.  Even in hot weather the meat remains nice and cold all day.

[TommyH]

Get the meat deboned first, then hung to cool. I'll overload our packs to get all the meat out as fast as possible. Last bull I got we had to go back in the early am for our bows, bulls head, and all the stuff that was in our bags. We did attempt to make a second trip on day 1 but it got really dark and we had more people than lights. It was horrible terrain. So we backed out to return for the gear in the am.

[Rainier10]

I have had some late nights but never left one overnight.  Once it is down it is coming out with me.  There may come a time when I decide to leave it over night but I haven't come across a situation yet that warrants it.

[TriggerMike]

If I had only one trip and had to choose then I would start with the backstraps, tenderloins and rear quarters.

[Jonathan_S]

If I had only one trip and had to choose then I would start with the backstraps, tenderloins and rear quarters.

You must be a big dude.  Both rear quarters 

[TommyH]

If I had only one trip and had to choose then I would start with the backstraps, tenderloins and rear quarters.

^^ this

[Big6bull]

It's not like your actually gonna get any sleep leaving it over night anyways. Be ready !have extra batteries   

[Caseknife]

All our elk get quartered in the hide and hung in trees with usually two quarters facing each other, hide out.  We then cover the quarters with tree bows fully to keep the birds away.  We rifle hunt in late October so the temperature is not an issue.  If there is bear sign in the area we will pack the next day, if not, it is usually two days before we pack.  In the 40+ elk we have hung in the woods over the years in my camp, we have only had two incidents.  One was a sow and two cubs that got into one of the quarters  and the other was a cat that tore a quarter down and drug it a few feet away.  Neither case resulted is much loss at all.  My father always believed that the bears would eat the gut pile first and it would take them a day to do that.

That being said, if I ever get the chance to harvest a bull in September, I'm sure my methods would change.









 

[TriggerMike]

If I had only one trip and had to choose then I would start with the backstraps, tenderloins and rear quarters.

You must be a big dude.  Both rear quarters 

I strap one to each leg and walk out with stilts. It's a good hip flexor workout.

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[Jonathan_S]

If I had only one trip and had to choose then I would start with the backstraps, tenderloins and rear quarters.

You must be a big dude.  Both rear quarters 

I strap one to each leg and walk out with stilts. It's a good hip flexor workout.

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Alright good one, you had me.

[TriggerMike]

If I had only one trip and had to choose then I would start with the backstraps, tenderloins and rear quarters.

You must be a big dude.  Both rear quarters 

I strap one to each leg and walk out with stilts. It's a good hip flexor workout.

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Alright good one, you had me.

Lol ya I'd go with backstraps, tenderloins and a rear quarter. Not supposed to be plural.

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[Brushbuster]

Thanks guys. Great responses that will help with my game plan to get the big one out this fall if I'm lucky enough to score on my westside muzzy bull tag this year. 

[ridgefire]

I have no problem with leaving meat hanging overnight. All of our kills have been at a higher elevation than camp by 1-2 thousand feet so temps are typically down into the twenties at night in late Sept. First load is typically a hind quarter with one backstrap and tenderloin and then back for the rest the next morning. Hang the meat high enough where a bear can't get it and you are good to go. We have never had a animal get into our meat overnight besides pine martins.

[buglebrush]

I need a new spot I guess.  It is rare we get an elk down close enough to get it all out in a night.  First load out on one last year was 12 hours.  Just take care of it properly, and it can hang overnight with no issues.

[fuzznuts]

I have shot elk in the evening several times. I like to butcher, get meat bagged up and off the ground before leaving. I also  get meat a little ways from gut pile. Usually take head and a bag of meat with me on the first load out. If it is dark I leave a sweaty tee shirt or hat by the quarters and come back in the morning with help. Never had any problems. As far as the tag, it stays with one of the hindquarters. Long time ago had my tag tied to a cows ear and a bear made off with the head. Told game warden about what happened and he explained  the law to me. Nice guy, no ticket but I was sweating it; I was sure he was thinking "Not the old bear stole my head story again!"

[Scvette]

I see some guys mention chilli powder,how much do you bring and how much do you put on the meat?