Getting Elk out of mud pits and marshes before quartering?

[Rugergunsite308]

Done a few elk in hell holes. What helps the most is lots of people. Additionally you can leave the hide on a quarter until you get it to higher ground. This decreases the surface area that gets contaminated. You end up with more hair on the quarter, but that's easier to get off than muddy water.

[bearpaw]

Most often my guides pack out quarters, or if elk are quite a ways form a road we just use the horses. Two other things we've used in specific circumstances:

Heavy duty mule tape with one or two pulleys, tie around the head, one guy with a handheld radio making sure the elk doesn't get hung up, the other guy in the truck pulling with a handheld radio, you have to be close enough to a road, but great for pulling out a whole elk.
https://rightrope.com/pull-tape/?sku=PT-1800-1500

Chainsaw Winch
Much more costly but has good applications at times. I've winched elk up 200 foot cliffs with one of these mounted on a good sized chainsaw. You can tie off to a tree or big sage bush, then leap frog your way to where you want to get.

https://www.amazon.com/Powerhouse-Lewis-Chainsaw-Winch-capacity/dp/B01DF9883I/ref=asc_df_B01DF9883I/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693711674086&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4692832563104153838&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033728&hvtargid=pla-349713121322&psc=1&mcid=6a0ed5dc99063b3abf3390a6c04c4601&gad

[HntnFsh]

If you get the mule tape, get the 2500 pound. It's stout. 1800 pound breaks a lot easier on elk!
I've pulled a lot of elk out with 2500 pound mule tape and a couple snat h blocks!

[James]

We have been able to drag elk out of some bad spots with 3-4 guys.  Luckily my elk hunting crew are all pretty strong, with two of them being former college football players.


Come along or winch sure is more civilized though.

[dilleytech]

I wouldn’t worry about planning to winch a bull out of whatever situation they are in. I guess for road hunters that’s a Good plan but if you kill a bull in water as un likely as that probably is. Just cut it up skin on, you can trim off a 1/4 of whatever meat touches dirty stuff. But  you should be able to gut and cut an elk in half and drag it out of a marsh also. If that situation comes up you will figure it out.

 Just don’t get scared and leave it whole over night thinking you need to have more people to not waste meat.

[bankwalker]

On numerous occasions I have cut an elk in half with the hide on in order to drag out or to drag to a better location to bone out. If you carry a 5x7 tarp in your pack it's handy for working on game on the ground or for dragging game a short distance to break it down further.

100% always have a tarp or contractor trash bag in my pack. Nothing worse than dirty meat..and it has came in very handy in muddy/marshy areas too.