Getting an Elk out of canyon solo

[llp]

I spent the last three days hauling an elk out of the backcountry solo. Over five miles and 2000+ vertical feet each way. No one is saying it is easy, but a boned out bull can be packed out by one person before the meat spoils. Carry game bags, at least get the quarters off the body quickly, and keep in the shade. Boning helps, but it is most important to get the quarters of the frame, and all the loins, loose meat etc. removed. Even in warm temps meat won't spoil very quickly if kept in the shade in game bags. Due to distance and terrain, it was a 7 hour round trip for each load, and a large bull requires 3-4 loads in the 100 pound range. Just plan to sweat a little, and you can get the job done.
llp

 

[ando_31]

You guys are crazzzzzzy. I once drug a mature muley myself for 2 miles up and down some nasty buttes and I thought that was tough. I can't imagine dragging an elk out that far. Don't get me wrong, I would try it in a heartbeat, but I'm sure its about 20 times more difficult than what I did.

My younger brother was lucky enough to get a ND elk license. I remember him being concerned about dealing with an elk miles from any road. Turns out after 23 days of hunting in the most remote areas he could find, he saw a herd of elk about 200 yards off the road while on his way to his nightly viewing area. He got out and stalked up on the elk. After a 70 yard shot the elk actually took off and ran towards his pickup and died only 50 yards away from his pickup. It was a 5x5 that scored 226 (not the biggest, but pretty nice for a DIY on public land considering he lost his patience and was willing to shoot a spike at that point in the hunt). He had a couple of people help drag the elk onto the road, drove down into the ditch, dropped the tailgate down and backed up to the steep ditch. He said his tailgate was level with the road and the elk just slid right in there. He always has been one heck of a lucky hunter/fisher...now that I think about it, maybe he's just better than I give him credit for.

 

[dcannon]

I usually just quarter the elk & pack it out using a frame pack. It takes 4 trips with a bigger bull but I find less meat is wasted without boning. I just try to shoot less than 5 miles away.

 

[tdub24]

Did you watch the video I posted?

Old Hunter, I watched that video and it gave some good information, thank you. I have only been apart of the process twice, but have never done it myself. Do you find it easier to bone the quarters out while still attached to the animal or is it easier to quarter it first then bone it?

 

[Chippy Hacky]

It is easier to do if the quarters are off, basically you are just breaking the animal down, just like you would do if you were processing the animal at home. The problem is that it takes more time to take the quarters off especially if you are by yourself. It is also cleaner to leave them on as there just isn't a tarp or table handy. All in all, having done it both ways myself, it isn't that much of a difference. In the field, I leave them attached as it is usually pitch dark, I cant's see good, I am cold and hungry and am too far from camp so anytime saved I am good with. If it is an A.M. animal and I am with someone else, I will usually whack off the front quarters and let them work on them as I am doing the rest, just because the fronts are so easy to whack off and it seems to go a little quicker.

Old Hunter, I watched that video and it gave some good information, thank you. I have only been apart of the process twice, but have never done it myself. Do you find it easier to bone the quarters out while still attached to the animal or is it easier to quarter it first then bone it?

 

[Doe Nob]

Quarter first then bone. I just replaced the old blue tarp I carry in my pack as an emergency shelter with Tyvek as its lighter and tougher. This also doubles as a nice big clean sheet to put meat on when you tag something and a place to work on deboning.

The other tip I would say is doing it by yourself as other said, you have to be smart about where you are going after the animals, the old adage "hunt up - pack down" is a big consideration when solo.

 

[Old Hunter]

Old Hunter, I watched that video and it gave some good information, thank you. I have only been apart of the process twice, but have never done it myself. Do you find it easier to bone the quarters out while still attached to the animal or is it easier to quarter it first then bone it?

I've always done it with the quarters on just like the video. I didn't have the video when I first started to do it, and I made a bit of a mess, but I got it done. I'm much better at it now, and the video helped. You'll be happy you did it when you start to haul the meat out. Plus, when I get it home it's easy to package it up and into the freezer. I don't age elk, and it seems fine to me.

 

[EdD270]

Plan on boning it out, pretty much butchering it, on site of the kill. Then figure about four or five backpacking trips with the meat.
Game bags hung in the trees in the shade will preserve the meat for a couple of days, meat is usually "hung" anyway a few days to help tenderize it.
If you can get some horses, should only take one trip after it's boned out.

 

[llp]

Anyone that tries to drag a mature elk very far will learn the folly of their approach. Unless the hill is quite steep, and you are going down hill, it just isn't feasible with even a couple people. Quarter and pack it out at a minimum, boned out is even better. An elk is not a big whitetail. Take an entirely different approach to getting it out of the woods. Bring a pack frame.
llp

 

[trophyhill]

Drags the whole elk?

no he takes half out at a time. thats why he likes to hunt high. sometimes the sled goes all by itself on its way down and he doesn't even have to hang on to it lol