The answer is it depends! Are you young or getting up there? Are you a desk jockey and only moderately in shape or an iron man? How far is it? How much vertical is involved? How difficult is the terrain? How much help do you have and how good of shape are they in?

Just in my circle of elk hunters (which is pretty good size), just about every year someone usually knows of someone somewhere that had a heart attack packing out an elk. The task is no joke -- it' s a serious undertaking -- no similarity to dragging a deer out of the woods by the antlers. I wonder how many folks never make that last trip back into the woods for the shoulder cuts -- given their blistered feet and sore knees and backs -- after all who is going to know? -- and they just kind of take what they' ve got, break camp, and slink outta there -- I' ve seen the meat hanging out in the woods when it should have been long gone.

You' ve had a great hunt, a great time, great friends don' t spoil it now! Unless you' re all in top notch shape [A man has got to know his limitations.... Dirty Harry] then use a horse. If you arrive prior to the hunt to scout (instead of 10PM the night before opening day) it' s not hard to find the " packers." Stop and get their cell phone numbers. When the time comes pay them their $200 (which is nothing compared to the TRUE costs of an elk hunt) and you are way ahead. Your knees, heart, back and feet will thank you. In the time you save over backpacking go ahead and drink beer, cook up one hell of a victory dinner and relish the moment.

Another option is to rent a horse. We have 5 to 8 hunters in camp and we all pitch in to cover the cost of renting a draft horse for the season. In my mind, it' s safer just to use them for packing -- no riding. (Grew up on a ranch, but that was then, not now - if you aren' t a cowboy to where you are " right on top of your game" then riding horses in the mountains introduces a whole new level to your risk management). We use saddle panniers, a mannie (canvas tarp), and a lashing rope. Davis Tent and Awning in Denver (wall tent supplier) puts on a " packing school" each spring -- easy to pick up the basic do' s and don' ts for amateur packing which is about all you need for meat packing.

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM