Wehunt with a good internal frame backpack with plenty of empty space. The first trip out, the frontshoulder, backstrap and tenderloin comeback in the backpack in a game bag. Then we pick up a good pack frame to haul the hindquarters out. We had 3 of us and my elk was 1 1/2 miles off the trail head with only the last 1/4 mile of that on an established trail. It really wasn't bad at all. I shot it at 8:30 a.m. and we were back in camp at 1:00 p.m. On the second trip we let the oldest guy off the hook and he didn't have to carry anything back. The key is to have help. I can't imagine packing one out by yourself.

The only thing I would do differently is figure out a better way to haul the head and antlers out. I just carried them upside down on my shoulders and the tines dug in pretty hard by the end of haul.



Having good pack frames that fit you is critical. Hauliing out the hind quarter was a piece of cake in comparison to hauling out the head even though it weighed almost twice as much.



We were in grizzly country so the rifles came back with us even on the 2nd trip. That was kind of a pain but I guess it is better to be safe than sorry.