I'm (thankfully) moving out west to Colorado this summer and looking forward to elk and mule deer hunting. I'm used to hunting whitetails in the relatively flat and accessable Iowa countryside, so it's not too hard to get the 150-225lb dressed deer back to the truck, or the truck to the deer.

But it occured to me that not only are elk a much bigger critter than a whitetail, but they are hunted and shot in rough terrain possibly miles from where any truck can go. So the obvious question is this, how do elk hunters do to get the animal out? ATV's? Pack horses? Cut it up and hump it out on your back?

Thanks,

Mike

All of the above, depends on what you have, where the elk ends up and distance.

I am far from an experienced elk hunter with 2 hunts and 1 elk, all guided. My elk was kind enough to die next to an old logging road we could get the 4WD truck on, so we winched him hole into the ATV trailer. Hunt was over for the day til he answered the call at dusk.

You can also gut him and get him onto the ATV hole, or quarter him out and carry or use horses/llamas if you have em. Alot of folks just put it on there back piece by piece and start walking.

--Bob

Lets get real, quartering an elk is the real deal most of the time. I take no bones home, except the shoulder blades. This allows you to pack out an animal with the least amont of weight. I have 2 systems. #1 the backpack, one quarter at a time. I can go through anything this way. I have had to pack elk out farther than you want to think about. #2 plastic sled, I prefer this way. Two quarters at a time, 2 trips instead of 4, no weight on my back. I have been able to get elk out of more places than you would believe this way. The sled goes over rock, trees just fine. You need to tie the quarters into the sled or they fall off. I get the sleds a Kmart end of season sale for about $9.00/ good for 1/2 elk depending upon how far and how bad the drag out. Important thing, when you quarter an elk make sure you put the quarters in game bags. Where I hunt there are no roads so these are my options.
Gselkhunter

I do not "quarter" big game animals, I filet them Alaskan style. You get less bone this way. For me, it's a piece at a time on my back and out they come. You need a good external frame pack.

I have hunted elk for almost 20 years and this year was the first time I ever got one out hole,it's like 1 out of 15.
My first elk I killed was a big ol'cow,I was 15 and it was a late season hunt.My dad broke me in to elk hunting with a WWII pack frame and 2 feet of snow I packed that cow out piece by piece,man I swore I would never kill another,well as everyone else knows it a addiction.
Now the only thing diffrent,I have a better pack,and if I hunt with my father-in-law we use horses.
A guy can do it with a game cart,4-wheeler,Pack animal,pick-up or your self.

If you don't want to do all the work you can set up prior arangements with most outfitters to have your animal packed out.This usally cost any where from 250-450 dollars depends on where and how much work.
BBJ

Were we hunt here in CO we use a game cart as we have alot of old logging roads we can get arund on. In most cases I hear alot of guys pack them out the old fashioned way...on there backs.

Depends on the location, but all the above.

Do you mean this procedure?

1) Get the animal laying on it's side

2) Skin the 'top' side of the animal

3) Lay the hide, hair down, on the ground.

4) Remove the now exposed flesh taking the minimum amount of bone that is legal

5) Roll the animal on to the other side using the hide to protect it from the ground

6) Skin this side of the animal.

7) Remove head and cape

8) Take meat from this side taking the minimum amount of bone that is legal

If not, I'd be interested in hearing your method.

I'm with GS onthis one. The sled combined with a pack is the best way Ive found..............Except for getting one next to the truck of course

You can't beat a HORSE or MULE. However thats not an option for everyone. There are good ideas above.