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[ImBillT]

Awesome post Bill! I'm assuming you kept every scrap?



I was thinking about this the other day if you think about it kinda makes sense. Say you are doing squats in the gym with just your body weight you can go kinda forever, at 50lbs maybe 100 reps, at 135lbs maybe 20 reps but by the time you get towards your max you are down to just a single rep... but suddenly if you back off just 10lbs you can do 4-5 reps.

I think pack out is similar.

Meat between the ribs and all. The only thing I left on any of them was the very last layer of meat over the guts and the diaphragm. I keep the hearts, but they aren’t included in those weights. This year on the 8.5yr old I actually took even the meat that covered the guts and the diaphragm.

Still, if you’re only getting 80lbs, you’re either shooting a 60lbs smaller deer(which may the norm in some areas), or you’re probably leaving the neck and the rib roll/flank, and possibly the shanks.


I don’t trim much fat. Although that wouldn’t change your pack out, it might reduce your yield a bit.

 

[thusby]

Luckily legs and core seem to be the two muscle groups that produce more reps the further I get. I find the first half hour to be a slog but after that I peak for about an hour. Then the slog begins again at 1.5 hours into the hike.

As long as the hike is over at 1.5 hours, I can pack about 130-140 off the hill. If it’s going to take me 3 hours to hike out I would half that load and make 2 trips.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

As long as the hike is over at 1.5 hours, I can pack about 130-140 off the hill. If it’s going to take me 3 hours to hike out I would half that load and make 2 trips.

What’s your September look like? Care to pack out a moose for me

 

[thusby]

My max effort might change in a Tamarack bog. I might get mistaken for a Sasquatch in there.

 

[Split Toe]

What’s your September look like? Care to pack out a moose for me

I have some questions for you, but cannot pm you, can you shoot me one!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I have some questions for you, but cannot pm you, can you shoot me one!

Gotta have 10 posts to pm.

 

[SAJ-99]

I have some questions for you, but cannot pm you, can you shoot me one!

Beware, Pandora's box.

 

[Split Toe]

Ok ,that makes sense, thanks!

 

[kiwi hunter]

Beautiful mountain country.

 

[OverlordBear]

Wllm

Thank you for your trip reports even a short hunt for you is super informative and helpful.

Thanks for the inspiration! I d happily have shot that buck as well.

 

[ImBillT]

I haven’t put anything in here in a while.

My brother’s only buck.
137lbs of boneless meat. Biggest body I’ve ever seen.

My last buck.
129lbs of boneless meat. Biggest bodied buck I’ve killed. Second biggest rack(not big).

I packed a cow elk out in two trips two years ago. Each bag had a front/hind/backstrap/tenderloin/trim. Bone in. I only weighed one bag. It was 99lbs. The pack wasn’t empty, but I didn’t weigh it. It’s 7lbs empty. I would guess my load for each trip was between 112lbs and 120lbs. It was 3.5mi from the truck, but entirely downhill. It was a royal beat down. With a 45lb pack the trip was 3hrs uphill and 1.5hrs downhill. 4.5hrs round trip. The pack out took me 17hrs, so that’s 8.5hrs round trip. Going from 45lbs, to 115ish doubled my time, and beat me down.

If I shoot a buck that yeilds 100lbs of boneless meat, that’s 112lbs bone in. Add the the head and cape-125lbs??? Add the gun, ammo, pack, water, game bags, 150lbs??? Did I camp in there? 158lbs??? I don’t think I can do that. What if it yields 120+ lbs of boneless meat? No way I could do that. When I read or hear about people packing a buck out in one trip I just think “if you’re packing our a head and cape, you’re either A) shooting small bucks, B) leaving a lot of meat in the field, or C) a hell of a lot tougher than I am.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I haven’t put anything in here in a while.

My brother’s only buck.
137lbs of boneless meat. Biggest body I’ve ever seen.

My last buck.
129lbs of boneless meat. Biggest bodied buck I’ve killed. Second biggest rack(not big).

Those are some huge bucks. A couple rag horns I’ve killed were ~ 200lbs boned out.

On my in-laws place I think I’ve been present for like ~20-30 deer being butchered, biggest was BC and I think it just around 100lbs boned out.

Most of the deer I’ve taken have been in the 120-140 inch range and probably average 65lbs of meat. I’m sure there’s a big weight difference as you go north and if they have access to agg fields.

 

[Deleted member 52098]

Managed to find a little buck to take home with me after a week hunting the high country. I didn't manage to find a monster, as I was hoping, but I did take the time to note some specifics about weights and times and hopefully this info will be helpful to others hoping to find big hank.

At no point was I trying to beat a STRAVA record with times, just giving specifics for people interested in how long it takes an average person/intermediate experienced hunter to do stuff.
(All weights are given using a luggage scale, not manufacture's published weights)

I hunted for a week 6 days total with a break in the middle. This first weekend was really rainy. When it's really wet you want more space in your shelter than less. I have a MSR Hubba Hubba, I use it with just a ground cloth and poles, it weights 2.9lbs in that mode. I weathered 3 thunder storms the first weekend, with fairly high winds. Elevation 11,400'
View attachment 114382

It's nice to be able to spread your stuff in a dry space. I think the lightest weight commercial option, something like SG Sky Air, tent + vestibule + GL (21oz) would really suck if you had a solid day or two of bad weather, you would have barley enough room for your stuff, you wouldn't be able to sit up, you definitely couldn't sit indian style and eat dinner while the weather raged around you... etc.
I've put two people and a dog in this tent... it works best for just 1 person. If I was to upgrade it would be to Hilleberg, Akto or something that could really handle high winds well.

View attachment 114383


Deer, probably 2 1/2 years old ~12,500ft about 4.5 miles from the trailhead. I walked up on the buck at 7:54am, started butchering at 8:10.
By 10:23am, I had boned out the entire animal (gutless method), skinned out the head and removed the lower jaw and loaded my pack for the hike out.
I kept all the required portions, 4 quarters + back straps + tender loins, as well as all the neck meat + ribs meat/rib roll, I did not take the heart/liver/tongue.
Butchering time was 2hr 13min
Total weight of boned out meat was 54.6lbs
View attachment 114386

Pack out was around 4.5 miles, around 3500' elevation loss.
Got to the car at 1:15pm
Pack out took 3hr 7min
View attachment 114388

Pack with full camp + rifle + entire deer, does not include binos+rangefinder, clothes, stuff in pockets (knife, sunscreen, 10rds of ammo, lighter, pen, head lamp)
Total weight 100.1lbs
View attachment 114392

Misc stuff, binos + boots + clothes on back + stuff in pockets
12.6lbs

Specific weights:
Sleep system: bag+ pad + pilllow+ dry sack 3.5lbs
Rifle: 10.1lbs

I had 2 1/2 days worth of food + 1L of water in my bladder at the time I took the final weight.

Would be happy to give further info if it is of interest to anyone.

Hope this helps someone pack for their trip.

that sure looks like a pretty place to kill a buck!

 

[Deleted member 39961]

I haven’t put anything in here in a while.

My brother’s only buck.
137lbs of boneless meat. Biggest body I’ve ever seen.

My last buck.
129lbs of boneless meat. Biggest bodied buck I’ve killed. Second biggest rack(not big).

I packed a cow elk out in two trips two years ago. Each bag had a front/hind/backstrap/tenderloin/trim. Bone in. I only weighed one bag. It was 99lbs. The pack wasn’t empty, but I didn’t weigh it. It’s 7lbs empty. I would guess my load for each trip was between 112lbs and 120lbs. It was 3.5mi from the truck, but entirely downhill. It was a royal beat down. With a 45lb pack the trip was 3hrs uphill and 1.5hrs downhill. 4.5hrs round trip. The pack out took me 17hrs, so that’s 8.5hrs round trip. Going from 45lbs, to 115ish doubled my time, and beat me down.

If I shoot a buck that yeilds 100lbs of boneless meat, that’s 112lbs bone in. Add the the head and cape-125lbs??? Add the gun, ammo, pack, water, game bags, 150lbs??? Did I camp in there? 158lbs??? I don’t think I can do that. What if it yields 120+ lbs of boneless meat? No way I could do that. When I read or hear about people packing a buck out in one trip I just think “if you’re packing our a head and cape, you’re either A) shooting small bucks, B) leaving a lot of meat in the field, or C) a hell of a lot tougher than I am.

I absolutely have to agree. I’ve had the exact same sentiment. One of those guys is a regular, big buck killer archery hunter and moderator from rockslide who regularly posts pics of his “whole” deer in a Kifaru.

I killed an archery buck in 2018. I packed everything out - calves, rib meat, neck, and horns minus the jaw. It decimated me. But I didn’t have numbers on weight so I figured I was just a slouch.

In 2019 I killed another buck. He was much bigger. Same deal except taxidermist wanted a cape, so I added that in. We put half in my wife’s pack and half and mine. We both struggled back to the tent. There is no way I could have one tripped that deer with camp. I got back to the truck and weighed him at 126. I imagine my 2018 buck was similar. I made a video straight up calling out the “one trip” plus camp theory on bigger deer for my own ego.

In 2021, my archery bull produced 296 lbs of meat. My last load was 95 lbs, 2 miles, nothing serious. It felt lighter but, some pack outs just do.

Now, in AK, I’ve met several very successful solo sheep hunters. A big ram is similar, likely larger, than a big deer. Often, those guys are double, even triple carrying loads.

I went back to try and cut more weight from my Pack. But no matter how much stuff I eliminate the irreducible conclusion that I keep coming to is one trip loads are the exception not the norm.

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

I just don't see getting a deer down to 50 pounds. Those are some small deer if you ask me. Only buck I packed out in one trip on my back was a few years ago. Given it was a mature buck with a big body, antlers scored about 165. I packed out the head, horns, cape and meat (no bones)along with my daily essentials needed for hunting that day and with my gun it came out to 118 pounds. I also did not get all the meat off of one of the front shoulders as it was pretty shot up on the exit side. This was all without any kind of camp as it was a day hunt. The hike out was mostly all downhill and mostly trail/road and it was still pretty brutal. It would be doable to put camp on there but that would probably be another 25-30 pounds of weight putting the pack at 150. Is 150 doable, sure, toughest part is getting the pack on, but it is also a great recipe for disaster/accident on the way out.

I just don't know how you get a deer down to 50 pounds. Only way I see it is if you trimmed off EVERYTHING (fat, gristle, bones...all of it) and you didn't take out the cape/head.

I have shot 3 bulls while backpack hunting. I never put camp in with any of the meet. Always came back to get camp in a separate trip. A bull in that scenario is gotten out in 3 trips (boned out and just the antlers, no head/cape) for me, with a 4th trip needed for camp. Sure it can be done in 3 trips total but that is just asking for an accident if you ask me.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I just don't see getting a deer down to 50 pounds. Those are some small deer if you ask me. Only buck I packed out in one trip on my back was a few years ago. Given it was a mature buck with a big body, antlers scored about 165. I packed out the head, horns, cape and meat (no bones)along with my daily essentials needed for hunting that day and with my gun it came out to 118 pounds. I also did not get all the meat off of one of the front shoulders as it was pretty shot up on the exit side. This was all without any kind of camp as it was a day hunt. The hike out was mostly all downhill and mostly trail/road and it was still pretty brutal. It would be doable to put camp on there but that would probably be another 25-30 pounds of weight putting the pack at 150. Is 150 doable, sure, toughest part is getting the pack on, but it is also a great recipe for disaster/accident on the way out.

I just don't know how you get a deer down to 50 pounds. Only way I see it is if you trimmed off EVERYTHING (fat, gristle, bones...all of it) and you didn't take out the cape/head.

I have shot 3 bulls while backpack hunting. I never put camp in with any of the meet. Always came back to get camp in a separate trip. A bull in that scenario is gotten out in 3 trips (boned out and just the antlers, no head/cape) for me, with a 4th trip needed for camp. Sure it can be done in 3 trips total but that is just asking for an accident if you ask me.

That was a 2.5 year old deer... I would guess. Your 165 buck was likely in that 5.5-6.5 category, so that weight seems to square up.

https://www.wyoextension.org/agpubs/pubs/B-589R.pdf

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

That was a 2.5 year old deer... I would guess. Your 165 buck was likely in that 5.5-6.5 category, so that weight seems to square up.

View attachment 273803

https://www.wyoextension.org/agpubs/pubs/B-589R.pdf

Yeah does seem to measure out. Never would have guessed that there was that big of difference in the age classes. Sure there's a difference, just wouldn't have expected it to be that much.

 

[SFC B]

This doe was a hoss. I packed her out entirely in one trip. It was only about a mile and pretty level except for about 1-200 yds mild up hill. All quarters, backstraps and trim cinched down as tight as humanly possible. It absolutely busted my ass. Not sure of the weight, just no that it ended up too much

 

[sclancy27]

We've one tripped several deer and cow elk (2 people) and the weights are really similar. The last big buck (~175") I one tripped was 110 lbs of bone in meat with skull+ antlers. Add in the rest of the gear (day hunt) it was right around 130 lbs. It sucked. I one tripped 2 cows out last year (one with each brother, ha), they both also sucked. It's honestly not the leg strength, it's the compression that the waist belt has to have to keep from sliding down with that kind of weight, it just crushes my hips and abdomen. I try to avoid weight like that in general, but sometimes it makes sense to not have to come back.

The most I have ever one tripped was ~145lbs. That was bone-in hind quarter (~300" bull), half the accessory meat (backstraps, tenderloin, neck, etc), skull+antlers, minimal day gear and bow (there were 3 of us). That pack out was mostly flat (1.5 miles), but climbed a steep 3-400' right away....that was the longest distance of my life. I don't really want to ever do that again, at least if I am going to keep packing elk till I am 60. The only reason I didn't do 2 trips is it was really hot and it took a while to find the bull (liver shot), so I sacrificed body for a lessened chance of meat loss. In retrospect, it prob would have been fine.

 

[MTTW]

I have weighed a number of bucks when I processed them and have never seen a buck with 100 lbs. of meat in my life. Over 50 years of hunting. I have had bucks aged that were 3,4,5,6,7, and 8. None had 100 lbs. of meat in my estimation. I am talking mountain deer far from agriculture. If someone says they weighed their buck's meat at over 100 lbs. I have no reason to not believe them. It is a proven fact that bucks get that big and I suspect that does might get that big in some instances also.

I have never 1 tripped a deer simply because there has been someone else along when I was packing one out but around here it is doable. Bucks that I have weighed had 65 to 75 lbs. of meat. I have dragged several bucks several miles solo simply because I didn't have a pack with me. We used to hunt with what we had in our pockets.

I have 1 tripped several elk with a partner and packs are around 100 lbs. each with a rag horn and noticeably lighter with a spike or yearling cow. Not counting gun and glass etc. Bigger bulls tend to have closer to 250 lbs. of meat and make 3 good loads with the head. I would rather it be 4. 100 lb. packs are pretty miserable at this age but were pretty miserable when I was younger too. They have never been easy for me. I have seen a couple of bulls that were around 300 lbs. of meat but we never actually weighed it all. They were noticeably bigger than the ones I have weighed.

My dad used to say that it took 4 to 5 deer to equal an elk so it seems that his experience in the 50s and 60s was similar to mine since. He was talking everyday deer because they were just shooting them from the truck for meat for the most part. He kept the meat from between the ribs, and shanks so he wasn't high grading it.