44hunter45's 2024 backcountry Idaho Moose semi-live hunt thread.

[Sawtooth]

I am right there with you @44hunter45. The thought of packing an elk and gear from the back country in my backpack is getting harder and harder to achieve. I am fortunate to have a hunting partner and his son more than willing to help, but I hate to shorten their hunt because of my aging knees and back. Idaho wilderness is not for the weak or aging. With retirement happening this spring, I am hoping to have more time to spend getting those animals off the mountain, freeing up my buddies to continue hunting. I am still needing to consider changing up the location of my hunts to somewhere that is less steep. This years deer hunt was a great example. I usually like to keep my pack under 60 lbs when packing meat. But with a snow storm forecast for the following morning, my buddy and I decided it would be best to get my deer and camp out in one trip. Snow and rock aren't the best packing conditions. I was packing out 40 lbs. of deer meat, camp, rifle and optics, (81.5 lbs. total), four miles back to the truck, and it took me three days for my knees and back to fully recover. No way would I have enough in the tank to turn around and make two more trips in that terrain to get an elk out. I was glad to have my buddy there to get the rest of the deer out in his pack. The thought of completely hanging up big game hunting is not yet a requirement, but many of my favorite hunt locations from the past thirty some years are no longer an option. Good thing upland birds, like chukar and quail don't add much weight to the hunting vest and allow me to get the outdoor mental recharge I have come to love.