Elk 5 miles from truck...

For the last two years we've used our Burley bike trailers on our deer hunt, 4-5 miles from the truck over rolling terrain. Last year we rode bikes and pulled the trailers behind, which was a PITA coming out with heavy trailers in very crusty snow. This year we found it was easier just to push the trailers in front, like a shopping cart. I had roughly 100 lbs of meat and gear in mine, with head/cape/antlers on my back, and even going up hill was a breeze.
 
ElkStalker said:
I was responding to dinkshooter in that post.

Personally, I don't like the hunt to be too easy. I enjoy the challenge of needing all 9 days to get an elk. Probably why I never shot an elk in the spot I described above. I still go into the area sometimes, but I go past the elk, and hike in a few miles to find muley's.

I do enjoy sneaking in a few times of the year to just watch the elk. You can learn a lot by just watching them.
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We're not worthy!
 
cabelas has this:Deer Sleigh'r Transport Sled. Have not tried it with an elk but think it would be worth looking at. It rolls up to carry and unroll to put game in. I have used it on a whole deer and it worked fine.
 
As SBHooper mentioned above....bone the elk! If you figure out how to get a sled to work it would mean less bulk/wt. I have always preferred to just bone and pack out game on my back....and I hunt alone a lot! I shot a bull moose a few years ago that was 2 miles in that took 6 trips to get out by myself. 6 x 4 miles (round trip) is 24 miles covered in one day! I only had around 5" of snow so it wasn't too terribly bad but my body sure felt it the next day!
 
Since I can count on one hand my total elk I would not dare ask anyone for help packing out except my wife and kids, one friend and one brother. After shooting an elk or deer I'm on such a high that deboning and packing out are by far the easier part of the hunt. We debone and throw everything in game bags and start hiking. I use a Cabelas Alaskan guide frame pack and it can hold and carry more than I can. Deboning and packing out just isn't that hard. Take your time and enjoy the trips, yes trips is plural.
 
NM_ElkNut said:
I have been using the small Jet Sled for years. I have holes drilled in the rim for tying off cargo, and tow ropes with handles front and back. A lot of the places I hunt are the big burns in the Jemez, usually late season with snow.

The first few years after the burn you have blown down spruce trunks with mostly broken off 1" branches sticking up like spikes. The first time I tried it, I got to the top of a hill and pushed the loaded sled off the edge. It would usually go 50 feet off bouncing off/over/through the blow-down/ branch spike pile before it got hung up. I'd go untangle it and push if off for the next ride. It works great as long as gravity was with you. I thought I would damage it beyond repair doing that, and was OK with that as long as it lasted one trip. That was 10-12 years ago and I'm still using the same one. I drag it across rocks, sticks, gravel roads and it just keeps going. The underside is pretty scarred up, and it probably does not slide as smooth, but it is holding up just fine.
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The last week of the season I saw a couple of college aged kids hauling out the front and back halves of an elk on two of those cheap sleds. The sleds were in several pieces. I assume they thought it would be cool to let the sleds run free down the big hill. :D
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But why simple watch an elk fly down the hill in a sled? I once decided it would be fun to ride on top of a boned out elk flying down the hill. It started out really fun, then about 3 seconds later about 400 pounds of meat and plastic were blasting through sagebrush at a much higher rate of speed than I had anticipated. I started noticing a lot of things at the bottom of that hill looked very uncomfortable to hit. I tried to bail off, but momentarily got caught in one of the tow ropes. Luckily I got untangled quickly and we all got a laugh out of another one of Rob's excellent ideas.
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Someone mentioned tying elk quarters together and dragging them out. Another option is to cut the hind legs off at the pelvis. Then split the pelvis. This will cause the legs to flop open and lay flat. It drags reasonably well and most of the meat will be protected from dirt, leaves and twigs by the hide and pelvis when you drag it.
 
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My dream is a ATV-sized hovercraft. Load elk on back, set pack in back, climb aboard, push the starter button and hover to the trailhead. Oh, and a cup holder is part of the design.
 
P1000270.JPGIt does not hover ... and you have to still pack your elk to an improved trail, but once there and loaded, it really works well. ... and it has a cup holder.
 
Yes, snowshoes are great for hiking in the deep snow. However, it's a little tricky carrying rifle and snow poles. Once caught a bull elk out of the corner of my eye, nose forward, rack on his back, sneaking through the trees just above me. 'Dropped a pole, shouldered my rifle, turned my torso 130 degrees toward him as he glided behind me ... and promptly fell into a snow drift on my arse, as he giggled out of sight! Snowshoes can be somewhat cumbersome.

I haven't packed an elk out on snowshoes with a backpack or sled, but it would likely work okay.
 
Whatever the disadvantages snow shoes have. It's not as bad as trying to walk in deep snow without them. That will beat you to death.
 
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