how to pack out a rack

[Jamen]

I have always been curious to how you guys pack out your racks. this being my first elk hunt this fall in the badlands I just wanted some input. I know my father would always get PO'd in the hunting catalogs when he would see a hunter with an elk rack on his pack with the horns up. He always said if you do it that way you may end up getting shot. I know you can put orange on the rack but sometimes people may not see that. So i was just curious to what all you avid elk hunters do if you go rack up or rack down. Hopefully I will be packing out a bull this weekend!!!

Jamen

 

[2rocky]

I prefer the Tines down method as well.

Much depends on whether you have a Cape since it can be awkward.

Let me show some pictures from past packouts....

All the meat was on pack horses, but they forgot a lash rope to top pack the antlers...no cape.

Short pack to the truck, just on the shoulders...Cape and full head

This was the first rack I packed out. It is a sawed Skull cap, and I don't recommend this anymore. It would have been easier to put the skull cap on top the pack and strap the straps over. It kept wanting to tip back as well, not tho mention it looked like an elk rack.

Truth is every rack requires a different approach due to unique geometries. The best way to learis to help lots of buddies pack out elk. They always seem willing to help you learn!

 

[Bambistew]

I like to put the skull right behind your head, tines pointed backward. Use a stick between the main beams to lash it in the middle of the pack. Putting it on with the antlers up above your head way may seem to make it easier to get through the brush, but it makes for an awkward unbalanced load if its a bigger/heavier rack.

I can't find any elk pics, but moose are about as much fun in the brush.

 

[Jamen]

thanks for the input and pictures. my dad has always been a big stickler on safety in the field so tines down will most likely be the way I pack mine out if and when I get it the weekend. thanks again Jamen

 

[Southwind]

 

[npaden]

Here's all my pack out pictures.

My first elk - just carried him out on my shoulders with the rack upside down. I don't advise trying this. I can still feel the place on my shoulders where the weight was pressing down on the rack and it wasn't even a very big bull.

Packing out a raghorn with my eberlestock pack the first year I got it. This worked but the weight ended up really low and made it awkward.

My 2010 New Mexico bull. This was okay on how I had him strapped on but it was a 100+ pound load and more than I was able to carry at the time. The antlers kept getting hung up on brush and climbing over deadfall was a major task. I only got about a 1/4 mile before I hung it in a tree and ended up paying some guys on horses to come haul it out.

This is the easiest way to pack it out.

This was a pretty easy packout. Not much brush and the antlers down gave me something to hang onto. Plastic bag over the head kept the blood from getting all over as I didn't save the cape and just cut the head off at the base of the neck.

Here's my last packout. I guess your dad would see this picture and think I'm an idiot.

For the non photo op part of the packout I did have orange on the antlers. I think the orange up on the antlers was very visible, maybe even more visible than in the other packouts where the orange ended up much lower and under the head because the rack was pointed down.

The way my new pack is laid out it was really easy to just slide the head into the pack and strap everything down. I would have never thought antlers up would be the way to go, but it was much easier when climbing over deadfall and through brush not having to deal with the antlers getting caught. I still had to be aware of taller trees, but they didn't seem to be as much of an issue as brush and deadfall was on some other packouts. This was a 100lb pack and really wasn't that bad of a haul when it was all said and done.

To me the key is just getting the head secured on the pack and not having it moving around shifting your balance on you.

My 2 cents. Nathan

 

[Z Barebow]

This was an archery kill. But like Nathan stated, tie it down so nothing moves.

 

[Rat Fink]

I like to pack my bulls like this. In a Blizzard and uphill. Horns down so they don't hang up on stuff. Lashed to the frame for extra stability.

 

[nidahunter]

I have always done tines up so it is easier to sit down and take all the breaks I need to avoid a heart attack.However, my racks were never big enough to really be seen. I do always pack a roll of orange flagging and tie to each point to help it be seen.

 

[Hummer]

Man, I need all you guys on speed dial for when I get that moose next year!

 

[wingman1]

Antlers down and lashed off or over the shoulder. I see a few racks posted with racks up and makes me wonder why??

 

[MTpubliclander]

I always throw in a cheap extra orange vest to wrap on the head and horns as well as to hang above you while field dressing.

 

[schmalts]

pointing down

 

[Jamen]

Thanks again guys!! all help helps!! me and the old man had a blast in Sept didn't pull the trigger maybe this weekend ill post pics if and when I get one

 

[fishantler]

Bambistew's method using a stick for extra stabilization is by far the best way to pack out a large set of antlers.

 

[joelweb]

Cut the skull cap off unless you plan to do a European or live mount. Elk heads are heavy...

 

[Dinkshooter]

Cut the skull cap off unless you plan to do a European or live mount. Elk heads are heavy...

BUT, if you carry a saw around for a week vs. just the full head out once, wouldn't you be saving energy in the big picture?

I never carry a saw, just something heavy in my pack.

 

[Don K]

Just pass all the bulls up, shoot cows and you wont have to worry about packing them cumbersome antlers

 

[muledeerjunkie]

I guess your dad would see this picture and think I'm an idiot.

With a rack that size, I'm not sure you had a whole lot of options other than what you did!

 

[The Hedgehog]

Like this if you're close to the truck.