I was wondering how many members use pack animals to get their elk out. What do you use? Do you rent them or hire somebody. Not a big fan of atvs. OK with breaking don and animal and packing it out. I us game cart at home but was wondering about pack animals - mules goats llamas even certain breeds of dogs. Horses too. Do you own, rent or hire someone with them to pack out for you ??
Pack animals - do you use? Rent?
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MJE2083
Well-known member
I've never used them, but I hear that llamas are fairly user friendly.
barefooter19
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Horses....ride one and lead one with a buddy doing the same.
el unit
Well-known member
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
I think mtmuley has the right idea. If you own horses, ride, and pack them often, then they are very helpful. If you have ever dealt with an unruly horse or had an outback horse wreck, then you will realize there is significant risk in borrowing, renting, and using horses without mutual acquaintanceship.
We have had horses at our place several decades while our kids grew up participating in rodeo and 4H, but we backpacked and still do ... because horses are a logistical challenge for hunting or packing unless you do it often. Someone on this forum recently pointed out that if you take horses, then you will have a nice horseback trip with some short periods of opportunity to hunt.
We have had horses at our place several decades while our kids grew up participating in rodeo and 4H, but we backpacked and still do ... because horses are a logistical challenge for hunting or packing unless you do it often. Someone on this forum recently pointed out that if you take horses, then you will have a nice horseback trip with some short periods of opportunity to hunt.
Gut Shot
Well-known member
We rent horses to pack in and out camp. They are a pain in the a$$ until you have an elk down five miles from the road.
We either pick them up at the ranch and drive to our hunting area (rancher lets us use an old trailer) or they are dropped at the road where we go into the wilderness area.
We either pick them up at the ranch and drive to our hunting area (rancher lets us use an old trailer) or they are dropped at the road where we go into the wilderness area.
barefooter19
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I agree.
If you are not a horsemen then you probably should let someone else pack out for you.
We have horses and mules and ride them and use them all the time so we get to know them and see what each one will or will not do and out in the high country is not the place to be with unfamiliar horses if you are a beginner and don't know anything about horses !! The guys you see riding, packing and controlling horses in the elk woods have probably been doing it most of their life. I love horses and would never be with out them and they sure can make elk hunting easier but a horse can hurt you bad if you don't know what you're doing !!
I rented horses last year, don't own one and have not been around many. One was ok, behaved and was easy to deal with. The other was a pain in the az4. Had to pull it in and wanted to run you over on the way out, used them to pack in not ride. The blow down areas are a bitch with them. Plus it rained on the way in, very treacherous going. Had to stop as it wasn't safe to continue on the trail. The pain in the butt horse pawed the ground all night long, every night. Made it hard to sleep. If I ever see that one again it will be way to soon. He actually tried to push my partner off the trail down a steep steep edge when we stoped to catch our breath. Not using horses this year. I have packed out an elk but not that far. Where we were last year was 8-9 miles back in. No elk so didn't get to use them. Not sure if they are worth it because I'm just not that familiar with them. They are LOTS of extra work!!!
We pack all on our backs. In our group we kinda have a code if someone gets a elk we drop what we are doing and get our gear and go pack meat. Works pretty well usually can get 3 or four of us together so can pack out in one trip. Been on some sun up to sunset packs and say never again but do it year after year. Farthest pack I was on was around 8 miles according to gps . I watched some guys use horses to pack was alot easier and faster. I think you have to spend a lot of time riding packing in the off season to have good pack animals.
Straight Arrow and barefooter19 have it nailed. We used horses a lot when I was growing up. We knew the stock and they knew us. We never took a horse that we hadn't used extensively in the hills and introduced to dead critters on a pack out. I've since trusted an aquaintance with his horses that "yeah they have packed". Bad deal. Don't know about llamas and goats. As someone that has been around horses and mules, I'd be too embarrassed to use them. Three or four stout guys can pack an elk a long ways. mtmuley
I've used horses for four hunts and they were a major asset for packing two bulls about four miles. The one other trip was a disaster, with one unruly horse. I would plan to dedicate one person to full time horse and camp care or alternate days doing horse chores. Another option is to ride in daily on shorter 2-4 mile hunts and don't worry about packing in a camp. The unit I hunt by Wise River is mostly gated roads and you can't get more than 3-4 miles from the next road. Before I die or the Lord returns I would love to do a backcountry camp in one of the Wyoming wilderness areas. I'd seriously recommend using additional manpower, snow sled, or game cart to retrieve elk and for elk hunt, unless you commit to Year around training and enjoy horses. Like the previous poster said they are much like a hound or bird dog and need lots of training.
archer wapiti
Member
So far I've been able to find a guy at the trailhead to help me get out. Once for free, once for a price. Sometimes poor planning works out.
squirrel
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I own 'em, in most cases if you half to haul across the country and can't condition before hand extensively you will be better off renting local where you hunt. But there is no such thing as a bad pack animal if he is carrying what I would otherwise have to, but my choice for ease of keeping, training, and using is llamas, helped along by the fact that I married the only woman on earth that HATES horses...
3 strong dogs can eliminate one gorilla-size load on my back for every round trip we make also, but make sure you bag and protect the meat as squirrel chasing and creek wallowing can go hard on it. When you get to camp they will bring firewood in, no other pack stock will do that un-assisted.
Using trail head help or on-call packers can be a felony, do your research on regs. Legal help will be expensive help. On call as needed help will be pretty much a miracle if it works out, it is the busy time of year after all and most are booked far in advance by people that plan ahead.
IMG_4280 by squirrel2012, on Flickr
IMG_1074 by squirrel2012, on Flickr
3 strong dogs can eliminate one gorilla-size load on my back for every round trip we make also, but make sure you bag and protect the meat as squirrel chasing and creek wallowing can go hard on it. When you get to camp they will bring firewood in, no other pack stock will do that un-assisted.
Using trail head help or on-call packers can be a felony, do your research on regs. Legal help will be expensive help. On call as needed help will be pretty much a miracle if it works out, it is the busy time of year after all and most are booked far in advance by people that plan ahead.
IMG_4280 by squirrel2012, on FlickrIMG_1074 by squirrel2012, on Flickr
Jim/Wa
Active member
We've used llamas a couple times and they worked out great. We've used horses and mules a number of times as well but if you're not used to handling them they're a pain in the butt.
JosephBrown
Member
I've heard of goats working really well, plus, they can get places that horses can't get. They are relatives of mountain goats so they are natural climbers
idnative1948
Well-known member
Especially if you leave a beverage every couple hundred of yards up the hill...
