Pack 100 lbs.?

eelgrass · Aug 27, 2010

Founder's Pack Out Contest got me to thinking. I saw a few photos that looked like very heavy loads. Some made my back hurt just to see them.

The biggest animal I have ever killed was a caribou. I packed it out in two loads, but only about a half mile. I don't know how much weight it was, but I remember wishing I had made three trips.

What's your personal weight limit? How much have you had on your back?

Eel

never_catch · Aug 27, 2010

LAST EDITED ON Aug-27-10 AT 10:46PM (MST)[p]I have no idea what any pack trips have weighed to be honest?? A Badlands 4500 with 4 deer quarters, backstraps, neck meat, inner lions, cape and head...with misc gear such as knives, binos, spotter and tripod, jacket or other clothes, ect...maybe 100 lbs??

Oh lol I forgot about when I broke the 4500...I was on the Wasatch Front last year with "tabbyhntr" and all I had in the pack as a 24 pack of good ole Mt Dew and I busted both the stays on the pack...that sucked bad wearing it while hiking off the mountain!! Easy fix though just took it into Badlands and they replaced the stays in less than 5 minutes

~Z~

BuckSnort · Aug 27, 2010

Ever wore a 17" saddle?

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sageadvice · Aug 27, 2010

LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-10 AT 01:14AM (MST)[p]Eel, i don't know how many muley bucks that i field dressed and then put on my back but it was quite a few. Most field dressed bucks that i took would probably go near 200 pounds, maybe some more, a few maybe a bit less. This 8X6 that i killed in the Ruby's back in the late 70's was witnessed by a guide on horseback who happened by, Earl Basso was his name, with some clients. He wondered how in the heck i got where i was, no pack, day bag, or anything. I explained the obvious, that i had walked there...

He took this picture for me. I field dressed the buck. Then i quickly made him into a back-pack by putting his front legs inside his rear hocks and locked them in by dejointing the bone knees but leaving the skin peeled back, mounted him up on my back and headed him the 5 miles or so i had to get back to the truck. All the while, Basso was looking on and shaking his head, saying i was gonna kill myself. Guys in my family have been packing big ol muley bucks like this for generations, no big deal.

Now, i don't know now that i could even pack out a scrub Blacktail that way.

Joey

BuckSnort · Aug 27, 2010

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The poster does not take any responsibility for any hurt or bad feelings. Reading threads poses inherent risks. The poster would like to remind readers to make sure they have a functional sense of humor before they visit any discussion board.

BuckSnort · Aug 27, 2010

I tried...

Nice buck

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The poster does not take any responsibility for any hurt or bad feelings. Reading threads poses inherent risks. The poster would like to remind readers to make sure they have a functional sense of humor before they visit any discussion board.

stinkystomper · Aug 27, 2010

helped a friend from idaho last year on an elk hunt. got his bull down and he didnt quarter it. thats right! he remover the neck meat and the back straps. then he literally cut the elk in half and down the middle. he ties all four quarters and the ribcage to my pack. the truck was about a mile away and i even had to cross a fence. now i know how cattle barrell down fences. also took out my uncles entire buck weeks back. they didnt even gut him. packed that freakin thing out whole in my boxers. then my aunto snapped a picture of the mess and posted it on facebook!

ego participate in Monasteriense muleys proinde ego sum bardus (I participate on monstermuleys therefore I am stupid)

Triple_BB · Aug 28, 2010

What's the back quarter on a bull moose weigh. Packed the whole thing out about a mile. I'd have guessed the back quarters were at least 125lbs or better. I know it took 10 hours to cut and pack him out and my back hurt for a week...

eelgrass · Aug 28, 2010

LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-10 AT 09:49AM (MST)[p]Some pretty impressive pack outs!

Joey, from what I know of you, I bet shear determination and grit keeps you going...no matter the load. I can't see your photo. I hope someone can fix it.

stinky, I've never killed an elk, but if I do I hope you and Slam are on my team.

TripleBB, that must be a daunting task to pack out a moose solo. You have my respect!

Eel

D13er · Aug 28, 2010

JB

GSJ · Aug 28, 2010

I've packed out half a boned out bull elk twice. The first one we weighed when we got home.....220 lbs with cooler. The second one was a bigger critter and god knows how much but it was stupid heavy. Both packs had me messed up for several days after.

I don't recommend it. Good way to hurt yourself bad especially in steep country. I have respect for guys who hunt elk solo with no critter to help with the pack out. I don't think I could handle it in the country I typically hunt.

the artist formerly known as "gemstatejake".

KBKILLER · Aug 28, 2010

i guided a guy when i was 19 yrs old that was a writer for a magazine. i have the article page in my photo album. the last picture is of me carrying his 4x4 buck out whole on my back. the caption says "here is my guide, who weighs 125 lbs. packing out my 145lbs buck out whole" 1 mile.
ive carried most antelope ive helped out with out whole.
last year i shot my bull 4.7 miles into a wilderness here in oregon. not a big bull ,maybe 3 yrs old, but i packed the complete bull,60% boned out, and my 50 lbs worth of gear out in 3 trips. all solo!

now dont get me wrong everyone of those situations kicked my azz. but i'll do it again next time

buckspotter7 · Aug 28, 2010

LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-10 AT 02:55PM (MST)[p]packed my buck out of WY backcountry in one trip last year. Big bodied animal, pack was well over 100 lbs. Had to lay down to get straps on, roll over to my knees and pull myself up. Not much for brakes going down hill with a load like that.

kilbuc · Aug 28, 2010

In my former life, when lived in Kali, packed out many blacktails whole as Sageadvice described, but was much younger and dumber....LOL.

I have a moose tag, need someone with a size 15 shoe and a size 5 head for help.....Stinky you seem to fill the bill.....another LOL.

from the "Heartland of Wyoming"

mevertsen · Aug 28, 2010

I had all of the loose meat off of my cow elk last year on my Eberlestock x2, plus most of my gear (my dad carried some of the gear off). I packed that about 1.5 miles, and was very glad when I got to the truck. Luckily we found an old two track road that went about 200 yards from where the elk dropped, and I was able to get into her with no more packing. That is about the max for me. I could probably do more, but I think that would hurt myslelf only being 160 lbs. I am thinking my total pack weight was 80 lbs or so. I think this would be 5 trips for a normal cow elk. (her quarters weight 183 lbs, just the quarters, no carcass). I only plan to do that at most this year if I get one away from the truck.

Later,

Marcial

eelgrass · Aug 28, 2010

buckspotter7 that's a neat photo. Great looking buck and I love those old burns.

It sounds like the back doctors aren't running out of work.

Eel

JDub · Aug 28, 2010

I guess it depends on how far you're going and how brutal the terrain is. I did a loop on the Sierra Crest a few years back and unfortunately way overpacked. 65lb pack and 47 miles (mostly above 10,000) in four days damned near killed me, and I'm 6'2", 220, and in pretty good shape. I got respect for anyone that packs over 100lbs for any distance through rugged terrain.

ramtagless · Aug 28, 2010

47 miles !?!?!?!?!?!

If I tell you how much my packed weighed and how far I carried it...you can safely deduct 20% off both numbers.

B_BOP_A_LU_LU · Aug 29, 2010

I've got respect for anybody that puts a 100 lbs on to start with!
Ya I've done it a few times,it just proves how stupid you are at times and then a guy gets to thinkin:"I AIN"T AS TOUGH AS I ONCE WAS"!

I love not acting my age,
Damn I love my NASCAR race,
And Hell yes I love my Truck!

eelgrass · Aug 29, 2010

47 miles in 4 days is totally believable. That's about 12 miles a day. I've done that many times. Our packs usually weighed about 50 lbs. (55 to be exact on one trip that I remember weighing.) As we got older and lighter equipment became available, we started limiting our packs to 35 lbs. max. Much more fun, especially with the modern packs and pack frames.

Eel

overton · Aug 29, 2010

Personally I never let my brother carry over 200 lbs.

ramtagless · Aug 29, 2010

I kinda misread jdubs post. If we are talking backpacking, round trips...I'll buy it. That is hitten it hard for 4 days.

Blank · Aug 29, 2010

We bone out our elk and pack them back to the trailhead on backpacks. Always weigh the packs when we return for bragging rights. My youngest son is a wildland firefighter and regularly packs a 75# pack and chainsaw for work, and is in exceptional shape. His best to date is 145# for 4 miles. My older son is tougher (but dumber), and packed 200# for a half mile up out of a canyon in Arizona.

Since I turn 60 next month, I've decided that smarter is safer and limit my self to 100#, but will do multiple trips if necessary. I'm taking them both to Arizona for my bull hunt this year!

tabbyhntr · Aug 30, 2010

NC... that was funny but I think that moose broke your pack...

rutnbuck · Aug 30, 2010

I have done the whole buck thingy. Packed out a ton and a half of elk and deer and moose! Half?s, quartered, deboned, you name it but I know this you can't cut a buffalo in small enough pieces. And there is not enough Ibprophan in a bottle to ease the pain after a buffalo. A buffalo will fill a big pack 10 times if you cut it into bite size pieces plus the head and hide. Not to mention the work after the shot.
Those who don't know a buffalo you have to skin every inch of the hide like a pig. You?re not big enough to spread his legs. So you pray! You can't reach the juggler you pray a gain. Pull and cut all you want but if you're doing it by yourself. You will still be a worn out bloody freaking mess. I won't do this ever again until I do it next time.

Eel dose this mean I am your hero?

JDub · Aug 30, 2010

Backpacking it was, and yes, it was round trip. It was my first trip of the kind and I didn't really know what I was getting in to. It didn't help that I was chasing a couple of triathletes with much lighter packs. Won't make that mistake again-40lb max from now on.