Packing Horns?

[bearbone]

First of all i have to say that i have never been in this situation before, but one day i hope too.

I'm just wondering if there are any tricks to packing out numerous elk horns, on a frame pack, as in ways to tie them on a pack, or are certain ways to alighn them on a pack, or just anything that you guys might have discovered over the years that help.

Thanks for the help.

 

[ultimateshedfreak]

i dont strap them to my pack i just carry them in my hands or over my shoulder. but one easy way that i do know of is straping all your right sides together and all the left sides together.

I AM THE ULTIMATESHEDFREAK!!!!

 

[smokepolejohnson]

Shad,
Anything drop down in your neck of the woods yet????

 

[rageinthesage]

What I do is to make sure you have damn good pack frame, I use a Nimrod pack it seems to get the job done, it places the antlers fairly high and above my waist and I have strapped on three big sets,I honestly didn't think I was going to make it out of the woods the truck was like over five miles away,but the pack held up and my body barely did.But anyway find as many bunjee cords as you can and strap them on,put rights with rights and lefts with lefts tines up,keep the wait above your waist,if you dont have someone else to help put the loaded pack on, set the pack on the ground sitting up,sit down and strap it on that way,try it at home first with some big antlers you already have and see if that works for ya. Let me know how it works out. Nick

 

[elkantler75]

i used to use a regular backpack but i will be using this this season. for more info. go to www.wyominglostandfound.com

 

[wasatchbuck]

i just strap them to my pack with the points faceing out LOL!! AND DONT FALL !!

 

[SLIVER]

I use the Mossback Shed Freak pack. It seems to work good. I just have a hard time finding the sheds to fill it.

}}-SLIVER-->

 

[BreederBuck]

If too many sheds is your problem, You don't have a problem. I really like the setup elkantler75 has, throw on a canteen toss a sandwich under your hat and your off.

 

[wyohikeit]

Elkantler75 that rig looks lightweight and certainly better than carryig a lot of antlers in hand for very far.
I have used a Kelty external frame pack for 30+ years and literaly thousands of miles in some of the roughest terrain on the planet. My hiking buddy and I sell around $2000 worth each year, she calls me her pack mule. It is always a challenge to get a 50#+ load of bone back to the truck. I see guys try it just ropeing them together changing positions as they travel--- to hell with that! These new frame packs will save your back a lot of pain! I always tie on the antlers so they are as narrow and low as possible. The fold down shelf on this Kelty keeps the bone frome working down to far.


Loads like this are going to be a pain any way you tie them on

Do NOT tie them on with the points sticking out like this to catch all the brush unless there is a big wide trail to follow

I often use antlers as walking sticks too

Time in the hills is always worth more than money

 

[WesternSky]

WOW!! holy mainbeam!! How long are the MB in the second picture?

 

[Huntemup]

I can attest that pack frames and bungy chords are the way to go! Even better than that is a snowmobile...much less stress on the knees! Unfortunately (or fortunately) the snowmobile method doesn't get used much.

 

[rustsmit]

I have used a lot of different pack to carry elk antlers. When we hike in and camp, i use my Arteryx Bora 80, carries camp and the antlers. With a lot of antlers, I like to strap them on so the curve of the horn is towards the back of the pack, this help keep points from facing forward and poking into you (especially if you stumble and fall)and also keeps the weight closer to you body, so you aren't walking all hunched over. These packs a re very durable. We put them through hell, packing out elk in the fall and antlers in the sppring and camp, year round.

 

[foundation]

Wow , huntemup looks like he knows how to pick up sheds .

 

[wyohikeit]

55" beams 24" 4ths That set score 370" with 40" spread



Time in the hills is always worth more than money

 

[ELKLOVER]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-14-08 AT 09:06AM (MST)[p]Yeah, but Huntemup sneaks into Yellowstone. Parks his snowmobiles on the boundry for a quick get-a-way. Why else would it be so dark in his first pic? He's using the cover of night to get his stash.

 

[elkantler75]

i would rather see some of those horns get outside the park illegaly than to find them hacked to pieces by the stupid rangers!

 

[ELKLOVER]

I agree.

 

[Huntemup]

Thanks for sharing yer spot with me ELKLOVER. I'm pretty sure I got the last of 'em!

 

[ELKLOVER]

No Problem!

 

[Antlerglazed]

That or he's just chasing them on the sled until the drop! Either way, sorry, but that just doesn't look good and ethical!!!

 

[ELKLOVER]

Yeah Huntemup. You dumb a$$!

 

[elkantler75]

so its ok and ethical to get a chopper and "survey " the elk like the game and fish do? why does everyone asume that atvs or snowmachines are only there to harrass wildlife. i will be using any legal method i can personally. but i do not chase herds like utards.

 

[Huntemup]

Antlerglazed, obviously you don't me and my regard/respect for wildlife...

...or the situation...

...or where I was...

...or how the snowmobiles were used...

...but I will tell you that I didn't spook a single elk or deer that day. I will tell you that I waited until the first of April. It's kinda cool to find a place where the bulls haven't been run all over God's creation by the 10th of March. That's pretty darned rare anymore. It's a lot funner too because the bones are concentrated much more.

Anyway, I'd love to talk "ethics" with you anytime! In the meantime, don't assume too much. You know what they say about assuming!

Happy huntin'!

 

[Antlerglazed]

Who said anything about choppers being ethical or unethical? Is it ethical? NO. Is it the most efficent and practical way? YES. If the Fish and Game were to "survey" the whole state via foot, horses, atvs, or snowmobiles how long, expensive and accurate would it be!?! They wouldn't and couldn't even get a close head count each year.

As far as atvs and snowmachines being used to harrass wildlife, its because THEY DO!! Especially the snowmachines. They have a hard enoguh time dealing with the snow and cold! Legal vs Ethical doesn't always add up, tard!

 

[Antlerglazed]

Huntemup,

All I said was it didn't look good. You may be right about nothing being spooked. Hey you may be the most ethical guy around, but I know what I see, when I see it! Good luck to you this season.

 

[elkantler75]

antlerglazed.... maybe the glaze has run down into your brain?

 

[Antlerglazed]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-14-08 AT 08:26PM (MST)[p]Good one!

Tell me one thing in my post that was brain dead?

Man up and admit that your an idiot, and that was asinine post about the f&g!

 

[bearbone]

How can a question about packing out horns, turn so dang negative, Man i just wanted tip's, i didn't want to here all this crap, Huntemup thanks for the pics and tips, sorry you have to get harrased, i hope someday i can get that much bone, but atleast i will know not to post it, because someone will call you a lier, cheater, theif, unethical and so on!

But thanks to all for there tips and comments, i hope to use them shortly and i will be sure to let you know how it works out.


ANDY

 

[ELKLOVER]

It sure is easy to get people worked up on this site. I am actually buddies with Huntemup and can vouche(sp?) for his ethics. He has more than most people. I know exactly where he was and the sleds are needed to go about 10 miles over a desert two track to get to the mountain. He's parked on the road, you just can't tell from the pic. I can guarantee he put on many miles after leaving the sled. The sled was used only to get him to and from the base of the mountain. I guess I shouldn't have been joking around. Someone always gets their feathers ruffled.

 

[ELKLOVER]

Oh yeah, I prefer a sturdy frame pack. This looks like a mess, but the point is a frame works great.

 

[Antlerglazed]

Looks like you've been to Yellowstone with your buddy!!! That was a joke, relax!

Pack frames for sure. I also like to tie them down with big plastic zip ties. That way they chinch down tight and don't move at all until you cut them off.

 

[ELKLOVER]

Good idea. The problem I always have is getting to my lunch. Whenever I want to eat I always have to undo everything to get to my food. It's a pain in the arse. Any solutions for that? I guess you could strap on a smaller fanny pack with just your lunch in it. Of course it's not a big deal on days when you only have a few bones.

Also, how many of you use a water bladder versus water bottles?

 

[Antlerglazed]

Maybe try just zip tying all the antlers together, then bungee the to the pack for easy access?? I use a bladder, but often worry about it poping or getting a hole in it a losing all my water on a hot day.

All this talk is really getting me pumped for the shed season. I honestly think, shed hunting can sometimes be funner and I look forward to that more than hunting them on the hoof some days! Maybe thats becasue I can't draw anything but a general season, over pressured tag!

 

[elkantler75]

here in wyoming the game and fish like to use helicopters to do "surveys". the "surveys" are usually taken from no more than a few hundred feet off the ground so i know that it affects the wildlife. i saw on of these "surveys" this morning while i was watching some bulls from a pullout on the highway. why cant the game and fish do there "surveys" from the same lookouts? they waste our money and harrass our game. they are a bunch of bastages and hipocrits.

 

[bearbone]

Well i sure am glad that everyone has made up, HAHA. Anyways i also prefer a water bladder. it's alot easier to get two when you want a drink, but one disadvantage is it's so easy to get to, sometimes you take it for granted and drink all your water half way through your day, i also like to carry a water purifier, it weighs less than an ounce, and atleast i know i will always have clean water to drink. I think that they zip tie idea is a good one. Do you un dew all the horns when you find a new one or is it easy to add and just keep zip tieing?

 

[Antlerglazed]

Thats true about drinking it just cause it's there and not saving it for when you really need it. Its easy to just zip tie them all together. Then if you keep the rights and lefts together, you can easily tie them onto each other. There is no need to cut and re-tie after every one!

 

[Antlerglazed]

I couldn't agree more elk. But at the same time, how accurate would that be? I think the head count is very important to managing the unit. Being off just 10 or 20 may do more harm then a fly by in early spring. If you think about it, they might be saving us money. How many fish cops do you know that will put in a honest days work? Not many. Why should they? They'll get paid the same and the less work for them, the better. I'd rather pay them to fly around a couple weeks out of the year, rather than hiking, atving or horsing around 8 months out of the year.

 

[Huntemup]

Thanks ELKLOVER...I appreciate your post. I also enjoyed our day out wallowing in the snow today!
Just so you all know...we looked at a lot of bulls today, but opted to back out and leave 'em alone with the deep snow and all. But we'll be back!

I use a water bottle this time of year because my bladder hose freezes on me all the time...even with the insulated sleeve. But by mid April I make the switch to my Camelback. In fact, I like using a Camelback attached to my pack frame because it's so small & light I'm not tempted to put more than I need in it. Plus it's a LOT lighter than my Badlands. Once I bungy bones to my pack frame I drape or bungy my Camelback over the top of them so I can access my lunch, treats for my companero "Buck the Bonefinder" & other stuff.

Have any of you used the Steripen water purifier? I bought one last hunting season but haven't used it yet. I like the light weight, small size, and simplicity of it.

 

[Bambistew]

I always take a roll or two of black electrical tape. A little rope and a few small bungy cords. Just tape the antlers together as you go and strap the whole package to your pack with the rope and bungy cords. Internal or external pack is of no consequence as long as it has places to lash to.

IMO the days of finding too many antlers to have to worry about getting them all strapped to your pack are long gone though.