I am planning to try my first hunt for elk in 2013. I have started planning and gathering equipment for a solo DIY backpack hunt in the Flat Tops wilderness area. I'll be 45 years old then and I'm worried about packing an elk out 5 to10 miles before it spoils. I am wondering if there are meat pack out services in the area and the usual and customary charge for this. I don't need me and my camp packed in, just the meat and hopefully some horns. I see there is a good herd in the area and almost no private land for them to run to. I know the chance of seeing a large bull is slim to none ( slim is out of town ) but thats fine. A chance for a cow would be what I look for. As this is the first time, I'm there to get an education. Plan to be there two weeks before and stay until I tag out or the end of second season. I don't have a bunch of money and other than good advice I want to do it on my own. I know I can hunt and be alone for long stretches , the only thing I can't work out in my mind is getting the meat out of BFE in time. I'm in Florida and can't prepare for high altitude so I'm leaving time to get adjusted and know I will have to go slow.
Salt it, wrap it in cheese cloth.I am planning to try my first hunt for elk in 2013. I have started planning and gathering equipment for a solo DIY backpack hunt in the Flat Tops wilderness area. I'll be 45 years old then and I'm worried about packing an elk out 5 to10 miles before it spoils. I am wondering if there are meat pack out services in the area and the usual and customary charge for this. I don't need me and my camp packed in, just the meat and hopefully some horns. I see there is a good herd in the area and almost no private land for them to run to. I know the chance of seeing a large bull is slim to none ( slim is out of town ) but thats fine. A chance for a cow would be what I look for. As this is the first time, I'm there to get an education. Plan to be there two weeks before and stay until I tag out or the end of second season. I don't have a bunch of money and other than good advice I want to do it on my own. I know I can hunt and be alone for long stretches , the only thing I can't work out in my mind is getting the meat out of BFE in time. I'm in Florida and can't prepare for high altitude so I'm leaving time to get adjusted and know I will have to go slow.
Curtis that is great to hear . I've not posted much but I too am hard at work on it. I picked up a rifle for the hunt that I'm working on and I am watching a couple of forums for a deal on the pack I want. Had bad chest cold for the last three weeks and missed working out but got back at it Friday evening. Be safe and good luck to you.This is such a great thread!! I too am planning a 2013 elk hunt, my first one ever. I'm currently reading "Backcountry Bowhunting, A Guide to the Wild Side" by Cameron Hanes. This book is so inspirational, filled with great information and this thread fits right into it. I'm also planning a backpack DIY hunt. I'm trying to decide if I want to go with a bow or rifle, and trying to narrow down what state I want to go to. Either way, I'm so excited!!! This will be the longest year of preperation!
Right now I'm in Afghanistan. I have my Eberlestock X1 filled with a huge, heavy sand bag and I'm carrying it a mile each way to work and walking up and down our 50 ft tower. I'm also running and lifting....all in preperation for my first elk hunt! I can't wait to hit the woods and I really appreciate everyone's input and knowledge! Threads like this keep me focused and fired up! I'm sure I'll be asking some of my own questions as time gets closer.
Thanks,
Curtis
Not long ago I picked up a Rem 700 .270 that I intended to build the .280AI out of. Then I thought....well maybe I'll shoot this thing a bit, just to see. DANG IT! The thing shoots inside of 3/4" all day long and doesn't care what you feed it. So I bedded it, put a decent piece of glass on it and now it resides in my safe. As luck would have it I then stumbled upon a SS 700 in an '06 which is even better for what I started to do in the first place.