Crazy or not?

[jessonml]

Ok I want some opinions. I have group LEH in region 8 for Bull Moose. I know where the bulls are... up high approx 1.5 hr hike from truck. We have taken deer from said area using different methods such as drag out whole (stupid), sled out whole on snow (not bad but a little spiker), gut and quarter in bags (not bad but heavy with only 2 guys and no de-boning with 2 days of gear), gutless method and sled out (easy peasy with 4 guys, yesterday). So we've got the gutless method down on deer and our LEH starts Nov. 1st. There is snow on the ground so we can bring our toboggan.
My question that is up for discussion do you think it will be nuts to shoot a bull, perform gutless method and either toboggan out, pack out or combination with 3-4 guys. We have to go uphill for about 1 km then mostly downhill for 4 (the one I saw yesterday was a nice bull 9x9 and being a first time moose hunter he looked pretty fricken big).
We are all late 20s, strong hikers, full of determination.
Anyone have a similar experience? Tips? Tricks? Warnings?
How heavy is an average bull moose hind quarter? How about front quarter? I can estimate the straps, loins, neck meat etc from this. We don't like to leave much!

Thanks everyone.

[ElliotMoose]

4 guys should'nt be a problem, any of you have meat packs? It's not necessarily the weight that gets you, it's the size making it awkward to carry. Count on a hind quarter weighing anywhere from 100-160 lbs depending on the size of the animal. Snow makes a huge difference as well. Even without a toboggan, me plus two guys can slide a full moose around fairly easily for short distances as it acts like a sled on it's own with snow on the ground. The uphill part will be a b**ch but my nastiest packouts have made for some of my best memories. Good luck fellas

Chris

[rocksteady]

How bad do you want to fill the tag?? How hard are you willing to work to get it out???

I killed a mature bull over this way a couple years ago, got it loaded whole into the truck :) It weighed about 450 at the butcher, so if you were to do the boning on site and only pack out pure meat, I would guess somewhere around 300 lbs... 300 divided by 4 guys, maybe 80 pounds each or 2 trips with 40 pounds each... Pack it up hill to the top and then have toboggan or game cart for the downhill 4 km...

You never know if you are thinking crazy until you try it...

[seatoskymiles]

not crazy, just lots of work.

[Gateholio]

If I had to do that hike, I'd debone the meat at the kill site. You will have 4-6 man trips to retrieve all the meat and the antlers. Depends on how big the moose is and how much you guys can each carry in one load. Last moose I packed out on my back was a couple of years ago, with Gilmore. He and I took a load of meat that night, then returned with 2 helpers and packed out the rest, and it's not as if we were all straining under 150 lb loads. Just make sure you are set up with good packs and/or packframes and have something to put the boned out meat into, like pillow cases. 1.5-2 hours is too long to have warm meat sit in a plastic bag.

[Glenny]

Any trails in behind you don't know about?

[curt]

well a chain saw or 2 in front of a quad will get you a long ways into anyway country!? id be inclined to get as close as I could then break out some long ass rope and start winching done it many times works like a dream I have 2 bails of rope 1000ft each that gets things in motion, another option is those portable chainsaw style winches, or elbow grease in this case back grease i guess

[Wrayzer]

Sounds a lot funner than driving around in a truck, What MU is the tags for?

[moose2]

Your not crazy at all, especially if you have four guys willing to work. A de boned moose with skull plate/antlers plus hunting gear and rifles will be about 100 lbs to 130 lbs each. A fairly easy down hill hike for 1.5 hours. I have packed a few out from further, tough work but way better than going home empty imho. Take 4 large pillow cases with you, a quarter of meat off the bone will fit nicely in one case. They are strong and allow the meat to cool down and breath they also keep it clean. It takes me about 3 hours to de bone one on my own, having four guys should be way quicker. I don't take the meat from between the ribs, these little strips dry out and not usually much can be saved. Make sure you have a decent saw for taking off the skull plate, they are a lot of work with too small of saw.
This video series is how I dress a moose, its a elk but same idea. I have found it easier to cut the guts out of the way to get the inner tender loins out. I also take the meat off the leg bones and some neck meat as well.
If you were able to carry the extra weight of the leg bones you would save a bit of meat and time. The meat would hang better than fully deboned meat does. Being on my own I didn't have the option of taking the bones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZsO4tsrKPw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NXuOq4jz34A

Good luck on your moose. PM me with any questions. The moose I got in Sept took 5 trips and thats with heavy loads and very little gear.
Mike

[steel_ram]

I'll never do that again. Sorry, but it isn't worth the effort.

[doubled]

Debone and pack. You guys are young and full of pi$$ and vinegar. You sure won't do that in your fourties so make the trek now and add it to your memories of a great trip.

[jessonml]

I like the enthusiasm guys! We are going to go for it. Don't have a quad or access to one so it's boots and packs. I will update!

[moose2]

Good for you guys go for it, I am looking forward to the 9 point pictures.
Mike

[mark]

Debone and pack. You guys are young and full of pi$$ and vinegar. You sure won't do that in your fourties so make the trek now and add it to your memories of a great trip.

Me and my buddies average about 40, we debone and pack out elk all the time, sometimes only 3 of us.
Should be easy for 4 strong younger guys!

[wildman 22]

wow cant even believe that you would question it ,4 or 4 guys packing a moose out together makes for good times ,good memories, and when you sit down at the table eating it , it will make the meal that much more tasty.I would pack it out myself if i had to. all the best hope you fill your tags.

[The Dude]

Four guys in their twenties? "Boneless method, Deboning game, videos, Youtube" There ya go.
Man, we're two guys in their 40's, so same number of years, two less bodies, and WE do it with Elk.
Good advice above, good luck to you guys!!!

[doubled]

Good to hear, take lots of pics. The memories you get can be relived over and over. ENJOY!!!

[Darksith]

who cares if it takes you 3 days to get the moose out, thats why its hunting not shopping. As long as the weather is right and the critters don't eat your moose, its always worth it. If not you might as well just road hunt and pray

[angus_83]

Did the gutless method for the first time this weekend on a small bull moose my buddy shot, would have been horrible trying to get this thing to the truck any other way. Worked rather well, would have been better if we had 2 pack frames, but even with 1 it only took us 3 trips. First was head and all the gear for 1 guy and 1 leg on the pack frame for the other guy, second was another leg on frame and all the loose meat in 2 game bags, third was 1 leg on the pack and 1 leg being packed. We only had about 400m to go through a fairly steep and slashy cutblock, so not quite the 5ks you talk about, but with a decent pack frame it was easier to pack 70-80 lbs on your back than any other way, it beats dragging meat and getting it all dirty and covered in leaves etc.

I hunt by the motto: shoot first and figure it out later. Nothing worse than not filling a tag. As others have mentioned it will be worth it in the end...so no, you're not crazy if you ask me.

[CHEAM]

Take a axe with you so you can chop the antlers and skull plate off the head.The axe is alot lighter in and out than the whole head out.

[jessonml]

Wow Mike that solo Moose was a beast! That's impressive to say the least.

[kennyj]

We de-bone all our moose right on the spot they drop. We've packed a few for 2-3 miles. Its crazy. I'll do it again I'm sure. With a few guys no problem. Go get him.
kenny

[knockturnal]

What Sub region? Ive been seeing a lot of moose, might be able to give you a heads up if you havent been able to get out scouting.

[BearStump]

make sure you have at least 24 beer waiting at the bottom on ice. after a pack like that the first two go down the hatch in about 1 minute. and taste better than any beer youve had in the last year!!!

[MattW]

not a problem for 4 people and you guys are young, we took a 50 inch bull moose this year, by the gps it was 12.6 kms walk to the river, three of us, average 43 years old, two trips each, deboned....a little sweat has never hurt anyone..lol

Deaddog that is totally awesome. To the OP, just go for it, taking a good animal is always worth the packing no matter how far. If you're having to leave meat at the kill sight overnight there are a few things you can do to help keep the critters off. None of these work for sure but they can help. Leave a sweaty shirt with the meat, pee a wide circle around the meat (not on it though).

[Fry777]

I hope this happens. It's true that a little sweat never hurt anyone.