Thread: Be Honest - How do people carry out meat and large weight

Definitely bone it out, then I carry a dry bag and can clip it on the side of my pack after cooling it and avoiding mess

Thread: "Be Honest - How do people carry out meat and large weight"

By cradling my rifle in crossed arms and settling into a grinding plod, one step after the other .... there's no easy way.... to be honest.

Young, fit, strong, perhaps a touch of stupid…

Just thinking back to some of the carries I did many years back.

Originally Posted by Trout

I drive to my results,you think smarter when you get older.

Haha brilliant


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Originally Posted by Trout

Yep bigger foot print,distribute the load weight a little.

Does it seriously make a difference taking walking poles in regards to carrying out heavier meat hauls on foot?


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Originally Posted by Grendel

All my hunting I do is on Doc land and normally requires a decent walk back to the truck. I'm Pretty selective about the animal I kill, looking for good condition, younger hinds where possible for the best quality eating. I put the backstraps and any offal and boned out shoulder meat (usually supplemental dog tucker) in a pillowcase once cooled and try keep the back legs together when possible to sling over my shoulders/back to sit on my day pack (unless I bought the 75L tatonka then they can go in my pack) find carrying the extra couple kg of bone and skin pays off as the meat stays protected from the elements and hangs much better (normally hang for 10 days)


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Great advice.


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Originally Posted by Mrfants

I am enjoying being involved with hunting - it has taught me a lot in the last 18 months.

I have asked several people how they carry out meat, especially on multi day trips. How to store it (esp in summer) and retrieve as much as they can. Basically the logistics of carrying all kit for say 3 days and then how to get all the meat out.

When I initially spoke to people I know, they kept telling about huge quantities of meat they would recover. It transpired that was via quad bikes or side by sides, or utes where available (Nothing wrong with that).Or that they had friends along who werent shooting, but helped carry the meat. I also discovered that in some cases only prime cuts were boned and carried out, hence being able to shoot and take out meat from several animals.

On my first multi day hunt we each carried our kit plus aprox 25-30kg of meat. That was a 3-4 hour trek out.

On some NZ hunting videos Ive seen hunters walk out (at least on camera) carrying their kit and meat totalling 45-50 kgs.

I know there are differences in fitness, age, strength etc - but what is the average walk out weight of meat that people carry? And what is the weight of peoples kit incl firearm, ammo, binos etc?

I certainly learned one thing very quickly - I don't want to carry bones out

Fyi My backpack/tent/all kit for three nights incl firearm, ammo etc weighed around 16-17 kg total. I was told this was light?

Interested to hear peoples stories re this. Especially around kit weight and meat weight and distance/time travelled on foot and any other logistics or advice (I hunt ion foot on DOC land mainly).

Average walk out with legs and full pack (camp, rifle etc) would be in high 40's. I usually leave bone in - we like making stock from them at home + I find it is easier to keep the meat clean.

I've got a Kifaru Hoodlum pack - they carry weight really well.

Always take two walking poles - its mental how much they help, especially with larger steps down that eventually murk your knees, stabilisers etc.

That and just take a ton of breaks. Part of the story is having a good suffer at the end I reckon.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Snoppernator

Great question. Sounds like you have your gear dialed at 17kg, well done. Hunters aren't trampers, we carry in bang sticks, optics and other stuff in the hope we are successful, so you've done well here. One thing you'll probably find, and I've noticed over time, is that you do get used to the pain and suffering, and are able with some fitness and training to carry out heavier loads. The down side being, you end up carrying too much, and spend a lot of time at the physio. I've learnt the hard way. Got myself in really good nick for the roar, super fit which helps. A quality backpack (a meat shelf is so worth it) and at least one trekking pole, and "quiet feet" (place each foot carefully) will help. On a 3 hour walk out I was carrying out a couple of boned out reds (backstraps, 3-4 legs per animal depending on shoulder, tenderloins, heart, off cuts for the pup) - probably 30-40kg all up. For the longer trips 4-6 hours plus, I try to limit myself to boned out back legs and back straps. It's just the reality of distance. Cord to hang the legs (skin on), quality game bags to keep the flies out, and hang everything in a sheltered, breezy spot. Even works in summer. Cut fern to hang over the game bag for additional protection. Another tip, flies go to bed after dark, so do your meat work under the torch.

Thanks that’s great feedback and advice


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Originally Posted by MB

Excellent gear list with weights here: https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....-usual-113567/

I use the gutless method for meat retrieval. Back steaks, back legs and sometimes shoulders. Complete boning out would be the next stage. Why carry out parts of the animal that are going to be discarded anyway?

Great to hear all the talk of soft cocks (from old men with broken backs).

I’m using that gear list atm great effort by the OP.


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Originally Posted by matagouri

Yeah interesting question, and great reading folks comments..
When I was younger used to just throw meat unboned back legs plus backsteaks in with all my other gear and stagger out on multi day trips.

Age plus health catching up on me now so gotta be more careful. These days I bone everything out. I generally hunt mostly the same places on multi day trips,, so have built up good knowledge of where deer seem to favour. Have several airtight 20 litre containers in bush in strategic places which permanently hold food, gas cannisters sleeping bag plus tent etc all year round.

Im looking at a 5-6hr walkout so if I whack a deer over bone meat,, and to drop weight I just leave as much gear behind as I can in my sealed containers to lighten load (spare clothes, binoculars, food, etc). Can be a week to couple months before Im back in there again hunting, so when going back in with a light pack I just top my pack up with gas cannisters plus food to replenish stashed supplies....

Excellent system you’ve got that’s brilliant. As long as people leave your gear alone.


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I hunt Whitetails, half the weight.

Originally Posted by Mrfants

Does it seriously make a difference taking walking poles in regards to carrying out heavier meat hauls on foot?


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Yes.

Originally Posted by 257weatherby

Bunch of soft cocks on here, I used to carry a saddle in and ride mine out. Those were the days, young people these days...........

Harden up mate, I used to carry a saddle in, and let the animal ride on my back on the way out :p

As a young man I carried field dressed carcasses out on my back provided it wasn't too far or too knarly (maybe 5 k's in reasonable going). Nowadays I doubt if I could stand up with one, but I do carry plastic bags for boned meat.

Originally Posted by JesseYoung

My method, Lots of clean pillow cases for meat bags and a day pack big enough to pack it all in to.

100% the pillow cases- can even use one as a pillow stuffed with clothes