How to pack out meat?

Without getting into too much of a "Which pack to use" debate, I was wondering how you guys pack out your meat. More specifically, do you de-bone the meat on site, and just throw the meat in your pack, or do you leave the bone structure attached? My thinking is it would pack smaller if you deboned it and just had the bare meat. Has anyone tried both and what do you prefer?

It depends on how far you have to pack it out and what the terrain is like. If it's less than say 1- 1.5 mi and the terrain isn't bad I pack out quarters. If it's a longer hike or really rough terrain then it's gonna get deboned. How many trips do you want to make? If you debone you go from 5 down to three or less (on elk). Antelope and deer I have just drug.

haha oh yes, this will be so valuable!

Ok, used the horses this year for the first time on our own, me and the gf (no parentals to help us tie the knots). I have packed em out boned and bone-in on my back too. Bone in when i was 16, was ok cuz there was four of us. now i have so much experience cutting meat i prefer to bone em out. Tried just quartering with the horses and know that it will work, but with the panniers i have, they are much better if used with the meat boned. I have packed one out on my back with a good friend and future brother in-law (when i marry his sister) in the three days we were hunting, we walked over 32 miles. shot that one the opening day at 5pm. boned half of him out, made it to the top of the ridge in the dark without breaking any ankles or my rifle. Made a fire and froze our asses off till the morning when we could see clear enough to dodge the boulder outcropings. Made it to the camper around 10, emptied our packs, left my rifle, ate a huge breakfast and grabbed some water and made it back to him by 3, got the rest of him done and to the top of the ridge by dark....fought those dam# rocks for the rest of the night....made it to the camper about 130am. We slept heavy and warm that night! ;D It was a long ordeal, was my first bull ever too. Learned a lot on that trip and lost a little weight too haha. so there ya have it, prefer horses even if i have to walk em out (but they are ours) some can be real knotheads....but have packed em out on foot too, either way bone em out...unless its a small mulie or goat it gets boned loaded and packed out.... if your within a half mile of your destination you prob dont need to....i could literally go on for ever! So im stopping now. Good Luck!
Henry

Thanks guys. I figured itd be better to debone to pack out, but have seen pictures of guys with huge leg bones hanging out. If I have access to horses, I would always take them, but it doesnt always work that way.

Horses don't mind if you bone it out. In fact I think they rather enjoy the lighter load.
Iv'e also done it both ways. Boning takes more time on the hill, but less in the kitchen later.

Always depends on the situation. Location, how many people to pack, what kind of animal, and how much time you have. If you have some experience de boneing it shouldnt take you more than an hour to cut it up and put it in packs.

If you are going to debone it make sure you get the nicer game bags. I have packed many elk out deboned and if your game bag rips everything starts to slip out and go everywhere.

My dad always told me that "if the bull was big enough, shoot it and ask questions later."
if you want it bad enough you can figure out a way to get it out.

When I pack out meat, I like "bone in quarters". The bone lends rigidity to the whole package, and I can lash them to a frame easier.

I find this to be the easiest ;D Then off to the butcher.
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