Packing out the rack

[Firehole Hunter]

I need some ideas about how to get the rack back to the truck for an elk because of the weight and I don't anticipate getting my bull mounted unless he is 350+. Do I pack a saw so that I can cut off a skull cap or what? Everyone shows videos about how to process and pack the meat out but very little on removal of the head, horns, skull cap, etc. prior to lashing it onto the pack.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Bring a saw with you when you go back for your last load.

 

[Wapiti1]

Small saw to cap it, or skin out the head. Doesn't take long if you don't want the cape. I always have a small saw, and make the decision after the kill. More often than not, I skin the head and bring it out whole on the last trip.

Don't forget the ivories if you cap it.

Jeremy

 

[cnelk]

It depends on how far you have to pack it and what you want to do with it.

I like euros so I bring the head out whole. Just sever the spine right behind the head, using a knife.

You can carry the antlers up or down, once again depends the distance and terrain.

Or pack meat and carry the head, or pack meat and the head.

There really isnt a science to it

 

[spike camp]

I’ve skull capped a lot of my earlier bulls, and regretted it since.
Even a small bull displays well as a euro, so my suggestion is to plan on packing out the head with antlers attached.

On a side note, I can’t imagine packing out a bull with the antler tips facing up...seems like they would snag on everything.

 

[Idahohillboy]

Lol worry about how to get the meat out first which is the biggest pain in the ass.

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[huntsman22]

I whack it off with a hatchet.....

A couple chops thru the brain pan, parallel to the forehead and a couple across the forehead just above the eyebulbs..... in front of the ears, above the eyes

 

[cnelk]

On a side note, I can’t imagine packing out a bull with the antler tips facing up...seems like they would snag on everything.

Dont the elk grow em that way?
They dont seem to have a problem with them snagging

 

[N2TRKYS]

Dont the elk grow em that way?
They dont seem to have a problem with them snagging

They aren't on the elk's back though.

 

[Beendare]

OP, its pretty easy to do it the way Cnelk does, just keep in mind you don't want that spinal fluid all over your meat....

 

[muddydogs]

If your going to euro mount the head take the time to skin it out, remove the jaw and cut the head off the spin at the base of the skull. You will drop 10 to 15 pounds off the head by doing this. First bull I shot I packed the whole head out with a few inches of neck still attached, once I got home and figured out how to get the head ready to simmer for a euro mount I was amazed at the weight difference and wondered why I packed all the extra weight out.

 

[fishslap]

A summary of what I've done and what others have said:

1. I want to do a shoulder mount:
a. I don't want to cape the face in the field: Cape it up to where you can get to the last vertebrae connecting to the skull. Cut the connective tissue around the last vertebrae. I think it's mostly on the sides. Twist and crank on the head, making any additional cuts you might have missed until the head comes off. Roll up the cape to the back of the skull, strap the whole thing to the pack.
b. I'm ok caping the face in the field: Cape the hide off the face/skull and only take the skull cap per below.

2. I want a euro mount. Same as above to get the head disconnected from the vertebrae but don't cape it at all, just cut the hide off at the back of the head. Option one is to just take the whole head out like that. Option two is to cut the lower jaw off to save a little weight. I've done that with the last few. Same method as taking the skull off the vertebrae, just look for the connective tissue where the lower jaw connects to the skull, make cuts and then put your foot in its mouth to step on the jaw and crank on the top of the head until it starts to come off. Brute force and cutting get it done pretty quick.

3. I just want the skull cap. Saw the top of the skull off. I used to take it off straight across the top of the eye sockets, but on the last one I angled both front side cuts down toward the nose from the bottom of the eye sockets. It makes a better looking skull cap IMO if you care. Back cut isn't as important, just a straight line across the back then connect the front an back cuts on either side, basically from the back of the eye socket. I normally take a small saw with me but if not, then you come back with one.

I only kill small bulls so I always pack them out upside down (antlers pointing down) with the head high on the pack. I always tie some orange flagging tape in a few areas on the antlers.

 

[spike camp]

Dont the elk grow em that way?
They dont seem to have a problem with them snagging

True...but I’ve seen Elk plow through stuff that would stop a truck!

 

[tttoadman]

Dont the elk grow em that way?
They dont seem to have a problem with them snagging

I always wondered this myself until I saw a big bull run straight away through the pole thicket. All you could hear was the rack slapping on the trees while he ran. I was depressed, but it was one of the most bad ass things I ever saw.

 

[Bulldawg]

True story! I've done the exact same thing.

I don't carry antlers up just because there are dummies out there and I want to make sure that I don't give them a reason to do something like shoot me. I also carry antler tips down because the weight tends to carry better that way.

If your going to euro mount the head take the time to skin it out, remove the jaw and cut the head off the spin at the base of the skull. You will drop 10 to 15 pounds off the head by doing this. First bull I shot I packed the whole head out with a few inches of neck still attached, once I got home and figured out how to get the head ready to simmer for a euro mount I was amazed at the weight difference and wondered why I packed all the extra weight out.

 

[wytx]

Just remove the bottom jaw with your knife and it takes lots of weight off of the skull, ears too.

 

[mfllood3800]

Saw in camp or truck, grabbed on last load, cape it, cut it, haul it

It takes under 30 minutes to cut the hide of the head.

If You decide it's to small to mount, then just cap it.

Always have the saw in the vehicle waiting, you never know when that 350+ will show up.


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[Montanaelk31]

skin head and remove the lower jaw. takes 10 min or so. I will have my pack loaded and just carry the rack this way. gets it really light, especially all those raggys I slaughter.

 

[OFFHNTN]

With all the CWD stuff, it's a pain in the butt to want to do a euro mount and have to hassle with getting all the brain matter out to legally bring it across state lines. A cordless drill and bent wire/clothes hanger works well.

 

[Firehole Hunter]

Thanks a lot guys, I really appreciate all of the insight. Yeah, I guess I never really thought about the brain matter when bringing it back East. If I want to do euro mounts I guess I would need to bring out tools for that to be done at the base camp. Pretty soon I'm going to have a compound for a base camp.