Packing Game Out

[careybirdwell]

Hello. I got a hunt coming up at Bahia Grande for Nilgai. I have been to Laguna Atascosa & The Schlaben Unit before and I took a bike trailer & game cart with me. This time I'm thinking on maybe trying something a little different. As far as I can tell, on most of the unit I should be no further than about 1.5 miles from the main road access. I was thinking about getting a pack frame and packing it out that way versus dragging it out on a cart. I imagine it would take me more trips but I think I can handle the walking vs pulling & dragging. The few times I have been down there. A heavy duty wagon has looked like the best option if you are mainly on good trails & roads. What is everyone opinion on packing vs pulling game out

[Killer]

That big of animal will take multiple trips. Good pack and in good shape should be able to do it.
Good sharp knife and saw will make it easier. I would have a small tarp and game bags to set the meat/quarters on in as you break the animal down.

[RifleBowPistol]

I packed one mule deer out, a bit over a mile, up and down and then back up two canyons, twice. That was not any fun, but I was glad when I finally made it back to the truck for the second time. It was only about 28 degrees outside, I took my hunting gear off and put on a Tee shirt and shorts, then went into town. Even when I got into town, to me, it felt like it was about 70 degrees outside. It was definitely a workout, but I used to like doing things like that, but at 50 something, it was a bit of a shock to my body. I think I should do more aggressive workouts like I used to, I really enjoy it, but that type of workout was a bit extreme for my body, having not done much in recent times, before that hike out.

Packing a large bull nilgai, would be a serious workout, being on flat ground would potentially make it easier, but if it's in soft sand, that would suck. I don't know the place where you are going, so I don't know if you are going to be dealing with black clay, sandy loam or soft sand, or packed sand.

I am going to try my heavy duty cart, but I plan on taking a heavy duty tarp, and some rope. I have seen guys using a tub/sled like thing to drag game out of the woods. I think a tarp would be a cheap compact way of doing basically the same thing.

I always take my back pack, which I can carry around half of a mule deer in, it would take probably four to six trips to carry a good sized nilgai out. Then I am going to take my cart/heavy duty wagon, then probably a couple of tarps and some rope, so I have options, instead of just deciding I am going with one idea, then that winds up not being worth a crap, once I have something to haul out. Then I have a tripod, that I can turn into a cart, or a small crane. Knowing I hunt alone, I want as many options available. So many times I thought I knew what to expect, then wound up dealing with something I never planned for.

Good luck.

[stevieray54]

How about a double wheel plastics wheel barrel

[az2tx]

Their was a reason I had 27 mountain horses and mules for many years

[ElfEyes]

I've never used one but if I got drawn for the hunt you're going on I would look hard at a hawk game
cart

https://www.amazon.com/Hawk-Crawler-Game-Cart-Black/dp/B01D93036U

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

[ross]

Packing out is the way to do it. Just got through packing out 3 Nilgai a couple weeks ago at La Sal del Rey. Bone them out using the gutless method and game bags. A cow Nilgai will probably be 2-3 packs depending on how much you can carry and how much meat you decide to take. A military ruck pack works pretty good as well as a pack frame. The military ruck pack you don’t have to worry about strapping the meat to the frame. I bought mine at a military surplus store a couple days before the hunt and used it the entire hunt.

[RR 314]

All I know is half of a big bull would spoil on most S. Texas days if I was packing out by myself. :-)

[Clay6x45]

You will not regret getting a good pack frame. It gives you other options and if you ever do any self- guided western style hunts it is almost a necessity. With a pack frame you can cross laydowns, creeks, hills etc. much easier. However with that said if the ground is level it is hard to beat a cart or I like to tie quarters directly on a bike and push. I recently packed out a young bull in unit 4 at Laguna Atascosa so taking a cart or bike wasn't very practical on my kayak but I would have loved to have one instead of making multiple 1 1/2 miles trips with a pack.

[MooseontheLoose]

The Hawk Crawler cart from the Amazon link above (listed at $220) is listed on Camofire today for $190. Just an FYI for anyone interested.

[Walker]

I packed a caribou in Alaska. Boned everything but the hams because the airplane was on its way and we didn't have time. Took 2 of us 2 trips. I was a LOT younger then.

[Texas Grown]

I've got a Hawk Crawler game cart. Best game cart I've owned yet! It's a little more difficult to pull uphill. But on the flats it's a breeze. And I have used it several times. It's a smooth easy pull. And rated for up to 500lbs. Will also fold up. I just used it this past weekend pulling game out.

Lots of YouTube on it being used.

The fish are biting and there's hogs to be kill-t. Gotta go!

[rebelbow]

hawk crawler is a gamechanger!

[tdwinklr]

All I know is half of a big bull would spoil on most S. Texas days if I was packing out by myself. :-)

that's what I would be concerned about, we're talking several hundred pounds here, aren't we? At least the OP is looking ahead.

[piercebronkite]

Pack frame and some friends with pack frames. That was my plan if we shot one. We are also all in shape though.