"Payment" for helping pack out an elk?

[Weaselthis]

My son and 2 best friends have been hunting mostly CO but a few other western states also for 25 years. We started out day one & continue to share ALL costs/meat/chores/tags equally among the four of us.

Two vehicles' fuel/meals/motels there and back, one member's plane fare to Grand Junction or Salt Lake (he's from Arkansas), rental horses, packing out, cooking meals.

We pay one member's teenage daughter to pre-make/freeze ALL the meals for the trip we'll need in camp. Got a small RV propane stove, pop 'em in upon returning from the day's hunt & 45 min. later you're livin' large! We each pay her $200 for the weeks worth of meals.

To keep things simple and so no one's feelings get hurt we have a "CAN". It's an empty Folger's coffee can. At the start of the trip, we all "fund the can" with equal amounts of what we've learned will PROBABLY be the costs to get there. Upon arrival in camp, we'll fund it again to cover tags, plane fare etc. And once again if someone bingos we'll split the cost of processing.

Has worked extremely well for us all this time......well, except Donnie wanted to take $200 out of the can for some female company in Nevada one time. That dog didn't hunt.

We've also lent a hand 3 times over the years to help some poor soul get his elk off the mtn. and outta the woods. Got a bottle of very good bourbon one time, and heartfelt thanks the other two. Guess which times we all agreed were most rewarding!

 

[Muddyboots]

Ah yes, the "can"! We do the same with the "bag" which is just a zippered bag from NW Airlines from 1st Class one trip. Much easier to dole out of the "bag"! Or "can"!

 

[del2les]

Just curious. What, if anything, do you do for a hunting buddy who helps pack an elk out? Share some of the meat? First shot next year?

Ever since my youth, I have offered part of the kill, and if I am available for his kill, I will help pack out also. I've lost count of the number of times I have been summoned to assist in a pack, drag or search-n-recovery for a hunting friend. Years ago, I had the "hanging tree" at my home, and with piped water, night flood lights, cable/pulley and hand winch, it was the go to place for skinny and quartering.

Only once while hunting alone did I offer money to a strong 18 y/o to help with a cow elk, and given the locale of the kill on the opposing mountain side and thick brush, it was the best money I ever spent!

 

[LRNut]

Interesting question because I've never thought if it... Guess my buddies (who are mostly family) have always had an unwritten rule that we will stop hunting when we learn someone was successful and help the successful hunter get his meat out before resuming our pursuit. If someone was unsuccessful at the end of the hunt we will share a portion of the meat but not necessarily an even distribution. So I guess there are a lot of options but it's probably best to discuss it if you are hunting with a new group to be sure there are no misunderstandings and to be sure you are not "that guy" who doesn't get invited back next year.

My first thought was "If I already had my elk, I would pitch in and help pack out and not expect anything."

On the other hand, if my tag isn't filled, packing out meat is cutting into my hunting time, which is worth a lot more than the energy I burn packing out meat. I have never hunted anything bigger than a caribou (and every time we all shot multiple animals so we all humped) with hunting partners, but I personally wouldn't dream of asking my hunting partner to table his hunt because I just shot an elk.

On the other hand, I am hunting in a few weeks with another LRH member here - he is showing me the ropes (area), so if he shoots one, I will happily pitch in.

 

[skipglo]

Ah yes, the "can"! We do the same with the "bag" which is just a zippered bag from NW Airlines from 1st Class one trip. Much easier to dole out of the "bag"! Or "can"!

Bag is better....more useful if you come across a couple of homely sisters!

 

[skipglo]

My first thought was "If I already had my elk, I would pitch in and help pack out and not expect anything."

On the other hand, if my tag isn't filled, packing out meat is cutting into my hunting time, which is worth a lot more than the energy I burn packing out meat. I have never hunted anything bigger than a caribou (and every time we all shot multiple animals so we all humped) with hunting partners, but I personally wouldn't dream of asking my hunting partner to table his hunt because I just shot an elk.

On the other hand, I am hunting in a few weeks with another LRH member here - he is showing me the ropes (area), so if he shoots one, I will happily pitch in.

I'll bet he's happy to read this! And now has it in writing too!

 

[Carlos88]

1. Choice piece(s) of the elk.
2. Buy a range bag at Midway (or similar) and put a gift card of an amount you feel good about.

 

[Muddyboots]

I usually say "ride home" is a bonus for helping......

 

[JustMe2]

I feel it's a personal thing and depends on the situation. In my case, four of us drove 2 trucks from FL to CO. We shared the expense of a cabin and food. Paid for our own gas and bought our own elk tags. One harvested an elk and all 4 of us drug it off the mountain about 2 miles to a truck then helped him butcher it. Next day, he left for FL even though there were 5 planned days left to hunt and refused to pay for the remaining cabin days. He also refused to give any of us any meat when we were unsuccessful. We were all very upset about his selfishness. In our minds, we considered him a real jerk. So, you decide whether you want to be a stingy jerk or a good guy by at least offering to pay or share your success.

 

[Muddyboots]

Easy decision, never again with bozo.

 

[sp6x6]

Called my buddy for help,bull way.... up steep canyon,foot area.He and his bro have two bulls down was the answer and horse trail had section with 2-3' treesx 4 deep.Got our logger buddy in on that.Four days later,of packing, got my elk out.

 

[LRNut]

I feel it's a personal thing and depends on the situation. In my case, four of us drove 2 trucks from FL to CO. We shared the expense of a cabin and food. Paid for our own gas and bought our own elk tags. One harvested an elk and all 4 of us drug it off the mountain about 2 miles to a truck then helped him butcher it. Next day, he left for FL even though there were 5 planned days left to hunt and refused to pay for the remaining cabin days. He also refused to give any of us any meat when we were unsuccessful. We were all very upset about his selfishness. In our minds, we considered him a real jerk. So, you decide whether you want to be a stingy jerk or a good guy by at least offering to pay or share your success.

Wow. Calling that guy a jerk is too kind. I hope he shot a raghorn.

 

[GW Hunter]

I hunt with the same guy(s) for many years. If only one of us is successful we split the cost of the butcher and split all of the meat. Helping each other on the hunts is all part of the game.

This is what it is about^^^

 

[Carlos88]

I feel it's a personal thing and depends on the situation. In my case, four of us drove 2 trucks from FL to CO. We shared the expense of a cabin and food. Paid for our own gas and bought our own elk tags. One harvested an elk and all 4 of us drug it off the mountain about 2 miles to a truck then helped him butcher it. Next day, he left for FL even though there were 5 planned days left to hunt and refused to pay for the remaining cabin days. He also refused to give any of us any meat when we were unsuccessful. We were all very upset about his selfishness. In our minds, we considered him a real jerk. So, you decide whether you want to be a stingy jerk or a good guy by at least offering to pay or share your success.

Wow. What a horrible person.