Most pack guides start with liters. Start with pounds instead. A pack that holds 85 liters but folds at the hip belt under 90 pounds is a nice tent bag, not a pack-out tool. Idaho's early rifle controlled elk hunts run Oct 10–24, Colorado's first rifle season runs Oct 14–18, and Colorado's second rifle season and Montana's general season both open Oct 24. If you're about to spend $300-plus on a pack for one of those hunts, the useful question isn't "how big?" It's "how many trips, at what weight, and can this pack carry that weight?"
The pack-out math nobody prints on the hang tag
onX Hunt's elk-weight breakdown, built on a University of Wyoming carcass study, puts the average bull at about 700 lb live and roughly 490 lb field-dressed, and the average cow at 500 lb live and about 350 lb field-dressed. Boneless yield averages about 218 lb for a bull and 169 lb for a cow, and can run as high as 270 lb in the biggest age classes.
Their worked example is a 500 lb field-dressed bull: about 250 lb of meat plus a 40 lb head, so 290 lb to move. Alone, that's three trips at 97 lb, four at 73 lb, or five at 58 lb. A 2022 review they cite recommends keeping any single load under 40% of body weight, which works out to about 72 lb for a 180 lb hunter. Run that number honestly and a solo bull is a four-trip job, not a two-trip one.
Wyoming Game and Fish and a recent Cowboy State Daily report on pack-out methods land in the same place: a solo hunter with a backpack should plan on at least two trips, and boning the meat in the field matters because, as one outfitter put it, you'd otherwise be "packing 110 to 120 pounds of bone" per elk. Wyoming also requires hunters to remove all the edible meat from the field (quarters minus the shanks, backstraps and tenderloins), so leaving the heavy work for tomorrow isn't an option.
What that means for choosing a pack
1. Rate the frame, not the volume
If your realistic load is 70–100 lb, the frame, hip belt and load-lifter geometry decide whether you finish. Volume only decides whether the meat fits. Before you buy any pack for pack-out duty, find the manufacturer's stated load range and empty weight. Be aware that Venator's listing for the Forge Creek Expedition Pack doesn't publish either figure, so if that number decides your purchase, email us first and we'll get it from the maker before you order.
2. Plan for multiple trips, so camp-to-truck comfort matters
Three to five carries means the pack's empty-trip comfort matters nearly as much as its loaded performance. A pack that is great at 90 lb and miserable at 30 lb costs you on every return leg.
3. Count the rifle
On the first trip your rifle or bow is also on your back. A dedicated gun/bow boot that carries the weapon low and secure frees your hands for trekking poles on the descent.
Where the Forge Creek Expedition Pack fits
The Forge Creek Expedition Pack is the pack we'd point a western hunter toward when the plan is a multi-day hunt with the pack-out built in. Per the manufacturer's specifications on our listing, it's an 85L (5,100 cu in) pack that ships with a 2L hydration bladder, an adjustable, removable gun/bow boot, a rainfly with its own carry bag, and ripstop and water-resistant accessory pouches. It's $191.99 in Olive and $197.99 in Strata.
Why it's on our shelf: it was built for hunts that run multiple days deep, where a day pack won't cut it, and it carries a dedicated boot and large side pockets so nothing gets left at the truck.
What we haven't done: Venator hasn't field-tested this pack, and it has no customer reviews yet, so the evidence for it is the maker's specifications and our read of the design, not a season of abuse. If you buy it and use it, we'd like to hear how the frame handled a real load.
Hunting from a base camp or the truck and coming back every night? The Forge Creek Icon Pro Hunting Day Pack ($113.99 Olive, $119.99 Strata) is the better fit for the hunting days. Its listing describes ripstop fabric, YKK zippers, padded shoulder straps and back support, and a hydration compartment, but doesn't publish a capacity or load rating, so treat it as a day pack and not a meat hauler. We haven't field-tested it either. Our hunting backpack guide covers the rest of the packs we carry.
Build the kit: pack plus two knives
Boning a bull in the field goes faster with two blades: a stiff one for skinning and a curved one for working meat off the bone. Our suggested kit is the Expedition Pack in Olive ($191.99), the Mora/Frosts Skinning Knife #7146 ($34.99) and the Mora/Frosts Curved Boning Knife ($27.99), about $254.97 together. Bring your own game bags. Western elk hunting is also mostly glassing, so a chest-mounted bino harness that keeps optics out of the main pack is worth having; we don't stock one, so source it elsewhere.
First-time customers can use WELCOME10 at checkout for 10% off eligible items.
A timing reality check
We ship in 3–5 business days, so count back five business days from the day you leave for camp, not from opening day. For the Oct 24 openers in Colorado and Montana, that means an order placed by about Oct 16 to be safe. Idaho's general rifle season (Oct 25–Nov 3) and the later days of whichever season you hunt give you more room. Colorado's first rifle season (Oct 14–18) and New Mexico's general rifle (Oct 10–14) are too close to plan around. Buy for the hunt you can actually make.
New to western elk? Read The DIY Elk Reality in 2026, check 2026-27 season dates by state, see what a nonresident hunt actually costs in 2026 if you're traveling, and browse our hunting packs and elk gear. Rules change by unit, so confirm dates and meat-handling requirements with your state agency before you go.
Frequently asked questions
How much weight can one person pack out in a single trip?
A 2022 review cited by onX recommends staying under 40% of body weight per load, about 72 lb for a 180 lb hunter. Most hunters exceed that on the first carry, so plan trips accordingly.
How many trips does a boned-out elk take?
For a 500 lb field-dressed bull (about 290 lb including the head), onX's example is three trips at 97 lb, four at 73 lb or five at 58 lb when hunting solo. With a partner it drops to one or two.
Is 85 liters too big?
For a multi-day hunt with a pack-out, it's a reasonable size, but weight capacity matters more than volume. Compress the pack when it's light so it stays stable on the return trips.
Does the Expedition Pack fit a bow or a rifle?
The listing describes an adjustable, removable gun/bow boot. Confirm the fit for your specific rifle or bow length before buying; email us if you want to check.
How fast does it ship?
Typically 3–5 business days. Don't count on delivery before an opener inside that window.
