Two Axes?

Seems I remember Mule, and Saddlesore mention they carry two axes for cleaning elk.  Back then I forgot to ask why, so Why?

Spot

I do the filet trick to save weight. I don't eat those bones so I don't make my horses carry them. I leave the bones in the legs to save time and keep things a bit cleaner.

I take just about all the meat off. This year I'm even taking a filet knife so I can do a better job of it. I saw the neck off and either bone it in camp or haul it out whole to balance the other flank meat and such in the other bag.

The ponies don't know they're carrying bones but they feel the weight nonetheless. My ride into the trailhead and back is 28 miles. I'd just as soon give the horses all the break I can on the weight on the way out.

I bring 6 game bags. It comes off the animal directly into the bags. When I'm removing a quarter I roll the bag up over the lower half like a sock and then detach the quarter and finish bagging it. I make the bags out of sheets I buy at the thrift store and tie the tops shut with parachute cord, making a loop to hang it with. For the loose meat I tie the bag down tight to kind of compress the meat into a lump so it's more solid.