There are places around here I no longer elk hunt because 1 climb out is one thing, but 7 or 8 trips to get the whole carcass out is quite another thing. I have done that on occaisions and now with age, gray hair and dare I say it...wisdom, yes, that's it...avoid it if at all possible. As for bear, that is different game entirely as we have no control over where they tree or bay up. Of course, we don't HAVE to pull the trigger on a treed bruin, but a bayed bear sometimes demands it. Getting them out is tough stuff. There is a fellow around here that is a butcher. He packs his knives and a saw to the animal, along with freezer paper and a tarp. Right there on the spot the entire critter gets cut-and-wrapped and all superfluous bone and non-edibles are left for the yotes. THAT is good thinking. Then it's only 3 or 4 trips out!!