What age to start hiking? packing?

[Duck-Slayer]

Great input, thanks, the terrain is usually on steep stuff, but there are nice trails, so no going up or down, more just side hilling it, typical backpack trail or closed logging roads, not real difficult, most hunt's are done 3-5 miles out from the truck, the elevation may be something too consider, live in Caldwell, not sure but I think its about 2300' - it would be about a 4000-6000 elevation gain too hunting camp, the temps in early Sept. should be in the 70's for high's maybe, and lows get close too freezing, I will test them without a load after they turn 1 year old in March.

Also IdahoNancy-I plan on doing only 1 trip for an elk, me the wife and 3 goats should be able too get it out in 1 load, The wife and I packed her cow out 2 years ago in two trips of boned meat, so I think we can get a cow at least in 1 trip, a big bull well that might be another thing, it took me 5 trips by myself last year too get my bull out 2 miles in, that sucked,
Matt