Worst Drag EVER

[JackOfAllTrades]

Something significant about Nov. 15th 2007.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Something significant about Nov. 15th 2007.

Yep.  Worked a full day Nov.14 until 4:00pm, drove 1,050 miles overnight, arrived at my Wyoming trailhead at 10:00am.  Grabbed pack and rifle, hiked in 4 miles.  Shot a raghorn bull around 1:00pm, was following up when the heart attack and TIA (mini stroke) hit.  Left elk for the coyotes  , 8 hours/3 miles later finally got a cell signal on about the 5th high knob I tried.  Could barely speak due to TIA, but finally got through to WYG&F where I was and that I was having a medical emergency.  Finally made it to the nearest vehicle access (still over a mile from my truck), had nothing left so I lay down in the road.  Two wardens arrived soon after, drove me an hour to the ambulance, and another 1/2 hr to hospital.  Around 1:00am I got the word from the ER doc what the diagnosis was.  The rigor of my hunting activity has been toned down ever since.

[halflife65]

Wow.  I'm glad that you made it out. 

[DOUBLELUNG]

Wow.  I'm glad that you made it out. 

Thanks!  I figure every day since is a bonus!

[whacker1]

Glad to hear that you are around to tell the story.

[Curly]

Drug my first buck out over a mile.  I got smarter after that and only pack them out now.  Dragging is too hard on the back.

[NRA4LIFE]

We have it easy here out in the west.  I don't drag anymore unless it's 100 yards from the truck and down hill.  All boned out or in the least skinned and quartered.  I prefer to completely bone them out.  Back in the Midwest we have to register deer WHOLE.  And at the time in Missouri, it had to be the same day you killed the deer.  My worst drag was there in Missouri, the first day I ever deer hunted in the state.  I was alone without a whole lotta expectations as I had only scouted this spot once (looked promising though).  I was down in a river bottom about 2 miles from camp.  Had my climbing treestand with me too.  Dumped a 4X5 whitetail 5 minutes after legal shooting hours.  Pretty good sized body on him for MO.  About 180 lbs gutted.  Temperatures were to hit 75 that day.  Started dragging at 7:00AM and got him to the truck at 2:00PM.  400 yards was up a pretty significant hill.  Just about killed myself.  No more dragging

[bobcat]

I don't drag anymore unless it's 100 yards from the truck and down hill.

I prefer to partially bone out deer. I like to leave the hind quarters intact. The rest of it I like to bone out, so that I don't have to carry out any ribs, back bone, head, legs, etc.

I absolutely HATE dragging deer out. I see no reason for it, because when I get home I will have to skin the deer and cut it up anyway. I figure I might as well do a good part of that work while I am still in the woods.

[Sorefeet]

We had hunted several days hard and the last night at camp we met some really friendly guys in a wall tent. They broke open some scotch and the social drinking began. We left back to our tent with promices to meet for pancakes at 430 AM. Our party of three showed up to a dark tent and deep snoring. We went out for the morning hunt on an empty belly and  little more tired than usual. I was at my truck at noon and my buddy shows up with a spike head on his back. This is where the pain begins. We hiked a 1/2 mile on fairly flat and then down a 1/2 mile on a 45 degree slope of shale. Got to the animal and then had to gut it for him as he was new to hunting. We decided to half the elk due to time contraints. The front quarters went on a pole and over the shoulders. I was 26 and 220 lbs then and worked out 5 days a week. My brother in law was not in as good of cardio shape as I but was one of the strongest people I have ever known. It was a struggle with the front but we did ok. The hind quarters in one trip was another story. The steepness of the hill and the shale made this such a joy. I have worked a lot of tough jobs but that day was one of the most physically demanding days of my life. Bone out and pack out is my motto now. I will not haul bones up hill!!!!

Happy trails!

[squeeze2drop]

In shale? Lol dang, if I ever c u, I'm buyin u a drink, hell, drinks on me all night!

[Sorefeet]

The drinks the night before were part of the problem. Throw some intense physical work and dehydration in. FUN IN THE SUN.

Taught me a big lesson.

[1morebuck]

Great topic! I've had some whopper drag/pack outs, but here is the easiest one I have ever had:

First year of archery elk. Hunting buddy Barny and I follow a herd of 12 cows and one 4x4 raghorn for three miles. It was actually just a big loop that ended near a large hay field. I sent the arrow and hit heart/lung gold and the bull walked 15 yards and dropped. We waited 30 minutes and headed over. I had nailed a bull my first year out archery Roosie hunting. Pulling out my Kershaw, I began the gutting process. Just as I pulled the two pieces of heart that my muzzy had split in two we hear a kid from the top of the hay field yelling at us. I stood up to talk with him and he was excited that we had knocked this bull down. Then out of no where he offered to get his backhoe and drive it to his farm a mile away! We hiked back to my 1970 International "cornbinder" and drove ten miles out of the back roads to get to the farm. The kid and his grandpa pulled up to my truck and we slid the bull, whole, in my truck. To top it off they gave us a beer and invited us back to hunt the property!

[dreamingbig]

Sorefeet... was that the origin for your handle?  Ouch!

[coachcw]

double lung U win

[halflife65]

double lung U win

Agreed.  Even if the pack out was just yourself.