So Sunday at Vail Tree farm see this...

[bikenut64]

My son and I were hunting at Vail Sunday up on the 3040 in a big overgrown cut and I hear a shot about 0830 off behind us and up on a BIG ridge. Earlier I saw orange about 1/2 way down a really big hill. Well after said shot I got to looking with my binocs(about 1000m away) and see orange walking down said steep hill. Told my son, well he got a deer and in about 45 minutes will see him walk up hill and go get friends. I laughed too because I figured no way to get a deer out of there without eating it first... SO 45 minute later see him going up hill. We kept hunting and maybe 2 hours later I see 3 orange now at top of hill. 2 big orange and 1 little orange. So the 2 big go down hill and I told my son, well they need more then two to get that deer out. Ok about hour later I hear this whir whir noise back on hill and so I look again. See 1 orange maybe 150 feet up hill with what turned out to be a portable capstan winch. I think man they are going to be there all day doing that... So we left there and hunted another area till about 1330 and I told my son, lets go back and see how far they have gotten. Went back and they were about 1/2 way up hill. So we set in truck about 800 meter from them, ate lunch and watched the show...Make a long story short they got there deer out of there(looked like a spike or maybe forked horn) by about 3pm or maybe a little earlier... I was way impressed but still think no way will I shoot one down off one of those big hills in vail...Ok pictures I hope I can post. Close ups are thru my 9 power binocs and my camera telephoto up. Look close and maybe can see orange in first 2 pictures bottom left corner. Thats an awful big hill to take a deer up I have to say....

[calawahsteelie]

If I were you I would be hunting bear. That looks like a nice pile. You know what they say, big poop = big bear.

[bobcat]

It wouldn't have taken that long to simply bone it out and walk up the hill with the meat in a backpack. If it's a small deer, one person could do it easily. It took them 8 hours from the time the deer was shot- I bet one guy and a backpack could have it out of there in less than 2.
 
 

[calawahsteelie]

 

[deerslyr]

It wouldn't have taken that long to simply bone it out and walk up the hill with the meat in a backpack. If it's a small deer, one person could do it easily. It took them 8 hours from the time the deer was shot- I bet one guy and a backpack could have it out of there in less than 2.
 
 

Whats the fun in that? 

[Alan K]

Those situations are why we have 700 yards of rope! Could have had it out whole and clean in an hour.  Well worth the money when hunting steep ground!

[TheHunt]

Mule tap would have been an option.  But I agree that was not that far away.  Bone it out and pack it up the hill.

[Todd_ID]

Curious to see what Boneaddict would say about the degree of difficulty of getting a deer out of that place. 

[blackveltbowhunter]

On sunday thats drive in right? Normally if its a spike or small fork just gut it and pack it to the top. Those steep grades get cleared out good by the yarder Maybe they want the practice for elk seezn

[NWWABOWHNTR]

Boned and out in 2 hours....

[gasman]

Boned and out in 2 hours....

 

And its not that bad. I have hunted and drug deer out of steeper in on teh easy side.

And I would be hard pressed to shoot a little spike down there. Not worth the effort for 40lbs of meat.

[throttlejocky20]

All yoy need is a large spool of mule tape and a winch. Take the cable off the winch roll the spool down the hill and use the wimch drum like a windless. wrap one end around the spool twice and pull the end tight to bring the deer up. if the deer gets caught just loosen the end your holding and the spool will slip under the mule tape.

[longashes]

All yoy need is a large spool of mule tape and a winch. Take the cable off the winch roll the spool down the hill and use the wimch drum like a windless. wrap one end around the spool twice and pull the end tight to bring the deer up. if the deer gets caught just loosen the end your holding and the spool will slip under the mule tape.

I like that! 

[Colville]

When did backboards, frame packs and large internal frame packs go out of style?

In the time it takes to collect your rig, figure out how to winch the deer, walk and clear all the hurdles/blowdown with it... you can dress it, cut it in half at the rear haunch and carry it out on your frame.  I can't remember the last time I hunted without a pack capable of taking at least half a deer out in the first trip.  If your not into boning or don't feel skilled with it just halve the darn thing and walk on out. 

Of course I'm realatively young and fit, so I can see where certain folks would feel the need.

[jmx369]

 

[throttlejocky20]

it dosent take much time when you shoot them from the road in vail. 

[bloodhound]

i guess its just me but it looks like it would have been way easier to just take it out to where the pictures were taken from.... looks pretty flat to me. and i would rather go 2 miles down hill then one mile up.

[BowBender87]

When did backboards, frame packs and large internal frame packs go out of style?

In the time it takes to collect your rig, figure out how to winch the deer, walk and clear all the hurdles/blowdown with it... you can dress it, cut it in half at the rear haunch and carry it out on your frame.  I can't remember the last time I hunted without a pack capable of taking at least half a deer out in the first trip.  If your not into boning or don't feel skilled with it just halve the darn thing and walk on out. 

Of course I'm realatively young and fit, so I can see where certain folks would feel the need.

X2! Two guys two boards...not bad at all

[400out]

I would say if that hill scares you then you better stay out of the east side  that's just a baby 

[Holg3107]

  That hill / area really doesnt look that bad. I would be more than happy to put a deer down in that, bone it out 2 trips to the truck no issues.

[Sumpnneedskillin]

I would say if that hill scares you then you better stay out of the east side  that's just a baby 

[FLIZZ]

Vail Tree Farm. What a joke 

[The100Road]

Knowing Vail, im sure there was a road at the bottom of that hill. Shoulda just drug down to the road. 

[nwdp]

Not the way I would have done it and I will never be back to Vail, but I say good on 'em.  They got a deer in Vail and they weren't using the truck for a rest.  They also have a story now about the deer that took 8hrs to get of the steepest hills ever.  To me that would make it more than just a spike.

[biggamehunter]

I couldnt agree more. Bone that guy out!!! As for the comments of " the hill doesnt look that bad"  sure from those pictures, at that distance it doesnt, but boy once you get into some of those clearcuts on the westside they can be awful, downed trees, stumps and tons and tons of brush. So from first glance, sure it dont look that bad, but im sure it was hell. And if it were a spike they should have been able to throw him over their shoulders easy!! ( with plenty of orange visible of course)

[billythekidrock]

When did backboards, frame packs and large internal frame packs go out of style?

In the time it takes to collect your rig, figure out how to winch the deer, walk and clear all the hurdles/blowdown with it... you can dress it, cut it in half at the rear haunch and carry it out on your frame.  I can't remember the last time I hunted without a pack capable of taking at least half a deer out in the first trip.  If your not into boning or don't feel skilled with it just halve the darn thing and walk on out. 

Of course I'm realatively young and fit, so I can see where certain folks would feel the need.

I agree.
Better yet, split it at about the 3rd rib and your loads will be closer to even.

[fish vacuum]

Bone. It. Out.

[PolarBear]

Most of the guys that "hunt" Vail do not know how to gut a deer nonetheless bone one out!

[bankwalker]

Most of the guys that "hunt" Vail do not know how to gut a deer nonetheless bone one out!

Isn't that what the 300rum gut shot is for 

I know how those guys feel. 5 years ago I packed a spike up a very similar hill in vail.

[Broker]

I'm sure that hill is a heck of a lot steeper in person than it appears on screen.  BUT, why the hell do so many hunters insist on trying to take their animals out whole?  Hell there's a tutorial right here: http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,37569.0.html

The winch idea sounds fun and all, but it's so quick to cut up a deer and pack it out, I don't see the point.  It's two trips max for a jumbo sized deer even in steep country.

[jstone]

I have been in some BIG HOLES most of the time late season by myself. Thats where the big ones hid. Yep bone them out and pack them out. 

[Bigshooter]

When did backboards, frame packs and large internal frame packs go out of style?

In the time it takes to collect your rig, figure out how to winch the deer, walk and clear all the hurdles/blowdown with it... you can dress it, cut it in half at the rear haunch and carry it out on your frame.  I can't remember the last time I hunted without a pack capable of taking at least half a deer out in the first trip.  If your not into boning or don't feel skilled with it just halve the darn thing and walk on out. 

Of course I'm realatively young and fit, so I can see where certain folks would feel the need.

I agree.
Better yet, split it at about the 3rd rib and your loads will be closer to even.

 

[longrangekiller]

over the shoulder and up the hill in a half hour hahahaha 

just kidding yep de bone and on the pack board it go's

[kglacken]

It wouldn't have taken that long to simply bone it out and walk up the hill with the meat in a backpack. If it's a small deer, one person could do it easily. It took them 8 hours from the time the deer was shot- I bet one guy and a backpack could have it out of there in less than 2.

Thats why we always bring the packboards with us! Me and my buddy got my buck out of a hell hole like that, but about a 8-10 year old clear cut that was thick as any clear cut you have been in. It took us about 4 hours to find it gut it bone it out and pack it up the hill.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Mule tap would have been an option.  But I agree that was not that far away.  Bone it out and pack it up the hill.

That mule tape is the sheet huh !!  Do not even think twice about no more ...if its below me then I am boning it out ....way quicker than just messin around all day !!