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]