Post by: tikkahunter on March 21, 2012, 11:08:21 AM
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on March 21, 2012, 11:13:34 AM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on March 21, 2012, 11:20:19 AM
Post by: Curly on March 21, 2012, 11:33:31 AM
Best to break up the deer and pack it in a backpack, or if you must have it whole........a cart is a good way to go.
Post by: C-Money on March 21, 2012, 11:35:21 AM
About 75% of the deer come out whole for us. With elk 100% get chunked up and packed out.:yeah: Agreed. Same for us!
Post by: doyourtime89 on March 21, 2012, 11:44:51 AM
Post by: sirmissalot on March 21, 2012, 11:54:26 AM
Post by: kirkl on March 21, 2012, 12:32:34 PM
Post by: jackmaster on March 21, 2012, 12:42:50 PM
Post by: washelkhunter on March 21, 2012, 12:49:35 PM
Post by: bobcat on March 21, 2012, 12:55:34 PM
i cannot bring myself to bone out a deer no matter how far the drag, and i have dragged them along ways my furthest was just short of 5 miles,
:yike: :bdid:
Post by: jackmaster on March 21, 2012, 01:50:33 PM
it wasnt a bad idea, most of it was cross country on wet leaves and pineneedles, about the last mile was train tracks but i was able to keep the deer skidn right along one of the tracks and it worked great, i have had to cut one deer in half it wasnt bad but i still didnt like my deer not being whole in the back of the trucki cannot bring myself to bone out a deer no matter how far the drag, and i have dragged them along ways my furthest was just short of 5 miles,
:yike: :bdid:
Post by: bobcat on March 21, 2012, 01:51:09 PM
it wasnt a bad idea, most of it was cross country on wet leaves and pineneedles, about the last mile was train tracks but i was able to keep the deer skidn right along one of the tracks and it worked great, i have had to cut one deer in half it wasnt bad but i still didnt like my deer not being whole in the back of the trucki cannot bring myself to bone out a deer no matter how far the drag, and i have dragged them along ways my furthest was just short of 5 miles,
:yike: :bdid:
Well it would be a bad idea for me! I wouldn't walk for a month after doing something like that! :chuckle:
Post by: jackmaster on March 21, 2012, 01:55:23 PM
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on March 21, 2012, 04:30:33 PM
i cannot bring myself to bone out a deer no matter how far the drag,
I'm with you there. Boned out meat is way more susceptible to bacteria and more likely to get dirt and hair on it. I love my deer meat way too much to take chances with it.
For years I either threw them over my shoulder if they were small enough or made a pack out of them if they were bigger. If it was too big, I dragged it with parachute cord attached to a small piece of branch for a handle. Once in a while I packed one and dragged a second one. Probably why my back gives me problems once in a while now. Then a new hunting buddy turned me onto a drag he fashioned out of a parachute harness. The line comes off in the lower middle of your back and no hands are needed. You just lean into it and that thing works fantastic. That's my go to method now.
Post by: bobcat on March 21, 2012, 04:48:05 PM
Also, I've never had a problem with deer meat by halving or quartering it before packing it out. I'm able to keep it just as clean as if I had brought the deer home in one piece.
Post by: Curly on March 21, 2012, 04:53:16 PM
I'd like to know how you guys drag them uphill?:yeah:
Also, I've never had a problem with deer meat by halving or quartering it before packing it out. I'm able to keep it just as clean as if I had brought the deer home in one piece.
Seems to me that dragging it has more potential for getting dirt all over; especially all over the the hind quarters.....
Post by: billythekidrock on March 21, 2012, 05:03:32 PM
i cannot bring myself to bone out a deer no matter how far the drag,
I'm with you there. Boned out meat is way more susceptible to bacteria and more likely to get dirt and hair on it. I love my deer meat way too much to take chances with it.
Not only that but you get tougher steaks when boned out in the field.
Post by: high country on March 21, 2012, 05:04:26 PM
Post by: high country on March 21, 2012, 05:06:04 PM
Post by: Eli346 on March 21, 2012, 05:11:36 PM
I've got one of those carts also and they are a little low. I usually tie a couple of handles (vine maple poles work well) so I can drag it like a rickshaw. You can also tie a crossmember into it with it sticking out on both sides so you can have a friend on one side and you on the other. All you need to take into the woods extra other than the cart is some paracord and a saw, which I normally carrry anyway.
Post by: billythekidrock on March 21, 2012, 05:16:20 PM
Btkr, you know enough about meat to know that is not exactly true. Keep your cuts to a minimum and make them work for you
Correct, it is not always true, especially when your steaks are butterflied and thin, but it can make your thicker steak tough.
Post by: billythekidrock on March 21, 2012, 05:16:42 PM
Usually right on our back, sometimes on a packboard. Dragging is too hard on my back.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2F1443webPICT0022.jpg&hash=00c2da7495d5c68bd45ab5ba7aefad72b1d13a52)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_4534.jpg&hash=47f77997e199f93ec414b76e2c9566a9be624ae1)
Sometimes we cut them in half and take em out on pack boards.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FIMG_2978.jpg&hash=d0b362ba712a656c9b0c53061266dca2d7742e1b)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_1222.jpg&hash=b0df65fc980d29c3b4bc4e43ecd4d17bb66b187e)
Post by: WA hunter14 on March 21, 2012, 05:27:35 PM
Post by: bobcat on March 21, 2012, 05:41:38 PM
Post by: washelkhunter on March 21, 2012, 05:50:35 PM
I've never completely de-boned a deer in the woods, but don't like to pack out the rib cage/back bone. So I remove the hind quarters and the shoulders, and then bone out the rib cage, which includes the back strap and tenderloins. Sometimes I have even cut the antlers/skull plate off and left the head in the woods.
:tup: Another easy way to get the job done. Just quarter it and go.
Post by: Seabass on March 21, 2012, 10:43:59 PM
Post by: fish vacuum on March 21, 2012, 11:42:11 PM
Post by: jackmaster on March 22, 2012, 06:52:36 AM
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on March 22, 2012, 11:13:17 AM
The biggest secret is to plan ahead where you're going with it. In Alaska, all my deer hunting was from sea level up the mountains so it's pretty much downhill all the way out. I have certain ridges I use going in and out so the plan is to find the easiest route to the ridge, then down you go. You don't necessarily have to go up to get on the ridge. You side hill and angle onto it as you move down. Once or twice I made the mistake of shooting one on the backside of the mountain where I had to go up before I could go down, but you don't make that mistake too many times before you learn it's usually not worth it.
The biggest mistake is trying to go the shortest way down and ending up in a steep canyon. Nothing worse than working yourself into a gorge that you have to climb back out of with your deer. Ridges are your friend.
As for dirt from dragging, I've learned to make the smallest hole in the stomach possible for gutting. I don't open up the hams or the anus until I'm out. The skin keeps the meat clean. If you tie the front legs to the antlers or the head on a doe the deer drags on it's back keeping the small opening up. Nothing gets inside except maybe a few leaves if you are going through thick brush.
I hunt with a guy who bones all his deer out and packs it and I can see more than a few advantages I have over him. He has to wear his pack everywhere we go or he has to backtrack to get it and climb back up to where ever he gets a deer. I like the feel of freedom I have not wearing a pack. Especially if I'm in a brush patch. A pack is one more thing to tangle up in the brush. Packing a pack can also be noisy when you want to be quiet. I can drag a deer out before he can get one boned out most times. That can make a big difference if you are back in a couple miles and get one towards evening. I can get out in daylight while he may be coming out by flashlight. That can be a big deal on a truly remote hunt and finding your way out safely.
Lastly, when you're hunting a place like Kodiak or Prince William Sound where there is a chance a bear is gonna come to your kill site, I wanna shoot a deer, and gut it as quickly as possible and get out of there. I don't want to spend time working with a bloody carcass where the smell is chumming the bears in.
Post by: Skyvalhunter on March 22, 2012, 11:50:39 AM
But alot depends on the conditions and terrain as I have also drug a whole bull out but there was snow and a gradual downhill grade. I have since purchased a few aluminum poles and fold up field gurney to get things out if the conditions and terrain merit it.
Post by: mrmoskillz on March 22, 2012, 12:43:11 PM
Post by: Tbar on March 22, 2012, 01:11:33 PM
Post by: washelkhunter on March 22, 2012, 01:24:07 PM
My dad use to put the front foot through the back leg tendon and break the front leg and put it on upside down and wear it like a backpack. He would always put hunter orange on top so he didnt get shot but thats also why he would wear it butt side up. He used to say "you ever see a buck walk'n around on on his front hooves dont shoot" lol
You wouldnt have a pic of that technique would you?
Post by: mrmoskillz on March 22, 2012, 01:48:08 PM
My dad use to put the front foot through the back leg tendon and break the front leg and put it on upside down and wear it like a backpack. He would always put hunter orange on top so he didnt get shot but thats also why he would wear it butt side up. He used to say "you ever see a buck walk'n around on on his front hooves dont shoot" lol
You wouldnt have a pic of that technique would you?
I dont I was a little kid when he showed me. I will show my son some day if we get one way in.
Post by: mrmoskillz on March 22, 2012, 01:49:39 PM
Post by: bobcat on March 22, 2012, 01:52:08 PM
But remember, billythekidrock just had shoulder surgery and his back is still messed up! (I wonder why?) :o :)
Post by: Encore 280 on March 22, 2012, 01:53:33 PM
Post by: mrmoskillz on March 22, 2012, 01:56:06 PM
Post by: high country on March 22, 2012, 02:07:25 PM
Your lucky if its as small as a deer. If it is deer size and a considerable distance boning out is the way to go. That is unless its a larger animal like a moose. A couple buddies and myself packed out 63" bull that was shot 2 miles from camp. Immediately started cutting and got the meat several hundred yards away from the guts. We used the sligs from our raft and the oars and made a couple gurney's. We spent the next day and a half packing meat back to camp. In that case we kept most of the bones in(except back bone) so you had something to hang it by on the meat pole. This is exactly why you don't shoot a moose too far away from camp unless you are fortunate to drive a quad or etc to it. But on a float hunt that is not going to happen.
But alot depends on the conditions and terrain as I have also drug a whole bull out but there was snow and a gradual downhill grade. I have since purchased a few aluminum poles and fold up field gurney to get things out if the conditions and terrain merit it.
I picked up some cargo nets that are about 4'x6' for my boats to keep the meat off the floor. I have not tried it, but a few loops of paracord would make a quick and light way to rig the gurney.
Post by: Skyvalhunter on March 22, 2012, 09:08:12 PM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on March 22, 2012, 09:17:27 PM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on March 22, 2012, 09:18:28 PM
Post by: bobcat on March 22, 2012, 09:19:19 PM
Back in the good ol days before it became OIL tag for goats my dad used to get drawn several times. Here is how he would pack them out.
Really cool picture. :tup:
Post by: Kingpuck on March 22, 2012, 10:36:16 PM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on March 22, 2012, 10:39:50 PM
Post by: bobcat on March 22, 2012, 10:43:19 PM
Not to jack the thread but this season will be my first season and was planning on boning the deer out. Would there be a problem with putting a boned out deer in the trunk of a car for the ride home?
If it's warm out you may want to have an ice chest packed full of ice to put the meat in, for the drive home.
Post by: ghosthunter on March 22, 2012, 11:22:49 PM
When we first started with sleds we used kids toboggans. They were OK.
For snow we use one of those decoy sleds from cabelas.
If you get a roll up black sled buy the elk size. Its just right for deer. Forget dragging elk.
Post by: Turner89 on March 22, 2012, 11:40:05 PM
I will always at the least quarter them up if I'm by myself. If with someone,depending how close the bike is, determines what were gonna do. It's all good IMO.
Post by: carpsniperg2 on March 22, 2012, 11:42:41 PM
Post by: fish vacuum on March 23, 2012, 04:00:20 AM
In Alaska, all my deer hunting was from sea level up the mountains so it's pretty much downhill all the way out.
So, what size deer were you dragging out up there?
Post by: fish vacuum on March 23, 2012, 04:09:33 AM
Not to jack the thread but this season will be my first season and was planning on boning the deer out. Would there be a problem with putting a boned out deer in the trunk of a car for the ride home?
If it's warm out you may want to have an ice chest packed full of ice to put the meat in, for the drive home.
This. Ice chest with ice. Two if you have room. Or just an ice chest if you're not too far from a store that carries ice.
Post by: Sawbuck on March 23, 2012, 06:35:45 AM
:yeah:Back in the good ol days before it became OIL tag for goats my dad used to get drawn several times. Here is how he would pack them out.
Really cool picture. :tup:
Post by: Sawbuck on March 23, 2012, 06:50:34 AM
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on March 23, 2012, 11:07:03 AM
In Alaska, all my deer hunting was from sea level up the mountains so it's pretty much downhill all the way out.
So, what size deer were you dragging out up there?
Just those tiny little Sitka's of course. Heh heh
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on March 23, 2012, 11:44:46 AM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on March 23, 2012, 12:05:55 PM
Post by: h20hunter on March 23, 2012, 12:49:31 PM
Post by: buckhorn2 on March 23, 2012, 01:28:34 PM
Post by: spookgus on March 23, 2012, 01:37:01 PM
Have to be careful in some states how you take care of your deer. In oregon we caped a couple bucks and put the deer by a creek to keep cool when we got to camp and the warden was there someone had seen the deer hanging without the heads he said he could tell we were;nt up to anything but there the head must remain attached to the carcus. I think in mt. the same rules apply about the head being attached.Head attached or evidence of sex naturally attached to the largest portion of meat. I usually leave some parts attached to one ham if I'm boning out, but have not yet been asked to prove evidence of sex by LEO.
Post by: Turner89 on March 23, 2012, 07:11:44 PM
Is that a blacky? Looks like a stud :tup:Yea Carp, a columbian. I got him this year. 126 7/8'' My personal best.
SITKA! That's a nice looking sitka blacky :tup:
Post by: fish vacuum on March 24, 2012, 01:19:25 AM
In Alaska, all my deer hunting was from sea level up the mountains so it's pretty much downhill all the way out.
So, what size deer were you dragging out up there?
Just those tiny little Sitka's of course. Heh heh
I only asked because I've heard the Sitkas are small bodied. What does a big one weigh? It makes a big difference when deciding to drag or bone out.
Post by: billythekidrock on March 24, 2012, 10:07:56 AM
My dad use to put the front foot through the back leg tendon and break the front leg and put it on upside down and wear it like a backpack. He would always put hunter orange on top so he didnt get shot but thats also why he would wear it butt side up. He used to say "you ever see a buck walk'n around on on his front hooves dont shoot" lol
You wouldnt have a pic of that technique would you?
I posted a pic of me with a 3pt backpack, but it was wrapped in a sheet. This pic shows how it looks on.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FbpIMG_0682.jpg&hash=fd86757ff0c0cba14f0fcc97b68695ee848e583b)
By pushing down on the legs, the deer's rear raises up making it quite comfortable. I don't know if I could do it head down. Seems like it bang against your legs and hit every log and stump on the way.
It can be a bit messy. We used to carry large plastic garbage bags or disposable ponchos to help stay a bit cleaner.
Here is a video of my father demonstrating how to do it.
feature=youtube_gdata
Post by: Sawbuck on March 25, 2012, 09:22:54 AM
Post by: bobcat on March 25, 2012, 09:31:05 AM
Seems like the determining factor in how a deer is packed out is the size of the deer.
I'd say for me it would be more the distance than the size. For me to drag a deer out it would have to be downhill and less than 100 yards. Any further, or if uphill at all, and I'd rather quarter a deer and pack it out on my back. The way I see it is I have to do that with it when I get it home anyway. So it isn't any extra work, and it sure makes a lot less work in getting it out of the woods.
Post by: Sawbuck on March 25, 2012, 09:39:05 AM
Post by: link on March 25, 2012, 07:21:39 PM
Post by: WA hunter14 on March 25, 2012, 07:24:29 PM
Dragging a deer five miles??? :dunno: Wow. Thats like cutting a cord of firewood with a hacksaw.
hahhaah :chuckle: :chuckle:
Post by: mazama on March 25, 2012, 07:59:40 PM
Post by: jackmaster on March 26, 2012, 07:14:02 AM
Post by: fish vacuum on March 26, 2012, 11:42:04 PM
Post by: jackmaster on March 27, 2012, 06:37:06 AM
There is no reason to bring a deer out whole if it's easier to do it quartered or boned out.well thats your opinion, it isnt just me its my whole family that brings them out whole, i guess thats where i learned it, my reason is simple i like to see them in the back of my truck, whole, they are easier for me to care for when i get them hanging, whack them up in the feild doesnt seem like fun to me and when you get home all you have is a head with antlers and a bag full of meat, and i guarantee it isnt as clean of meat as my deer is when i get done with it, that and i guess the big thing is i dont mind the work, it is hard sometimes but i dont mind it.
Post by: Skyvalhunter on March 27, 2012, 06:59:54 AM
Seems like the determining factor in how a deer is packed out is the size of the deer.
Not necessarily I drug a nice 4-point in Montana 3 miles with a homemade shoulder drag. First off the hill I shot it on, then down a cattle trail to a closed road. This was during the Thanksgiving time frame with the snow that nice powder type. Just your average joe and didn't hardly notice the deer back there. So the conditions and terrain are more of a factor for me then the size. If it conditions and terrain dictate it then I bone it or 1/4 it to get it out. :twocents:
Post by: high country on March 27, 2012, 09:52:13 AM
How do you guys get an animal out in terrain steep enough where you have to climb down rocks or the ground moves or you hit a deep dropoff,a lot of times iam happy to just get myself out alive with no broken bones-i have passed on a lot of deer but i will take the chanch for a trophy.
Boned out a big buck will fit in a cubic foot pretty easy. I load my pack with Boned meat close to my body and as low as i can. I won't backpack hunt without trekking poles or an ice axe. Poles make climbing easier, axe will self arrest a slip. Take your time and remember that often the long way is the easy way.
Many think a big buck is hard to move, but I have it figured to about 2/5 live weight to meat. Rarely will you have more than 75ish extra pounds.
Post by: Kowsrule30 on March 27, 2012, 04:39:28 PM
Post by: fillthefreezer on March 27, 2012, 04:47:28 PM
I won't backpack hunt without trekking poles or an ice axe. Poles make climbing easier, axe will self arrest a slip. Take your time and remember that often the long way is the easy way.do you use an ice axe in rocky/dirt, warm weather, loose or sandy hills?
Post by: high country on March 27, 2012, 06:50:43 PM
Post by: fillthefreezer on March 27, 2012, 11:02:20 PM
Post by: fish vacuum on March 29, 2012, 01:14:34 AM
People can get their deer out however they want (within the law). It's not my business. After trying many methods of getting a deer out of the woods, it's a no brainer for me to bone and pack if there's any real distance to cover.
Post by: washelkhunter on March 29, 2012, 01:24:14 AM
:tup:
Post by: Ridge Roamer on April 01, 2012, 11:19:11 AM
Post by: deerslyr on April 02, 2012, 09:16:21 AM
If you got snow that helps - I normally have had snow, parked the truck & then hunted uphill of it, dragging downhill with the snow is not to bad. Of cource it can not be to steep or it can get away from you,
Thats when you sit on there back and hold on to their antlers, kinda like the deer back pack, but a deer sled :chuckle: And yes ive done it before, it actually works pretty dam good.
Post by: h20hunter on April 02, 2012, 09:31:05 AM
Post by: saylean on April 02, 2012, 10:11:15 AM
I've boned them out, dragged them etc. If I am any distance from a road, which seems to far to drag, its always bone out for me. I would rather take a load or two, try to save my back, than take it all at once. (thats what she said)
Post by: Guy on April 02, 2012, 01:23:03 PM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi87.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk129%2FGuyMiner%2Fhunting%2520photos%2FIMG_2274.jpg&hash=b48021dce7a72bc7556c55636edfcf266e69a685)
We really didn't want to drag it... He's amazingly good at boning out a buck fast. I'm slower and clumsier at it, but it is still a great way to go, particularly in rough country. Sometimes I'll just quarter them. That's a little faster & easier for me, but doesn't result in as small and light a load.
I have carried out a boned out deer myself, not bad either. Beats the heck out of dragging them most of the time.
Guy
Post by: high country on April 03, 2012, 08:19:43 AM
Post by: Glockster on April 03, 2012, 10:54:41 AM
One of the keys of course is keeping the meat clean as possible and rinsing and processing next day (if possible).
I think alot of meat goes bad because people insist on dragging it out whole. It has to be pretty darn cold to get a whole carcass cooled enough to prevent spoilage and we never see temps that cold in a general WA hunt season. I think people insist on dragging out whole critters so there is that wow factor when they hang it at home and gives them a chance to show it off to the whole neighborhood....an ego thing that costs alot in terms of poor quality table fare after processing. Me. I work too hard for the darn things...rather have great venison than accolades.
Post by: Dansk on April 03, 2012, 11:26:16 AM
Gutless method where he lay
6x6 thin painters plastic drop cloth to put boned out meat on
Industrial 'fish bag'
Kifaru Meat Baggie (1oz bag can hold 100#s meat :yike:!)
J107 Dragonfly
Gun and deer in pack.. walk out with hands free.
...then throw on ice in a cooler in truck.
Least amount of time & mess, and no work to do when i get home.
Hunting partners can still hunt and I can walk out when they are ready to go.... no multiple trips to car.
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on April 09, 2012, 12:48:29 PM
If you got snow that helps - I normally have had snow, parked the truck & then hunted uphill of it, dragging downhill with the snow is not to bad. Of cource it can not be to steep or it can get away from you,
Thats when you sit on there back and hold on to their antlers, kinda like the deer back pack, but a deer sled :chuckle: And yes ive done it before, it actually works pretty dam good.
Actually works better if you roll them on their back and sit on their chest to sled them out Deerslyr. Then there are no legs hanging down to hook a branch or otherwise cause a drag. You steer with your feet. Dig in the heel on the side you want to turn to.
I was using this method bringing out a big 3x3 I got on the Kodiak road system one year. Was dragging it as I usually do as it's pretty easy dragging deer on snow, but came to a big steep part of the trail and didn't want the deer sliding into the back of me taking my legs out. So instead of just pushing ot over the edge and letting it go with no control over where it ended up, I decided to sled it down and it worked perfectly. I slid down a couple hundred yards and hit the bottom in a spray of snow. I was chuckling to myself at how well it worked when I looked up to see two guys with packs on their backs staring at me in wonder. They asked where I'd gotten it and what all I'd seen and I passed along that I'd seen many more deer even on the way out, but they must have decided I'd fouled the area as they turned around and left. Took two buddies in the next day and they both scored. We drug and sledded them out too.