Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I hunt public land and try to hunt the most remote places I can to get away from the crowds and to hopefully shoot better deer. This means hunting sometimes miles from any road. My question for those that do the same is how to you go about getting your deer back to the pickup with out dieing of exhaustion? Any good ideas? Thanks in adnvance.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

If theres snow on the ground you can sled them out.They dont drag to bad on a sled.If not you can use a cart, make one or buy one premade.Seen a thing a few years ago that was basically a tarp you wrapped em in, cinched a cord up and used it to drag them out, never tried one but have always though i would work pretty well.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

IntroC

Probably the most common way is to "bone it out" then pack it out

Or pack it out on back packs

Drag it out.

Put it on a game cart

Often I have wished I had just brought the salt and pepper, utensils, and pans.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I use a game cart.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0053267228941a&navCount=3&podI d=0053267&parentId=cat601052&masterpathid= &navAction=jump&cmCat=MainCatcat20712-cat601138-cat601052&catalogCode=7IS&rid=&parentT ype=index&indexId=cat601052&hasJS=true

It's easier to walk back to the truck to get the cart to roll the deer out than it is to drag a deer along way.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I hunt private land after shooting a buck about a mile from the road on public land several years ago. It was also several hundred feet below the road level and it took three of us with a two-wheeled deer cart most of the day to get it back to the road.
Today I hunt private land and let John help me get my deer out.....
Costs me a few hours of labor every year to help the landowner (owner of the tractor)bush-hog, cut wood, etc.- but it's worth it!

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Just chase them closer to the truck ad then shoot them:)[:@]

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

If there is snow on the ground, then we sled them out. If there is just leaves, then a cart is nice. The best thing is have friends. In the federal it is illegal to take an ATV in there off the roads. Also in Wisconsin the deer must be in tact when we register it. I suppose a person could bone it out like suggested, but then you would have to explain why you did that. You'd still have to haul all parts of the deer out.

I know the problem you are facing. I have shot some far back in the thickets, and when I was a young man, I'd tie a blaze orange rag on them and carry them out. Now, that is out of the question. I just can not lift and carry them deer anymore. Old age does that. Thank goodness for friends. During season we can call each other and we will help track or drag deer out when necessary. The best if when my buddy brings his two boys. I swear them too drag like a draft horse and do it to see which one of them will give out first. They can sure move a deer out of the woods though.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I bought a chuck of the Little Red River valley and put ATV trails in about every 100yds. Lee

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

If its a big deer, usually 1/4 it and take as much as you can carry comfortably.

You think a deer us bad, Try an elk :D

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I have used a cart ( easy) , Glenns deer drag ( work!! ) and finally someone gave me a plastic roll up sled from Wally World. With my treestand harness it is still work but it will slide over most things. On my place the Polaris does the trick but some places will not allow the ATV.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Yeah the Elk is load. I have quartered them but I will tell you at the age of 54 I shot a moose with a bow in British Columbia. ( Thanks to a friend the hunt was free)Just getting that sucker to the camp took 10 hours and it was deboned. I have lived that trip over in my mind a thousand times and it still thrills me.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I hunt elk alone and I agree that they are a job. Sometimes I cannot roll them over to start gutting. I carrya lot of rope and some pulleys and try to shoot them close enough to a fire break or trail that I can get the Samurai in and help pull them to a tree. The first big cow took two and a half hours to get it on a trailer and then with some passing guys help at the end.That cow was huge and I got 375 pounds of deboned meat from my butcher. I pull them to a tree run the puilley up in the tree go get the big truck hook the rope to the elk and the samurai pull it up and drive the other truck or trailer under and let it down with the Samurai. One old guy two vehicles and a lot of rope and pulleys. I can tow the Samurai with my GM 4X4 that is how I end up with two vehicles. As I mentioned before that is why I want a rifle that will allow a quick second shot as I want them to drop where I shoot them not a half mile over the ridge.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

It there is noup hilli can manage to drag the average hog ora couple hundred yards. Got a winch on my pickup along with 200 feet of 3/8 inch braided nylon line in the tool box. If all else fails,i keep a bunch of folks supplied withdeer and pig meat-especially pig meat.iget on the cell phone,yell help and here they come. Other hunters here are good about helping out too.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I hunt a lot of public land as well. I do the exact same thing....walk as far as I can from the nearest parking lot. Sometimesover 3miles one way. My philosophy is only shoot what is worth dragging. I pass ona lot of deer. My deer cart works good but it is still very hard work. I've seen the exact opposite of getting a long way off work as well. Seems like everyone else gets the same idea.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

If i ever took one of those game cards to where i hunt, I'd leave it right in the middle of the forest. Those things would do me no good with all the aspen/pine trees fallen over in the areas i hunt. Not to mention the rock areas i have to go through. I'd rather spend a few more hours than to fumble around with a cart.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I use to drag the deer out in my younger days I remember one drag took a total of 8hours :I was deep back off a fire trail and at first day light saw a small heard just below me and the last deer was a huge 10 pointer well over 200 dressed.I drag this deer so far on one side that the deer hair was removed from the hide.I done this for more then 25 years until age started creeping up.I now use my sons 4 wheeler because my dragging days are over.I also have a 3 wheel cart I use if I hunt state game lands I try always to use a logging trail to get into the woods and hunt a little of the trail.I will leave the deer there in the woods return to the truck and walk back in with the cart,the only bad problem is the double walk and if the deer will still be there when I get back but the the problem in getting old

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Where I hunt on public land there is usually a road somewhere within a mile or so. I keep a steel wagon with pneumatic tires in the back of my pickup. Last year both my friend and I got a deer within an hour of each other about 3/4 mile in. My buddy dragged them to the trail while I went for the wagon. We loaded them up and used our dragging ropes to lash them to the wagon. Been using this for years and it works fine. I think the deer sleds would also be a good idea as you can roll them up and tie them to the bottom of you pack. Not as easy as something with wheels but easier than nothing.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I tried one of those carts ONE TIME-a real pain in the a$$...Might be
ok if there is no limbs or branchs or rocks on the ground..Mine kept
tipping over and well,it was a pain is all...I gave it away....

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Sounds like you and I hunt the same area. We just drag ours out. If its snowin' yeah that helps but most of the time it's not so we just have to tug. Call us old fashion, but we just find a branch about 2 inches thick wrap the drag rope aruond it w/about 4 feet of slack and tug away. I've dragged deer out about 2 miles-though now that I'm older I don't do it unless I just HAVE to. Deer aren't as big of a deal to drag as much as bear are. Deer have some structure to their bodies and they 'slide' along the ground. Bear is like dragging a sack of Jell-O... It took 11 of us to get a 320lb bear out a couple years ago. Yeah it was worth it but man it wasn't fun.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Drag'em with a shoulder harness. Sure it's work, but they are worth it. :D
I also carry along a smallrope hoist (mine is an 800#)should I need to haul up hill or over some difficult spot. Not much to carry in my backpack (about 3 pounds) and works like a champ.
Rope hoist like:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=45076

At the vehilce, I alsohave a small hand winch to winch the deer into the back of the truck.
Like:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=30329

Tahquamenon

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I use the harness that holds me in my tree stand for dragging. It has shoulder straps with one across the chest and the other around the waist. Then off the back is the long one (that attaches to the tree) with the slip hook. I loop that through the gambrelle slit between the tendon and the back legs (which I have to cut anyway to hang them)and drag them out tail first. they do not seem to catch on as much stuff as when I used to drag them out head first. OH.. and I always try to fall in the creek when I cross that.. it makes for a much more interesting hunt.

Once I get them to a skid trail then I go and get BIG RED...



the rest is easy after that.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

now we are talking
My son has one I use I think the quad is a animal by itself I never seen a machine that hauls a-s put that thing in low 4 wheel and there nothing that will stop it

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

cayugad

Now you are talking...

That is the way we got one elk and one deer out this year....

hook on and skid him out...

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I guess I'm lucky so far. Only twice have I had to drag them about a quarter mile or soand it was somewhat flat to gently sloping. The second time though was 2 deer (about 100# each) at the same timeand that one nearly did me in.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

My friend has the handicap placard on his 4 wheeler which alows him to go anywhere. That has to be re-newed every year. Anywhere on his land we have access to cut trails thru the timber so it's the 4 wheeler, a jeep with a winch, or a Kabota 4x4 tractor. We've haven't had any big problems.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I think i am going to apply for that handicap sticker next year I just had 2 disc removed from my neck I think the dragging days are over for me

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I've two methods. This guy came out in two pieces on my back. Carrying a 125 lb is much easier than dragging 250. If I can't get the bike to them, they come out in pieces.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/HuntAway/108-0809_IMG.jpg

This guy came out much easier with the preferred method.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/HuntAway/106-0655_IMG.jpg

and these two came out the old fashion two man drag method.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/HuntAway/108-0808_IMG.jpg

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Well I guessI don't have the money some folks have with all their ATVs so I use a tarp (6'x6') and fold that up to take along. When I shoot the one I want I just put it on there and tie rope around it and drag it like a sled. You would be amazed at how easy it is to drag a 200lb deer out of the woods for 3 miles or so. They do make a deer sled which is just a rolled up piece of plastic that also drags well. With the tarp you are also protecting the meat from soil, leaves, etc.. I bowhunt an area called Howell Island in St. Charles, MOwhich is just that an island, that is 8 miles in length and about 3 miles wide. The tarp comes in handy on those long drags.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

or add another 300 lbs and drag these bad boys out. NO BIKE n Chainsaw = WORK

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/HuntAway/HANDCUFFED.jpg

come to think of it, even with a chainsaw and bike it is still a lot of work.:(:D

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Thanks for the tip cayugad. You see, I never would have thought of that - gonna try it next time out. You just can't beat the information you gather on this forum.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Done that fall in the creek technique only I added the loose your balance andbury your rifle in the muck manuver. [8D]

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Got to get me one of those 4wd game retrival and delivery vehicles.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Theres always the good old horse or mule that can go off road where 4 wheelers can't. They can be expensive to own but if there is a horse rental place in your area that may be an alternative. I've not rented one but I know there is a place near where I live that does that, not sure what it would cost though.

I have thought about getting one or two of those "dead sleds" that roll up and can be carried with you. They are suppose to be fairly tough and will slide over most surfaces. I think Sportsmans Guide had them for around $30 last time I checked.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

I just can't think wear to start if I had to drag an elk out of the woods without a quad or horse.I read an article a few years back in PA. a guy shot a bear over 800lbs and it took 9 guys to drag it out :The state game warden refused the hunter to use a quad the was leagal insured and had PA reg: and plates:The owner of the quad even ask the gamewarden to drive the quad and still no good so it took 9 guys and a whole day of dragging one suffered a broken ankle and one drager has a heart attack

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

My buddy shot a buck on state land about 1 1/2 miles from the road down a mountain. Not a mountain like out west but down in the Catskill's in NYS. We tied that deer to a pole like a hog and carried it out. Not sure if it was the best method but it seemed to work and neither of us died. As for the guys that drag deer out backwards, you should tie a slip not in your rope and put the loop around the horns or the does head and make sure you get the front feet in the loop. It keeps them from catching as you drag.

Larry Benoit says to use a shorter drag rope as it keeps the deers head and shoulders up better. Tried this once and the tines kept hitting me in the calf.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Someone told me that mules and horses have to be trained to drag out dead animals because of the blood, smelland stuff. Whether that is trueI could not say. And whether it is hard to train a horse or mule to do so, I have no idea. My friend that owns afarm. He bought a half Belgium/Percheron mare. That great big monster horse could pull logs with ease, pulled a sleigh around in the snow, but she would not pull a deer. When he shot that nice buck back in the alder swamp and called me to help get it out, I told him to get that hay burner of his. We tried to walk her back into a swamp up to that big buck he shot. She smelled or saw it, and that was that. She turned around and walked out. And when they want to leave, there is little you can do to them other then shoot them. So we walked out out to the edge of the field and tied her there. When we got that deer pulled out that far we thought we could tie a long rope to her. NO way. She balked. So I then went and got my ATV which I could have done in the first place and got that far in. There are some draw backs to ATV's as some places they just can not go. .

I once brought out two deer of my own and one other deer from afriend of mine, all at the same time with the ATV. I had one on the back rack, one on the front rack and one thrown over the seat. I had to throw the one over the seat as it kept falling off the rack when I tried to climb out of a steep gully. It is amazing what an ATV can pull. I even use mine to drag out logs for firewood cutting. It sure beats the old days of dragging logs out by hand or in chunks.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

When we're hauling moose we run the rope from the front racks-underneath the bike and around their chest. We tighten that up real tight then we tie the head to the back rack to get it out of the way. By doing this the front end stays on the ground and you drag them out pretty slick.

RE: Getting your deer out of the woods?
 

Horses do have to be trained to not balk at the smell of blood but I've been told that mules don't have as much problem with it. Also most horses/mules that can be riden with a saddle can carry game in a pack setup, just lead them out to the truck. I'm not an expert on this but have been told that by others who have used or own pack animals.

I just remembered something else. I met a goat farmer once who told me they use some of their goats to pack in and out of hunting camps, they just can't carry as much weight so it takes more of them or more trips with them.