Excuse me if this subject has been raised before, but just wondering how folks deal with getting the deer out after a successful hunt. If you are quite a distance from your vehicle that is. Do you drag it, go back to vehicle and bring a game cart (assuming you brought one), or cut it up and pack out. Just curious.

Thanks

I carry a packframe and break them down in the field. I can bring a deer out in one load. Personally I wouldn't drag a deer 2 feet. Packing them on a frame is much easier. I prefer to completely bone them out but can't legally do it everywhere. The hide, spine and head stay next to the gutpile unless I can drive right to it.

Over the years, short of one of those cart things, I've probably used every method imaginable. There's a little thought of rule that a lot of people seem to forget, usually the smarter ones only forget this rule once, and that is "what you carry in, you have to carry out with the animal if you are successful". Now most hunters today hunt fairly close to some sort of vehicle. ATV's or some sort of off road conveyance. Those of us raised in the days before 4 wheelers have a tendency to remember that rule. As Flags put it, I myself like to quarter and pack out but I have drug my fair share, probably more than my fair share, of whitetail for miles. For dragging, I found the easiest method is to slip a heavy stick between the leg tendons, lifting the rear half of the deer and dragging it out that way. Doing this, combined with one of those heavy plastic drag wraps makes a drag very easy over a fair distance.

I use a 4 wheeler but I would think this subject is highly dependent on specific situations like rules,terrain,ability etc.

When I was younger I'd just drag/carry deer all the way to the truck no problem but after injuring my back and getting put together with screws and bolts a 4 wheeler is a must for me.

Depends on your circumstances. I'll usually take my stuff back to the truck and grab a game sled I keep in the back, go back and scate the deer out. It's easier than dragging it on the ground. Or, if I'm close to home, I'll go get my buddy to help. My friend in SD who hunts miles from his truck, will stash a game cart somewhere on the way in and haul out his antelope that way.

legally here in PA< the head has to remain with the deer,(canot leave body parts on state lands either) and the tag has to be on the WHOLE deer too, so quartering isn't really legal here, or a bunch of places on the east coast side of things
so, that tends to leave us dragging our deer out ,(SUCKS TOO)
but over the yrs from when I was a kid that was what we were told we HAD to do!
as I have dragged deer as far as 5 miles, swear arms are 6 inches longer when you get to truck,
I have found a good dragging harness helps a ton of you HAVE to drag em, I prefer pulling from the head/neck, as hair works with you dragging more and you can lift the head as you pull, helping it slide over logs or??
I have tried many different things, from them roll up plastic sleds you lay deer on, and they can help a lot at times and be a pain in the aZZ at times too
carts can be a huge help, if terrain allows for them.
when we used to hunt very far from any rad, we would park and chain(lock up) a cart at nearest road, and then drag deer from kill to cart and then cart out
but sadly here in PA, it sure seems a lot of folks cannot respect others property, we have had carts stolen (locks shot off) Locks messed with , folks jamming things in key hole, and even had folks beating cart with?? and bending wheels on us(all on public hunting lands)
we then started HIDING the carts and covering with branches and leaves and such, more work than should be needed, but?? a cart will be the best way in places you cannot quarter for a one person recovery, IMO, not fun to carry out , leave in truck or do as we did, haul in either same day or even a few days in advance , and pray no one screws with it?
however, dragging a deer isn't that bad if your rather young and healthy and its NOT too far, snow makes a HUGE difference in dragging out too, way easier as long as not over a ft deep any how LOL

I now hunt mostly ONLY private lands and can use my atv to recover about any deer I kill or darn close, too many health issue's now to carry out a quartered deer, or drag em any more! have to adapt as you age or get injured

Considering I hunt on my family's farm, I leave the deer where it is while I go get the tractor with either the trailer or Bush Hog mower attached. There's not a lot of places on our farm where I can't get that little Kubota.

Up until til this year I drug the deer to where I could go get my truck and drive to it. This year I bought a used ATV and it is within 10 yards of my stand so if I get one I field dress it and put it on the rack and drive back to where my truck is ant the land owners house. I did just that in the senior doe season in Oct. I liked it. I do hunt private land.

I hunted NF for years in a state where you were required to bring the whole deer to a checking station to have them checked and weighed, I did drag one 1.6 miles out the top of north mountain in va to my truck, most of the deer I took were within 1 mile of my truck, I just drag them.
RR

I use a game cart I bought on amazon. When I get back to my truck I rest the longer end of the deer cart on the tailgate and then slide the whole thing into the bed.