Getting your deer home

[landtracdeerhunter]

In my book, their's no one way to get them out and up for bucthering. Hell, I'd carry one on my back, if need be. Just to get some nice fresh venison in the freezer, LOL.

[Vince1]

Vince...If you are having those kind of thoughts you may not want to post them on the internet...lol

Hehe man that sure came out wrong didnt it hehe

[Fantail]

I usually make use of a small covered utility trailer. Where I can stuff a bag of ice in the cavity if need be and wrap the deer in a tarp. Sometimes I pre-process right at camp, that way it's just finishing work at home and the carcass is already gone.

[Lawdwaz]

As far as field transportation I've used a bunch of different methods but the absolute worst was the Indian style, you know with the deer's legs bound and the pole slipped between them then the pole resting on your shoulder. Well actually the pole was supported by our hands.

Man did that suck...........

I shot a nice buck about half way down the mountain at Mill Creek in PA. We thought it'd be easier to go back out to the top rather than send one guy dragging down and the other making the long trip around the mountain with the truck.......big mistake

[Fletch]

In the woods I have dragged more deer more miles than I would care to count!! lol It is a good happy drag though one day I dragged over 6 hours!! Probably dragged close to 100 deer and only a couple used a 4 wheeler.

 

Once outa the woods if at home across the lawn and up the tree if cool if not into the old 6 foot beer cooler in the garage.

 

Not at home it goes in the pickup bed. These days I would be concerned about ticks in the car. I have them drop off in the bed of the truck so would in the car too.

 

Now the old days!! the 80s and 90s we put a lot of deer on the top of cars and blazers and such. I remember opening week southern zone the hunters on 81 going back north you would see a hundred cars with deer on the roof no problem. If I did not have a truck it would be on the trunk lid not in. We never had blood running all over either?? We gutted rinsed and wiped out the deer and they may of hung a few hours.

 

 

[NeverSeenNorHeard]

I won't lie there is something comfortably nostalgic about seeing an old station wagon with a deer on top. 

 

https://yy2.staticflickr.com/3771/10788634196_8b7e58c97d_z.jpg

 

[thphm]

The old days for us were the 60's and 70's , a few DEC check stations and road blocks on the way home. We stopped at least at one to have our checked out and join in with the hunting stories of others that stopped. Ahh The Good Old Days.

[SteveNY]

Drag him out of the woods!

 

When bow hunting I am almost always alone, this year I bought a new Hunter Safety System harness, to my delight the suspension relief strap doubles as a deer drag.  I dragged a 130 pound dressed buck out last year with it. It wasn't that bad dragging alone with the harness. It worked well.

 

When gun hunting I shot another buck, no harness on this time (was hunting the ground), after I dressed him I started to drag alone. I didn't have a pull strap or anything. Dragged him about 200 yards and then pulled out my cell phone and luckily had service. My brother and a buddy were able to come and give me a hand.

 

After that, in the back of the pickup, if necessary. 

[oldkevin]

mine last year going to the processor in my chevy equilnox  it does fit just fold the seats down

Edited August 26, 2014 by oldkevin

[loworange88]

I drove a Camry before and stuffed the deer in garbage bags and into the trunk. Even though I drive a compact SUV now, I'm thinking of quartering it on the field this year and putting it into a plastic tub in the trunk.

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I've stuffed deer into the trunk of my old Saturn sedan, the trunk of a Suzuki Forenza, and now I drive a Nissan Versa Hatchback(haven't broken this one in yet).  I just lay down a tarp, the use bungies to wrap the tarp up, so blood stays inside it.  I have a long commute to work so having an SUV or truck just isn't economical anymore.  I've hunted out of small cars for the last few years, and for me its not too much of a hassle, until its snowing.  The seats fold down in the hatchback and its pretty big inside so we'll see how the brand new car does this coming season.

 

[crappyice]

I like the idea of skinning in the field and then plastic tub/sheeting in the trunk with seats down- hide goes in another plastic bag for tanning later. A little leaky juices adds that nice "new kill" smell to the car!

[deerpassion]

Deer goes in the bed of the truck... Personally I could give two shakes what kinda looks I may be getting on the way home ... Doe's obviously u can't see , but a nice buck I prop up the rack in the corner, seen numerous other hunters pull up on the way asking me to roll down the window to share their excitement ... Although I need to put a sheet of plywood in the bed to slide them up, last years buck had such a big body I couldn't get em on the tailgait by my self for the life of me, and I'm 6'2" 230 lol... Had two guys passing by that stopped to look at him help me...

[WNYBuckHunter]

Theres an easy trick for getting a deer in the bed of the truck if it sits higher up. I keep a sheet of 1/2" plywood in there during deer season. If the deer is too big and awkward to get up there when im by myself, just get the sheet of plywood, put in on the ground with one end on the tailgate, grab a rope and get the deer slid up onto the plywood. Now tie the deer off on one of the tie down holds in the bed, hop down, pick the end of the plywood up and slide it in the bed, deer and all. Makes it so you arent lifting quite as much weight.

[phade]

You can also use a ratchet strap if you cant slide the deer up the plywood.

[deerpassion]

That's what I was thinkin ... Just gotta get over to Home Depot one a these days ... Funny , I was actually draggin out a doe last year( well wheeling her out on the cart) and a power truck saw me n stopped to check it out, shooten the s$&@ a bit, n helped me toss her in the bed too ! Was lucky last year I guess

[AaronBlaine]

Last year when I bagged a buck at Sterling I had a hard time tracking it due to a gut shot.  I drove all the way back to Sterling the next morning with my now fiancé and we tracked the deer in the rain through a swamp and were able to find em! I gutted em and it was about that time watching the love of my life help drag a dead deer out of the woods in a pair of uggs that I realized I was going to marry her!  Now we have a kid on the way!  Boy or girl one day he/she will be dragging out a dead deer with daddy!

[NeverSeenNorHeard]

004.JPGmine last year going to the processor in my chevy equilnox  it does fit just fold the seats down

 

Skinless to the processor? Brave man! I don't send deer to the processor myself but have seen how they (some not all) operate. Usually they lay the deer on the nasty floor while it waits its turn on the hooks, or hang it next to and sometimes in contact with deer that still have their dirty hair and skin on. 

 

I encourage you to process it yourself next year. You got the skin off, you were almost there. Just dive in and do it. You will likely feel a deeper connection with your harvest. 

[Five Seasons]

Theres an easy trick for getting a deer in the bed of the truck if it sits higher up. I keep a sheet of 1/2" plywood in there during deer season. If the deer is too big and awkward to get up there when im by myself, just get the sheet of plywood, put in on the ground with one end on the tailgate, grab a rope and get the deer slid up onto the plywood. Now tie the deer off on one of the tie down holds in the bed, hop down, pick the end of the plywood up and slide it in the bed, deer and all. Makes it so you arent lifting quite as much weight.

 

it's always a good problem if the deer is too heavy to do on your own

[crappyice]

Skinless to the processor? Brave man! I don't send deer to the processor myself but have seen how they (some not all) operate. Usually they lay the deer on the nasty floor while it waits its turn on the hooks, or hang it next to and sometimes in contact with deer that still have their dirty hair and skin on.

I encourage you to process it yourself next year. You got the skin off, you were almost there. Just dive in and do it. You will likely feel a deeper connection with your harvest.

Real good point against skinning prior to bringing it to a processor.

[Elmo]

Last year when I bagged a buck at Sterling I had a hard time tracking it due to a gut shot. I drove all the way back to Sterling the next morning with my now fiancé and we tracked the deer in the rain through a swamp and were able to find em! I gutted em and it was about that time watching the love of my life help drag a dead deer out of the woods in a pair of uggs that I realized I was going to marry her! Now we have a kid on the way! Boy or girl one day he/she will be dragging out a dead deer with daddy!

You found yourself a keeper!

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[the blur]

2014 opening day, it was 65 degrees and sunny. My deer went in a tub of ice, for the 3 hour ride home to the butcher. The butcher told me, 1st time in his 30 years did anyone ever bring in a deer in a tub of ice.

He told many deer's are rotten by the time he gets them, and he refuses to butcher them.

Other butchers will butcher deer on a 70 degree day, and leave the meat laying out on a table until he feels like wrapping it.

[YFKI1983]

Other butchers will butcher deer on a 70 degree day, and leave the meat laying out on a table until he feels like wrapping it.

That's why I'll never go to a butcher again lol

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[WNYBuckHunter]

it's always a good problem if the deer is too heavy to do on your own

 

Absolutely!

[moog5050]

You can also use a ratchet strap if you cant slide the deer up the plywood.

Or have your friend pick it up for you. LOL

[WNYBuckHunter]

That's what I was thinkin ... Just gotta get over to Home Depot one a these days ... Funny , I was actually draggin out a doe last year( well wheeling her out on the cart) and a power truck saw me n stopped to check it out, shooten the s$&@ a bit, n helped me toss her in the bed too ! Was lucky last year I guess

 

Just make sure to have them trim it down to the size of your bed. In my case, they had to cut it to 6'3".