Getting everything out

[Buck_shooter]

For all the guys that hunt a long distance from your vehicle or camp, how do you get all your gear and a deer back? Some of the places I'm currently looking to hunt are a mile or more from any road and the terrain is fairly steep and rugged with nearly no trails and motor vehicles are not allowed. This seems too far to take all my gear back to the car after I get something then return, packing it out seems like more time and mess than I care for in the field but dragging a deer while trying to also carry a climber or pack and a gun or bow seems about impossible. How in the world do you guys do it? 

[Buckmaster7600]

Carry less gear. I have a very small fanny pack that I carry when hunting the big woods.

Even though I carry very little gear when I'm dragging long distances i will carry rifle and pack ahead 20-30ft then drag the deer to it. I have done this for over 2 miles and it sucks but it's the best method I have found other than quartering and packing.

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[A Sportsman]

Buck_shooter, I do a fair amount of hunting in the type of area you describe. its much easier if you have other people to hunt with. if you shoot a deer, one man carries the guns and packs, the other drags. And you take turns dragging.

if I don't have a partner to hunt with, I make sure that I stay in an area where my drag is strictly down.  There is no way I'd be able to drag  a big deer uphill by myself. Especially not for any kind of distance and steepness.

[backbeach]

Last week I arrowed a 6 pointer and a small doe .I hunt about 3/4 of a mile in ,first dragged the buck out then the doe and returned for my bow and pack.The first half was slightly uphill then downhill all the way.I had to stop frequently with the buck.the doe was easier . I guess I was so pumped-up with adrenaline I just kept going till every thing was at the truck,drank two bottles of gateraid and a recovery drink .i,m 63 years old and the next day i could barley walk lol.

[stoneam2006]

Last week I arrowed a 6 pointer and a small doe .I hunt about 3/4 of a mile in ,first dragged the buck out then the doe and returned for my bow and pack.The first half was slightly uphill then downhill all the way.I had to stop frequently with the buck.the doe was easier . I guess I was so pumped-up with adrenaline I just kept going till every thing was at the truck,drank two bottles of gateraid and a recovery drink .i,m 63 years old and the next day i could barley walk lol.

Man if I do half that when I'm 60 I'll consider it a win...that is fantastic

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[Padre86]

Your options:

1) Carry less gear in your backpack, though you should always have the basics (fire starting kit, compass, water, emergency tarp, map, ect.) especially for remote areas like the ADK's.  If you're close enough, you can drag the deer back.

2) If dragging isn't an option you can enlist help from a friend or you can field dress and quarter the deer and carry it back in a sturdy backpack.  I've also seen some carry the whole deer (minus guts and internals) on their back having the deer's legs tied together so that it forms a backpack of sorts on the hunter (this method is potentially dirty and tough if the deer is big).

3) Deer carts can work on some trails and roads, but they'll be tough to drag on the rugged trails.

[bushnell]

The farthest I ever shot a deer off the pavement was between 3/4-1 mile. I did what buckmaster said. I carried my equipment ahead about 30-40 yards, went back got the deer and drug that to the equipment. It got the job done.

[Elmo]

I once shot a deer at around 4PM and I had a partner with me.  He bought our gear back while I started the drag.  He got back to the car, drop things off and came back while I was still half way with the drag and he helped me some the rest of the way.  Between the drag, the drive back, the butchering, we didn't finish till around 12:30AM.

Pack a sled or cart.  Pack less gear.  Be prepared to make multiple trips to and from your car.  Bottom line...don't pull the trigger unless you're willing to put in the work.

[10point]

On Monday, October 24, 2016 at 11:44 AM, Buck_shooter said:

For all the guys that hunt a long distance from your vehicle or camp, how do you get all your gear and a deer back? Some of the places I'm currently looking to hunt are a mile or more from any road and the terrain is fairly steep and rugged with nearly no trails and motor vehicles are not allowed. This seems too far to take all my gear back to the car after I get something then return, packing it out seems like more time and mess than I care for in the field but dragging a deer while trying to also carry a climber or pack and a gun or bow seems about impossible. How in the world do you guys do it? 

Native  Americans us to make a type of drag sled  called a 

Travois

 

For carrying stuff .Probable the best way if you know how to make one in the field that is. .

Edited November 15, 2016 by 10point

[chas0218]

I think one of those plastic sleds would make it a lot easier. I would also remove the legs from the knuckle down and obviously all guts. Homedepot has what they call a deer drag sled I think that is what I would use. It would be a lot easier to drag the plastic across the twigs, leaves braches, ect than the deer flopping getting caught on everything under the sun. Also if the rack was large enough I would drag it out but first to keep the rack from catching on stuff. Just an idea tho. I used one of those metal carts and they are nice if you don't have brush or uneven ground with steep hills. With a sled I would be tempted to slide it down the hill in front of me so I don't get taken out by a runaway deer of course a downhill drag is a lot easier than up hill.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/65-in-Deer-Drag-Sled-in-Olive-90057/204693847?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|G|0|G-BASE-PLA-D28I-InsideGardenOther|&gclid=CjwKEAiAgavBBRCA7ZbggrLSkUcSJACWDexAZNQGm4-sZo1Gw90EvWwFmFCQXKsUnn-muOULHM_SKBoCOODw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Edited November 15, 2016 by chas0218

[Fletch]

I have had some terribly long drags lol. I usually do what a couple others have said. Carry weapon and gear a few hundred yards then the deer. Back and forth.

I shot a nice 10 point way the hell back in a swamp on the back of a pond one year. He was chasing a big doe. She stood around after I shot him so I shot her too. I was with just my father who was quite old. He met me half way through the first drag and carried my gun and coat.Took me three hours to drag him out. Had a sandwitch at the car and another three hours dragging the doe out. Now that was a good sleep that night!!

 

I don't mind the drag. If I did i would not shoot deer that far back. It is some of the experience and is not bad after its done lol. As I get older I do try to work smarter and not harder though.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Fletch

[Salmon_Run]

I carry a small fanny pack with shoulder straps in the woods; I never use a sled or cart and subscribe to the drag ahead and then move your gun and pack along with you.

I have helped in many a deep woods drag with my Grandfather over the years. The worst drag ever was a bear I harvested. It was like a 250 pound bag of jello to drag. It rolled down hills sideways, hooked on everything imaginable and sucked......

It was the first and last bear I harvested miles form a trail or roadway. I am willing to try the bone out method and pack frame a deer out as they do in Alaska. Not sure why deer are often dragged miles when lots of hunting customs skin, bone and carry.. 

[Padre86]

Your options when out in the "big woods:"

1) hunt with other people

2) quarter the game out in the field and pack it out

3) If it is small enough, you can carry the deer out on your back like so: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhPp_m3Kz2k

 

I wouldn't be dragging deer solo out in the woods if the distance was anything more than a mile....too slow and inefficient.

[growalot]

Quote

The farthest I ever shot a deer off the pavement was between 3/4-1 mile. I did what buckmaster said. I carried my equipment ahead about 30-40 yards, went back got the deer and drug that to the equipment. It got the job done.

Yep and what that does is help to relieve the tension on your muscle in between drags...though I do a bit more than 40 yards... It works to stretch things out a bit and also brings your heart rate back down...keeps you from getting fatigued as fast.

[Pygmy]

I have carried many hundreds of pounds of meat over many miles of difficult terrain, and I have done my share of dragging, too.

It is definitely easier carrying it on a packframe than dragging.

Nowadays, I prefer to shoot them in a spot where I can back my truck up to them, lower my plywood ramp and slide them into the bed....<<grin>>.....

[ncountry]

I am lucky and we have a core group of 4. Hunting partners and friends since childhood.. if one of us shoots a deer and it is a difficult drag, it is expected that we're  all in..lol.. we are often a long ways from rd or vehicle and not always hunting together.. We will get our gear to the vehicle and call for help..This is one of the best parts of hunting. Esp...the retelling and the whining and complaining because someone had to shoot one 2 miles in and in the middle of a swamp on top of a mountain..lol....It isn't unusual  to not get back out of the woods until after midnight.. We're not kids or elderly, but 45+ (act like 16)and I expect as the years go on it may take longer and longer.lol

[turkeyfeathers]

This buck got a 2.5 mile drag out of the woods this year. "The venison burrito "  Its about a 6x8 foot section of old golf dome material as new one put up. I added 3 grommets down sides to cinch tight and 2 for drag rope to run thru. I should have grabbed a bunch of this stuff , made more and given them to friends and forum members. It easily reduces the friction of drag by a huge amount. Used it twice and looks like day I made it. Went over barbwire a few times without a scratch in it. Normally my feet are slipping out from under me and hunched over so it kills the lower back. I cut "rests" down to almost none.  Curious how she'll work in deep snow. 

Edited January 18, 2017 by turkeyfeathers

[Buck_shooter]

2 hours ago, turkeyfeathers said:

This buck got a 2.5 mile drag out of the woods this year. "The venison burrito "  Its about a 6x8 foot section of old golf dome material as new one put up. I added 3 grommets down sides to cinch tight and 2 for drag rope to run thru. I should have grabbed a bunch of this stuff , made more and given them to friends and forum members. It easily reduces the friction of drag by a huge amount. Used it twice and looks like day I made it. Went over barbwire a few times without a scratch in it. Normally my feet are slipping out from under me and hunched over so it kills the lower back. I cut "rests" down to almost none.  Curious how she'll work in deep snow. 

that looks like it would work even better on snow as long as it didn't dig in or sink if the snow was real deep. I don't think I've ever seen the material, how hard is it to fold or roll up to make more compact? 

[turkeyfeathers]

Rolls up nice and tight. Probably in diameter of an orange when rolled up. I ran a rope down thru it for a carry strap. I had thousands of square footage of the stuff too. Dang ! Didn't know it was going to work as well as it did.

[Lawdwaz]

On 1/18/2017 at 1:22 PM, turkeyfeathers said:

Rolls up nice and tight. Probably in diameter of an orange when rolled up. I ran a rope down thru it for a carry strap. I had thousands of square footage of the stuff too. Dang ! Didn't know it was going to work as well as it did.

The Venison Burrito could darn near get away from you a some down hill sections of your drag, better hang on tight or climb aboard. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

The Venison Burrito could darn near get away from you a some down hill sections of your drag, better hang on tight or climb aboard. 

Especially after it's been coated with that new non-caloric, non nutritive-cereal varnish that his friend Clark developed

[turkeyfeathers]

The Venison Burrito could darn near get away from you a some down hill sections of your drag, better hang on tight or climb aboard. 

Actually it did slide sideways a few times upon descending along a ridge. I seriously should have made a bunch of these. I know nothing if " new dome " suddenly has holes cut out


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[Adkhunter1590]

I've done long drags in the past. I won't do it anymore. If I'm in deep somewhere, it's getting cut up and packed out. I'm pretty good with my knives and can make quick work of getting a deer ready to pack out. I use a nice Badlands pack that I can easily fit a deer sized animal onto and begin the trek back to the truck. Once you've done it this way a few times and get good at it, you'll wonder why you dragged for miles all those times.

[Doc]

On ‎11‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 1:32 PM, Fletch said:

I have had some terribly long drags lol. I usually do what a couple others have said. Carry weapon and gear a few hundred yards then the deer. Back and forth.

I shot a nice 10 point way the hell back in a swamp on the back of a pond one year. He was chasing a big doe. She stood around after I shot him so I shot her too. I was with just my father who was quite old. He met me half way through the first drag and carried my gun and coat.Took me three hours to drag him out. Had a sandwitch at the car and another three hours dragging the doe out. Now that was a good sleep that night!!

 

I don't mind the drag. If I did i would not shoot deer that far back. It is some of the experience and is not bad after its done lol. As I get older I do try to work smarter and not harder though.

This is the method that I usually use. The problem isn't what I have in my pack, but that stupid gun that wants to slide off my shoulder when I am bulked up with clothing in cold weather.

[growalot]

Doc, just open the sling and carry it across your back. I always have a loose sling because I use it as an "army rest" when shooting off hand. Just slip it over my head and no slipping off the shoulder when walking and dragging.