The Drag

[GreeneHunter]

I said the hell with dragging and went for an ATV yesterday (used) ... bought a 2008 Honda Rancher 420 with a Plow attached ( so wifey ok'd it ) at http://mattshonda.com/

and look forward to stress free dragging !

Edited November 26, 2011 by GreeneHunter

[GreeneHunter]

I said the hell with dragging and went for an ATV yesterday (used) ... bought a 2008 Honda Rancher 420 with a Plow attached ( so wifey ok'd it ) at http://mattshonda.com/

and look forward to stress free dragging !

[Dave]

Hunter49...I'm with you on that....my bow buck field dressed 160#'s...so live weight was around 200...I forgot my gutting bag and had to drag him 100yrds through heavy brush to get him to where MrB was coming with the ATV...I'm 10yrs your junior and a woman....one that could barely move the next day!!!...and won't forget her gutting bag again....lol

Grow's what's a gut bag? The only bag I carry is a large zip lock bag for the heart and liver.

[Dave]

An ATV probably costs less than a Casket ......... I take the ATV and a sled with me . I might have to walk back 3/4 mile to get them but it beats dragging a deer that far . The farthest I had to drag a deer was about 1 mile and I thought I would die !

Been using my ATV for many years .Park about 100 yards from my stand so the drag isn't to bad all down hill to the logging road. even easier when there is snow on the ground. Plus tying up the deer on the ATV doesn't beat the crap out of the deer on the way out of the woods. It's worth the money.

[Meat Manager]

I am still in my early 30s, but I have some hella long & steep uphill drags, and I just take my time.

You are legally allowed to partially process your deer in the field, and pack out the meat. If I was going to do that I would probably debone everything but the front shoulders.

Edited November 26, 2011 by 7J Everyday

[TreeGuy]

Save the $ ( if possible ) and get an atv, mine has saved my dads life every deer ! He had quad bypass surgery, and a small stroke, now the stress is just hooking em up to the atv. It could save your life ! Or quit hunting...WHICH IS NOT AN OPTION !

[BizCT]

Never seen a quad or cart used in my life. If you're old just take your time. You already got the nice buck, no reason to kill yourself dragging. Just grab the antlers and drag 10-15 feet and stop. Walk ahead 10-20 yards, put your gun down, jacket, etc. walk back and drag your deer and repeat over and over again for a mile or however far you have. Who cares if it takes you 5 hours to get the deer out. My Dad is 58 now, and is 5'6" 145lbs, hes dragged close to 30 whitetail bucks out of the woods by the antlers, some over mile drag. he has bad hips and lower back. If you take your time it can be done. I heard the drag rope for $15 is pretty good.

[steve863]

I'll be damned if I will buy and store an ATV throughout the year for the few weeks I hunt each year. When I put one down, it gets dragged out. No big deal. The problem is that hunters can be lazy and out of shape. Many hunters these days can't even walk the 150 yards to their stands without an ATV. If the only exertion one does is during hunting season, then most definitely you won't have the stamina to drag one out.

[BizCT]

I'll be damned if I will buy and store an ATV throughout the year for the few weeks I hunt each year. When I put one down, it gets dragged out. No big deal. The problem is that hunters can be lazy and out of shape. Many hunters these days can't even walk the 150 yards to their stands without an ATV. If the only exertion one does is during hunting season, then most definitely you won't have the stamina to drag one out.

agreed! Thats why I enjoy hunting nyc watershed property. No vehicles or atv's allowed. So if you go far enough in there aren't many hunters since they cant make it in and out.

NYC reservoirs in westchester, putnam, and the catskills dont allow motors on the row boats and its great, it limits the pressure of fishing on these great fisheries. If you cant walk through the woods to your boat, and then row a few miles, you cant catch fish the big trout!

[Fletch]

If you have a lot of deer on that hill you could persuade me to go hunt with ya and drag for you!!

[SteveNY]

If you have a lot of deer on that hill you could persuade me to go hunt with ya and drag for you!!

lol

I would also be willing to drag some deer for you, if that was the case!

[fasteddie]

I'll be damned if I will buy and store an ATV throughout the year for the few weeks I hunt each year. When I put one down, it gets dragged out. No big deal. The problem is that hunters can be lazy and out of shape. Many hunters these days can't even walk the 150 yards to their stands without an ATV. If the only exertion one does is during hunting season, then most definitely you won't have the stamina to drag one out.

At 70 , i'm not gonna drag a deer any farther than I have to . I worked too hard for many years and saved up money to retire . It makes little sense to go without and leave it all to relatives .

An ATV is handy for many jobs ( dragging downed trees , pulling out shrubs , etc ) .

[arrow nocker]

when i grow up i want an ATV.

[growalot]

Dave...It's a ziploc that I put every thing I need

Knife

dental floss (to tie off rectum)

pink flagging tape(for trailing)

paper towel

wetones

rubber gloves

mini mag

[erussell]

A game cart would have been handy this Thanksgiving when my Dad killed a huge doe a mile back from the road. Two hrs later we had her out but the last 300 yrds up hill through the pines was a pain in the neck with all the trees down from the hurricane this summer.. I'm pushing 40 and my Dad is in his 60's and we agreed to go in on a cart for next yr.

[Dave]

At 70 , i'm not gonna drag a deer any farther than I have to . I worked too hard for many years and saved up money to retire . It makes little sense to go without and leave it all to relatives .

An ATV is handy for many jobs ( dragging downed trees , pulling out shrubs , etc ) .

Eddie I also use my atv to bring out logs I have cut that are hard to get to. Makes life a lot easier no matter how old you are.

[Uncle Nicky]

The carts are OK if you're going across fairly flat or smooth terrain.

If possible, I try to get an ATV in as close as I can and drag to the ATV, at the end of the day so I don't mess up anyone else's hunt.

If I can't get an ATV in, I'll skin & quarter the animal in the woods, de-bone all the meat and haul the meat out in a couple trips, in plastic trash bags in a backpack, like I've seen outfitters do. Leaves a nice meal for the foxes & crows, LOL. If I go this route, I try to enlist the help of another hunter or one of my kids if they're around.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I dont understand why people say the carts are just ok on flat or smooth terrain. I had to pull mine over a blow down that was over a foot high, with the deer on it, by myself this year and had no problem compared to how it would have been without that cart. I dont even think I broke a sweat getting that deer to the truck lol. I can understand the older guys (55+) using ATVs, but the younger guys that use them, I just dont get. Part of hunting to me is the exercise I get walking in and out of my spots, hauling gear, stalking, etc. The only thing I wouldnt mind getting another ATV for is setting and pulling out stands, and working food plots if I ever get back to doing them again.

[Doewhacker]

I dont understand why people say the carts are just ok on flat or smooth terrain. I had to pull mine over a blow down that was over a foot high, with the deer on it, by myself this year and had no problem compared to how it would have been without that cart. I dont even think I broke a sweat getting that deer to the truck lol. I can understand the older guys (55+) using ATVs, but the younger guys that use them, I just dont get. Part of hunting to me is the exercise I get walking in and out of my spots, hauling gear, stalking, etc. The only thing I wouldnt mind getting another ATV for is setting and pulling out stands, and working food plots if I ever get back to doing them again.

Every year we talk about getting one of them carts and I always forget until we are dragging one out..haha

and we are non-atv users aswell.

[Uncle Nicky]

WNY- it all depends where you hunt. Both of my "regular" spots require a minimum knee-high creek crossing, through woods or briars with no established trails. To me, dragging a cart out through that slop for a couple deer a year is more trouble than it's worth. All my stands are a minimum 1/2 mile walk uphill from camp or home, and I agree, I enjoy the exercise as much or more than the hunt. Like I said, I drop a deer that looks like a heart attack, it's either find an ATV or pack it out in backpacks.

[WNYBuckHunter]

They rock Doe, well worth the money. I got mine at the end of one season on sale. I think it cost 30 or 40 bucks.

[Dave]

I hunt by myself a lot so the avt sure comes in handy when you have to get the deer out of the woods by yourself. When I was younger I use to drag them out but I am in my 60ies now and the ATV is how I get them out now.

[WNYBuckHunter]

WNY- it all depends where you hunt. Both of my "regular" spots require a minimum knee-high creek crossing, through woods or briars with no established trails. To me, dragging a cart out through that slop for a couple deer a year is more trouble than it's worth. All my stands are a minimum 1/2 mile walk uphill from camp or home, and I agree, I enjoy the exercise as much or more than the hunt. Like I said, I drop a deer that looks like a heart attack, it's either find an ATV or pack it out in backpacks.

Well sure there are exceptions, and yours sounds like it might be one. I was talking more about the 25 or 30 year olds dragging deer out with ATVs down tractor roads across fields and things like that. Just lazy IMO.

[Uncle Nicky]

Well sure there are exceptions, and yours sounds like it might be one. I was talking more about the 25 or 30 year olds dragging deer out with ATVs down tractor roads across fields and things like that. Just lazy IMO.

I hear you, I'm a year shy of 50, and NO WAY am I taking a quad out just to get to my stand. Nothing against those who do, but if I wanted to ride in a cart I'd start golfing.

[steve863]

I dont understand why people say the carts are just ok on flat or smooth terrain. I had to pull mine over a blow down that was over a foot high, with the deer on it, by myself this year and had no problem compared to how it would have been without that cart. I dont even think I broke a sweat getting that deer to the truck lol. I can understand the older guys (55+) using ATVs, but the younger guys that use them, I just dont get. Part of hunting to me is the exercise I get walking in and out of my spots, hauling gear, stalking, etc. The only thing I wouldnt mind getting another ATV for is setting and pulling out stands, and working food plots if I ever get back to doing them again.

+1 I don't own one but can't see how those carts wouldn't be a good idea in most any situation. They are really quite inexpensive and won't take up your entire garage space like an ATV will. I find it hilarious when I see people hauling their ATV's hundreds of miles to their hunting locations, and their treestands are spitting distance from the road. Makes absolutely NO sense. If they simply want to joy ride on these things, they don't need to wait for hunting season to do it.