The Drag

[the blur]

I've been hunting at the top of a hill. It's a mild grade, but an incline never the less. In fact I'm winded when I'm walking out at the end of the day.

Should I get lucky, I have no idea how I am dragging anything up this hill. I am by myself, and I have to be honest with myself. How am I gonna get this deer out.

It's a good 1/4-1/2 mile up hill, and then another 1/2 mile of flat trail to get out. And that is if the deer doesn't run futher down the hill.

I'm not 20 yo any more. I'm over 50, and don't know what I would do with a big buck, or even a big doe at the bottom of an incline.

How do you get them out???

Hack saw the deer in 2, and make 2 trips ??

[biggamefish]

Get a deer kart from cabelas they make your life so easy.

[Steve7]

I'm with BGF too. Those carts work great. I've been using the Deer Handle which works for me. I'm close to the 50 number too. Hate having to take or go back for a cart. Good luck.

[Pygmy]

I'm in my 60s, and I've dragged my last deer uphill..

Several places where I hunt, I can get the quad to the deer...A couple of spots are fairly short drags, and all downhill..

I'm the oldest guy in my hunting party , and the younger guys help me out. I used to do that for the old guys..Gut thier deer and drag them.

Now I ARE the older guys...<<grin>>...

[nyazhunter]

Hunting Coues Whitetail in Arizona : in my 40's , gutted and thrown over my shoulders for the long ( 1 1/2 miles on my first hunt ) walk back to the tent site ; in my late 50's , skin and quarter and put in my backpack for the long walk back ( tenderloins,backstraps and hind quarters ) , getting way too old to do this . The dressed Coues deer might weigh 80 lbs. Have to tell you that after the first year with the mile plus walk with deer on my shoulders , gun in hand that I felt like a gentlemen when I came back to my cabin in the Catskills and was able to get the downed deer with my quad and drive him back to the cabin . Felt like 'gentlemen hunting'.

[ny hunter]

That is the reason I stopped going in the woods alone,shot a 4ptr about 5 years ago and thought I was gonna have a heart attack dragging it out.Never again well I hunt solo.Becareful.

[Suilleabhain]

we have a 4X4 about 1/4 mile from where we shoot. One of us gets the bike while the other field dresses. We are 59 & 67.

[Fantail]

You can get a kart under 90$ might seem like a good chunk of change but even if you can't use it all the time if it saves more then 1/2 the drag on your own place it's worth it. Borrow one from somebody, in a pinch a dolly might work but the tiny wheels get caught on too much.

On the other hand the 7 I took off state land this year was a drag, and in a heavy rain I found myself dragging it 50 yards the wrong way. I would go 20-30 yards and take a few minutes. Two trips, deer & Bow first climber 2nd. Was soaked & spent the end of that day.

Edited November 23, 2011 by Fantail

[Jafo]

The only advice I would give is: take your time. Take plenty of breaks.

[arrow nocker]

alott of work.I have a long hill behind my house i have to drag up.I built a cart that has slick front lawnmower wheels on it.I strap the deer on it and pull it.Still a lott of work with wheels even.Go 50 to 100 yds and stop and rest.

I draged an 8 pt out of the woods for 1.5 miles with my at the time 14 yo son.we werent expecting to get a deer.Had nothing to drag it with but my gun sling.One held a side of the horns and one wraped the sling around his hand.Took turns with the sling.Took us around 4 hours up all kinds of ridges and creek bottoms.Now that was some work.

I always take my cart now.

Edited November 23, 2011 by arrow nocker

[fasteddie]

Blur --- Do you have an ATV and if so are you allowed to drive one where you are talking about ? Does the ground get muddy there or does the water run off and not soak in ?

I'm 70 and 3 years ago I shot a doe in south Bristol . I dragged it on a sled about 500 yards uphill and then another 100 yards to my vehicle . I was whipped . My son shot a small doe from the same stand last year . He field dressed it and I told him to go up to his truck , drive to the bottom road and pick the deer and myself up . I dragged the deer (no sled) down the hill and it was a breeze on the wet leaves .

I have one of the carts and it doesn't work well when the ground is soft .

I bought a 2008 Honda Rancher 420 ATV new in 2009 . I haul that with me now . It killed me to spend the money on myself but rationalized that since I had worked all my life to have something that I should buy one and extend my life .

[sits in trees]

alot of places without trails make even a quad impossible. gut the deer then cut the whole rear off using one of them small saws for the spine leaving the sex organs intact. then run a blad down the skin along the spine and skin the back out partially (easy on a warm deer) then fillet the straps off the back throw em in a plastic bag then into your back pack. tie the legs together and drag the hinquarters out, easy, easy, easy.....to many 50 yr olds have dropped draggin deer outta the woods.....

[RobC]

I walk my deer out of the woods at gun point lol. I'm lucky enough where I hunt there are alot of trails to get my atv to any point on the property. or even my truck. I've heard the carts work good too.

[Nomad]

My friends out west call me a flatlander, because i tell them about my hard drags 1/2 mile or so sometimes ,mostly flat ground.Then they laugh. Rodger who lives in Montana this year shot a whitetail buck,antalope and a large bull elk.

He was alone each time and the elk was 1 1/2 miles from histruck. He cut it up and packed it out.Thats how they do it. We buy atv's todrag ny whitetails 1/2 mile.

Buy a pack frame and some game bags.

I have a cart . Often a pain to use,blow downs, mud, plowed fields,wet ground, drainage ditches. We used them in Letchworth on steep ground, took 3 guys and we bring in a rope system.

I also train hard in the gym year round 5-6 days a week . You can't make the ground flatter but you can make yourself stronger.

Well Happy Thanksgiving.

If you can get a atv to the deer,don't buy one find a couple local kids,get their cell numbers and pay them $25 or $50 bucks .

[GreeneHunter]

I shot a big Doe on opening day and was ever so glad my 30 yr. old son was there to drag , could'nt have done it without him . I've gotta get an ATV , but damn they're expensive !

[WNYBuckHunter]

I have a deer cart and it works great, just make sure the one you get has large enough wheels to get over rocks, sticks, etc. A plastic sled will make it easier too.

[fasteddie]

I shot a big Doe on opening day and was ever so glad my 30 yr. old son was there to drag , couldn't have done it without him . I've gotta get an ATV , but damn they're expensive !

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 !

[GreeneHunter]

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 !

Thanks for reminding me of my priorities ! No gold handles on my casket I guess LOL .... ATV shopping as we speak ! Good Luck out there !

[132 eight pointer]

On the atvs , if you or someone you know is familiar with them you can get good deals on Craigslist.My cousin has bought several used and had good luck with them.

[RifleSharpShot]

I have a 3 wheeler and it works great!!Cheap little beaters for 2 3 hundred!!

[hunter49]

Tried to drag a 180 -200 # out of swamp opening day. I went 15yds. thought screw this noise! Let the young guys drag to the edge of the swamp hooked my atv to it & went the other 3/4 miles with ease!! If I can't get with atv it don,t get shot. I could do the swamp drag at 26 but no more at 62! sucks to get old, but better than the alturative, still on the green side!

[the blur]

The state park doesn't allow ATV's. I brought the cabellas game cart, but it's still in the box. I'll put it together if I get lucky. I also brought a pulley, and 100 feet of rope. I can walk down hill with the head tied to the rope going up hill. and drag it uphill like that.

[RifleSharpShot]

Tried to drag a 180 -200 # out of swamp opening day. I went 15yds. thought screw this noise! Let the young guys drag to the edge of the swamp hooked my atv to it & went the other 3/4 miles with ease!! If I can't get with atv it don,t get shot. I could do the swamp drag at 26 but no more at 62! sucks to get old, but better than the alturative, still on the green side!

Haha more power to ya man!!At least your still out hunting enjoying life.I caught a laugh off that.

[growalot]

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

[hunter49]

nice looking buck Growalot , congrats.