How to get them out

[ChrisF]

I tried back pack hunting last fall. It was brilliant, if a bit cold. I successfully stalked and shot a nice white tail buck in our province's northern forest. A Seek Outside wood stove in my pyramid tent went a long way to making this possible, since it was well below freezing. I had planned everything out except for how to get the deer out once it was down. I dragged it out about two miles through thick bush. As you can see from the photo, there was some snow to help slide the deer when the trees were thin enough to allow that to happen. In hindsight, a cheap tobaggan would have helped immensely. (The bush was too thick for a quad or snowmobile.) How do others here remove their animals after the kill? Quarter them? Sleds? Suck it up and pull?

 

[NVBird'n'Big]

Depends on how deep you are, looks like a plastic sled would have worked out for you in that situation. I'm sure I speak for most guys here when I say that unless you can see the truck from the gut pile, the best option is taking it out in your back. Quarter it at least, debone if you don't have help and have a long haul to save on weight. There are a lot of amazing backpacks on the market now a days that have made use of great technology for packing large loads. If you don't have the coin for a new state of the art bag, grab an old frame pack. I grew up dragging deer through miles of sagebrush and hated every second of it. The moment I packed my first buck out on my back on my old cabelas frame I kicked myself for not doing it sooner.

 

[Hilltop]

Chris,

Packing out is sometimes the easiest way but if you prefer a whole animal coming home with you see the following-

For deer and antelope we use a large wheel game cart. Install bicycle breaks for inclines and you have an easy way to transport an entire animal by yourself. I took an antelope out last year about 2 miles with one. I regularly use it for deer by myself as well. I use straps to hold the animal in place when there is any incline or going over logs and through brush. They pull honestly very easily through most situations. In deep snow, a flexible sled tied around the deer also works well. I have a harness I wear that I tie the sled to for easy pulling. I have taken elk out whole this way in the past when I didn't have a pack. Many of the areas I hunted while growing up were within a mile of a road so we usually tried to take animals out whole.

 

[Cobbhunts]

+1 on the game cart. We don't get enough snow here to warrant bringing a snow sled, but from the looks of the situation you were in, it would have been very nice to have!!!

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[Sfjeeper]

I've used a product called a deer sleigh'r in the past. Basically a sheet of pvc plastic and a rope. They are light, inexpensive, and roll up for easy transport. You lay the sheet down and use rope to strap your deer to it. Used it here in California to drag through sticks, branches and rocks. I think it would work great in snow. Although packing it out would be my first choice.

 

[hoshour]

I've never used it but here's a link to it http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/original-deer-sleighr-game-sled.aspx?a=450188

There's an open box one on eBay for $20. The deer size weighs 5 lbs and rolls up.

 

[ChrisF]

Thanks all. If I keep backpack hunting and camping overnight I'm a bit limited in what else I can carry. Maybe the thing to do is bring a sled and haul my camp stuff in that way. The snow was knee deep and I can't imagine trying to make it through with a deer on my back. I'll have to practice quartering the animal next year.

 

[25contender]

Ww use a plastic bobsled for Elk. Should work for deer. See the pic below the sled is orange with the quartered Elk on it. We use two sleds for one Elk.