Getting buck off the mountain

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katorade

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How do you archery hunters get your deer off the mountain fast when your 3 miles away from the truck and it's hot, if you don't have horses, Dragging, boned out, Quarter, etc?
 
It all depends. If you are three miles away from your truck and it is an easy downhill slope, then i would drag it. The meat will last a long time if you field dress it properly and keep it out of the sun. Moving a deer uphill is quite the pain in the ass. If you are 3 miles out and you have to move it a considerable amount uphill, then quarter it. Also, if you are in a heavily forested area, downed trees are quite an obstacle and most forests contain a ton of tipped over trees. You can carry a deer's four quarters without deboning it.
 
I've never had to pack one out 3 miles before but if I had to I would definitely be boning it out completely on the mountain and not packing any bone other than the skull and rack, unless we're talking about some serious heat outside...I'd try to separte the meat as good as possible in the pack and git my ass outta there in that case!! Hopefully that would involve clearing a few beer cans out of the pack for the walk out :)

I'd bone out completely if I hit one before dark and had to clean it in the dark; if it was really dark I wouldn't cape the face off though. Depends on the situation butI think we'd all do whatever we could to take care of it asap in any condition though??

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb37/Feleno/zFix.jpg[/IMG] ~Z~
 
I use to think, "get it off the mountain fast because it's so hot". Then it occurred to me that the higher I am the cooler it is. It usually gets in the 30's higher up in the mountains in Sept. and definitely in Oct. Why take it "down" when it only gets hotter the lower I go. If I have the time, I prefer to find the coolest, shadiest spot I can get to easily, skin it out, bag it to stop the flies, and let it hang overnight. By morning it is well cooled and set up. (I haven't spent a lot of time hunting in what is considered serious bear country, so that would be a game changer.) If I'm that far back in, I have already figured a plan to bring my deer cart at least part way before hand, or have a route planned to bring it in after the kill. Especially if we're after elk, we get the cart as close as possible, and then bone the elk out, pack it to the cart, and walk out. For deer, we can just bring it out whole if we choose to. Depends on how nasty the terrain is. Once you get it home, if the days are hot and the nights are cool, you can can keep meat cold by wrapping it up in a sleeping bag in the day time and unwrapping it at night, as long as you have it hanging in a cool shady spot or even laying on a cold cement floor. I have done this for almost a week with no problem.
 
The meat will last longer than you think . . . Still, time is of the essence, especially of it's really warm. With the proper planning and the proper gear, and assuming you are in good physical condition, you should be able pack all but the biggest deer off the mountain with your camp. You'll need the right pack and you'll need to bone out the meat. You will be carrying 100 lb. load. With the deer boned out and in a proper pack, you (and your meat) are much better off than dragging.
 
quarter it and bone it then pack it out.The dragging gets old in a hurry.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
 
Bone it out.....period....I will never drag another animal more than 300 feet.


"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-28-11 AT 08:46AM (MST)[p]Bone it or quarter it. Draging sucks, its dangerous. Good way to have an animal roll over top of ya and maybe even gore you with an antler.

Even when its hot out you can usually get the meat cooled down by hanging it in the shade or near a creek bottom. Plus I always try to just make one trip to get the meat out faster. I always prefer a 120lb single pack trip to a 2-60lb pack trip, especially if we are talking about 3 miles in.

If you have to make multiple trips and you know its going to be hot take one of those giant white coolers and throw a block of ice in there.
 
Deer or Elk we bone out everytime unless it is a chip shot back to base camp or the truck. In our backpacks we always carry those Alaska Game Bags used for elk quarters. They work great for ALL boned out game. If you shoot something late in the day and you need to hang the bags in trees for the night. Those Alaska Game Bags work great they stretch and allow the meat to breath while still protecting the meat. You can use the same bags if you just decide to quarter a deer depending on distance and terrain to get the meat out of the back country.

Most times serious archery hunters are a lot farther in than 3 miles setting up a base camp then backpacking into the wilderness setting up a satillite tent camp. That far in... boned out is the only way to go when you are packing out everything on you back in more than one trip.

))))......>
 
I agree with everything said here. If you can get a load out that day, then go for it. This buck came out the same day, but wasn't too far from truck. But if the buck is way back in there, bone it, hang it, and let it cool in a tree in the shade. I have seen more spoilage come from cutting a quarter off and NOT letting it cool first before hauling it out.
 
Here it is, Eberle X2 in action.
8852backpackshot2.jpg




www.hunthardcorestore.com
 
Once the deer is dead, it is meat that you will be eating. I certainly would never want to eat a nice roast that had been dragged through dirt and dust. Treat it like food and not a road-killed animal.
 
Would it be possible to debone and put in game bags and place in a stream for a day or two? Or would this ruin the meat? Is this a stupid questions?
 
I agree with the quartering as mentioned. I have quartered numerous animals in August and September within hours and just the air and shade will cool the quarters down in just an hour. After the first night I will place in cooler in shade or cover with sleeping bags to insulate and keep cool.

After that it is up to you if you bone out or pack the whole quarters. Anything over a mile, I would bone and pack out. A couple miles from truck and you can loose the gun day pack and extra clothing and grab your pack and return and save time. Several miles back in and spiked out, you will need to bone out and pack camp and neat out even if it is a long slow process. Once done you can kick back and enjoy the accomplishment, most are not willing to do!!! Some of my most memerable hunts have been in Wyoming, seven miles in with a back pack. The horse men ask where your horses are and then just look at you like you are crazy!!! That alone has made for memerable hunts that I have accomplished. However, don't get me wrong, horses are great, but can also be a pain on a ten day spike trip.

Elk are a definite quarter if farther than a couple hundred yards. Last year we quartered 7 out of 9. Only takes about an hour total to have ready to go from start to ready for the pack out. Most of the time I'm done before buddies are through with morning hunt and arrives to kill site to help with the pack out.

I've dragged many animals out in my years just to take home and then butcher them a day or two later and have to get rid of all the bones and carcess. Much easier packing and hanging quarters.
 
carry a couple of sturdy garbage sacks along with your game bags if you plan on using a COLD water source to help chill your meat

bag quarters and/or boneless in game bags and then place in plastic sack and set in cold water, secure in such a way that top of OPEN plastic bag remains above surface, and be sure to check for and remove anything that may poke a hole in the plastic or otherwise cause a leak...move meat around as necessary to allow for even cooling

once chilled, you can hang game bags if conditions allow

I've had to do this a couple of times with early season archery hunters' elk that were hit less than ideally in the evening, and not recovered till the next morning...that meat had to get cooled down PRONTO, given the situation of warm weather and somewhat long pack out distances

Good Luck!
 
I've dragged, carried and begged for help MANY times. SINCE I discovered boning (and my llamas), you've got to be very close to the truck not to bone the meat. Not only is it only 40% of the weight but the meat will cool much faster. If done right, the meat will be cleaner, too.


Within the shadows, go quietly.
 
I started using the gutless cleaning method with both quartering out and de-boning meat about 5 years ago and I'll never go back to dragging. I am usually at least a few miles from the trail/truck and those bones tend to get heavy fast. The Alaska game bags work extremely well for me.

copple2
 
I know this may sound stupid to some of you, but I'm a young hunter. What do you guys do to keep the evidence of sex? Don't the antlers, or testes have to be connected to the meat to show it, or what?
 
I leave the nuts attached to the deboned meat... Just make sure you leave enough attached or it will tear off... If you take your time deboning the meat and placing in the shade and elevating with sticks so air can get underneath... It cools down in no time... A good pack is the trick though... If I'm not gonna European mount an animal, I will cape and cut the horns off also... Especially an elk...
 
cape it, quarter it, bone it out, put in caribou game bags, hang while working on the other stuff and then put it in your pack and hike like crazy.





YOUR FAT!! DON'T TRY AND SUGAR COAT IT OR YOU WILL EAT THAT TOO!!
 
Look at your states laws on evidence of sex. In NV, the only "evidence of sex" required is the scalp including the ears and muzzle, and antlers or horns. And it also says that it has to remain "with" the meat, not "attached to." Read carefully, and you will see how it needs to be done.
 
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horsepoop.gif


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Find some friends who don't have the same tag as you do and make them come along. Have them guide you up the mountain using hand signals to the animal. Then, once you have the animal down, have them cut it in to pieces(boned out) and spread the load out amongst you. That's the best way : )

6485stu_and_travis.jpg





"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"
 
Poachers Pack.
I know its dangerous packing the entire deer on your back with all the freakin retards out there, but lets face it, dragging sucks, and boning in dusty dry ground is just plain horrible at times.
The poacher pack is where you make a vertical cut in the hide on each front leg 1- 1 1/2" above and below the joint on the front and back of the knee joint. Break the front legs. On the back legs above the hocks between the muscle and tendon, make a cut big enough to put the front leg thru. Pull the front legs thru to where you broke the front knee. Position the front leg, so it cant be pulled back thru (hide should be like a "T" coming off the front leg back thru the hole in the hide on the back legs. Your now ready to put on your back pack. Getting to your feet is easy with help, but having a 100+ pound deer on your back trying to get to your feet is a real test of your man hood. I have done it, buts its tough.
I know its not safe. It gets some blood above your but crack. It looks funny because the deer looks like he is screwing you, But you will be amazed at how comfortable and easy it is. I have done some big deer, and it wasnt easy, but within 5 minutes of gutting, I was on my way off the mountain. Its not going to work in all situations, but it has worked well for me here and there, and obviously the bigger the deer, the harder it gets, but it another well proven option.
 
Long Range, I have packed quite a few like that! Mostly Blacktails though.

For evidence of sex the law varies from state to state.

Bill

Look out Forkie, FTW is watching us!
 
Huntingdad4. I learned that from a Blacktail hunter from Coquille Oregon, that would come over hunting with us in eastern Oregon every year. Since moving to Southern Idaho, I have use it here and down in Utah more now then ever. Just curious as to what you actually call it?
 
I don't really have or know of a name for it we just usually say something like, "You wanna drag him or make a backpack out of him".

Other than that we sometimes come up with a few colorful words for the process by the time we get the fleas and ticks off and start the application of Calamine lotion for the Poison Oak the little buggers seem to crawl through and lay down in just so they can get a little payback. First order of business is usually a bath in a nearby river or stream.

Bill

Look out Forkie, FTW is watching us!
 
Is this a poachers pack? We just tied the legs together. I would like to see a picture of what you are talking about. This was ok for short hike, but it pushed your neck forward so wasn't very comfortable.
26692005-utah-and-colorado-hunt-buckback.jpg




Beavis - the quarters had come out, I had a buddy with me working on that while I skinned and caped. That pack does have all the neck meat and backstraps along with the wet cape.
 
Outdoordan, heres one of the first ones I did. I got in a hurry and hide broke on the left side that connects the upper front leg to the lower. But I still could hold onto it, and wasn't to bad.
PoacherPack.jpg
 
I want to see a picture of that with an elk!!! That's pretty cool... I bet that would have beat dragging for sure... I still would rather debone for a long haul...
 
Yes, looks similar to what we did. My hike out was probably 1/4 mile or so. Wasn't bad but I was sure glad to get it off my back! I definately know about the blood on your crack! It is still better than dragging. Wouldn't want to try it with elk!
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-01-11 AT 08:05PM (MST)[p]Dumb question...but I come from Texas so I have an excuse.:)

Back home....the most you can "process" your animal is quarters, backstraps and trimmings. Anything beyond that (i.e. deboning) and you get slapped with a hefty fine until it reaches the processor or my house.

What are the rules here in Nevada?

It is my understanding I can completely debone all the meat so I only have meat and no bones. I can cape out and cut my skull cap out, toss it in my pack and make my merry way to my truck?

Is that right? I was here thinking I had to bring back out chunks.
 
For the most part yes, all edible parts excluding the liver, heart, etc.
"In the case of a big game
mammal, except mountain lion and black
bear, the meat of the front quarters as far
as the distal joint of the radius-ulna (knee),
hindquarters as far as the distal joint of
the tibia-fi bula (hock), and the meat along
the backbone between the front and hindquarter".

Notice it says "meat".

www.westernhuntrentals.com
 
That sure makes life and planning alot easier!

Thanks!

Just another queston....again, never had to pack out an animal before. How much space is necessary for it. Don't want to take too much pack or too little. I have a neet little pack but will pick up a badlands if needed :)

I also have a blackhawk raptor that I know if more than enough.


I was also looking at one of those deer sled things from sportsmans guide. Thoughts?
 
I sell the badlands and eberlestock packs. For deer, if you want to take the whole deer out in one trip then you will need something above 2000 cu in. Otherwise, nothing better for meat transport than an external frame. I sell and use bull pacs. Contact me for discounts on gear.

Deer sled? NO. Terrain is up and down and that would most likely be a yard sale coming down the mountain.

www.hunthardcorestore.com
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-03-11 AT 10:52PM (MST)[p]That looks like a decent pack. Would like to see what the frame is like on it. I will PM you.
 
I'd do the cutless method and bone out the meat! It will save you lots of time and frustration dealing with all the additional bulk and weight of non-boned meat. You wouldn't believe how quick it is to bone out an animal the gutless method and the meat will cool quickly. I us light mesh game bags to keep the boned meat clean and free of flies.

I'm not sure how much gear/camp you'll be packing? If you have a super large internal frame pack you can likely get all of camp plus boned meat out in one trip. If not, get as much out and bring back your hauling pack to make a quick and easy 2nd trip.
 
External and removable.....you can see it in the second pic. It is a little flimsy in my opinion but i have never had an issue using it for oretty much everything. It is even my carry on.
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-04-11 AT 07:16AM (MST)[p]i wonder how long this " gutless " method has been going around. i don't ever remember my grandpa and his buddies doing it, i know my dad and his gang didn't do it. i am wondering if this method is popular because of people bieng " gutless " and don't want thier hands dirty.....probably will be attacked but dont care.....:) the heart, liver , and tenderloins is edable meat too. of cource if it is shot-up then it's understandable not to take it. in our camps heart and liver is a tradition from the first animal. and what about evidence of sex? i know every state is different. i know some guys do this for legit reasons and that is great. i am just thinking some guys wearing 800$ worth of the latest camo clothes and wearing latex gloves and using handy wipes and wearing polo perfume are doing this as a cop out so they don't get there hands dirty. i work with a few " hunters " that meet the above example..went dove hunting with them last year and instead of ringing the doves neck or pulling there head off they ground sluced them ! they thought i was a barbarian for ringing there neck ! just wonderin'
 
Been using the "gutless" deal for quite awhile now. Just a cleaner quicker method for me. But, the very last thing I do is open the body cavity and pull out tenderloins and heart. I've heard you can get them by entering thruogh the ribcage but I havn't figured that out yet.

Gutless method is slick and saves some time/hassel.






the artist formerly known as "gemstatejake".
 
Just remember, it will NEVER (in my experience) be faster or easier to drag a deer than it will quarter or bone the meat and pack it on your back, unless you are VERY close to the truck (like you shot the deer from the truck close). I would suggest being very skeptical of anyone who claims they have dragged a deer for three miles. I would be even more skeptical of someone that claims they could drag a deer three miles faster than you could skin, bone, and pack one the same distance. And that is to say nothing of the condition of the meat once it's back to the truck.

The first time or two might take a bit more time, but once you learn what you are doing, there is no comparison. Plus, you leave all the unwanted hide, bones, scraps, etc. in the field for fertilizer instead of having a maggot production facility in your trash can at home.

I've bowhunted and taken animals quite a distance from any vehicle in very hot weather on a number of occasions. Haven't lost any meat yet.
 

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