Draging/Packing Out Deet

[adamm88]

I know this is mostly a western forum but say you kill a whitetail 1-2 miles from you truck, When does it pay to pack it out verses dragging the deer? Im just curious how people handle it. Thanks Adam

 

[N2TRKYS]

I've done it both ways. The terrain and/or easy of travel dictates whether or not I drag or pack.

But at that distance, packing would be a lot easier, regardless of terrain.

 

[Mtslackcountry]

I always pack even if its just a 1/2 mile. The way I look at it I have to cut the animal up anyways so why not do it in the field. Dragging a deer to me sucks balls and it way more difficult than packing.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

The way I look at it I have to cut the animal up anyways so why not do it in the field.

This is basically my take unless dragging it somewhere close offers some sort of advantage in terms of ease of cutting or cleanliness.

Also if you get good at gutless (I'm still practicing) it doesn't take that long and you trade off cutting for gutting.

 

[Lawnboi]

Dragging even a quarter mile sucks.

This is a sore subject for me, wi dnr makes dragging almost mandatory.

I drag my deer out of the woods, only to quarter them out on the lawn.

When you weigh 145lbs, and hunt swamp country, dragging sucks

 

[Poser]

This is basically my take unless dragging it somewhere close offers some sort of advantage in terms of ease of cutting or cleanliness.

Also if you get good at gutless (I'm still practicing) it doesn't take that long and you trade off cutting for gutting.

This has become my take on the matter as well. I even sold my deer cart as I stopped using it despite keeping it in my vehicle.

 

[elkyinzer]

1-2 miles alone, you are generally going to want to quarter. Then again in PA there are only a couple areas where you can get more than 1 mile from a road unfortunately.

So many factors and personal preference involved, you'll figure out yours after a couple. I've had absolutely miserable 200 yard drags and some fairly pleasant 1/2 mile drags. Hills (up), brush, logs, rocks all make it tougher. Dragging in snow is a breeze compared to dry ground.

I just prefer to skin and cut them up at home, it's easier to keep the meat clean. Throughout most of my whitetail career I've hunted out of a camp with a bunch of guys to help dragging, but more and more hunting by myself these days.

 

[ChrisS]

Throughout most of my whitetail career I've hunted out of a camp with a bunch of guys to help dragging, but more and more hunting by myself these days.

Same here in the Adirondacks. I've been trying to get a little further back than a lot of guys are willing to go anymore. So I have to do it by myself or with one other guy. Two of us dragged a 180lb dressed whitetail 2 1/2 miles, mostly downhill, and it still took 4 1/2 hours. I've got a titanium plate and six screws in my neck; my arms were throbbing when I got to the truck. For all the hassle of antlers catching on trees or getting swamp water in the body cavity or the threat of stumbling & cracking your head on a rock, I've come to think that gutless method is the way to go.

However, if we're in camp and there are 18 folks (especially some of the young kids fresh from fall football practice) around to drag a deer, then by all means. Whole bucks do look good hanging in front of camp.

 

[camping1601]

When feasible I will drag home to a well lit garage with a stereo and cold beer. If it's not easy it's coming out on my back.

 

[welpro222]

On my first high mountain buck hunt, my brother inlaw and I dragged then carried then dragged a big ass 3 pt about 1/4 mile back to camp up hill. It sucks and will never do that again, will only process on the spot in the future. My brother inlaw shot the deer and then it decided to finish itself off by tumbling down a ravine into a creek bed, where we had to lift it up out of there where we could gut it and then proceed to carry it back.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

3/4 of a mile or less and I'll drag, any more is getting boned out

 

[Carlin59]

Lately, I've found myself quartering/deboning in the field even in situations where a full-carcass drag/carry/drive right to it is easy or feasible. The main reason is the ability to leave hide and inedible parts of the carcass in the field instead of sitting in my garage until garbage day. I'm also getting more into aging meat. It is a lot easier to control the temperature of the meat almost instantly when the animal is quartered or deboned in the field, than hanging the whole thing in a garage or game pole with natural fluctuation in temperature.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Just take you some rope and a single tree and hang him there and skin.

 

[cwoods]

Using the age old phrase work smarter not harder, if legal, I'm quartering all day everyday and twice on Sunday.

 

[WoodBow]

Im done dragging deer more than 100 yards. Like others said, it's getting quartered eventually anyways so might as well do it in the field so i dont have to dump the carcass later. I think ive gotten to where i can quarter them on the ground about as fast as hung up at home.

 

[Mkurtz]

For the simple purpose of practice and getting better everything gets packed out. Remaining light dictates whether its boned out or not.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Down here, some come out in a pirogue and the rest on a 4 wheeler.

 

[Huntin wv]

If I can get a 4 wheeler or truck within a few hundred yards, I'll drag it to there. If not, it's getting deboned and packed out.

 

[missjordan]

Dragging even a quarter mile sucks.

This is a sore subject for me, wi dnr makes dragging almost mandatory.

I drag my deer out of the woods, only to quarter them out on the lawn.

When you weigh 145lbs, and hunt swamp country, dragging sucks

I agree, I'd rather quarter it out in the field than do it at home


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[KoolBreeze]

Man, you guys have to work for your spoils. I've got an old 4 wheeler that I can usually drive through woods, right up to 99% of mine. Tie a rope around their neck and out we go. Last few years I've just loaded them in the truck and took them to the processor. Been a while since I've dressed one myself. But I'm thinking about doing some of that this year. Need a good trailer hitch hanger.