Mountain Whitetail Kill Kit

[Wolfshead]

I would check the regs in your area first to make sure you can quarter them up and carry it out.
Some areas you have to bring the deer out whole.
I’ve never needed a saw for field dressing a deer before.
Why do you need it? (Serious question, and curious to know)
My kill kit is:
My license
A zip tie
My knife 3.5” fixed blade
I sharpen my knife at the start of the season, and use it to field dress the animal, skin, and then break it down. I’ve never needed to “touch it up” in the field with a sharpener. Deer are not that big. Like an Elk for example.
Ziplock bag for heart and liver.
That’s about it.
I don’t feel that a mile from the truck is all that far in my opinion.
The shortest distance to my stand is half a mile. Very often I’m a mile or so back in, and I’ll be 64 this fall.
I usually have a jet sled in my SUV which helps with dragging it out, or at least getting it to where I can get help with getting it out.

 

[eaglemountainman]

A good sharp knife
A good sharp backup knife (never needed yet)
Game bags
5x7 sheet of Tyvek

I keep a Silky Pocket Boy, with fine teeth, at camp to cut off the skull cap. While field dressing, I ream the pelvic canal from the outside and the inside, and everything comes out as it should. The only reason I can see to carry a saw is to take the ribs.

Have a good hunt

 

[jolson]

+1 for silky. Silky pocket boy 170mm is a pretty useful tool.

 

[westonhoma]

Havalon knife , extra blades (dont usually need but just in case i forget to replace the old dull one), 550 cord, game bags, old tarp is nice if i got it.

Been thinking I want to switch or at least bring as a back up a fixed bladed knife. Especially for out West. Havalon hasnt failed me yet but that would suckk

 

[TalusHunterCA]

Hunting mountain country in the SE for whitetails is a relatively new gig for me. I'm going 1-3 miles in carrying all I need for the day and for the kill if I am lucky. What do you guys include in your kill kit? Primarily interested in some type of saw that is small and packable.

I would avoid carrying a saw unless it's to clear shooting lanes from a treestand or something. You should be able to completely process a deer with a quality knife or one of the scalpel retaining devices. Search Youtube for the "gutless method" as long as it's legal in the state that you hunt in. Also, include a couple pairs of nitrile gloves, maybe a sharpener, electrical tape or zip ties for your tag etc.

 

[Randle]

Saw stays in my pack because I am usually hunting deer and elk at the same time.
Its for getting to an elk or deer that has died in some nasty brush patch .
I can cut away brush to work on the animal.
4 ozs is nothing to pack.

 

[BLJ]

For the guys who don’t carry a saw, how do you handle skull capping or cutting off the head for a Euro?
Completely serious question as I don’t see any other way of doing it without. Thanks.

 

[eaglemountainman]

I keep a Silky Pocket Boy 170 (with fine teeth) at camp for cutting the skull cap. You can detach the head from the neck with just a knife, in the field.

 

[BLJ]

I keep a Silky Pocket Boy 170 (with fine teeth) at camp for cutting the skull cap. You can detach the head from the neck with just a knife, in the field.

Is it a matter of jjust cutting between vertebrae? I’ve never really thought about it.
I’ve always done it with saw hanging in the shop. Thanks.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Is it a matter of jjust cutting between vertebrae? I’ve never really thought about it.
I’ve always done it with saw hanging in the shop. Thanks.

Yep. Right between the base of the skull and first vertebrae.

 

[BLJ]

Sadly that never dawned on me. Makes perfect sense. Appreciate it.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

KILL KITS Archives

www.rokslide.com

 

[timberjack86]

Heres my Kill kit for bear, deer, or hog in the mountains of southeast TN or North Georgia.
1. Large Frame backpack
2. Pillowcases for game bags
3. Sharp hatchet.
4. Razer sharp buck knife.
5. Tarp or plastic bags since I break them apart on the ground.
6. Good headlight.
8. Paracord
9. Stuff to stay all night incase I drop an animal right at dark. Firestarter, tarp doubles as a shelter and a few snacks.People get lost or hurt and die in the mountains around here, especially at night. Packing out is so much easier in the Daylight.

 

[Kodiak06]

For the guys who don’t carry a saw, how do you handle skull capping or cutting off the head for a Euro?
Completely serious question as I don’t see any other way of doing it without. Thanks.

I cut down into the neck at the base of the skull just like separating the leg joints and just twist off the head.

 

[Macintosh]

Yep, watch a game processor cut the head off a deer, its maybe two quick cuts through the neck, find the joint, and bam, twist it right off—its like a 5 second operation if you’ve done it 6,000 times. For me its more! But still easy without a saw. If you cap the skull or use it for brush or cut ribs to bring those out or whatever makes sense, just not at all needed for basic field butchering itself.

 

[VA Ridgerunner]

The outdoor edge flip n zip is so light that you won't really notice the weight. With that said I don't think I'd carry out bones unless prohibited from deboning in the field. The exception for me would be a head since I'd probably just snap the neck and carry out the whole head unless it was going to cost me an extra trip. It would have to be a pretty big deer for me to want to carry it out though and I'm not too optimistic about shooting one that big back in the mountains where I hunt.

 

[Prairiekid]

Same items as most guys here.

I do use a Havalon Double Folder. It has the normal blade on one side and the barracuda saw blade on the other. It also has a good grip. With that you’re pretty well covered if you want to split the pelvis etc and can do some light tree trimming if you need as well. I always carry an extra 60A blade. I also have a small folding buck knife on my bino harness to split any joints or anything that takes a bit more torque.

Lastly I always have vasaline soaked cottons balls nearby or in the kill kit. That way if it’s way below freezing which it usually is in November up here I can take my time, keep my hands warm and do a proper job.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

My Kershaw folding field knife has broken the pelvic arch on upwards of thirty deer without ever needing a new edge. It's the best hunting knife I have ever carried. I never bothered with a saw.

A few paper towels (also useful for field shits), a pair of disposable gloves, a non-folding knife for my belt, a compass, waterproof matches, a backpack to carry warming layers, and I am ready to go hunting. Unless I am camping out in the woods, I don't see the need for much more than that. If I am hunting on unfamiliar land, I will bring water (on my land I know all the springs).

And you can call me stupid, but I always drag my deer out, no matter where they go down or how far it is... that's just always been part of the experience. My dad won't let us drive a truck across the fields to get a deer unless the ground is bone dry or frozen. And he makes fun of us when we do that.

I found this this deer puller thing in my dad's closet that straps around your chest like an H-harness that always worked really well (except for going down the mountain). So, I'll carry that this year. Part of the joy of taking a long time dragging a deer out is that half the time you get the chance to shoot another one while you are doing it. Not sure what it is, but it seems like I see almost as many deer while I am making a ruckus dragging one as I do when I am creeping along on a still hunt.