Packing out game on your back

[outdoor hunter]

I love the pictures of everybody with their trophys on their pack, but how in the heck do you keep the tics off you when you do that??
Every deer I've taken has tics.

 

[RosinBag]

I actually love the packing out of animals, it means I did well. As far as ticks, I got the Lyme disease injection series a few years back. It was three shots over 12 months. I don't know that it works, since I don't think I have been bit by one since. As soon as your done packing, strip down and check yourself out.

 

[LNGBOWFLYER]

Ticks are not a problem because when I pack animals out the hide is not on the quarters. Why pack out the hide? 1 it keeps the warmth in the meat and doesnt allow the meat to start to cool off. 2 it is unecessary weight. For me 3 out 4 times I debone the animal. The other time I quarter it. But I NEVER carry meat out with the hide on it. I take the hide off ASAP.

 

[outdoor hunter]

What about your trophy head you want mounted?? Your going to back head, antlers, and some hide rite??

 

[Lawnboi]

Ticks are just part of being in the woods. Iv never really seen too many of them on any deer iv ever shot, but then again i havnt really looked too hard.

I have had lymes before though, it was not fun. Just be aware there are tick, check yourself and thats about all you can do. lymes and ticks are one of the many reasons i shave my head and nether regions during tick season. That way they are easy to spot.

Nothing to be scared of imo, just be aware of them. And be aware of the symptoms of lymes.... just because there is no bullseye or you didnt find the tick dosnt mean you dont have it. At the first signs of symptoms go in. When i got lymes i waited because i just thought it was the flu. Around a month later i could barely walk, and was having trouble breathing when i finally went in. It was not a fun experience.

 

[ridgefire]

i have never seen a tick on any elk i have been a part of packing out but have seen deer that had tons of them on them. i have never really worried about it though.

 

[wapitibob]

Most of the ticks should have come out and fallen off a Deer by the time you pack up the head and cape. I don't recall ever seeing a tick on an Elk. Ticks give me the willies.

 

[Bighorse]

Like said above. Strip the hide ASAP. Care for you meat in a clean and through fashion. The cape should be peeled from the skull and fleshed well. If not fleshed at least get it cooled quickly along with your game meat. You can actually ball up a cape and store it just like meat. If it had ticks they will be in a bag and unable to roam. Just like meat, keep you cape clean and cool and get it to processing quickly and you'll have no problem. I really like Arons sugestion of getting meat in a dry back and into cool flowing water. Often times thats your best option for rapid cooling. The sooner you do that the sooner you retard growth on hard earned meat and trophy. Direct exposure to water is ill advised as you will just introduce more contaminates. Of course there are exceptions in the case of meat exposed to GI contents,excess blood, and heavy debris. Having a sound tactical aproach to game harvest is a huge part of being a "hard core" hunter. It's like the difference between a surgeon and a butcher.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I have never really payed too much attention to it. Just check myself out when I get back to "civilization".

 

[bearguide]

i go with big horse and lngbowflyer, remove the skin, debone, cape it salt it bag it

 

[LNGBOWFLYER]

What about your trophy head you want mounted?? Your going to back head, antlers, and some hide rite??

Yes I realize this. I carry 4 large garbage bags in case its super hot and I have to make multiple trips I can dump the meat in bags and put it in a stream or a glacier. This way even if I can't make another trip until the next day I know without a doubt that meat is still good to go. As far as the cape. We would flesh the head and put the hide in a plastic bag. (Elk) or a deer the whole head with cape might go in the plastic bag. Either way there isn't any hide coming in contact with my body.

 

[Matt Cashell]

I hate ticks.

They are like a scourge in my part of MT from March to June. After that, they aren't a problem. They don't carry Lyme disease around here, but many have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Colorado Tick Fever. I have had upwards of 30 on me at once while shed hunting. The Selway is ridiculous with them ... RIDICULOUS!

I haven't found any on the capes of my deer or elk in the fall. I have seen them attached around the anus and genitals during field dressing/ quartering, but those parts stay at the kill site. I will be carefull with the pelt of my first MT spring bear this year (fingers crossed), I am sure it will be heavily infested with the little blood suckers.

 

[LNGBOWFLYER]

Spring Turkey is horrible here in NY. Last October during deer season I found 30plus ticks and that was in OCTOBER!!! I have never seen so many ticks in my life. New York is horrible for ticks and they do carry lyme disease.

 

[slim9300]

I have never really payed too much attention to it. Just check myself out when I get back to "civilization".

Exactly. =)

 

[flystrait]

i have never seen a tick on any elk i have been a part of packing out but have seen deer that had tons of them on them. i have never really worried about it though.

Same here as well..

 

[Ross]

Of all little critters, ticks are the ones that give me the willies! Having hunted in the south many years ago I developed a real aversion to these little guys. I can still remember animals basically moving with ticks after the body heat left the animal. Over 32 yrs and many elk packed I can only recall one elk that had ticks. That being said during shed season I find the little buggers all the time and just have to remember to check myself, my gear and anything that was along for the ride that day!

 

[Rick Seymour]

Bitterroot - I wonder if a Thermocell would make them vacate a spring Bear hide after a Longggg photo session