Snow Trackers

[Cedarsavage]

For you guys that snow track in remote areas... what’s your extraction plan? I’m planning on tracking in a roadless area this year. Debating on staying at fighting weight with only bare essentials; food, water, knife etc. then either dragging or walking a mile plus back to my truck to get my frame pack and come back in. I’ve tracked with a small pack before I’m thicker areas and it made a lot of noise so that’s a concern. The other concern is shooting is usually fast and furious and I’m afraid of pack straps being in the way. Big pack would be nice, I’m in great shape but I have to eat constantly and drink over a gallon of water a day which is hard to stuff in a fanny pack. This area is open hardwoods with evergreen depending. What do you guys think?

 

[wind gypsy]

A couple miles is nothing to go grab a frame pack but I don’t find frame packs to be particularly cumbersome to walk around with either.

 

[Rich M]

Having an extraction plan is great, what's the success rate look like in that area?

Can you shoot after you've been up and down all day, chasing a track - can you shoot quickly at a moving target? Most animals bed so they can either smell or see you.

Tracking is fun and I've done it - usually see the deer come off a knob or ridge as a flash of movement and never seen again. I been using a lumbar pack lately and really like it better than a full pack, frame, or fanny pack. Carry a small tarp and 2 or 3 ways to make fire.

By all means figure out a plan, and have away to get the quarters away from the kill site and up away from ground critters - bears, wolves, coyotes. And a way to get them back home. Then all you gotta do is get one.

Good luck and have fun. Hope you run into having the problem of getting a big buck out.

 

[MallardSX2]

Very efective method. Very poor results for the 99% of people who try. The 1% of the people kill 99% of the deer. Those are guys who do not have the internet. lol

 

[Cedarsavage]

[idk what the success rate is. I don’t know anyone that hunts there. I’ve heard stories of old timers who hunted there by still hunting and tracking and did well. I’m sure it’s low odds but I like having a plan together before I go. Pretty steep country for this part of the world. Thinking I might take a daypack with meat bags, and drag rope. If I get lucky in a dragable area start pulling. Otherwise hang meat out of wolf reach and come back with a frame pack. QUOTE="Rich M, post: 1840098, member: 19256"]
Having an extraction plan is great, what's the success rate look like in that area?

Can you shoot after you've been up and down all day, chasing a track - can you shoot quickly at a moving target? Most animals bed so they can either smell or see you.

Tracking is fun and I've done it - usually see the deer come off a knob or ridge as a flash of movement and never seen again. I been using a lumbar pack lately and really like it better than a full pack, frame, or fanny pack. Carry a small tarp and 2 or 3 ways to make fire.

By all means figure out a plan, and have away to get the quarters away from the kill site and up away from ground critters - bears, wolves, coyotes. And a way to get them back home. Then all you gotta do is get one.

Good luck and have fun. Hope you run into having the problem of getting a big buck out.
[/QUOTE]

 

[Cedarsavage]

Only one way to join that %1.

Very efective method. Very poor results for the 99% of people who try. The 1% of the people kill 99% of the deer. Those are guys who do not have the internet. lol

 

[Hunt4lyf]

For you guys that snow track in remote areas... what’s your extraction plan? I’m planning on tracking in a roadless area this year. Debating on staying at fighting weight with only bare essentials; food, water, knife etc. then either dragging or walking a mile plus back to my truck to get my frame pack and come back in. I’ve tracked with a small pack before I’m thicker areas and it made a lot of noise so that’s a concern. The other concern is shooting is usually fast and furious and I’m afraid of pack straps being in the way. Big pack would be nice, I’m in great shape but I have to eat constantly and drink over a gallon of water a day which is hard to stuff in a fanny pack. This area is open hardwoods with evergreen depending. What do you guys think?

Have you listened to the Big Woods Bucks podcast? It deals exclusively with what you are looking to do, even though I'm out west I find it very interesting to listen to.

 

[MallardSX2]

There is a big difference in tracking bucks in the Northeast VS Tracking bucks in the mountains of the west in my opinion.

Bottom line- NEVER MISS A SNOW DAY.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Have you listened to the Big Woods Bucks podcast? It deals exclusively with what you are looking to do, even though I'm out west I find it very interesting to listen to.

I do. I’ve read Hal’s book and dabbled in it a bit. Had a few opportunities at does and small bucks with a close call on a nice one. It seems like those guys usually drag to a road, walk to their truck. My question is more for roadless. I guess worst case I hang meat in trees and come back with my frame pack. I spent Saturday in there... I can’t see any other way to effectively hunt it, and I feel like my Alaskan frame might make to much noise the way the top sticks up. Leaning towards a day pack with meat bags. If I get one I’ll carry out a quarter and come back.

 

[Cedarsavage]

I live in the upper Midwest. I’ve never hunted northeast or western mountains for whitetail. What is the big difference; size of mountains? I think Robbie tracks for mulies doesn’t he?

There is a big difference in tracking bucks in the Northeast VS Tracking bucks in the mountains of the west in my opinion.

Bottom line- NEVER MISS A SNOW DAY.

 

[Hunt4lyf]

There is a big difference in tracking bucks in the Northeast VS Tracking bucks in the mountains of the west in my opinion.

Bottom line- NEVER MISS A SNOW DAY.

While I've never tracked deer back east I have done it a few times out here when the conditions are right but since I hunt lower elevations and east of the divide they're not often conducive to tracking, I have put a couple elk on the ground by tracking though..

I do. I’ve read Hal’s book and dabbled in it a bit. Had a few opportunities at does and small bucks with a close call on a nice one. It seems like those guys usually drag to a road, walk to their truck. My question is more for roadless. I guess worst case I hang meat in trees and come back with my frame pack. I spent Saturday in there... I can’t see any other way to effectively hunt it, and I feel like my Alaskan frame might make to much noise the way the top sticks up. Leaning towards a day pack with meat bags. If I get one I’ll carry out a quarter and come back.

I listen to it mostly because it's a fun podcast to listen to but I have picked up a few tidbits to use out here.

As far as roadless goes I carry an original Kifaru Siwash internal pack with everything I need to take apart a deer/elk, once I get it taken apart I go out with a load and get my hauler frame for the rest. My cousin has an Alaskan and I agree that it's to noisy to use all day hunting, at least for me and how I hunt. I can't use a regular daypack without a waist belt due to some shoulder and neck problems but the Siwash packs down nicely for use as a day pack and has fleece panels that help to quiet it in the brush.

 

[Netloss]

We always carry a sled in the truck later in the season and it really helps if you bring the deer back whole.

 

[Cedarsavage]

We always carry a sled in the truck later in the season and it really helps if you bring the deer back whole.

Yeah that makes it a whole lot easier especially in swamps.

 

[wind gypsy]

Have tried it unsuccessfully in n. MN for whitetails and have had some success on Elk in MT. If country was too big to get back to the truck for the right pack i'd just carry a similar pack setup to what gets used in day hunts out west.

 

[sniperbobthenailer]

I use a Badlands Clutch (2900ci) for my daytrips when deer hunting. It compresses a decent amount and easily carries plenty of water. There's a built-in rain fly, bow/rifle rig, and plenty of compartments/access.

This year I easily carried out my buck's front and hind quarter (bone in), backstrap, miscellaneous meat and the head, with the rifle strapped on. We only had to travel 1.5 miles but it wasn't bad (and I'm in terrible shape). I think if the bones were removed from the quarters, I could haul the whole deer out myself as long as I didn't have to do it fast!

I'm sure there are more expensive packs that are lighter or distribute weight better, just my .02

 

[Wrench]

Bone it and boogie. Ive stuffed a boned mule buck in my 22mag too.

 

[Macintosh]

Dont know about mi but many of the NE states require in person check in of the whole carcass so quartering isnt allowed in many cases. Theres snow on the ground if you're tracking, just tie the legs up so they dont catch on every little tree and drag it out, its a deer not a moose. You can also tie a small tarp around it for easier dragging as long as the cord doesnt go around the bottom of the tarp. imo dragging is easier than doing multiple trips if thats your other option. Ive dragged up to 4or 5 miles, the snow makes it WAY easier than on dry ground.
If you can quarter, a smaller pack with a load shelf is the ticket. I like my MR popup 18 as its very low on your back so it doesnt catch behind you every time you have to crawl under brush, and still able to pack an entire boned out deer—unfortunately no longer made in that size, but theres other options For day-pack sized meat carriers.

 

[Broomd]

Watch YOUR back track while following his....you may be surprised.

 

[Wrench]

Watch YOUR back track while following his....you may be surprised.

I killed a bear while hauling a buck out.... he was on my trail.

 

[Erict]

...many of the NE states require in person check in of the whole carcass so quartering isnt allowed in many cases. NY you can quarter after you check in online...ie only if you have cell service, which isnt at all normal for me.

Don't want to sidetrack this thread started last year but FYI - NY has no such law or rule - you are required to complete the physical carcass tag immediately upon kill and report your harvest within 7 DAYS.