Drag or Pack Out?

[E-Rock]

Unless required by law, I can't think of a situation where I wouldn't breakdown an animal in the field. I'd prefer all the parts I'm not going to consume to stay in the hills rather than the landfill.

Just noticed you mentioned the law thing.... My mistake for not reading fully!

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

IMO, there has to be a pretty compelling reason to drag a deer. Like it's downhill, with snow on the ground, and I can see the truck.

Growing up in PA i dragged so many damn deer so many miles. Being the youngest in the group 99% of the time I dragged alot that weren't mine to. Now looking back that was really stupid. Nobody ever packs them out back east tho atleast not the people I hunted with. Some year I'm gonna go back and shoot a deer and pack that thing back to camp and I can't wait to see the looks on everyone's faces. Idc if I can see the truck and its downhill its getting packed.

 

[Shangobango]

I have made deer into packs and put them on my shoulders. It's an old Indian trick. Also a genuine SOB. Eats a hole in my shoulders. I know how to do it but refuse to pass it along. That secret will die with me ... so someone else doesn't die trying it. The animals on my back were always liberally dressed in orange. I keep an extra el-cheapo hunting vest and roll of glo-orange flagging tape in my daypack. The tape for marking a return trail or spot where I shot. The extra vest is in case I have to leave leave game overnight to get horses or help. Hang the vest up over the carcass to keep the birds off it. Birds have ruined a LOT more meat than bears. For bear deterrent I pee liberally and build three small fires around the sight. Works for wild bears. Don't know about habituated ones. Never had to deal with them where I hunted.

I have made a backpack out of plenty of deer. Those days are over.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

IMO, there has to be a pretty compelling reason to drag a deer. Like it's downhill, with snow on the ground, and I can see the truck.

It is possible to drag more weight (>200 lbs) than carry on a backpack.

 

[Western Traveler1]

One thing I would add here is look at state specific requiremnets for carcass disposal. Where I grew up hunting, and still hunt, carcasses may not be disposed of on public lands. This requires taking the whole carcass out of the woods. If any of the above methods are not used to drag or haul the deer out, it may be required to bring out the rib cage and spinal column and head (assuming its a doe) if quartering is used to dispose of properly. Just something to look at.

Dear Montana Hunter,

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks needs your help in managing and monitoring Chronic Wasting Disease. CWD is a fatal disease of deer, elk, and moose that was first found in wild deer in Montana in 2017.

This year FWP will continue CWD surveillance in specific areas known as Priority Surveillance Areas in northwest, southwest and eastern Montana. Hunters who harvest a deer, elk or moose in these areas are asked to voluntarily submit their animal for sampling to help gather additional data for that area. This information will be used to help inform the best management strategies for the affected hunting districts.

FWP is paying for the testing of samples and can help hunters get their deer, elk, or moose tested. Hunters can take the samples themselves, fill out the online hunter submission form available on our website and mail them to our Wildlife Health Lab in Bozeman. Hunters also can bring the animal (or head) to a CWD Sampling Station or to most FWP offices. If you intend to donate your deer, elk, or moose to a food bank, FWP strongly recommends that it be sampled for CWD testing beforehand. Due to the COVID pandemic, staff presence in FWP offices can vary as many continue to work remotely. Not all FWP offices can offer help with sampling, so please call ahead to check on availability and to ensure your visit is timely, quick and smooth. Also, please come prepared to wear a mask, as required by Gov. Steve Bullock’s directives, should social distancing be difficult to achieve. FWP staff will be wearing a mask as well.

Also new this year is a requirement for proper disposal of all carcasses and parts in a Class II landfill. This required disposal replaces in-state transport restrictions that were previously in place. A carcass may be moved anywhere in the state regardless of where it was harvested as long as the carcass parts are disposed of in a Class II landfill after butchering/processing. Carcass parts, such as brain, eyes, spleen, lymph glands, and spinal cord material, must be bagged and disposed of in a Class II landfill or may be left at the kill site. Dumping carcasses in other places is illegal, unethical and can spread diseases, including CWD. We now know the disease is present across much of the state. This new disposal requirement applies to all deer, elk, and moose carcasses wherever in the state they are harvested by hunters or as vehicle-killed salvage.

If left unmanaged, CWD will spread. As infection rates increase, it can have a significant impact on our wildlife and those, like yourself, who hunt them. Thank you for your help as we fight CWD together.

For more information, please contact your local FWP office or visit fwp.mt.gov/cwd, where you can find a wealth of information, including how to take your own samples, FWP sample collection locations and hours of operation, maps of our Priority Surveillance Areas and Class II landfills.

Sincerely,
Martha Williams, Director
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

 

[Bill Christy]

I like the gutless method, unless I'm after the liver and heart. I then use the gutting method for field dressing. You can't beat a sled or game cart for getting your animal out in one trip.

 

[Bill Christy]

It is possible to drag more weight (>200 lbs) than carry on a backpack.
View attachment 157175

Save the sled for winter snow. Use a wheeled cart in the conditions.

 

[rebjfan]

I'm hunting a small piece of public land starting Tuesday (I have a special permit that allows me to hunt a piece of land that normally forbids hunting). Based on where the deer are hanging out, I'm expecting a roughly 1.5 mile trip to the truck (relatively level ground) if things go well.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a novice at field dressing. The one antelope I've downed with my bow I had a buddy gut in like 10 minutes and we had the truck right there.

As a result, I'm wondering if I should do the gutless method and pack out or try to drag the deer back to the truck. I'm going to be hunting solo, so I'm also wondering if there are any contraptions that I can use to get a whole muley buck into the truck. For the gutless method, I've watched about every video on the internet about it and I'm wondering if someone can give me an estimate of how long it would take a total noob to do a deer. I'm a little worried about taking a shot in the afternoon and starting the process as I'm losing light. I have a decent headlamp and extra batteries should it come to that.

For the record normally I wouldn't ask, but I was out there scouting yesterday and saw a giant. I did a "dress rehearsal" stalk and got to 52 yards before him and his buddy noticed me. They didn't bolt and continued feeding. At that point, I backed off and let them continue eating.

Definitely quarter it and pack it out. I would not consider dragging a whitetail that far.

 

[BenhuntinMT]

I will never drag anything again! Packing out a deer on your back is always easier. Pack it all.

 

[WyoDoug]

It all depends on how close we are to the road. If I am within walking distance and have a buddy to help, I drag or use a game cart. If I am not within walking or cart distance, I pack it out. But I don't use gutless method. I take the heart and liver and then the ribs. St Louis ribs or short ribs from deer are really good smoked and slow cooked on the grill. If I do not have my meat saw in my pack, I cut all the usable meat off the ribs, brisket bone and back. I also take a good chunk off the neck because there are some mighty fine stew meat or neck roast there.

 

[RustyNail]

I'm hunting a small piece of public land starting Tuesday (I have a special permit that allows me to hunt a piece of land that normally forbids hunting). Based on where the deer are hanging out, I'm expecting a roughly 1.5 mile trip to the truck (relatively level ground) if things go well.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a novice at field dressing. The one antelope I've downed with my bow I had a buddy gut in like 10 minutes and we had the truck right there.

As a result, I'm wondering if I should do the gutless method and pack out or try to drag the deer back to the truck. I'm going to be hunting solo, so I'm also wondering if there are any contraptions that I can use to get a whole muley buck into the truck. For the gutless method, I've watched about every video on the internet about it and I'm wondering if someone can give me an estimate of how long it would take a total noob to do a deer. I'm a little worried about taking a shot in the afternoon and starting the process as I'm losing light. I have a decent headlamp and extra batteries should it come to that.

For the record normally I wouldn't ask, but I was out there scouting yesterday and saw a giant. I did a "dress rehearsal" stalk and got to 52 yards before him and his buddy noticed me. They didn't bolt and continued feeding. At that point, I backed off and let them continue eating.

If its short distance drag. If you hunt back country just quarter it up.

 

[Dsnow9]

I like the gutless method, unless I'm after the liver and heart. I then use the gutting method for field dressing. You can't beat a sled or game cart for getting your animal out in one trip.

You can pop a couple rips with your knife and still get the heart and liver with gutless. Gutting is horrible!

 

[Mallardsx2]

If it's more than a couple hundred yards, I pack them out.

If I am hunting oos I ALWAY pack them out so I don't have to deal with the carcass.

 

[WyoDoug]

You can pop a couple rips with your knife and still get the heart and liver with gutless. Gutting is horrible!

Naw. I pull the guts on all big game animals, plus I want the ribs so I remove the guts. Deer or elk ribs on grill with some BBQ sauce is great.

 

[Sytes]

Resurrected from the dead. Beats a new post such as gun carry in bear country x's 100 HT threads.

I dragged many sleds in my day. In my 50s now and wow... Looking back I'm looking forward to hover boards for my wilderness backcountry hunts. Hope to be alive...

Drag, pack, one is multiple trips if solo, other is a slow one foot in front of the other. I'm for hell one time and bracing the suck than multiple trips.

 

[Dsnow9]

Naw. I pull the guts on all big game animals, plus I want the ribs so I remove the guts. Deer or elk ribs on grill with some BBQ sauce is great.

I wish I killed things that close to the truck. I’m not hiking ribs out of the hellholes or distance I hunt

 

[longbow51]

Horses are fun to ride in the off-season. Ride to rivers hard to reach. Catch many trout. Give your kids something to do. Build character.

Sorry, more of a joke, I know many don't have this as an option, but it is the best one. Kids need to get off phones and into the corrals.

 

[corndog1]

I pulled a deer to the truck one time