Filet

[tscott]

A few years ago on my 55th I shot a nice buck, about 2.5 miles back. I love to hunt alone deep. While I work out each day, even run a gym as a retirement job, I was concerned with the long drag, and the amount I sweat that day, and heart rate. I vowed never again. Since, I now string up the deer with a small gambrel and ratchet pulley. I skin, and bone completely, with a pocket knife... I cut off antler skull plate with one of those 10 buck gerber saws. I load into plastic bags, and into the back pack
I would judge 50 - 60 lbs for a big deer, I mean everything, including heart and liver. Here in My transplanted NC, the cell phone takes care of reporting. In my native NY, I cut the card and mailed in the report...
What I want to emphasize, is how easy and safe this is. For me it saves a lot of time, by not dragging and hanging at home... I would encourage others to try... Think I even saw a video on this. I streamline this all the time ....so easy!!! AND SAFE!

[Redhawk1]

We do the same thing in Alaska with Caribou. But when I deer hunt, where I hunt we can either get to them with 4 wheelers or just drive our trucks to them. I hunt in farm land.  

[rickyp]

Most of the places around me we can normal just use a ATV or drive to them, or use one of the new deer carts. we can not take an animal apart until we check it in. they have now just changed the way deer are checked in. All we have to do is call DNR and they will give us a number. so we should be able to cut them up and move them.

Watch using plastic bags, a lot of plastic trash bags have chemicals on them to slow down the growth of odor causing germs and can make a person sick.

When I hunt on public land I just drag the deer to a place I can get my truck to. and when I am hunting on the private farm we have an ATV to go and get the deer

[rockbilly]

:roll: In my younger days I didn't mind dragging a deer miles to a road or back to camp.  Today I don't shoot 'em if I can't drive the pick-up to the place they fall.  Next I am working on a way to coax them into the truck before I shoot so I don't even have to lift them.

On the serious side, several years ago while hunting in New Mexico I shot a deer miles from a road or trail, my buddy and I drag the deer for about two hours and was with-in hearing distance of the road when he had a problem getting his breath.  He was in his mid-thirtys, out of shape, overweight and smoked too much, he had a heart attack. I ended up carrying him to the road on my shoulder.  I left the guns, deer and everything else there and rushed him to a hospital.  When I returned the next day to get the guns I could not find them.  I checked at the ranger station and learned some folks had been watching us, they hauled the deer, guns and other stuff to the ranger station and turned them in to the ranger.

Regardless of age if you are not in good shape it is not wise to haul a deer out by yourself.  This is especially true in the high country.  Everyone should start a work out program before deer season just to be in shape and lessen the chance of a heart attack.

[PEPAW]

TX law does not allow anything past quartering while in the field.   A way to slow poaching I presume.    Of course, the private land in TX is usually covered with roads anyway.   And our deer usually aren't that large of body.   :cry:
If I was unable to drag mine to a vehicle, I guess one of those "deer carts" would be on the agenda.

pepaw

[tscott]

Rockbilly... You are so right... Each time I have mentioned physical conditioning here... there is never a reply.... The way to hunt like a wild man, and to do it as long as you wish is to get in shape, working out strength and aerobically an hour, most days of the week. You must stay within 10 lbs of your ideal weight as well... Each time I go to a deer expo, and hear a guy with a huge Milwaukee goiter, tell how he shot this "tirty point buck" in the Grand Tetons... I just want to explode inside. Nothing is more dangerous than dealing with a deer that you can't get a rickshaw, or ATV to when you are in lousy shape....

[longwalker]

I hear ya brother. I have found that the idea of dragging out a deer or antelope is just to much work. I skin out the deer, quarter, and remove all the good parts. I am leaving the gut pile and the bones of the center section of the beast. wrapped in a game bage and secured to my pack frame, I can transport to my truck just about anywhere.  Even in the hilly portions of our flat state, this beats dragging anyday.

longwalker

[HuntAway]

I hunt deer by myself and generally I'm to far off the trails for ATV's. Even the biggest Whitetail isn't all that big when in pieces. Cut 'em and bag 'em is the way to go.

[rockbilly]

:x It's a shame when you know you are so much out of shape you find yourself turning down hunting trips.  That is exactly what happen to me this past year.  I consider myself to be in fairly good shape for my age, but when offered a totally free trip to a wilderness area in Co for elk and mule deer, I had to turn it down.  The camp was on private land next to a national park that was open for hunting.  The group was to meet in Bailey Co, and 4 wheel back to the camp site.  I was told it is a full 6-7 hour drive to the camp site.  We were advised that if you have, or have had, any problems with the heart, then this is not the trip for you. I stayed home and hunted my place in West Texas.  Guess that's the hazards of living too good as a young man........

[tscott]

Too bad! I would get back in shape... Under Dr. care. Workouts and deer are my passion. I make my living running a gym, and prescribing exercise. COPD and Cancer, leading killers are largely lifestyle related.
Virtually all who have high blood pressure that I test, benefit from dropping weight. Some get off medication. The key is to get within 10 lbs of ideal weight, and do cardiovascular activity. After Dr. approval, for someone your age I'd recommend working up to 30 minutes of brisk walking and or stationary bike, 5 days a week. Everyone knows what poor eating habits are. Of course this is a consideration as well.
I don't want to die with my boots on before 80. After that it'd be my preference!!! I love a good hard hunt, which is never for me as difficult
as one of my average workouts!