Packing out deer?

[Etter]

Do yourself a favor and watch Chris Spikes' youtube video on packing out deer. It is the method I use for deer and pigs. Ive used it on hunting leases as well as public land.

Ive carried two bears out of the mountains in the last few years that would have taken at least a full day and several buddies to get out.

[goingoldskool]

I use a Jett Sled....  you'd be surprised how easy a flat bottomed sled will drag....


Good luck, shoot straight and God Bless,

Rodd

[Scott E]

Youtube is your friend. Tag bomb bags are great for boned out meat. Get a pack that fits you and has a sturdy frame. A meat shelf isn't a bad option to have in a pack because it keeps the inside of your pack clean.

I have a kifaru 22 mag and it's great for packing tree stands in and deer out.

[Tedd]

Yeah. Sissy load. I really should get in shape though. Maybe more backpack hikes.
Hopefully someday I'll be qualified to answer a question about backpack hunting public land. I'm only 50 years old and 35 years of public land experience so there is still hope.
     

From another forum...
    You may have a good backpack, but if it isn’t loaded correctly, the load will wear you down fast; possibly even injure you.
It is also very important that you utilize your compression straps on the outside of your pack. Nothing is more frustrating than hiking out with a heavy load of meat and a big buck rack on the outside of your back and having the rack bounce up and down or the meat falling around in the backpack. It will wear you out in a hurry…trust me on this one. Don’t ever try to stand and lift the pack up to your shoulders either. For one…it will hurt and two it has the potential to tear your shoulder straps by forcing all the weight to that one area. Instead, before I load the meat in my pack, I will place my pack near a spot that allows me to sit down on a bench and slip the shoulder straps on and get my waist belt buckled. Then I just need to lean forward and stand up. If that is not an option in the area you shot your animal, then I would suggest sitting down and getting your pack strapped on and do those same steps, but before you try to stand, roll onto your hands and knees facing uphill and then push yourself off the ground. Once standing, you will be able to adjust the shoulder straps, sternum strap, and waist belt.

[fireball31]

apparently you took that personally Tedd. I am not trying to be insulting to you but I stand by my original pretense. I guess the internet is full of experts though so what do I know.
 

Originally posted by Tedd:
Yeah. Sissy load. I really should get in shape though. Maybe more backpack hikes.
Hopefully someday I'll be qualified to answer a question about backpack hunting public land. I'm only 50 years old and 35 years of public land experience so there is still hope.
       

From another forum...
    You may have a good backpack, but if it isn’t loaded correctly, the load will wear you down fast; possibly even injure you.
It is also very important that you utilize your compression straps on the outside of your pack. Nothing is more frustrating than hiking out with a heavy load of meat and a big buck rack on the outside of your back and having the rack bounce up and down or the meat falling around in the backpack. It will wear you out in a hurry…trust me on this one. Don’t ever try to stand and lift the pack up to your shoulders either. For one…it will hurt and two it has the potential to tear your shoulder straps by forcing all the weight to that one area. Instead, before I load the meat in my pack, I will place my pack near a spot that allows me to sit down on a bench and slip the shoulder straps on and get my waist belt buckled. Then I just need to lean forward and stand up. If that is not an option in the area you shot your animal, then I would suggest sitting down and getting your pack strapped on and do those same steps, but before you try to stand, roll onto your hands and knees facing uphill and then push yourself off the ground. Once standing, you will be able to adjust the shoulder straps, sternum strap, and waist belt.

[Medley]

I plan on watching some videos on YouTube, but I wanted to talk to you all first.

In Missouri, we just have telecheck. Please keep the different thoughts/experiences coming

[South MS Bowhunter]

I agree with Ted and no i'm not a seasoned back packer but do understand my physical limitations  

Everyones different, but again years of doing things to prove i'm a man lol has done nothing but injured by back.

So now I have to live with the fact that i'm limited to what I can physically do.

So I believe Ted is reminding us to be smart as there are better ways to do things.

[South MS Bowhunter]

And Ted please eat more and try to work out you look a little weak      

[-Zor]

I can't stress the hiking sticks enough if you have a heavy load on your back. I spend the off season hiking with a weighted pack a couple days a week in the hills. This time of year I compress a 60lb sandbag in a Kifaru pack. Leading up to fall I put a second 60lb sandbag in. When packing out an elk I can put two bags of meat and half my camp in the pack. For deer you should be able to pack a whole boned out buck if you are in reasonable shape. Once again, hiking sticks are your friend and so is a pack designed to carry a load in excess of 60lb.

[KSdan]

My bowhunting rig is very portable and stealthy.  I use a turkey vest (with all necessary gadget gear, pruners, saw, food, water, etc), My LW treestand with LW sticks, with excellent REAL backpack straps AND a top notch REAL backpack hip belt. I ALWAYS have a trekking pole with me.  

When I get a deer down I bone it out.  Scraps, back, tenderloin go in game bags in the turkey vest.  I then strap the quarters to the stand. I carry the cape and antlers in my hand. Bow over shoulder.

Last fall I carried out a boned-out deer (mature buck) strapped ON the stand.  -3/4 mile. Got it home and weighed all meat/gear = 130#. (A doe and gear would be 75-90# max).  I am 56.  Back surgery past.  Bad shoulders. And inner ear disease that affects balance.  I hike and work out all year (Nothing even close to Crossfit!)

Its quite doable.  Never will drag a deer again!

(See pics following)

Dan in KS

[KSdan]

Here is a buck.  In this case: Boned out meat in bags in my vest. Rear quarters on the treestand. Cape placed over the top.

 

[KSdan]

This was a New Year doe I got in 2015.  Told the story here on TG.  I left my stand/sticks in the car and brought back the pack.  That loaded pack weighs maybe 40+#.

 

[Michael Pfander]

2x on the sticks.  With a heavy load they will keep you from getting hurt on the downhills.  Particularly when you have to step over downed timber in steep country.
MAP

[woodchucker]

Why carry, what you can drag...??  Just sayin

[hunting badger]

I've taken a whole Moose and Elk out numerous times using a plastic sled. They work better on flat ground but I've taken both Moose and Elk out of mountainous country also, although it's trickier. I have used the gutless method for years, just need a good sharp knife and some game bags.

[Michael Pfander]

There have been a few times when a sled full of meat just about kicked our butts in the snow on steep slopes.
MAP

[Bowwild]

Here in KY I prepared for a deboning job about 15 years ago.  I was going to walk in, through the only access I had about 1.5 miles. I took a framed pack and heavy black plastic bag.  

I killed a buck that morning, found it in about 60 yards, called in to tele check,  and boned it out.  Took less than 30 minutes to hiking.  Easy.

Haven't had to do it again because I can access these areas much better now. I rarely have to drag a deer (or watch my son dragging it!) more than 100 yards to my UTV these days.

[KSdan]

Originally posted by woodchucker:
Why carry, what you can drag...??  Just sayin

Hate to argue that. But dragging a 200+# dressed deer 3 miles out of the back country is FAR more difficult than 90# on your back.

Same thing goes for 1/2 mile out of a timbered ravine in KS. At pushing 60 yrs old I will gladly stay in shape and carry 50-100# on my back. FAR easier than dragging.

Besides I don't have to gut the animal and I have little to discard when I butcher it.

Dan in KS

[knobby]

Here in WI we can't bone out the meat, but we can cut the deer down. I hauled a nice mature buck out of a nasty swamp his year using a packframe and hiking sticks. I just turned sixty and dragging him out wasn't even a consideration.After field dressing, I got him out in two trips. I'd much rather carry a deer than drag one.

[KyRidgeRunner]

On morning hunts I've boned them out because i had plenty of day light.  Don't know how this would work after dark with gambrels and flash lights.   But I'm usually fortunate and can get a Honda atv within 100 yards of every place I hunt.