Too deep only a matter of perspective!

[Snake]

Man that's sounds like you had an awesome experience! My longest pack out is laughable in comparison. 2 years ago i arrowed a 150 pound buck about 1.5 miles from my truck. Terrain was not very amicable towards a deer cart so I quartered him out and put it in my pack. With quarters, backstraps, tenders, some of the organs I'd say I probably packed out 60 pounds and I was tired man. After that I got a deer sled and that makes getting em out of there much easier as it navigates rough terrain way better than a cart. At this point I have no limit on difficulty. Get em down first and figure out how to get em back to the truck after. Every now and then I'll join a friend for a private land hunt and we will take a tractor right up to the deer, no hauling involved and it just doesn't feel as good! I still don't argue with him, but your missing that bit of grit.

Sorry but I'll take the tractor . The getting out part never was an adventure for me but when I was younger I never thought about the distance I hunted from a vehicle and didn't have four wheelers then either. Having said that my age with a bad back , bad shoulder and bad knees I'll take them easiest route possible.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

To me, it has turned into a matter of time. The things I ask myself are;
- do I have enough time to get it broke down, packed out, and cooled off before the meat starts to spoil?
- do I have enough time to get all that done before I have to catch a flight home/start the day of work/family obligations?

I've done good to take care of my health and continue to push myself and my limits.

 

[JeepKuntry]

I have a few spots where it's 2-3 hour drag. TBH I am gonna start quartering in those scenarios. I don't let distance dictate what I do. But sometimes spots are close and overlooked!

 

[30-06 type of guy]

May be because I'm only 32 but the drag just makes me feel extra successful. My worst was 3/4 mile, 3 900' ridges over and a creek crossing on a 2 of my deer. Had help on the first one and the 2nd time it was all me.

 

[agelessssone]

I'm spoiled I guess. Here on my place most times it's a down hill drag that leads to my food plot and I call the wife and tell her to bring the SideXSide.
Every now and then the Deer will run the wrong way and it's an uphill struggle.
Last weekend I was hunting a WMA and I was about 3/4 of a mile deep. Killed a pretty good sized doe around 10:30 and didn't get her to the truck till around 1:30. Next time i'll have a deer cart or quarter it up. Bad planning on my part.

I have no problem cutting a 150 lb field dressed buck in half and carrying it out 1/2 at a time. Done that numbers of times.
Once I hit 70 years old, my days of dragging deer were over!

 

[backyardtndeer]

Last drag for me was about 50-60 yards to get a 200 lb buck my youngest daughter killed to the tractor. I was not supposed to be lifting due to my aortic aneurysm. That is fixed now, no restrictions, but I will still try to get as close as I can with the tractor bucket.

Furthest critter I had to pack was my antelope in Wyoming. My then 14 year old daughter and I were probably close to 2 miles walking distance from where we were parked, and I could not drive any closer due to a drain. Quartered the goat where he lay and packed the quarters out on my back. It was very warm that day.

 

[Duck dogn]

If legal where I am hunting, I debone my deer and haul meat and head/rack out only. Just don't care about dragging them out anymore or hauling quarters out.

I hunt on my land (19 acres ) most. but if I kill one I still usually quarter it and debone in the field so much easier than loading on the 4 wheeler hauling home, then hanging up in my shop with blood every where.

 

[AT Hiker]

Last drag for me was about 50-60 yards to get a 200 lb buck my youngest daughter killed to the tractor. I was not supposed to be lifting due to my aortic aneurysm. That is fixed now, no restrictions, but I will still try to get as close as I can with the tractor bucket.

Furthest critter I had to pack was my antelope in Wyoming. My then 14 year old daughter and I were probably close to 2 miles walking distance from where we were parked, and I could not drive any closer due to a drain. Quartered the goat where he lay and packed the quarters out on my back. It was very warm that day.

That simply made the hunt that much more memorable.

Side note, I killed a doe antelope once. Easy down hill drag through short sage but it was over a 1/2 mile. I bet I didn't go 100 yards before I realized all her hair had come off on the side I dragged. Such delicate critters when it comes to their hair.
Would be curious to not field dress one and drag it on all sides, would it end up like a plucked turkey? Scald hog

 

[BigAl]

The shape I'm in these days, I'm more worried as to whether or not I'd be able to get one to or on the 4 wheeler.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Totally agree. After packing many elk out way deep in canyons in the middle of the night, anywhere a whitetail can be here in TN is a breeze

 

[DeerCamp]

Often, I've avoided certain areas as too far or too difficult to get to or to get a deer out. But, after my recent moose hunt in Newfoundland, my perspective has changed. After spending a week walking through swamps, over rocks, navigating through difficult habitat taking boats, planes and argos to get to the moose, my perspective on difficult has been adjusted. Once you do get a moose down, a quarter weighs nearly 100 lbs. Thus, 4 quarters, backstraps and tenderloins and the hide, head and antlers equals 6 trips for one man to pack out. Killing a good buck 2 miles deep and taking a few hours to pack out seems like a breeze. What's your limit on difficulty these days?

The most difficult part in one instance was figuring how to get the buck into, and then out of, a 20 foot deep and very steep ditch. (by myself). Had to makeshift a pulley around a tree up top and use my body weight to gradually lift and then hold.

I grew up hunting New Mexico mule deer in the Guadalupe mountains. Those were some long, long days hiking with few deer and brutal pack outs.

I relish the chance to do the hard stuff.

 

[Antler Daddy]

That's what she said.

 

[fairchaser]

That's what she said.

Finally somebody gets it.