Solo hunting = packing deer out

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Menard

Interesting, first time that I heard of using a dog for that purpose. Thanks for sharing.

He wasn't a pure bred. Breeder had an "accident" and had a litter that was half mastiff. Picked him up for next to nothing.

A friend of mine uses a kid's Krazy Karpet for that. it's a plastic roll-up toboggan that slides well over anything but rock.

I haven't hunted deer for a bit, but I'm planning to move back East and will certainly be taking it up again, and now that I'm in my sixties, I'm very aware that retrieving my deer is going to be much trickier than it was.

This fall, I hunted a jackpine ridge complex by myself and the difficulty of getting a deer out crossed my mind a few times. As a result, I didn’t wander too far which was too bad because it was very beautiful. I did jump a deer and it jumped off a 15’ ledge to get away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Menard

The thing about getting any animal out of the woods is to take your time and don’t exert yourself. I have a hoist and gambrel that I can use to hang the deer out in the woods. Once the carcass cools, you can debone it and pack the meat out in a 5 gal pail or pack sack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishHog

I pack mine out. Even in evening hunts. If you butcher anyway, the time you spend in the bush is just time you would spend at home. Maybe 1/2hr more as your working on the ground.
I skin 1/2, then quarter/debone that half. Roll over and repeat. I'm sure at home on the bench, I could pick 1lb more of meat for grind, but I don't miss much even in the field. I leave deboneing the front shoulder for home as they take time. But I can easily pack out that much meat in one trip. And I'm 53 at this point.

take a minute to tie a branch between 2 trees, and hang up the quarters when you pull them off. A garbage bag on the ground for the trim pieces. I've done it by headlamp and its not a big deal. Go slow and you take your time and you will be surprised how fast it really goes.

These two above are exactly what I do now since hunting alone starting last season. Last year I used a gambrel and quarter'd it in the bush and packed it out. This year no gambrel but instead have prepared to use a "krazy carpet" deer drag from Amazon htt ps://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0CMQ6KXMQ/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A2RK61NZHA3YBO&psc=1 to retrieve to a workable location if necessary, and then bone it out using gutless method like the other member here suggested. Leave the bones behind, no need carrying those if you're alone. Tons of videos on this procedure. Cut down the back, peel one side of the hide back, start at the hind quarter boning out. Then back-straps, tendies (reach in carefully not to nick the stomach or entrails) , front quarters (front quarters can be done at home if late at night, as already suggested), last is the neck - just peel it off like a small slab working around the neck with you knife.

Speaking of knives, make sure it is RAZER sharp. In fact, have several and a sharpener. Those Havalons with multiple blades make short work of a deer. I have the Outdoor Edge Razor Pro and I can't imagine how I got along without one before. You can add a skinning knife if you like but if you're careful the Havlon will do the job easily. Also, make sure to keep the head with the meat until you're ready to store it long-term, no need to keep sex organs. Notch out your tag and put it in you pocket, or attach it to the ear/antler and you're golden. Good luck.