kudu88 Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Hey everyone!! Long time lurker, first time poster. So this was my first year hunting this particular area in Illinois and I have run across a bit of a problem. Where I hunt is public land and is only accessible by foot or by pedal bike. My spot is around 2 miles in. So my question to you guys is what is the best way to get my freshly harvested deer to my truck? I do have a game cart that is like an over sized dolly but it makes quite a racket. I would hate to ruin my hunt or somebody else's because I was pulling that thing behind my bike down the trail. Plus it is super bulky and a real pain to pull behind a bike. I am yet to come up with a good way to attach it to my bike. Any suggestions?? I am also considering quartering the deer in the field and packing it out that way but there is a major coyote problem and there have been reports of mountain lions out there so speed is also a factor. SO anyone have any suggestions short of throwing it across by back? Also, my apologizes if this post is in the wrong area of the forum but I thought there were several categories that this could fit in so I thought I would try here first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 if Bike is your only way in and out; http://www.biketrailershop.com/cart/images/croozer-cargo-bike-trailer-stock.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudu88 Posted January 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 What's the best way to get your deer out of the woods?? That trailer would work great but the capacity on it is only listed at 66 lbs. And I would hate to drop $210 on a trailer only to have it fall apart on my first trip out. And if I'm going to spend that kind of money I really don't want to spend more trying to reinforce it to make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudu88 Posted January 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 What's the best way to get your deer out of the woods?? I looked around at that site and some of those trailers would work great if the price were right. But those prices were a little out of my league. And that has been an overwhelming problem in my search. I find something that would work but its too expensive. I find something in my price range but the capacity is too low. I don't need to be able to put 1000 pounds on it but it needs to be able to carry my bow, pack, and blind/stand plus an Illinois whitetail if I'm lucky. So I'm thinking 150 lbs minimum capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I regularly hunt 1-2 miles from where I park on public ground in Illinois. At nearly 42 years of age I only shoot a deer I feel is worth the effort of getting out. Last year I had a 1.5 mile drag out and in 2008 a 2 mile drag out. Both deer weighed just over 200 pounds field dressed. Both instances I brought my climbing tree stand and weapon back to the truck, got the game cart, then went back to retrieve my deer. Both deer were shot in the morning - the first took me 5 hours to get back to my truck (I did it alone) and the second 3 hours (my father helped). I hunt where there are no bike trails and the steep hills would make biking more trouble. The effort all adds into the story and mount hanging on my wall. If that isn't your idea of fun, take a meat bag and take what you want - leave the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
535hunter Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 All depends on how deep in the woods you are and the terraine you cross. Used a four Wheeler in a swamp and drag by hand out of a field, a drag harness in deep woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudu88 Posted January 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 What's the best way to get your deer out of the woods?? I can't use an atv. It's by foot or bike only. While I don't mind a good story to tell I am looking for what might be easiest. I shot a doe out there in October and it took 2 hours to get her out. That was dragging her through picked bean fields and down the trail. I also had to go back to the truck to retrieve my cart after I shot. I was lucky however that the yotes didn't drag the deer away as they were howling and barking up a storm not far from where I was. I don't mind putting the work into it but I was just looking for a more efficient way of doing things. I am considering just quartering in the field but I don't have any experience with that. Usually I'm in a nice lighted garage with everything nearby and handy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 that's the trouble with hunting public land way back in. normally i hike in but one park was flatter and my brother and i would bike in. in the winter hands down use a plastic kids toboggan. sometimes it's easiest to pack out all the boned out meat. bring a couple heavy duty leaf bags, a normal small trash bag, string, field dressing gloves, and field wipes. bone out the meat and put equal weight (one back strap, two quarters, and additional trim) in each bag. tie off each bag with two separated knots with lots of room in the bags. now work half the meat in each bag to the tied off end and lift the centers up. toss each bag over your shoulder so now you'd have equal weight front and back and on each shoulder. use two pieces of the string to tie the two bags together to go across your shoulderblades and across your chest. when others are with you feel free to just drag the thing out. one thing though... it's good to bring a small tarp or heavy sheet to drag the buck on so you don't ruin the cape for the shoulder mount. i had to do that this year with my buck. it was over a mile back in a 1000+ acre public swamp. it died from the bow shot through the heart but not until it made it on the other side of a big creek. found a spot to cross that was up to my waist and then we had to toss a rope across the creek and float the buck across. then tied off multiple loops along the rope and all dragged the buck the rest of the way out. more to the story and you bet my cousins and i will tell it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Welcome to the forums. Usually able to get the tractor pretty close here. Have used the 4 wheeler quite a bit too. Places where I have had drags, the glenns deer handle worked ok. Those high wheeled carts look like they would work real well, but never tried one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbarcheryhunter Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I hunt a game lands that I hike back in bout 2 miles and there is no other way but to drag it out....to rocky and no trail for a cart so last year my wife got a safety harness and it has a drag rope attached to the back and .makes dragging a deer out a lot easyer but still takes about 4 hours by myself and 2.5 with someone else helping...last year me and my dad took our 2 buck out together and we wood take out hunting stuff Mayb 100 yards then go back for the bucks and drag then bout another 100 yards past our stuff and so on till we got in...this year I didn't get the buck until 3.36 and I just waited on the other four guys then they just carried my stuff and another Buddie helped me drag...lots of good hard work and that was # 7 out of the same spot so yea it was all worth it...good luck and welcome to the forums Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msman825 Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 My best stand is about a mile and 3/4's way back in woods, me and my buddy's take our cell phones on vibrate(of course) If we text the others gets down and comes help drag it out. its the only way we do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 Do like I do and shoot really little deer! Never had to deal with that problem, I just make sure I always have a drag buddy that is younger and healthier than I am! Welcome to the forums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 Guess another option might be to quarter and carry it out it if you are allowed to. We had a long drag facing us with the antelope I killed in Wyoming, was much easier to quarter it and carry it than it would have been to drag it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebohio Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 that pretty much means anyone redneck doesnt it? Do like I do and shoot really little deer! Never had to deal with that problem, I just make sure I always have a drag buddy that is younger and healthier than I am! Welcome to the forums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 Hahaha! Yeah, just about! I'm hitting the big 4-0 on Wednesday, going to try to start exercising in the next few weeks so maybe I won't be so pathetic! Carrying an extra 30lbs that needs to find a new home lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowhunter97 Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 One advantage to where i have hunted the most this year it is always flooded. In some spots ankle deep and in others knee-waist deep. So we can float them pretty much whole way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrown Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Find you a HEAVY DUTY poly sled, and make a harness for your bike. We shot an elk about 2 miles from the truck, and used one, only made two trips! They run around $100. I'm pretty sure it will work on half an elk a deer won't be a problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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