Thinking about quartering deer vs dragging out. Thoughts??

[elk yinzer]

I would love to get an MR pop-up 28, or something similar. However, (for budget purposes) I am thinking about getting a MOLLE frame with hipbelt and shoulder straps. Ideally, I would like to make a "meatshelf" by taking some webbing vertically and horizontally (making a rectangle) across the frame with some ripstop covering the center rectangle.
Also, ideally I would like to a cheap backpack and sew some buckles on the outside that would mate with buckles attached to the frame. That way I could attach meat directly to the frame, and then attach the backpack to the frame on top of the meat.
I have no idea if this is feasible as I have never messed with a MOLLE frame before.

Anyone ever do something similar?

The popup frame is more of a versatile ftame that can pack weight in a pinch. There are lots of molle frame mods. I find the molle frame uncomfortable as crap but different frames fit different body types. I think molle is designed well for shorter torsos. The kelty cache frames are another good cheap option, that one fits me very well for an exteral frame. The badlands ox is another that I find great for packing weight.

 

[redsquirrel]

“.... Make every effort to retrieve your game, remove the animal from the field—except entrails may be left discretely in the field—consume the edible portions and properly dispose of the remains such as bagged in your household trash.”
Game digest

My take is that everything has to be removed except the entrails. I wasn’t precise in my wording. I can see how quartering is allowable, but may not really buy the hunter anything.

Hmm.. Maybe they changed the wording again and I haven't read it since.

@redsquirrel, Reference is found on page 29 of 2018-2019 hunting digest.

Finally got a chance to read this. I agree with your assessment. I think you could still get away with quartering and packing though. Earlier in that wanton waste section it says this "It is unlawful for any person to take, kill, or capture any game mammal or game bird and remove from the carcass the head, hide or antlers and leave the edible portions of the carcass and meat to waste".

That also implies to me that if you quarter it out you'd be ok. If I were to test the wording of this I'd use common sense. I'm not going to quarter something out and leave the carcass right behind someones yard. But if I'm a couple miles back I don't think it would be a problem.

 

[bow shot]

You folks that are packing it out: do you take the pack in every hunt, or make a trip back to camp/vehicle to fetch it when you make a kill?

 

[kyler1945]

You folks that are packing it out: do you take the pack in every hunt, or make a trip back to camp/vehicle to fetch it when you make a kill?

Both of my "frames" are part of my hunting setup. The hybrid I'm obviously wearing. And the MR PopUp is the pack I use with my kestrel setup. Both go in the tree.

I do have a couple of buddies that have just standalone frames, that they pack to a few hundred yards out from set, stash the frame, and continue on with what they'll be hunting with. This seems counterintuitive to me - but they have been doing it for many years, and it still beats the hell out of dragging.

You can get into a military Alice or Molle pack on a budget too. It's a bit bulkier, but the hundreds of deer @WHW took for a hike didn't seem to mind right before they got the medicine. For mere mortals it may not be as comfortable as some of the more technical options.

It was worth a few dollars to have a setup that was compact enough to strap in tree with me, and be no bigger than a normal backpack. I can bone out any deer in the places I hunt and comfortably pack it out as far as I'm willing to walk in to hunt.

 

[DanO]

You folks that are packing it out: do you take the pack in every hunt, or make a trip back to camp/vehicle to fetch it when you make a kill?

Most places I hunt in Michigan I can drag not too far and pick up with ATV. However, out West when I hunted for elk with my kids I wore my Horn Hunter frame pack 100% of the time. It was basically empty besides snacks/water and basic essentials, but was comfortable enough to wear until it was needed. We were snowshoeing up to 7 miles each day all week and I wasn't about to hike several miles back to the truck to get a pack.

 

[Kurt]

Check out how to skin and bone out a deer " the Venex Way".

 

[rutjr]

We talked about this last year and it made a lot of sense to me so I picked up a Mystery Ranch Mule that has a meat shelf. It has a smallish bag that's attached to the frame with eight clips. I've been thinking of picking up a roll top hauler bag which is a water proof bag that fits between the frame and bag. Not sure if I would use it for meat or warm clothes. I really like this bag. I've used it to pack bags of corn out in the woods and it carries them well. I'm getting too old for dragging out deer.

 

[patriotoutlaw]

All of my gear comes out the woods with me. Then I turn around and go back to the deer with my processing items and frame pack.

 

[Kurt]

I'm not hunting far from a trail at any given time so i don't drag long until i can get it to a trail and into my wheel barrel. Where I hunt I try to leave no sign in or out, and I certainly don't want to leave sign of a kill. The next year I'd have 10 guys lining up to hunt that spot. If I drag at all i have a heavy duty plastic sled that contains the blood, and leaves almost no drag marks. It's also makes it easier to drag than just dragging the carcass.

 

[bow shot]

I'm not hunting far from a trail at any given time so i don't drag long until i can get it to a trail and into my wheel barrel. Where I hunt I try to leave no sign in or out, and I certainly don't want to leave sign of a kill. The next year I'd have 10 guys lining up to hunt that spot. If I drag at all i have a heavy duty plastic sled that contains the blood, and leaves almost no drag marks. It's also makes it easier to drag than just dragging the carcass.

Yup the plastic sled is a sweet tool for sure!

 

[BCHunter]

I want to try just cutting the deer in half and hauling it out in two trips on my pack. I think someone on here rolls that way. I know it would be easier than dragging through the thick stuff.

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[Ryanp1212]

I have an eberlestock stock frame that is smaller and lighter than most. U can strap your sticks to it and put whatever pack u want on it I think I paid 100 for it

 

[Bama_Xander]

I have drug so many deer so many miles. This year I bought the Mystery Ranch pop up 28 so that I can pack my Alabama deer out. When I travel to IL, I will have to drag or use a cart but that’s because of the regulations. So check your states regulations before you make your decisions.

 

[shwacker]

All of my gear comes out the woods with me. Then I turn around and go back to the deer with my processing items and frame pack.

This is what I do as well. A mature Midwest buck is heavy enough without the few extra pounds of sticks, platform, and saddle stuff. I figure if I’m only killing one in every 10+ hunts I’d rather save the weight and just take an extra walk. It’s enjoyable and I usually go get a buddy for pics and to help quarter and pack. To each his own though. I have a very compact tenzing sp 14 that my sticks and platform go with. I bring a dirty ol molle frame pack back in as the kill bag, has all my lights, knives, bags and gloves and a table cloth packed and ready.


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[sojourner]

Finally got a chance to read this. I agree with your assessment. I think you could still get away with quartering and packing though. Earlier in that wanton waste section it says this "It is unlawful for any person to take, kill, or capture any game mammal or game bird and remove from the carcass the head, hide or antlers and leave the edible portions of the carcass and meat to waste".

That also implies to me that if you quarter it out you'd be ok. If I were to test the wording of this I'd use common sense. I'm not going to quarter something out and leave the carcass right behind someones yard. But if I'm a couple miles back I don't think it would be a problem.

On that note, have you used your Stone Glacier pack to pack out any animals? Any feedback? I am totally salivating over a SG Xcurve minimalist, for all my pack needs. Might strap light cheap bag for hunting, but meat shelf for setting up permanent stands, carrying corn and carrying out deer.

I’d say talk me down, but many would cheer me on for spending money. But darn, I really want a SG pack.

 

[shwacker]

I want to try just cutting the deer in half and hauling it out in two trips on my pack. I think someone on here rolls that way. I know it would be easier than dragging through the thick stuff.

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That’s a new one to me. So you carry the extra hide and bone weight and do it twice? Think boned and quartered in the field is about as efficient as it gets


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[kyler1945]

That’s a new one to me. So you carry the extra hide and bone weight and do it twice? Think boned and quartered in the field is about as efficient as it gets


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He's thinking of a solution for the places where the whole deer has to come out.

 

[BCHunter]

That’s a new one to me. So you carry the extra hide and bone weight and do it twice? Think boned and quartered in the field is about as efficient as it gets


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I'd agree if Michigan would allow that kind of thing without burying the carcass.

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[shwacker]

I'd agree if Michigan would allow that kind of thing without burying the carcass.

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Got ya, I forget that some states have some whacky rules.


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[BCHunter]

Got ya, I forget that some states have some whacky rules.


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Definitely, with CWD popping up they're never going to change it.

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