# How do hunters move dead deer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 18, 2004, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805 "2004-10-18T11:49:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/21 "2004-10-18T21:28:18Z")
> [@hlanelee](#): > > The big deal around here now is “deer processers”. Mighty “hunters”, especially “Florida hunters”, will load their kill into their SUV and take it to the deer processer who will unload it, skin and dress it, butcher it, and wrap it in packages just like groceries. You can get a specified amount made into cube steak, ground meat, and suasage. If it is a buck, they will even “cape” the head for mounting for an extra fee, of course. It’s shameful, I can’t imagine hunting with friends on a Saturday without getting drunk and throwing entrails at each other. This is what my husband did last year - he got two deer on two separate occasions. He field-dressed it himself and then brought it home (from western Maryland), and took them to the butcher’s. I don’t know what’s ‘shameful’ about it; he’s not in a position to butcher it himself. We got back both heads and took them to the taxidermist’s for mounting, and then got back all the meat for our freezer. We got some ribeye-type steaks that were wonderful, lots of ground venison (for burgers and meatloaf and chili), and some chops and cutlets. We got a couple of roasts, and some sausage, both breakfast sausage and that summer sausage kind. Quite a variety of meats, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/22 "2004-10-18T21:29:19Z")
Sorry I guess I misread your intentions on that last post. If I found myself out in the woods without a way to remove my kill. I probably wouldn’t have killed it in the first place. That being said, with the circumstances you’ve provided, I’d probably make a simple sledge out of a couple of poles and lash the deer across them. I could then drag it out behind me with a pole in each hand, the carcass off the ground would have a lot less friction to deal with. Hopefully your gun has a sling so you’d have both hands free. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/23 "2004-10-18T21:34:41Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > By the way, a fair number of hunting fatalities are due to heart attacks suffered while dragging the deer out… Yep. We’re fairly sure that my dad died of that, on a time-delay type of thing. He’d shot and gutted a deer, and dragged it down to the truck from the kill spot. He told us that he started feeling sick after he got it to the truck, and for a week he was really under the weather. He thought he’d caught a bad cold from someone, but a week after he dragged the deer, my mother found him on the hall floor when she came home from work. The coroner said it was a major heart attack. We’re pretty sure it was a second heart attack finishing the job of a milder first one he had bringing that deer down the mountain. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/24 "2004-10-18T21:37:55Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > This is what my husband did last year - he got two deer on two separate occasions. He field-dressed it himself and then brought it home (from western Maryland), and took them to the butcher’s. > I don’t know what’s ‘shameful’ about it; he’s not in a position to butcher it himself. We got back both heads and took them to the taxidermist’s for mounting, and then got back all the meat for our freezer. We got some ribeye-type steaks that were wonderful, lots of ground venison (for burgers and meatloaf and chili), and some chops and cutlets. We got a couple of roasts, and some sausage, both breakfast sausage and that summer sausage kind. Quite a variety of meats, IMO. Sounds like you’ve got a good processor. So often as I’ve discovered from other’s examples, is they usually get back a mess, the sausage is rarely good, and they quantity of meat seems to be lacking. All of this and they get to pay what IMHO is usually too much for cutting up a deer. I have seen a few done that I thought did a good job though. I know an old man that has a butchers shop. A rare thing these days around here anyway. That’s all he does. That’s all he sells, meat. He does a good job. Fair prices too. I shop at mom and pops as often as I’m able. They can’t compete with “the beast” and I don’t expect them too. I don’t mind paying a little more as long as they’re trying to compete and I get good service, screw w-mart… ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/25 "2004-10-18T23:06:53Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Generally, if you are hunting in an area that is inaccessible by your vehicle, you carry a length of rope, which you to drag it out of the woods. If you forget the rope, you can drag the deer by the antlers, but that’s quite a bit more difficult. > > Because of the way a deer’s hair lies on its skin, it will slide much more easily when dragged from the head end than when dragged from the feet. This fact factors into the following joke: > > **A couple of \ shot a deer and were dragging it out by the feet, and were having quite a time of it. Another hunters saw them having difficulties, and advised them that, if they “dragged it the other way”, it would be a lot easier. An hour or so later, one guy said to the other, "You know, he was right. This IS a lot easier. But we’re getting an awful long way away from our truck!"** > > By the way, a fair number of hunting fatalities are due to heart attacks suffered while dragging the deer out… Brother Cadfael, were they blonde? ::d&r:: Just kidding. In fact, my brother went hunting and brought home some deer meat. I was quite leery of deer meat, but I was pleasantly surprised at how “beefy” it tasted. My brother is making plans to go hunt elk next. Can’t wait. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/26 "2004-10-18T23:29:29Z")
A sort of related question: when you clean an animal in the field what is the customary (or proper if they diverge) thing to do with the waste? While it’s no bio-hazard I could see it drawing in predators if multiple piles of innards are lying all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/27 "2004-10-18T23:36:52Z")
It’d depend on some things but generally if the ground is soft I’d just bury 'em. ---
**Author:** ![SnakeSpirit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snakespirit/32/7271_2.png) [@SnakeSpirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakeSpirit)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/28 "2004-10-19T00:06:48Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > After a hunter goes into the woods and shoots a deer – how does he get it out of the woods? We used to hunt whitetails in CT, up by the reservoir. After a kill we would tie the feet together and sling the deer up over our shoulders like in a fireman carry. If we got a 185-pounder, we considered that BIG, like a major trophy, so the weight was never much. The worst part was the head and rack used to swing and roll a bit, bonk you on the head, the rack’d get snagged in branches, throwing you off balance. And get blood on you for awhile – we always used head shots. I guess we had small deer. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/29 "2004-10-19T16:47:46Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > Brother Cadfael, were they blonde? > ::d&r:: > Just kidding. In fact, my brother went hunting and brought home some deer meat. I was quite leery of deer meat, but I was pleasantly surprised at how “beefy” it tasted. My brother is making plans to go hunt elk next. Can’t wait. Actually, the way _I_ heard the joke was with a couple of guys “from New Jersey”, but I’m sure it’s been told with just about any group as the target. By the way, elk is extraordinarily tasty. Highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/30 "2004-10-19T17:23:42Z")
I processed a trophy Pronghorn just last week. Nice thing about antelope is that as a plains animal you can later just pull up with a pickup or 4 wheeler. After field dressing it, the gut pile was just left for the coyotes. I’ve gone back to check in the past and nothing’s ever left after the next day. If hogs are around, they’ll eat it too. Used to take the carcass to a processor but now I’ll only do that if I want sausage. It doesn’t take all that long to do yourself. Basically, I’ll divide the cuts into 3 categories depending on quality, Backstrap, Steak and Stew, and wrap them in single meal amounts in butcher paper. Mark and date each package. The Backstrap is excellent sliced into thin steaks and sometimes I’ll add mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and okra to the skillet. The Steaks are good cubed into Stroganoff and the Stew is great in chili. Note: Whenever you’re going to have a cape mounted by a taxidermist, get a lot more past the shoulder than you thing you’ll need, at least 3 or 4 inches past. When I took mine in they were appreciative of that and showed me case after case where people hadn’t saved enough hide. It really limits the range of motion of the display and overall quality of the final product. ---
**Author:** ![SnakeSpirit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snakespirit/32/7271_2.png) [@SnakeSpirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakeSpirit)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/31 "2004-10-19T17:49:17Z")
I’m not as young as I usta be, so I’m changing my strategy. First of all I’m gonna get 'em cornered and hold 'em at gunpoint. Then read 'em their rights and slap the harness on, tell them that I’ll let them live in captivity if they cooperate. Than march 'em out of the woods and into “Deer Haven” my new ASPCA-approved extended living facility, complete with replacable upright logs for sharpening antlers, good browse to suppliment their high-fat diet, hired does to provide, uh, ‘recreational enhancement,’ and promise of suitable mounting when they die of a heart attack. ---
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/32 "2004-10-19T19:04:07Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > A sort of related question: when you clean an animal in the field what is the customary (or proper if they diverge) thing to do with the waste? While it’s no bio-hazard I could see it drawing in predators if multiple piles of innards are lying all over the place. Actually it draws scavengers. And they make short work of it. A gut pile generally is completely gone overnight, or a couple of days at the most. (my experience in GA unless you gut the deer close enough to traffic areas to keep the scavengers scared away.) “Buzzards got to eat; same as worms.” – The Outlaw Jose Whales. -rainy ---
**Author:** ![Gulo\_gulo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@Gulo\_gulo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gulo_gulo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/33 "2004-10-19T20:16:02Z")
-We leave the gutpile for the local scavengers. They’ll make short work of it. If you’re in bear country, you may want to keep your weapon nearby as sometimes they don’t wait for you to leave before digging in. 😉 -There’s nothing wrong with taking your meat to a game processor as long as they know what they’re doing. Last week we were given a chunk of venison (from a processor) and it was coated in fat, covered in hair and still on the bone. It was also freezerburnt from being badly wrapped. Ugh. However, I just butchered some bear and it would have been nice to hand it off to someone who actually owns _sharp_ knives. - Here, you need to tag the deer as soon as you get it. You must leave the head on until you get it home and while we require the tag info for our records at the shop, the tag stays with the meat. - If you want a shoulder mount, PLEASE give us enough hide to work with! I tell people to cut their capes about halfway along the ribcage. We’ve had two people bring us deer yesterday with capes too short. One moose hunter brought us his trophy moose with the cape cut off behind the ears! He asked if we could just “sew some hide on to make it longer”. Uh, no. **Lieu** : Where did you get your antelope? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805/34 "2004-10-20T16:40:38Z")
Southeastern Colorado a few miles north of the Purgatory (Picketwire) River. In-laws have a big assed cattle ranch there. At 15" he wasn’t Boone & Crockett but respectable nevertheless. Damn fine eatin’. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-hunters-move-dead-deer/269805.md?page=1)