To drag or to carry? That is the question!

[Too Deer]

Popped out for a gentle afternoon stalk yesterday before the rain set in today. The wife had 2 Roe in 30 mins and I followed it up with 2 Fallow bucks that didn't make it to the riverbed on the edge of the field, courtesy of some well-placed Merlin's from @Virtus Precision UK..... that's when a pleasant outing turned into a PT session..... You all know what's coming!

Having returned to the car to fetch the sled, we got back to the scene with the intent of dragging them out. We loaded 1 and made it about 75m through the mud before it became apparent that my 8 stone wife was going to be no help in this endeavour; a fact she readily admitted.

Long story short, I hauled them onto my back and trudged the 1/2 mile through the shite, to the car, twice.

Having done something very similar before, I was reminded of just how little I enjoyed it then and am keen to avoid ever going through it in the future.

So..... Frame backpacks....

Are they better than sleds?
If not, why not?
Which ones would people recommend?
Has anyone got one they're willing to part with??

......or does anyone fancy donating a Polaris?!

 

[timbrayford]

Popped out for a gentle afternoon stalk yesterday before the rain set in today. The wife had 2 Roe in 30 mins and I followed it up with 2 Fallow bucks that didn't make it to the riverbed on the edge of the field, courtesy of some well-placed Merlin's from @Virtus Precision UK..... that's when a pleasant outing turned into a PT session..... You all know what's coming!

Having returned to the car to fetch the sled, we got back to the scene with the intent of dragging them out. We loaded 1 and made it about 75m through the mud before it became apparent that my 8 stone wife was going to be no help in this endeavour; a fact she readily admitted.

Long story short, I hauled them onto my back and trudged the 1/2 mile through the shite, to the car, twice.

Having done something very similar before, I was reminded of just how little I enjoyed it then and am keen to avoid ever going through it in the future.

So..... Frame backpacks....

Are they better than sleds?
If not, why not?
Which ones would people recommend?
Has anyone got one they're willing to part with??

......or does anyone fancy donating a Polaris?!

Do take care with your back, they don't last forever.

 

[User00040]

Do take care with your back, they don't last forever.

Hence all the unpaid volounteer/assistant/trainee opportunities on here!

 

[Ratel]

Half my life ago I was stalking professionally (as a job) on an estate where they now hold gamefairs. Mainly Fallow, generally in woodland where mighty oaks had been cut down and hauled out. You couldn't get in with a vehicle,even a quad as Olympic swimming events could have been held in the ruts left after extraction.
Most hauls would be at least half a mile uphill to a road but one wood was three miles long with a road at each end. I got hold of a Fallow sack made by a chap from Aberdeenshire and although it was a struggle to get on your back when full, it was easier than dragging. Several time after shooting six or seven animals I would get half of them out, hang the rest and go back the next morning. I found the sack with a breastplate strap much easier than carrying on my shoulders, which I did at first. Oh to be as fit now as I was at forty.

 

[308tikka]

If sleds dont work - get a sika sack from Ogdens/Monarch. Well made.

Might be a touch too small for fallow buck.

All the above tends to make me believe Mrs Too Deer has better decision making abilities under stress !

 

[Pete6.5]

Quad bike

 

[Too Deer]

Quad bike

Are you offering?

 

[Too Deer]

Do take care with your back, they don't last forever.

I'm acutely aware of that and am regularly reminded by my co-stalker

 

[Pete6.5]

Are you offering?

How much is your back worth

 

[HonestJohn]

just drag it from the head on with a good drag harness that lifts the head and has two loops for your shoulders, easier than both roesack and sled

 

[Too Deer]

How much is your back worth

In the state it's in..... Not much!

 

[Too Deer]

just drag it from the head on with a good drag harness that lifts the head and has two loops for your shoulders, easier than both roesack and sled

Tried that but the mud made it far more difficult that it should have been!

 

[Pete6.5]

Put them in a half blue drum they drag easier with less friction.
I was going to take a video a month back of me dragging two drums daisy chained with 4 fallow in.

 

[Too Deer]

Put them in a half blue drum they drag easier with less friction.
I was going to take a video a month back of me dragging two drums daisy chained with 4 fallow in.

Ooooh..... Any pics?

 

[Pete6.5]

Ooooh..... Any pics?

I will try and remember to take a picture next time

 

[nun_hunter]

I've had similar dilemmas to you in the past and one thing I really hate is going back to the truck to get stuff to then come back to the deer as both places I shoot its at least 1km each way.

I bought an Eberlestock F1 Mainframe which with a couple of small pouches is my general stalking bag as it is so damn light. My rifle can be slung but semi attached to the pack for the stalk and secured properly for the walk back and it also doubles as a proper hiking pack for non shooting trips.

I also dug out my sewing machine and made a huge waterproof bodybag from syl-nylon which I can fit a fallow into if I want to keep everything super clean. The last fallow I carried out was pretty small at 30kg larder weight and this was easy. Carrying out a 50kg carcass would definitely be a challenge but with practice and training very possible and it gives you a really good reason to stay in shape and workout.

 

[nun_hunter]

Tried that but the mud made it far more difficult that it should have been!

Where I live it is all Weald Clay so its either baked like concrete or waterlogged and as slippery as an eel so dragging anything in the wetter months although what you're dragging has less friction your feet have even less traction!

 

[paulbshooting]

Even a decent fallow pricket in a sika sack is very hard work and a lot of stress on ankles, knees and back, risky too on rutted or wet ground. Deer sled is best, pulled evenly with two hands behind your back as sled tends to skate across the terrain. Even better if you can extract downhill.

 

[Cris]

Think I have tried most things for Fallow but now using a game cart. Folds down and wheels can come off if needed. Works better than dragging. Some have portable winches that are another option but expensive.

Muddy Outdoors MGC400 The Mule Game Cart​

 

[angusb1]

Put them in a half blue drum they drag easier with less friction.

This is what we do but not sure it would be easier than your sled. My mate bolted a length of ratchet strap to the barrel so we can both pull it. Also got a capstan winch for when there's a tree to attach it to.