Extracting Red deer, advice needed.

[Claret_Dabbler]

I think I have shot a total of four reds, I'm quite happy to never shoot another unless I can drive a tractor with a loader right up to where it fell.

Stalking is supposed to by enjoyable - for me at least. That sh!t sounds like hard work.

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Best start the protein shakes and strength&conditioning course

This, brute force and ignorance prevail! Did a write up a couple of weeks ago with a red, to make matters worse I also have a fractured shin bone and fibia, managed though and that was over a wall, a fence, a stream and up a banking if you can't get it out try and find where there moving closer to the track? Failing that, a few mates to help. I wish you good health, if you resort to dragging them you will certainly be a bit fitter when your done!

 

[Chris J]

If you go down the route of a quad or any kind of compact ATV, just make sure you have a winch for it. I remember taking my quad up to Scotland for the very first time and the winch arrived the same day. I thought, hey I'll fit that when I get back, but in the end, I threw it on. First day in the trees, it slipped into a bog. Tell you what. If you think a hind is heavy try recovering a quad!

 

[smokey]

if the river or stream is safe enough and you can get access it may be possible to float it down on an old truck tyre or kiddies boat type float we used to use this method a lot in NZ one area we used to do it in we tied a rope under the road bridge and then went off up the valley hunting deer and pig we then took a couple of tubes with us and blew them up with a co2 cylinder and just let them go a few snagged up but we got them on our way home just a thought good memories for me

 

[SaOsborne]

I shoot sika in sitka forestry, so a lot smaller than your deer, and have slowly come to the conclusion that the only solution is neck/head shots so they go right down and not to shoot them on clearfell/replanting as getting them out is next to impossible assuming you can find them. However, I'm not sure that helps you as you don't seem to have the option to shoot them on a track or field. Is there any way to get to take the shots in a location where it is easier getting them out? I suspect they don't live on the clearfell full time so can you get them as they move on or off it? Is there any chance the landowner at the far end would allow access for extraction? I'm sure you've thought of all of this but in the end the answer is that if you shoot them on clearfell then you've got to carry them off it and it sounds like you are heading for a broken leg.

A chap I know once informed me that "I like to shoot all my deer in the rut - the rut of where my car has just driven" and there's a lot in that as I don't think there is a simple answer for you other than "if you shoot them, you carry them."

Hi, Thats what I feared people would say, I have approached surrounding farmers and some are o.k, but even then its the ditches and headgrows to get them there. I have no problem working for my shooting but can see some of the big boys being a winching effort all the way.

 

[SaOsborne]

I am in the exact same predicament and i have come to the conclusion that a Highland pony may be the answer. Time to speak nicely to surrounding farmer?

A pony is my thoughts, but keeping one isnt an optuion for me yet!
The farmers are great but one has a wife who is so anti shooting my ears bled when I asked, the other will let me recover, but not shoot and the third has a high seat etc set up, I havnt yet approached him, but suspect it will end in a conflict of interests for he and I so am wary to approach!

 

[CCB]

Try a Yorkie bar, washed down with some Irn Bru! does wonders!

Good old fashioned BFI or go the assisted route!, Honestly as Arron says, quad bike, chainsaw, bit of good driving, some rope and snatch blocks or just fabricate a winch, youll get them out, lightweight alloy ramps are handy to chuck on the quad to bridge ditches, bogs etc! extra wide tyres on a 500 will manage a lot, youd be surprised.

 

[SaOsborne]

you need to get Scotts sporttrak down there Simon

Hey Kenny,

I think that may have a chance, though not much more!

Speaking to Scott, you up for a go, but you will need to work for it!

Get you onto the monster stag I saw there, reakon only 150kg+!!

let me know.

 

[SaOsborne]

Welcome to red deer. They are hard work.

You've got a capstan winch, a 4x4 and a polaris? if you can't sort it out between that lot get more people.

Yep sort of my conclusion, I think it was time I was trying to save, as I have no doubts I can get them all out, but it will just have to take as long as it takes!

 

[kennyc]

Hey Kenny,

I think that may have a chance, though not much more!

Speaking to Scott, you up for a go, but you will need to work for it!

Get you onto the monster stag I saw there, reakon only 150kg+!!

let me know.

fek that! arent there any munties ?
I just said to Scott that I'm down that way at Easter if you want to do a bit of trail blazing? I could get away for a morning or so .

 

[SaOsborne]

I'd be investing some time in clearing access for the polaris. If you've only got a 1km length which is the problem about then I'd be looking at creating a route through there so you could get your polaris or a quad from one end to the other - might not be a straight line and doesn't need be a fully made gravel roadway, but a weekend spend clearing some brash from around stumps etc and creating a route through would help massively. At least you could then see the stumps and avoid them. might be better done when the weather improves and everything dries out.

That on the plan, but its money, I have a 14t slingshoven on standby, dont think it will be an issue, but its all part of the improvement plan so subject to approvals, and grants etc before I can move!

 

[SaOsborne]

Even with all the gear you’ve listed, the description of the scenario you’ve given would say to me definitely you need help, if for no other reason than safety. Uneven ground, quad bikes and winches, create a dangerous proposition, especially 150 miles from home. There’s no “easy” way to extract Reds, I shoot on very flat if quite wet ground, and simply couldn’t shift the larger stuff without a quad and a winch in the back of my pickup, even now I still go through a little check list before pulling the trigger where I double check with myself if I can physically get to where it might drop.

I am with you there, I know the hind was a tosser to get out but luckily Boydy47 had foolishly volenterred for a stalk, no way I would have pulled the trigger on my own, or just maybee and then spent next day pulling it out!

 

[SaOsborne]

Is the river an option with a small boat? Sounds like you can shoot them fairly close to the river and then travel back with the deer in a boat?

Its no straighty and was in full flood last weekend, with four trees down in her at the moment (more work!), so not really at this time!

 

[SaOsborne]

If you get a quad you could possibly utilise the forwarder tracks or make rough tracks of your own. Is the whole area felled? If not brash yourself quad tracks through the timber, done right you can stalk into areas nice and quietly using these too

I had thought of taking animals up the hill, into the trees, there are some more mature areas to pass through, this then allows access to the bog track, but I have got the polaris along that. problem is most of what is along the top is 1999 planting waiting for 1st thinning, good luch getting through that!

 

[SaOsborne]

If you go down the route of a quad or any kind of compact ATV, just make sure you have a winch for it. I remember taking my quad up to Scotland for the very first time and the winch arrived the same day. I thought, hey I'll fit that when I get back, but in the end, I threw it on. First day in the trees, it slipped into a bog. Tell you what. If you think a hind is heavy try recovering a quad!

I get out with a good friend in Canada every 3 years, we dropped a Honda Forman 750 through the top of an iced up beaver dam, now there is an expierience to remember, 13 Km from the pickup, -28C, we got it out!

 

[25 Sharps]

you need to get Scotts sporttrak down there Simon

fek that! arent there any munties ?
I just said to Scott that I'm down that way at Easter if you want to do a bit of trail blazing? I could get away for a morning or so .

She'd struggle mate!!

Hey Kenny,

I think that may have a chance, though not much more!

Speaking to Scott, you up for a go, but you will need to work for it!

Get you onto the monster stag I saw there, reakon only 150kg+!!

let me know.

Ive seen that stag, one of the biggest I've seen in the wild up fairly close, didn't hang around long enough for me to shoot the b*gger.

Yep sort of my conclusion, I think it was time I was trying to save, as I have no doubts I can get them all out, but it will just have to take as long as it takes!

Time and pain!!

It seems the general consensus is you have all the kit, which you do, you're well enough prepared and the winch was complimented with a chainsaw that fortunately we didnt need.

The bottom end is the real issue, anything along the top will go along the top track with the sled and winch even a reasonable stag. You just need to get the tracks in long term, short term I think next time we're down we need to walk to find the best route and mark it, clearing paths through the brush piles, I can get fencing pins whic we can put flags every 10 metres. Until alternative to pulling is there stags along the river just have to get a free lunch.

As for the sportrak don't forget I have the other one parked up at the yard, probably just a new fuel pump to get running. A decent set ofmud tyres and the winch and this will access 90% of the ground, it can be left down there out of view and far less desirable than the Polaris so no towing..... 150 miles each way.

 

[SaOsborne]

Ive seen that stag, one of the biggest I've seen in the wild up fairly close, didn't hang around long enough for me to shoot the b*gger.



Time and pain!!

It seems the general consensus is you have all the kit, which you do, you're well enough prepared and the winch was complimented with a chainsaw that fortunately we didnt need.

The bottom end is the real issue, anything along the top will go along the top track with the sled and winch even a reasonable stag. You just need to get the tracks in long term, short term I think next time we're down we need to walk to find the best route and mark it, clearing paths through the brush piles, I can get fencing pins whic we can put flags every 10 metres. Until alternative to pulling is there stags along the river just have to get a free lunch.

As for the sportrak don't forget I have the other one parked up at the yard, probably just a new fuel pump to get running. A decent set ofmud tyres and the winch and this will access 90% of the ground, it can be left down there out of view and far less desirable than the Polaris so no towing..... 150 miles each way.

we have the winch, she is good for a tonne, or 2 if snatch used, marking a route and strimming the damm reeds is a must, then good to go!

 

[lochty]

You mentioned a sled..is this one of the polypropylene ones? Is so, low friction and nothing to snag on roots, branches etc will make your life considerably easier.

 

[SaOsborne]

You mentioned a sled..is this one of the polypropylene ones? Is so, low friction and nothing to snag on roots, branches etc will make your life considerably easier.

Its the "Frankonia" supplied, large game sled in HDPE, worked well, but was still a mare over the reed grass stumps, forwarder trenches, brash rows and stumps, other than that, oh and it doesnt float with 100kg of deer in it, it made the job possable!

 

[kennyc]

you just need some proper machinery Simon


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