Opening day success, 2- 1/2 mile drag

[BigBossman]

I drew a doe tag, and found a nice fat one about 2 hours after sunrise on opening day. I had bought a new packable roll-up drag before the season, so wanted to give it a test run. 2 - 1/2 miles later, she was on the meat pole and getting processed.

 

[Chancey]

Congrats! You’re in for some good eating!

 

[The Gleam]

Nice.In California, or somewhere else?

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[BigBossman]

Mule deer, somewhere else.

 

[Yoteassasin]

Nice !!!

 

[Yoteassasin]

I got it done first day @9800 .. big hike but deer everywhere

 

[H. Bowman]

Long drag for a slicktop! Good work!

 

[BigBossman]

Long drag for a slicktop! Good work!

Shot three more in Wyoming. No antlers on the wall, but the freezer is past full.

 

[2muchsoysauce4allthisrice]

I drew a doe tag, and found a nice fat one about 2 hours after sunrise on opening day. I had bought a new packable roll-up drag before the season, so wanted to give it a test run. 2 - 1/2 miles later, she was on the meat pole and getting processed.

Is this the J5 gear one? Which roll up drag is this? Been looking around for a packable or backpacking drag.

 

[BigBossman]

Is this the J5 gear one? Which roll up drag is this? Been looking around for a packable or backpacking drag.

Yes, it is. I met the fellow that makes them at a gun show, and after experiencing an arduous drag the year before, he had my ear. I bought the small size - it weighs about 4 lbs and rolls up to be easily strapped to my pack. I thought it worked well, and was worth the money I spent.

 

[H. Bowman]

Shot three more in Wyoming. No antlers on the wall, but the freezer is past full.

Excellent! The gf and I both show a cow elk this year. Could have done a bull, or two cows...but I really really like meat.

 

[BigBossman]

Excellent! The gf and I both show a cow elk this year. Could have done a bull, or two cows...but I really really like meat.

That is my view, as well. I'm not a trophy hunter, and don't hang heads or racks on the wall (well with the exception of a few skulls I have found while out and about). I just like to eat meat, and find venison steaks extremely good table fare.

 

[2muchsoysauce4allthisrice]

Yes, it is. I met the fellow that makes them at a gun show, and after experiencing an arduous drag the year before, he had my ear. I bought the small size - it weighs about 4 lbs and rolls up to be easily strapped to my pack. I thought it worked well, and was worth the money I spent.

How has it held up after the drag; how’s the material on the underside? How does it hold up against rocks? How many more harvest drag trips do you think you can get out of it?

I’m thinking about it but questioning if maybe the dragging method might not be good for A-zone heat; risk spoiling maybe? I backpacked out in game bags when I harvested my first buck last year in A zone. I failed this year; didn’t get anything.

 

[H. Bowman]

I hunted A zone for a lot of years and heat is definitely a concern. I'd still be ok with dragging one, if I got the guts out quick and it wasn't one of the 106 degree days I've killed deer and pigs on before. I'm not so sure that the difference in bags of meat being stuffed in a backpack or quarters stuffed in a drag tarp will be significant?

 

[BigBossman]

How has it held up after the drag; how’s the material on the underside? How does it hold up against rocks? How many more harvest drag trips do you think you can get out of it?

I’m thinking about it but questioning if maybe the dragging method might not be good for A-zone heat; risk spoiling maybe? I backpacked out in game bags when I harvested my first buck last year in A zone. I failed this year; didn’t get anything.

This was the first time I used it, and it worked well. The bottom is scuffed up, as the drag was long and on a rocky/gravelly service road (the F&G gate the roads just before hunting season, to cut down on road-hunters stirring up the environment). Honestly, I think it will be good for several years, as the material is thick and pretty resistant to abrasion. In my particular case, the drag was slightly uphill for half the distance, and then slightly downhill for the rest. The sled did have resistance, and over the course of the drag I had to stop several times (I'm older, and the deer was pretty large). I think that if some sort of collapsible lightweight rails could be attached, similar to a snow sled, it would significantly reduce drag and effort.

I've hunted for decades, and I have used 4 methods to retrieve game (neglecting driving up to it and loading) - dragging by hand, dragging with a drag harness, gutless/pack out, and a Jet-Sled. All have their pros and cons, and have different scenarios where they work the best. If possible, I prefer to drag the carcass out and get it on a gambrel if I can manage it. Packing it out usually requires either a second person to assist, or else multiple trips.

Jet-Sleds are fantastic if you are relatively close to the car and can go get it, and work especially well on snow or grass. Hand dragging sucks, and harness dragging is a pain in the ass as well if you're in rough terrain. This one piece sled seems to glide over debris and dead-fall much easier than an unprotected carcass, and in my opinion makes for a fairly straightforward recovery.

 

[H. Bowman]

Hand dragging is terrible! hahah. That looks like a pretty reasonable setup.

 

[2muchsoysauce4allthisrice]

This was the first time I used it, and it worked well. The bottom is scuffed up, as the drag was long and on a rocky/gravelly service road (the F&G gate the roads just before hunting season, to cut down on road-hunters stirring up the environment). Honestly, I think it will be good for several years, as the material is thick and pretty resistant to abrasion. In my particular case, the drag was slightly uphill for half the distance, and then slightly downhill for the rest. The sled did have resistance, and over the course of the drag I had to stop several times (I'm older, and the deer was pretty large). I think that if some sort of collapsible lightweight rails could be attached, similar to a snow sled, it would significantly reduce drag and effort.

I've hunted for decades, and I have used 4 methods to retrieve game (neglecting driving up to it and loading) - dragging by hand, dragging with a drag harness, gutless/pack out, and a Jet-Sled. All have their pros and cons, and have different scenarios where they work the best. If possible, I prefer to drag the carcass out and get it on a gambrel if I can manage it. Packing it out usually requires either a second person to assist, or else multiple trips.

Jet-Sleds are fantastic if you are relatively close to the car and can go get it, and work especially well on snow or grass. Hand dragging sucks, and harness dragging is a pain in the ass as well if you're in rough terrain. This one piece sled seems to glide over debris and dead-fall much easier than an unprotected carcass, and in my opinion makes for a fairly straightforward recovery.

View attachment 17441

I remember when I harvested that first buck in A zone public, I tried hand dragging after gutting in 98 degree weather in the mountains, with about 6 liters of water in the backpack, 10 lb rifle, I only made it 1/4 mile in 3 hours and ended up falling asleep under a tree in the shade; that was with only 1 hour of sleep after coming home from work and prepping for the trip. Ended up just hiking 2 hours back to the car to get the game bags I left in the car and 2 hours back to the drop site. Never again will I leave the game bags in the car thinking; “oh, I probably won’t bag like the seasons before; I’ll just get the game bags when I do.”

 

[BigBossman]

I remember when I harvested that first buck in A zone public, I tried hand dragging after gutting in 98 degree weather in the mountains, with about 6 liters of water in the backpack, 10 lb rifle, I only made it 1/4 mile in 3 hours and ended up falling asleep under a tree in the shade; that was with only 1 hour of sleep after coming home from work and prepping for the trip. Ended up just hiking 2 hours back to the car to get the game bags I left in the car and 2 hours back to the drop site. Never again will I leave the game bags in the car thinking; “oh, I probably won’t bag like the seasons before; I’ll just get the game bags when I do.”

LOL. I learned early on to always have a few game bags in my back pack.