# Worst deer drag



## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I shot a large "old" eight point half rack buck during muzzle loader season back in 2001. If the buck had both sides it would have scored around 140. The buck dressed at 203lbs and dropped in a shallow swamp about a quarter mile from my truck. The drag to the truck was a very steep, wooded uphill pull. The deer outweigh me by forty pounds. Took me four hours to get it up the hill and another half hour to load it. The teeth were worn way down and his snout was totally silver. I wonder if he would have made it through the winter. I hit the local bar and had a few well earned beers.


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## SmallieKing (Apr 11, 2007)

Cousin of mine killed a buck on a draw hunt in Indiana a few years ago. Took 3 of us 6.5 hours dragging to get him to the truck.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

you guys are doing it all wrong. killed a nice 8 that field dressed 161 lbs. my son and BIG nephew met me about half way out. my nephew was dragging the buck down the fire trail about 100 yrds to the parking lot. I seen 2 does watching us from about 40 of 50 yrds down in the woods. I shot 1 doe that ran about 10 yrds from the road and died. she field dressed 166 lbs, dragging time about 15 seconds.
sherman


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

sherman51 said:


> you guys are doing it all wrong. killed a nice 8 that field dressed 161 lbs. my son and BIG nephew met me about half way out. my nephew was dragging the buck down the fire trail about 100 yrds to the parking lot. I seen 2 does watching us from about 40 of 50 yrds down in the woods. I shot 1 doe that ran about 10 yrds from the road and died. she field dressed 166 lbs, dragging time about 15 seconds.
> sherman


You definitely had that perfectly planned out.


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

Not a deer, but a 5x5 elk. I was hunting and camping solo in a roadless area of the White River National Forest. I shot him at 10,500 feet and had to get him back to my truck at 8,000 feet. It was several miles one way straight up the mountain. I quartered him out and spent 2 days making 5 trips to pack him out. It about did me in.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Was ml hunting with my neighbor(John) during a bad snow storm some years back down in Hocking county. It had been very cold and extremely high winds the few days prior. We hadn't seen many deer so my neighbor suggested we hunt a spot about 4 miles back in an area that was pratically straight up and down that had a stand of pines at the bottom. He knew that area back in there and said when the weather gets...and stays the way it was , the deer pile in there getting out of the wind. 
He wasn't kidding. 
Shot a huge bodied buck down in there during almost whiteout conditions with the wind blowing so hard the ice pellets/snow literally blowing sideways stinging your face. At any rate, hands frozen, field dressing the buck warmed my hands up quickly. 
I met my neighbor at a cross trail and we started dragging..but not in the direction we came in. He said we would drag it to the top of the steep hill towards the property owners house and when we got out of that hole to the top, we would walk to the farmers house and get his tractor to drag it the rest of the way home.
That all sounded great!
Only problem was..while we were dragging up a real steep part of an embankment and over some fallen trees, my neighbor lost his footing, slipped and blew his knee out. 
John was in extreme pain, couldn't stand so he gave me directions to the farmers house. Went and got the farmer and we rode his tractor back. The farmer and I got John up the hill dragging him on a tarp we had brought. We were going to take him back and into the hospital but John insisted we get the deer so we didn't have to go back in there. So it was John and the deer sprawled out in the bucket of the front loader.
He ended up with multiple pins and screws in his knee. And of course...a freezer full of venison.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I'll bet you and your buddy John recalled and relived that hunt several times through the years.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Shortdrift said:


> I'll bet you and your buddy John recalled and relived that hunt several times through the years.


Yes we used to.
We hunted together for several years after that. 
Never did make it back to 'the hole' to hunt though.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I shot a big buck down in the bottom of a draw at Brookville lake. it ran about 3 miles up and down hills before I found it. got it field dressed and laid it under a deadfall and went for help. as we were walking up to where I left the deer we spooked it. it jumped up and ran off and we never seen it again.
sherman


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## dcool (Apr 14, 2004)

WoW! never seen a field dressed deer get up and run.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Sherm; Are you sure that field dress deer got up and ran away.


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## Skippy (Dec 2, 2009)

somebodys been drinking there bath water.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

dcool said:


> WoW! never seen a field dressed deer get up and run.





Shortdrift said:


> Sherm; Are you sure that field dress deer got up and ran away.





Skippy said:


> somebodys been drinking there bath water.


Don't mind him guys...he's delirious from being on the road headed back from Fla.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

sherman51 said:


> I shot a big buck down in the bottom of a draw at Brookville lake. it ran about 3 miles up and down hills before I found it. got it field dressed and laid it under a deadfall and went for help. as we were walking up to where I left the deer we spooked it. it jumped up and ran off and we never seen it again.
> sherman


Muhahaha...lazy...your seed shipment may have hit home!!!!


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Saugeye Tom said:


> Muhahaha...lazy...your seed shipment may have hit home!!!!


Yes...that does it lazy...
...*NO MORE SEEDS FOR UNCLE SHERMAN !!! 





*


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Now... shrem. What is field dressed in your neck of indiana??


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Is it possible ya jumped a different deer on a different deadfall???


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Saugeye Tom said:


> Now... shrem. What is field dressed in your neck of indiana??


I think I shot that same deer. And here I always thought it was the 'miracle' bullet I was using that was so good it completely gutted the deer when you shot it.
No wonder it never happened again shooting deer with them same bullets!


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## Burkcarp1 (Dec 24, 2016)

Come on Sherm , that’s taking it a bit far... that’s a tall one if I understood it correctly...


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Burkcarp1 said:


> Come on Sherm , that’s taking it a bit far... that’s a tall one if I understood it correctly...


I don't know BC...cause that deer I shot the next day...when I walked up to it, it was already gutted.
Like I said, I been thinkin all these years it was them 'special' boolits I was a usin.
Now come ta find out all these years later, uncle Sherm done got me again.


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## Burkcarp1 (Dec 24, 2016)

Wait a minute...maybe those Indiana boys think that field dressing a deer is putting a tag on it.....yeah I think that might be it


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Sorry Ron, the boys from the Derailer thread are now derailing every thread...Keeping them in line is like herding cats..


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

Worst drag I ever had was my buddies bear he shot. Nothing too big, maybe 250 lbs dresses, but that sucker didn't cooperate in the least. Took us 4 hours to drag it about a mile.

Best part was we hog tied it to the roof of my old Jeep and drove right thru downtown Pittsburgh on the way home. We got some funny looks. The top on my Jeep never looked the same after that trip.

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## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

sherman51 said:


> I shot a big buck down in the bottom of a draw at Brookville lake. it ran about 3 miles up and down hills before I found it. got it field dressed and laid it under a deadfall and went for help. as we were walking up to where I left the deer we spooked it. it jumped up and ran off and we never seen it again.
> sherman


I need to buy some of the stuff you’re on


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## jmyers8 (Aug 2, 2013)

I agree on the bear I shot one in wv a few years back it was about 600 yards down the ridge treed, shot it out and it ran another couple couple hundred yards down to the river bank. Me my cousin 2 full grown bear dogs and a 160 pound black bear. About 7 hours later we finally got everything out to a logging road and the side by side it was late September and about 70 degrees it was a rough day. We shot one the next day that landed in the road 30 feet from the truck 

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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

sherman51 said:


> I shot a big buck down in the bottom of a draw at Brookville lake. it ran about 3 miles up and down hills before I found it. got it field dressed and laid it under a deadfall and went for help. as we were walking up to where I left the deer we spooked it. it jumped up and ran off and we never seen it again.
> sherman


Lordy !


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

ress said:


> Lordy !


I think he hit the shine again.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Snakecharmer said:


> I think he hit the shine again.


me or the deer????, LOL.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Snakecharmer said:


> Sorry Ron, the boys from the Derailer thread are now derailing every thread...Keeping them in line is like herding cats..


HEY...YOURE FROM THAT THREAD TOO just sayin


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

Yeah,


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

Worst drag for me was not my deer. We used to hunt a 475 acre piece of woods that ran over a mile back. There was no ATVs permitted and you could only park at the front up at the road. My dad and myself went on a late October bow hunt for a few days. It rained all day long the first day and we just slept in at the motel, hit the army surplus store in Zanesville, etc. It rained most of that second night as well. My dad got the "bright" idea to hunt the farthest stand the group had way in the back - it was closer to route 40 than the county road we parked on! He was just "checking the stand" as it was built in with 2x4s and had been there for many years. He was a trophy buck only hunter at the time and there was just no way he would take a deer that morning.

Well, I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but around 12:45 he appeared on the logging trail motioning for me to climb down. This was the plan but he was 45 minutes late. We would hike down to the bottom and eat a packed lunch together at the creek most hunts around noon. He was blood covered and happy unconcerned with lunch. Said he had a real heavy 15 pointer down and had already been dragging him since 10:30. We ate our lunch right there next to the logging road and then hiked back to the buck. The deer was still fat and had not run weight off from the rut and he was huge. A great big fully mature deer with a very heavy 15 point rack. I was 16 years old and full of energy......for a few hours! LOL This land went up and down and we had to cross 2 nice size, wet creeks. I am not joking it was 10:30PM when we pulled out!!! I remember us sitting in the dark laughing at the situation soaked to the bone after getting across the final creek. We still had at least 400 yards mostly uphill to the truck. Plus we could not use the logging road because it was too wet and muddy.

Now that I am 40 myself I look back at that day and have a lot of respect for my old man. He was older than me and I don't think I could endure a drag like that tomorrow if I had to. Matter of fact I have not had any that bad and have called for help. I'm pretty much done after a few hours and need a buddy (or my Honda Rubicon)!LOL I need to get into better shape to even think about packing out an elk like I see these guys on TV in Alaska.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Fish-N-Fool said:


> Worst drag for me was not my deer. We used to hunt a 475 acre piece of woods that ran over a mile back. There was no ATVs permitted and you could only park at the front up at the road. My dad and myself went on a late October bow hunt for a few days. It rained all day long the first day and we just slept in at the motel, hit the army surplus store in Zanesville, etc. It rained most of that second night as well. My dad got the "bright" idea to hunt the farthest stand the group had way in the back - it was closer to route 40 than the county road we parked on! He was just "checking the stand" as it was built in with 2x4s and had been there for many years. He was a trophy buck only hunter at the time and there was just no way he would take a deer that morning.
> 
> Well, I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but around 12:45 he appeared on the logging trail motioning for me to climb down. This was the plan but he was 45 minutes late. We would hike down to the bottom and eat a packed lunch together at the creek most hunts around noon. He was blood covered and happy unconcerned with lunch. Said he had a real heavy 15 pointer down and had already been dragging him since 10:30. We ate our lunch right there next to the logging road and then hiked back to the buck. The deer was still fat and had not run weight off from the rut and he was huge. A great big fully mature deer with a very heavy 15 point rack. I was 16 years old and full of energy......for a few hours! LOL This land went up and down and we had to cross 2 nice size, wet creeks. I am not joking it was 10:30PM when we pulled out!!! I remember us sitting in the dark laughing at the situation soaked to the bone after getting across the final creek. We still had at least 400 yards mostly uphill to the truck. Plus we could not use the logging road because it was too wet and muddy.
> 
> Now that I am 40 myself I look back at that day and have a lot of respect for my old man. He was older than me and I don't think I could endure a drag like that tomorrow if I had to. Matter of fact I have not had any that bad and have called for help. I'm pretty much done after a few hours and need a buddy (or my Honda Rubicon)!LOL I need to get into better shape to even think about packing out an elk like I see these guys on TV in Alaska.


That's a great memory with dad!
That ground didn't happen to be behind Boggs road did it?


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

fastwater - no off Carr road ran south towards the golf course just north of route 40 (east of the airport). Guy from Indiana owned it. You turn north by the Christmas house there on 40. It ran along side the tree farm up there. Crazy thing my dad could have bought the entire 475 acres M/l for 75,000 in like 1992. It had a ton of timber in it as well. He knew it was a huge opportunity, but at the time with 4 young kids and not a huge income he could only muster half. He tried to get his best friend to go together (his friend had some money and a nice job), but the friend didn't want it.

Another out of state guy bought it, sold 35k worth of Ash for fence posts then select cut the cherry, oak and walnut. We figure he got more than he paid in timber. Then he broke it into around 5 parcels and sold them for about a thousand an acre making a huge profit. Those parcels have since been broken up and bought and sold. Things have changed a lot in that area, but in the early 90s that area was a deer meca and held tremendous bucks. It looks nothing at all like it did when I was young. Still today the largest buck I have put eyes on was on that ground...and the second largest...and several other head turners. They killed several very nice deer from 1968 - 1994. My last hunt there was Nov of 1994 - he let us hunt the first couple years after he bought it.

I can still hunt 300 acres right up the road but don't bother. Everything is leased up and what isn't has more folks than any public land down in Wayne. And hollers I used to hunt have trailers parked in them...the landscape has REALLY changed.

I have tons of memories of that place. Best times of my life as far as hunting is concerned. Lots of great times with my dad and brothers. We always had the big traditional deer camp for gun week with 15-20+ guys. We'd stay at the crappy motel at the airport exit (there is a Denny's there across the street now). Some trips during November we would have 5-6 rooms in a row filled with my dad's buddies. Ah the good old days


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Sounds like you guys had it goin on for sure in an area slammed with big bucks.
My youngest brother lived on Boggs several years ago and we hunted property behind his house. Always monster bucks there as well.


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

This buck (not mine) came from that same area around rt 40







this past gun season.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

Thank you for posting Lewis. Ironic there were two distinct gene patters in that area this being one (straight out and very wide; not a big basket with beams that come around). My very last hunt there was gun season 2008 and I killed a 10 point that looks like this guys little brother - built exactly the same but a year younger. 

If you know that guy hunting that area tell them my Dad's best friend shot a 9 point Monday of gun season 1993 that had a 28 3/8 inside spread same genes as above! It netted like 145 and he registered it in the book. Snitchler was his name. Out of that group every guy except one registered a BBBC deer during the time they hunted. Some guys killed a handful that would have made it, but they all registered one. It was like a goal for the group to just get one in there. My dad registered only one and it was 1982. There was a barn wall full of mounters killed by that group in that area through the years with several 140-160 inch deer and a few exceptional ones even larger. 

In the best of times we had access to all of Dailey's before it broke up and 2/3 after, some of Watsons, Taylor and Graham, Clymers tree farm, plus this piece I speak of. Too bad I was just a kid coming up and only got to hunt there for a few years in the "hay day". 

I took my very first buck right back there at age 13 with a bow few hundred yards north of the golf course edge. I got lucky (and spoiled) and it was a typical 6X6 wall mounter chasing an early doe last week of Oct. Didn't really know what I had done and didn't get another buck in that class for many years!


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## one3 (Dec 1, 2015)

When I have a hard drag, I go back to the truck and get the come along. I have one that has a web strap in stead of a cable. It is a little slower, but I do not kill my self. Just remember, if you are not in some kind of shape, you may be asking for a heart attack.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Very true! I talked to a ranger at Beaver Creek State Park who told me about encountering a man who tried to drag a big buck up out of the creek valley. He was laying against the side of his truck, gasping for breath! But, he wouldn't forget about that buck. He made the ranger call his SIL to make sure he came and got that buck before he went to the hospital!


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## billorp (Aug 25, 2007)

I found that the best thing to use for dragging is a heavy duty plastic tobaggan that you can get for about $40.00. It drags very easily and you can strap your deer in and pull over down trees, through wet fields and it is especially easy in snow. Mine is 50" and have been using it for at least 10 years.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

my worst drag was my 1st deer ever. I shot a 10 point buck across a small river. I went down stream until I found a shallow place to cross. got it dressed out and started dragging the deer upstream towards the road. it was maybe 1/2 mile to the nearest road. I was in heavy grass that had laid over. every time I pulled the deer his rack got hung in the grass and wouldnt give. I would have to remove the grass before it would move. after about an hour and 50 yrds I was shot. with my friends on the other side of the river and only about 50 yrds of woods to an open field that led to the road I gave up and dragged the deer across the river. the water was up to my chest and very cold. the air temp was well below freezing. when I got the deer across the river I was told to go bring the van up from the parking lot. when I got to the van my cloths was stiff and frozen. so I took the time to get into dry clothing. when I got to the field my 2 friends had the deer to the road waiting on me. I would still be dragging had I not crossed the river.
sherman


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## billorp (Aug 25, 2007)

Here is the one I use. It is actually 66" and currently $39.99 at Ace Hardware.
View attachment 295515


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

billorp said:


> Here is the one I use. It is actually 66" and currently $39.99 at Ace Hardware.
> View attachment 295515


I have a sled we use for bear, but it will only work for a smaller one. We've thought about getting an ice fishing sled and trying to use that.

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## billorp (Aug 25, 2007)

Misdirection said:


> I have a sled we use for bear, but it will only work for a smaller one. We've thought about getting an ice fishing sled and trying to use that.
> 
> Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk


This size works great for me. Another plus is when I want to blind hunt, I can put everything in the sled, blind, chair, buddy heater, whatever, and it is an easy walk.
one of my most memorable hunts with my son, I shot a deer during muzzleloader and we had about 4" of snow on the ground. We were hunting on the top of a pipeline. To get to my truck we had to go down to the bottom of the pipeline and back up the other side of the hill. I wasn't thinking when my son offered to drag 1/2 way and said he would take the first drag. We got out to the top of the pipeline where he than dropped the rope and gave the sled a push. It was a perfectly straight ride for the deer, right down to the bottom. We were high fiving each other because it was so funny when he than said, "OK that was my half". I couldn't argue with him.


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## Junebug2320 (Apr 23, 2010)

Hunting my buddy’s property on a steep incline which also had a 20ft cliff next to me. Doe came walking down during gun season and I shot her. She started kicking and rolling and made her way to the cliff. I shot two more times to try and stop her, but over she went. Informed my buddy and he told me to be careful, another hunting party had a guy fall and needed an air medivac to retrieve him. I found an accessible route down and had other folks drive an atv down the incline and pin it against a tree. We then used the winch and a block and tackle to get the deer out. 


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