From: bakc@giraffe.ru.ac.za (MR KR COMAN)
Subject: Re: Backpacking for deer
Organization: Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
Date: 3 Sep 92 08:17:48 CDT
Originator: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu

In article <1992Aug28.112535.24919@doug.cae.wisc.edu> braden_b@measurex.com (Bill Braden) writes:
>From: braden_b@measurex.com (Bill Braden)
>Subject: Backpacking for deer

>The biggest problem that I
>see are in getting the meat out quick enough to avoid spoiling it.  You
>see the weather can often be in the 70's during the day and probably
>will drop only into the 40's or 50's at night. 

Keep an eye on the time of day.  If in the morning,  get the carcass into 
the shade and start gutting and cutting -- you've all day to complete the 
job and the meat won't spoil in a matter of hours.  Here in South Africa, a 
buck that's taken around 9am is usually stashed under a thick bush (deepest 
shade regardless of the passage of the sun) and collected around 
lunchtime -- no problem and no in-field dressing.  Temperatures here often 
run well into the upper 80's BTW.   If, however, you take your shot in the 
afternoon, especially after 3pm, consider an overnight stash -- you might 
not have enough time to do the job before dark.   Hang the buck up from a 
branch of a tree (take some light nylon rope in your pack, if on your own 
also a small pulley -- depending on buck size) -- hint, slit the buck's hind 
legs were the "Achilles tendon" is -- just above the first leg joint to pass 
your rope thru.   Gut out and leave the skin on.  Come back next day to 
finish up.   BTW take the liver back to camp for yr supper -- DELICIOUS!!
	Don't worry about 4-footed scavengers too much.  During daytime they'
re all beddy-byes (I've left buck out for most the day in leopard, jackel 
and hyena country and never had a nibble) -- I imagine the US equivalents 
are much the same, they tend to go for meat during the night that is a bit 
vrot from a couple of days in the sun.    For an overnight stash, tie the 
buck up from a branch so that it's about 5ft off the ground should put yr 
mind at ease.

Another problem is how to
>partition the deer so that if stopped by a ranger on the way out it is
>clear that it is a buck.  I expect it to take at least 2 trips to get
>the whole thing out.  

Either leave the skin on the bits yr carrying -- lose yr lounge trophy hide 
tho or trust to the idea that these blokes are (highly trained and 
experienced professionals??) able to tell at a glance what you've got.

There is also the question of how best to protect
>that remaining parts while I am packing out the first.  

Keep the direct sun off.

>mention that there is also the problem of a 150 mile drive home across
>the central valley were the temps can often exceed 100?

Lucky chap!  My return trip is 1000 miles over 2 days with o/night stop.
I lay the meat on cardboard from old cartons and wrap with some old tent 
canvas -- don't use plastic.   Keep the direct sun off and keep it away from 
heat sources in your truck (eg) exhaust pipe under the loadbed.

If you have to keep your meat in camp for a few days with no access to a 
cooler room:  skin and gut out then *hang* from a branch in the deepest 
shade you can find.  A wipe over with vinegar will help keep the flies off, 
as will draping it in a hessian sack.  Just let the air flow freely over the 
meat.

Hope you have a successful and positively memorable hunt, Bill.

Cheers,
Keith Coman


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