Rough Country Hunting tips?

[TboneD]

I've done some looking at a few old Highland Rim hunting spots in DeKalb and Cheatham County...areas I've hunted little and haven't hunted in ten years or so, and I'm wondering...coming from a guy who's shot most of his bucks off the flat ground of Wilson County, any of you ridge runners have any tips on making hunting the rough country not so rough?

Thirteen or fourteen years or so, I got sick as a dog from dragging a buck from Center Hill up to Dale Ridge....and I don't want to do any "Summit-saults" down any hollers with my stand on my back, either. Get my drift? I mean, folks are always talking about " hunting up high in the morning and down low in the afternoon", but I'm wondering if any of ya'll have any other practical advice to make going after a ridge country buck safer, as well as successful.

I'll start off with three takeaways from just the other day while scouting at Cheatham. After coming across a guy's climber in a holler bottom, I noticed a rope tied to a tree a little ways up above the creek bed. That, coupled with the stand site made me think this fella might know a thing or two...like he'd probably tell me to maybe invest in better boots and more Summit climbers.

Dave

 

[CamoGator]

Invest in a deer cart if you don't have any motorized means of moving deer. I hunt in cannon and DeKalb counties so I know steep ridges.

 

[7mminatree]

A deer cart is a good investment, however it could be to rough for a cart. Then a snow sled is another option. But back country hunting is tough, it is what it is.. I've had my share of marathon drags, it's nice to have a hunting buddy to help feel the pain. Those solo drags will test your fortitude.

 

[WRbowhunter]

Not trying to be smart but hunt closer to the road. Sometimes you can hunt a lot closer to your vehicle and still get in some good hunts. Like 7mm said find a hunting buddy to go with .I love my deer cart and it lets me go a lot of places I would not hunt if I did not have one. But I hunt bottoms and not ridges. Sorry just not an easy answer to this other than just know its going to take you longer to get a deer out and take your time

 

[in the dog house]

^^^this and you don't kill yourself.

 

[TboneD]

A deer cart is a good investment, however it could be to rough for a cart. Then a snow sled is another option...

Yep. The bottoms I'm talking about are too rough for even a single wheel deer cart like mine, and a deer sled just slides back one foot for every two you gain. Been there done that. But I appreciate the tips.

 

[TboneD]

In such situations, I quarter up deer on the spot and pack them out in a backpack. I look at it 2 ways:

1. I have to skin and quarter a deer anyway, might as well do it where it lays.

2. Since its not anymore work than I already have to do anyway (skinning, quartering, walking back out), distance or terrain from the vehicle are non factors in determining where I hunt or what I kill.

Good point, but I'm pretty sure quartering is frowned on by the TWRA in Cheatham wma.

 

[TboneD]

Thanks for the suggestions on how to get a deer out, guys. I'm wondering if rope and pulleys or a comealong might work when I'm hunting alone where I can't quarter one in the real deep hollers.

Anyone have any thoughts on the pros and cons of leaving climbers down in bottoms between hunts? Obviously theft is always a risk, but my question is whether leaving one from one weekend to another will mess up my hunting, even if I spray it down with Scent Killer and/or take the seat with me. I'm thinking the best thing to do is to use a blowdown to hide it near a stand tree, but what do ya'll do?

 

[Hardwoodmaterials]

Run to Wal-Mart and get you one of these. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hunter-s-Spec ... g/15111192 also carry a couple feet of small rope/cord. tie the deers front feet together behind its head and slip the drag loop around its neck. Its cheap but light. I carry one in my pack and you would be amazed at how much easier it is to drag a deer by yourself versus the grab a leg/horn and go method.

Please don't leave your climbing stand in the woods. You might get away with it for a while but eventually someone will steal it even if its locked to the tree.

 

[7mminatree]

Thanks for the suggestions on how to get a deer out, guys. I'm wondering if rope and pulleys or a comealong might work when I'm hunting alone where I can't quarter one in the real deep hollers.

Anyone have any thoughts on the pros and cons of leaving climbers down in bottoms between hunts? Obviously theft is always a risk, but my question is whether leaving one from one weekend to another will mess up my hunting, even if I spray it down with Scent Killer and/or take the seat with me. I'm thinking the best thing to do is to use a blowdown to hide it near a stand tree, but what do ya'll do?

I used to leave my climber in all season, like you said, I would hide it in a deadfall and camo it out with sticks and leaves, also used a bycicle lock. As far as quartering goes, I've done it a few times, but it tends to attract more bears than I care to deal with if I'm going back in the same area to hunt. I had a face off with a large boar a few years ago, so I won't quarter if I'm going back in that area. Gut piles are gone by the next day and bones seem to get scattered about. That seems to bring in the bears, at least in my part of the state

 

[Mike Belt]

I'm waiting on someone to come up with a hydra board. Sure would open up some hunting areas that I'd never hunt because of the drag.

 

[TboneD]

Thanks for the suggestions on how to get a deer out, guys. I'm wondering if rope and pulleys or a comealong might work when I'm hunting alone where I can't quarter one in the real deep hollers.

Anyone have any thoughts on the pros and cons of leaving climbers down in bottoms between hunts? Obviously theft is always a risk, but my question is whether leaving one from one weekend to another will mess up my hunting, even if I spray it down with Scent Killer and/or take the seat with me. I'm thinking the best thing to do is to use a blowdown to hide it near a stand tree, but what do ya'll do?

I used to leave my climber in all season, like you said, I would hide it in a deadfall and camo it out with sticks and leaves, also used a bycicle lock. As far as quartering goes, I've done it a few times, but it tends to attract more bears than I care to deal with if I'm going back in the same area to hunt. I had a face off with a large boar a few years ago, so I won't quarter if I'm going back in that area. Gut piles are gone by the next day and bones seem to get scattered about. That seems to bring in the bears, at least in my part of the state

I can see how hunting in bear country could be a little exciting from time to time..I'd love to hunt the big woods of Cherokee national forest or BSF one day. Thanks for the input.

 

[TboneD]

Run to Wal-Mart and get you one of these. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hunter-s-Spec ... g/15111192 also carry a couple feet of small rope/cord. tie the deers front feet together behind its head and slip the drag loop around its neck. Its cheap but light. I carry one in my pack and you would be amazed at how much easier it is to drag a deer by yourself versus the grab a leg/horn and go method.

Please don't leave your climbing stand in the woods. You might get away with it for a while but eventually someone will steal it even if its locked to the tree.

The deer drag is a good tip. Check out 7mmnatree's post about leaving climbers in the woods. Seems to me to be a good way to go given the right circumstances.