It’s early in our bow season. I’ve got my stands placed and have watched a few deer show up under it. I haven’t arrowed an animal yet because I’m being selective in terms of size. When it comes to deer hunting, I’m all about collecting enough venison to supplement my family’s diet throughout the upcoming year.
To collect venison, a hunter – especially a solo hunter like me – needs to be prepared. Otherwise, you’ll leave the bush with a product that’s less than palatable. The following equipment suggestions will make your job easier.
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| Using a hoist and gambrel allows you to elevate the carcass so removing the hide is a less daunting task. |
1. With that in mind, I always keep my deer recovery kit in the truck – essentially these are the items that come into play once I’ve located and field dressed my downed deer. The first invaluable item is my game cart. I don’t own an all-terrain-vehicle but with my game cart, I have, over the years, hauled out animals from as far as a mile away in heavy cover. A cart keeps the animal off the ground. If I’m hunting deeper in the woods, I sometimes will bring it to within 100 yards of my stand and leave it there (I don’t hunt public land much). Otherwise, it’s in my truck ready to go.
2. A folding hand saw also comes in handy, although an ax or machete could do just as well. These help clear a trail for your loaded game cart. Ideally, you want to take the path of least resistance, but often one downed branch or small tree is blocking that, which is where the saw comes in.
3. Once the deer is home, a gambrel and block and tackle make hanging a deer easy.
4. I have never used hunting game bags because I hang my deer in a spot where I can monitor them frequently. But I’m thinking this year I’ll give one a go – they seem like a good idea.
5. There are other little accessories needed, of course. Extra rope or ratchet straps always come in handy for attaching your deer to game cart, for instance.
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| A game cart is a great alternative for those who don’t want to invest in an ATV. |
Once you’ve hauled your deer out of the woods, do you have all the tools you need for the next phase of processing your deer? If not, check out everything from meat grinders to dehydrators at Bass Pro Shops.
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