Transportation of Deer on Highways

[hanson]

In the 'Ethics from this past weekend' thread, huntin & fishin kid described a hunter hauling his deer on the hood of a vehicle. The deer then fell off the vehicle and was run over. This got me to thinking about a number of things.

How do you transport your deer?

While traveling up and down I35 from the cities to areas north during deer season, I've seen countless numbers of interesting methods of hauling your deer.

A few examples:

-The biggest racked bucks always are tied down in the most visible location for others to see.

-A pickup with 6-8 deer in the bed with legs sticking up every which way

-Tied down on the back of trailers

-Tied down on the back rack of an ATV on a trailer

-Tied down on the trunk or roof of a car (You don't see this one very much)

-Tied onto the roof of a suburban (I can't quite figure that one out. There is lots of room inside the suburban )

-and there are many others

My real question is what kind of image this is presenting to the non-hunting crowd when we pass them or they pass us on the highway?

[Dockter]

Good call, maybe someone should devise a trailer with a top to conceal the deer! I suppose it is a lot about egos....seeing who has the biggest balls if you will. Being from outstate I can see this in the metro!

[hanson]

When I lived in NW Minnesota before moving to the metro, I saw the same thing, just not as often. I'm sure it happens everywhere in the state.

I for one have been guilty of this in the past. We used to haul deer back from our hunting area on a single place sled trailer with 2' high plywood sides. We didn't have a back on it though so anybody could see in.

I don't know if there is a good solution. With the amount of gear & stuff you bring with you hunting, finding a place to put your deer could be a problem.

I'd just like other hunters to be aware that this is definitely creating some kind of impression on others.

[Dockter]

I was being sarcastic really, I don't think it matters HOW you put them on really. I mean I don't think it really matters how people bring deer home, it dosen't mean anything. It's almost a minnesota tradition to see that big deer strapped to thte top of a car, I actually like it, it's one of the few things in life we can count on!

[huskminn]

This is kind of a tough issue, as I generally support an individual's right to do whatever they want as long as it's legal and doesn't infringe on the rights of others.

However, I think deer hunters should be a little careful about how they portray themselves to the general population. Demographics in this state and many others tell us that there are many more non-hunters than hunters. A certain percentage of those non-hunters are anti-hunters. We should be giving the anti-hunters no ammunition to use against us.

Most of us really respect the animals that we hunt. Most of us live for the entire experience, not just the kill. I can just see PETA running an ad with video of the previously described person running over his own deer on the highway. The caption would read, "And they claim they have respect for the animals they murder--would you shoot your dog, strap it on your car and then run over it?"

Obviously, not everyone has a nice trailer or pickup bed to transport their deer in. That's fine. The most important thing is that you get that meat home and processed with as little loss of quality as possible.

I just think it behooves us to check our egos and transport our deer in the least conspicuous, most respectful manner possible. When I say respectful, I'm not talking about being respectful to other people--I'm talking about being respectful to the deer you killed.

I'm sure some of you will disagree with me and that's fine. I'm just throwing in my two cents because I'd rather spend my money on licenses and improving habitat than on a lobbyist hired to fight the anti-hunting crowd's attempt to curb my ability to hunt deer.

[echotrail]

I agree with a couple of the other posts. We bring so much gear along for a short trip it's not always possible to keep the deer out of sight going home. (How did Lewis and Clarke ever make it)? Last year I was able to put 3 deer in the back of the pickup and get the toneau cover closed. If I couldn't have, it would have stayed open.....no other option. I would not put the animal inside a passenger vehicle, camper or motor home. You just have to do the best you can.

[The Grebe]

Okay guys, this is just my opinion of course, but why do you want to keep the deer out of sight?

Having to hide the deer might give the impression that one was ashamed that he killed the animal in the first place?

Don't want to offend the non hunting public? Pffffft! they could give a fat rats astronomical rights what you do, they are going to do what they do, and say what they say, anyways.

When I was a kid, I used to love seeing the bucks on the cars and in the pick ups, hunters used to be proud they were hunters and knew their craft. Now, to appease non hunters, the fruits of a successfull hunt have to be cloaked in secrecy, like someone has done something wrong?

Why can't those of us with strong hunting instincts still be able to tell a fellow hunter in the cafe, or the gas station, "Whoa, nice buck!" when looking into the back of the P.U., or have them tell us the same when they look into ours?

I don't know, maybe something primal in me? I don't ever want to become completely domesticated and sit around eating salad greens..(They are alright with a good steak) I always want to be able to hunt something and if I can't, I want to talk to other hunters and see how they did?

Whose to say that seeing a nice buck would'nt stir the hunting instincts in other young lads also, like it did in my youth? I realize times are different, but the heredity of the species says that we are hunter gatherers?

You can breed stuff out of a species to a point, but way back in there some place, it is still there!

[zackj91]

if transported in truck it needs to be in the bed of the truck and every part of the deers body must be coverd except for the head

[gunflint]

Hide my deer? It takes me an extra 10 minutes to tie it just right so the antlers are showing. As far as offending PETA (people eating tasty animals?) is concerned their, misguided understanding of the natural world offends me.

If we should hide our deer than we probobly should'nt be wearing blaze orange where it can be seen by the public either. Should we also hide our fishing boats because fishing offends some people?

I hunt, I fish, and I've even harvested a tree or two. Do these activities offend some groups? Most likely. But some of these groups offend me.

[huskminn]

Grebe,

The points you raise are valid ones and probably explain our propensity to display the fruits of our labor. I also enjoy seeing bucks while I'm traveling too/from the hunt. Most of them are tastefully displayed in the backs of pickups or wrapped in a tarp on a trailer with just the head exposed. That's all fine, I guess.

It's the bloodied carcass strapped on the hood or across the front bumper that does us no favors. I'm not afraid of offending PETA, as they are in a continuous state of offense, it is the non-hunting, currently non-offended public that we need to keep somewhat on our side or at least neutral.

It's not about being ashamed of what we do, it's about being smart about what we do. It's the "Slob Hunter" image that we need to avoid portraying. Don't forget that the media is generally against us, the metro population is generally against us and the tree-hugger crowd is definately against us. I'm only saying that our actions shouldn't help THEIR cause, our actions should help OUR cause.

[PikeTipper]

I guess I can see your point of not displaying the "slob" hunter but I too like to see everyone's deer on the way home. A couple of years ago I saw this guy driving down the road with a 4 wheeler in his trailer and a buck propped up on the seat like he was riding it. Probably not the most tasteful or legal way to transport your deer but it was pretty funny.

[The Grebe]

[bigbucks]

Put the deer in your truck or trailer or wherever it needs to be & don't worry about hiding it. In the same token I would probably try not to have the bloody insides on complete display either.

I'm sure the PETA people would love the picture of our hunting crew from this year. There's 12 hunters & our smallest deer standing on two legs wearing a blaze orange hat. I'm anxious to see how it turned out.

[eyecrosser2000]

Here's a point not being considered in this topic: meat quality. I once read that a deer carcass exposed to freezing or below temperatures does a nasty bit of wind burn (similar to freezer burn) on the top of a vehicle doing 65-70 mph. I always haul my deer in a trailer with a wind break or inside my vehicle.

[MNice]

We carry ours in a cooler. After we register them we process the deer at the shack. Do all our grinding, make smoked sticks, bologna, etc.

[lawdog]

I don't think you have to avoid having the animal visible, and in fact in Wisc, you can't until its registered for poaching prevention reasons, but I think you should try to make it look respectful and if you are going to haul it a long way outside of a vehicle, use the big game bags they have to keep dirt/debris out of the meat and help cover up some of the less presentable stuff...

[RePete]

Saw a fella hauling a couple deer strapped on one of those racks that slide into the hitch receiver. The exhaust was spraying all over his kill...not to mention the debris and other junk from the road. I can't imagine that improves the flavor any.

[hanson]

RePete-

I'm dying here! I haven't seen that one yet for myself but I can't imagine that would taste good.

Exhaust & road salt all over the hind quarters. How would you ever describe the taste of that! Or maybe that improves the flavor for some!

[10 poyntr]

Good reply Grebe-When I was young, I used to watch deer being transported home on trucks and cars down Hwy. 169 near Anoka. I used to count em all! That's when I knew I wanted to hunt deer. I am very proud to display my non-bloodied, "properly " laid buck on the tailgate of my truck. I also feel it's the best for cooling, and doesn't get road spray. I also love the sight of blaze-orange displayed in vehicles on their trip North. I like the sight of a treestand in the distance as I'm driving up. I like waving to other hunters on the road, thumbs up, if he's got a deer in tow. I, as a deer hunter, respect the deer, the other hunters, and the land we hunt on. People against hunting will always be that way. Fine.I'll hunt with 400,00 in Minnesota, and 650,000 in Wisconsin.

[Eric_Sieve]

WHAT?? EXAUST and road salt is bad?? Boys, that is the best seasoning of a deer! haha, just playing!

[lumpy]

My eight point buck was up on top of my full-size blazer strapped down to the car top carriers and body wrapped in plastic. As I was driving home my son said that quite a few heads were turning to look at the deer. I really didn't give it a thought not to put the deer up there. I remember the days when you put deer on the trunk and came home. Now it seems like most people have trucks or trailers they take hunting. I'm not going to put a big deer in the back of my suv no matter how well it is wrapped. One thing that kind of surprised me was that the store owner who registered the deer for me was taking polaroid pictures and putting deer photos on display at his store.

[iffwalleyes]

I have kind of always thought of people do that the help pad their ego. But I realize not everyone has a pick so where else do you haul them. The only thing I find as funny is people that are driving around with deer on the roof all week. I know some of you have done this. I always laugh as well when I see a SUV with a rack on the back shooting gravel and exhaust on the animal. Last year out in ND I saw a guy with a nice 8-10 point it was pretty muddy last year so the deer was covered with mud and gravel and exhaust. Sure hope he wasn't planning to mount it.