Merry Christmas; Second Deer; Testing a Portable Gambrell System
Guys and Dani,
I have noticed more talk lately about "ducks not here." I fear this will be an ongoing issue as global warming continues to take hold on our world. Will there come a time when many of us have to travel north to find good numbers of birds? I hope not, but it may be. I find myself spending more time deer hunting than duck hunting in NC, because there are simply where I live, more deer than ducks and more places to deer hunt than duck hunt.
Thus this NDR post.
First things first: Merry Christmas to all on this web forum. For those who follow the Christian world view, this night began the quiet revolution as God entered the world through the person of Jesus of Nazareth. In the historical Christian celebration, Advent turns into Christmas with these four powerful words:
Peace
Love
Joy
Hope ? all as manifested in His person.
And even if you do not share this world view, may we all commit in the next year to a better world where we, a) take responsibility for our own actions, and , b) listen first and speak second, if at all. A quieter world with less shouting would be a blessing for us all.
Second: after bagging my first deer in mid-November, I did not see another deer in my next three or four hunts. Where are they? With our long season in NC for chasing whitetails, I thought if I was a deer I?d seek out the quietest places where those fools in orange haven?t trampled the public game lands over and over and over.
I looked on OnX and found a section that might fulfill that promise. I went out December 23 intent on walking until I moved a deer or a group of deer.
I walked. And walked. And then there were deer! I saw one buck that did not provide a shot, but I also saw about a dozen does in multiple small groups.
I was fortunate to bag a good-sized doe.
View attachment IMG_3962.jpeg
Now I had a problem, it was at least a ? mile drag back to my truck. My field dressing equipment was not with me, but back in the truck. You asked for it, Larry, you got it. Now deal with it.
Third: after my first experience with field dressing a deer I had made a portable gambrell system that I wanted to try out. I hiked back to the car and got my pack of equipment. And then back out to the deer using my Garmin Oregon so that I wouldn?t look like a fool wandering around for a deer that I could not find.
The pic below shows what I used. It was very helpful, steadying the deer so that I could use two hands field dressing and didn?t have to use one hand to keep the deer in place. I know that some will think, ?that?s extra weight to carry back in.? True. But it worked for me and I actually felt safer reaching into the cavity with my knife while the deer was secure. The whole carcass was not off the ground, so it did not twirl, yet it was high enough to allow gravity to do its job. I started anus up, and when most of the inards were out, lowered the deer and rehung it head up to allow me to clean out the diaphragm area while also draining any blood. I don?t think it took more than 20-25 minutes working slowly. The carcass ended up clean.
View attachment IMG_3963.jpeg
This second experience of field dressing was much more satisfying. I simply did a better job.
This first time using the portable gambrell, I screwed the oak frame into a pine tree. I know that isn?t allowed on NC game lands thus in the future I will use two large ratchet straps per the second photo. I weigh 170 pounds. The gambrell is strong enough to hold me.
View attachment IMG_3968.jpeg
It was a 55 minute drag to the truck with a jet sled pausing many times, pausing more frequently as I got closer to the truck, I thought how blessed I am to even think of doing this at 67. One of my friends the same age said, ?Larry, you are crazier than me!?
Good crazy!
Having harvested two deer, that is deer enough. I will now turn back to the swamps, creeks, marsh and open water to investigate our cupped winged friends.
Peace,
Larry
CVA Optima
80 grains Blackhorn 209 by volume
Horndady 240 XTP
75 yard shot; 100 yard recovery
Guys and Dani,
I have noticed more talk lately about "ducks not here." I fear this will be an ongoing issue as global warming continues to take hold on our world. Will there come a time when many of us have to travel north to find good numbers of birds? I hope not, but it may be. I find myself spending more time deer hunting than duck hunting in NC, because there are simply where I live, more deer than ducks and more places to deer hunt than duck hunt.
Thus this NDR post.
First things first: Merry Christmas to all on this web forum. For those who follow the Christian world view, this night began the quiet revolution as God entered the world through the person of Jesus of Nazareth. In the historical Christian celebration, Advent turns into Christmas with these four powerful words:
Peace
Love
Joy
Hope ? all as manifested in His person.
And even if you do not share this world view, may we all commit in the next year to a better world where we, a) take responsibility for our own actions, and , b) listen first and speak second, if at all. A quieter world with less shouting would be a blessing for us all.
Second: after bagging my first deer in mid-November, I did not see another deer in my next three or four hunts. Where are they? With our long season in NC for chasing whitetails, I thought if I was a deer I?d seek out the quietest places where those fools in orange haven?t trampled the public game lands over and over and over.
I looked on OnX and found a section that might fulfill that promise. I went out December 23 intent on walking until I moved a deer or a group of deer.
I walked. And walked. And then there were deer! I saw one buck that did not provide a shot, but I also saw about a dozen does in multiple small groups.
I was fortunate to bag a good-sized doe.
View attachment IMG_3962.jpeg
Now I had a problem, it was at least a ? mile drag back to my truck. My field dressing equipment was not with me, but back in the truck. You asked for it, Larry, you got it. Now deal with it.
Third: after my first experience with field dressing a deer I had made a portable gambrell system that I wanted to try out. I hiked back to the car and got my pack of equipment. And then back out to the deer using my Garmin Oregon so that I wouldn?t look like a fool wandering around for a deer that I could not find.
The pic below shows what I used. It was very helpful, steadying the deer so that I could use two hands field dressing and didn?t have to use one hand to keep the deer in place. I know that some will think, ?that?s extra weight to carry back in.? True. But it worked for me and I actually felt safer reaching into the cavity with my knife while the deer was secure. The whole carcass was not off the ground, so it did not twirl, yet it was high enough to allow gravity to do its job. I started anus up, and when most of the inards were out, lowered the deer and rehung it head up to allow me to clean out the diaphragm area while also draining any blood. I don?t think it took more than 20-25 minutes working slowly. The carcass ended up clean.
View attachment IMG_3963.jpeg
This second experience of field dressing was much more satisfying. I simply did a better job.
This first time using the portable gambrell, I screwed the oak frame into a pine tree. I know that isn?t allowed on NC game lands thus in the future I will use two large ratchet straps per the second photo. I weigh 170 pounds. The gambrell is strong enough to hold me.
View attachment IMG_3968.jpeg
It was a 55 minute drag to the truck with a jet sled pausing many times, pausing more frequently as I got closer to the truck, I thought how blessed I am to even think of doing this at 67. One of my friends the same age said, ?Larry, you are crazier than me!?
Good crazy!
Having harvested two deer, that is deer enough. I will now turn back to the swamps, creeks, marsh and open water to investigate our cupped winged friends.
Peace,
Larry
CVA Optima
80 grains Blackhorn 209 by volume
Horndady 240 XTP
75 yard shot; 100 yard recovery
] ).
