I'm deep into planning my first Mule Deer and first Western hunt in southern New Mexico (I'll be in the Gila National Forest and Aldo Leopold Wilderness mostly). It was supposed to be me, my friend, and his teenage son but my friend baled so now it's just going to be me.
What I will most likely be doing for this hunt is camping along a forest road then hiking into a more secluded area for the day. Now I know that the evening hours before dusk are often the best times for deer activity so what I'm concerned with is shooting a deer late and then getting to it to break it down and safely make it back to camp. It seems if you got a good shot, you absolutely must get to that deer, quarter it, and hang it at least for that night or risk spoiling the meat. Then you'd carry back as much as you can to camp and get the rest in the morning.
I don't plan to bone out the meat (except for the tenderloin, backstraps, neck, ribs, and such that I can't / shouldn't take out in whole parts) and I have Caribou Game Bags to hang it in with 50 feet of 3/32" reflective paracord to hang the quarters.
Since I'll be in unfamiliar country (I've never hunted New Mexico and I'm driving down from the midwest), the prospect of breaking down a deer, bagging it, hanging it, and packing part of it out in the dark potentially miles from my campsite seems a little risky. Also, I'll be in black bear and mountain lion country alone so even though I will be carrying my rifle and a pistol on my chest, walking miles in the dark freaks me out a bit.
What tips / tactics / recommendations do folks have for this part of the hunt?
I read in some other threads where people build small fires right away when they start to break down an animal. Assuming there isn't a burn ban, that would be an option to ease the mind at least. Are there other things people do in such cases? I want to hear what your approach is and why.
Thanks!
What I will most likely be doing for this hunt is camping along a forest road then hiking into a more secluded area for the day. Now I know that the evening hours before dusk are often the best times for deer activity so what I'm concerned with is shooting a deer late and then getting to it to break it down and safely make it back to camp. It seems if you got a good shot, you absolutely must get to that deer, quarter it, and hang it at least for that night or risk spoiling the meat. Then you'd carry back as much as you can to camp and get the rest in the morning.
I don't plan to bone out the meat (except for the tenderloin, backstraps, neck, ribs, and such that I can't / shouldn't take out in whole parts) and I have Caribou Game Bags to hang it in with 50 feet of 3/32" reflective paracord to hang the quarters.
Since I'll be in unfamiliar country (I've never hunted New Mexico and I'm driving down from the midwest), the prospect of breaking down a deer, bagging it, hanging it, and packing part of it out in the dark potentially miles from my campsite seems a little risky. Also, I'll be in black bear and mountain lion country alone so even though I will be carrying my rifle and a pistol on my chest, walking miles in the dark freaks me out a bit.
What tips / tactics / recommendations do folks have for this part of the hunt?
I read in some other threads where people build small fires right away when they start to break down an animal. Assuming there isn't a burn ban, that would be an option to ease the mind at least. Are there other things people do in such cases? I want to hear what your approach is and why.
Thanks!