I have decided that I am gonna do some deer hunting in the national forest this year. I have never deer hunted in the national forest and I am doing it to try something different. I have a place to hunt but I just feel like it is something that I need to try, I want to feel like I really know how to hunt. I started making trips out there toward the end of last year scouting. I have walked many miles and it has resulted in me finding 2 spots that I am confident will pay off for sure. But I have to admit that I am intimidated by the thought of having to get the deer out to my truck. Both spots are well over a mile walk from the closest parking spot. I am considering getting a dolly with large tires on it or one of those deer carts. just curious how y'all do it?

I would just quarter it up where it laid and back pack the meat out, but, since this is public land, I don't know if you can do that.

I use a packable deer cart. It's light weight, folds up, and has straps to pack on your back. I pack it in close to the area I'm hunting and hide it. You can get one through Sportsmans Guide for about $30.

I wish I used a cart last year and im glad the spike I got wasnt any bigger. I was a good mile in and ended up dragging it while carrying my tree stand, rifle, and backpack all the way back to my truck. This year I will most definitwly be taking a cart

Definitely get a deer cart or a wheelbarrow.

You can get a thing called a Game Glide, which is foldable plastic you put the deer on and it makes dragging a little easier. But when I tried to haul out a big hog this spring, I became a believer in carts for public land.

Game cart for sure. I leave mine in the car and go get it if I shoot something.

Shoot > pack out tree stand to car > shed clothes > grab cart and field dressing kit > go find deer.

Added bonus is this forces me to give the deer some time so I don't bump it.

I pulled a small garden wagon behind a bicycle on a spot that was 3 miles from my parking area on a public hunt one time. Works pretty good.

If you do wind up quartering it up, be sure you don't debone it till you get home or take it to processor

Get riding lawn mower to pull it out.

I take my brothers hunting with me. lol...

I have one of the game carts. I have used it for moving deer and hogs to the road on my hunting lease, carrying fishing gear onto a pier, carting a kayak, and moving bags of goose decoys across fields. My advice, the wider the width and larger diameter the tires the better. The narrow ones tip over too easily when top heavy. The smaller tires are harder to pull over logs and rocks and such. On public land I either leave it folded up chained and locked in the back of the truck or if carting in, cable it to a tree with a lock while hunting.

I am also in the market for a deer cart. Any suggestions? Also if you quarter the deer, bring the head for proof of sex, and save the back straps. There was a post on the forum about a game warden writing a ticket to a hunter that wasted some of the meat from his deer.