How do you transport your game home?

[delboybc]

I am interested in what people without pickup trucks, trailers or campers do to get their game home. Mainly thinking about deer and black bears, not so much elk or moose.

So what do the owners of cars, station wagons and small SUV do to get that meat home?

[Rackmastr]

I'd quarter the critter up and put in game bags, totes, coolers, etc and travel home.

[Fella]

Gutless method, tie it to the pack to hike out and then into the trunk it goes.

[caddisguy]

Big coolers or rubbermaid containers work, assuming you quarter it up... ideally bone it out. We use a 70 gallon roughneck rubbermaid. Works great! A boned out doesn't even take up half... maybe 1/3 to 2/5 for 130lbs of meat. We have a Jeep TJ and we're able to fit the rubber maid container along with all our gear... and we pack heavy... cooler, sleeping bags, 3-4 back packs, socket set, jump starter / tire compressor, couple rifles, several sets of clothes, some electronics, etc.

I prefer the rubbermaid over coolers because it is easy to cool the meat initially by putting the whole thing in a creek. Cooler obviously keeps it cold better, but cooling meat initially is generally a higher priority for us... we're usually heading home the next morning, especially with spring bear.

One thing I have learned is that if you down a critter, you will find a way to make it work... doesn't matter if you have a civic or a toyota corolla... it'll work!! :)

[nicktrehearne]

I'd quarter the critter up and put in game bags, totes, coolers, etc and travel home.

I'm with Trevor on this one...

[MichelD]

I've had a deer on the roof rack of a 1982 Datsun station wagon and a bear in the trunk of a 1971 Toyota Corona.

[caddisguy]

I've had a deer on the roof rack of a 1982 Datsun station wagon and a bear in the trunk of a 1971 Toyota Corona.

mmm toyota corona :)

[trebreklaw]

If you haul it in a pickup put some poles or pallets under it to keep air flowing under it allowing for better cooling.

[BCBear]

In those old Fred Bear archery movies he threw mulies on the roof of his station wagon, sometimes several at at time and drove away.

[Gateholio]

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS_eVcU9vnbZmr9_7hKy_bXCy-cHmNXlN25iAkSezuKe3luRpU-

[monasheemountainman]

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS_eVcU9vnbZmr9_7hKy_bXCy-cHmNXlN25iAkSezuKe3luRpU-

dammit I miss that car

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Cooler......

[jeremy84]

used my civic for a deer (quartered it, put in game bags) fit in the trunk with room to spare. Same thing with a black bear, fit in the trunk just fine. Put down a tarp or plastic bags and some towels or something to soak up the excess blood that may leak out of the game bags. I now have a jeep cherokee for larger game now ie. moose;)

[Brno22F]

It depends on the situation. One moose I got many years ago was quartered and loaded into the back of the family wagon, a Jeep Cheerokee. Mind you, it was November with snow on the ground and I was only 15 km from home.
Bringing a moose from Dease Lake or an Elk from Prophet River to the lower mainland in early September would be an entirely different program.
It is best to be prepared and to get your big game hanging in a cooler , or if not available, butcher it as quickly as you can. Many of the suggestions earlier in this thread are spot on. Get your game cleaned, cooled and transported ASAP.
I have seen too many guys continue hunting in warm weather while they try to fill another tag. Blowflies are a good indicator that someone should break camp before they end up going home with something that would be best served to the family dog.

[delboybc]

Thanks for the suggestions.

[skibum]

Save all my Gatorade bottles and freeze them. Have about 30. pack them around the meat..

Carry them in a cooler

[Frango]

Quartered hung and bagged and after 3-6 days depending on temp take home. We live on Vancouver Island and have never had a problem. It always depends on temperature .We have had two moose hanging for 8 days. Those were days when it was very cool and the meat was great. We also have left after one day because it was too warm and the meat was great. Common sense makes the call or you eat spoiled meat.

[Buckmeister]

I know of people who have spread out a tarp in the trunk or even back seat and loaded the animal whole. One gal I know used to have an old 80's Volkswagen hatch back Scirocco where she would open the hatch and throw the deer in. If your worried about blood on carpet and upholstery, hydrogen peroxide works great to get it out, especially if still fresh.

[Drillbit]

I know of people who have spread out a tarp in the trunk or even back seat and loaded the animal whole. One gal I know used to have an old 80's Volkswagen hatch back Scirocco where she would open the hatch and throw the deer in. If your worried about blood on carpet and upholstery, hydrogen peroxide works great to get it out, especially if still fresh.

A tarp is all you need. Load them whole.

Always had a tarp, shovel and bag of lime in the trunk of the ol' Crown Vic. For deer, we'd just throw them on the tarp and bring them home.

[Ubertuber]

i loaded a few deer into my old Honda Civic hatchback. I'd put a tarp down, then a couple of old bed sheets and then load the deer. Nothing too complicated and it worked just fine.
I started doing the Gutless method and that made a big difference. Wrap the cooled meat in clean sheets and load it in the back. So easy.

[blackford]

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/60-x-20-in-steel-hitch-mount-cargo-carrier/A-p8402257e


keeps it cool on the way home also

[Brno22F]

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/60-x-20-in-steel-hitch-mount-cargo-carrier/A-p8402257e


keeps it cool on the way home also

these look like a good idea BUT unless your game is in a completely sealed waterproof/dustproof container, it will be wearing whatever your tires will throw on it by the time you get home.