How much weight?

[Topgun 30-06]

Somebodies a bit touchy it seems...

FWIW, I've helped cape 3 critters that are full body mounts. Two were OIL tags. All were dorsal cut and caped in the field, both sheep we did the head. Not all that hard if you take your time.

To the OP, a pronghorn is an easy pack out regardless of how you do it as they are not all that big. Practice carrying a bag of dog food or softener salt and you'll be set. I carted a couple a few years back, but I'm thinking now I just may gut them and pack them out whole on a backpack. I think it'd be easier than making a trip to get the cart.

Somebody is tired of getting poked at by people that have nothing better to do than act like childish morons, especially ones that I know have been warned previously to knock it off. Now as far as the dorsal cut, we would have done that had we known exactly how to do a full body mount, but we didn't. Therefore, we made the smallest incision we could on that buck to gut it and if John had followed through with it I think it would have been okay, but he decided to just get a pedestal mount and it came out terrific. PS: You had better not pack one out whole or you'll be violating everything the king stated!

 

[Walkathon]

I like to quarter them and set the quarters on the tall sage and let them skin over like Buzz mentioned. I take the back straps, tenderloins and neck meat and throw it in a game bag and pack it all out on my pack. I usually let the backstraps skin over some too before I put them in the bag. Seems like the air moving over the meat along with the evaporation cools them pretty fast. Then I bone everything out at the truck on the tailgate using a cutting board and save the proof of sex (Wyoming) and I'm set.

 

[putm2sleep]

Start with 20 lbs man. When it gets lighter feeling, add more.
Hope the pack stays together. Also, try and change where you carried the load.? Good straps ?
If you can carry 30 lbs ok by hunt season, no dolly required.
Gut it and pack it.
You can always bring the dolly too.
Note: BuzzH provides wonderful insight and expertise.

 

[RobG]

Let's try this one more time for BuzzH and any others who can't understand plain English! Caping an animal where you take the cape and head off in one piece for a shoulder mount is very simple and can be done with a pocket knife. A full caping out of the head itself is what I have been referring to that our taxidermist doesn't want us to do because it is not a simple procedure for those who don't do it a lot to become proficient at it. The only animal we've taken whole to the taxidermist was the B&C buck in 2014 for a possible full body mount. All the other antelope, elk, and deer were at least partially caped like BuzzH is referring to that is very simple just as he keeps saying over and over! The only animal we've taken up to Cody that was fully caped was the mulie buck last year and we had a good taxidermist in Afton do the head itself when we took it in partially caped out for a shoulder mount because of the heat and time delay taking it to Cody for final taxidermy work. NOWHERE in this thread have I told anyone not to at least cape their animal out and bring the meat and head/hide out properly.

Gee guy, I don't think that is how it went down... maybe you shouldn't further embarrass yourself trying to cover tracks we all saw you make.

 

[BuzzH]

Just an FYI, please, if anyone is considering a life size mount, absolutely use a dorsal cut.

It can be really tough to hide stitching on the short belly hair on some species, and almost impossible on some, in particular on a standing mount. You can hide it better on a bedded life size.

Sure, and best bet is the dorsal cut...pretty easy to hide stitches on the top of the back.

Also, following hair lines between short and long hair is best as well on the back of legs...easy to hide stitching there too.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Gee guy, I don't think that is how it went down... maybe you shouldn't further embarrass yourself trying to cover tracks we all saw you make.

Please show me "how it went down" any different than what I have stated. My posts started out just like the others as to how to bring an antelope out of the field and it included caping! The only thing different was the one I stated we took out whole and why. Sorry, but I can't help it if some of you can't read and comprehend plain English, but caping an animal and leaving the head attached is "partial caping" and anyone can do it. Not so with a full caping of the head, which most would not need to do under most circumstances and many might likely screw up. Why is it that the same band of merry men, including yourself, are always the ones to take a thread down the tubes? Does it make you all feel better being a jerk? BuzzH knows his shit and it's too bad he can't just be a normal adult and get along without always having to go into his condescending BS that ruins a thread after a few more of you pile on and then randy has to come on and tell you all to behave or he'll lock the thread. Yep, all of this BS over a simple "how to get an antelope out of the field?"!

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Just an FYI, please, if anyone is considering a life size mount, absolutely use a dorsal cut.

It can be really tough to hide stitching on the short belly hair on some species, and almost impossible on some, in particular on a standing mount. You can hide it better on a bedded life size.

Sure, and best bet is the dorsal cut...pretty easy to hide stitches on the top of the back.

Also, following hair lines between short and long hair is best as well on the back of legs...easy to hide stitching there too.

That is good to know and much appreciated. Of all the animals I've done over the years in the field I've never been close to any other than that buck that were ever contemplated for a full body mount. I doubt that I'll ever be involved in another one, but if it comes up we now know how to proceed. Thanks!

 

[JM77]

Antelope mounts are one of my specialties, a lot of western taxidermists do a fair job, but they are a special critter that requires some extra work and care. Many times capes, left on the carcass for any length of time after the kill, have a tendency to "shed" hair during the mounting process,even with the best tan. I highly recommend caping the animal as soon as possible, right up to the back of the head. The antelope cape is the most fragile and susceptible to "heat sour" of all the big game.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Well that went downhill in a hurry. The OP made no mention of needing to know how to cape out the animal for a mount of any kind. He was asking about packing out the meat.
Perhaps he will let us know of his plans for a mount if he gets a nice buck. Maybe he'll opt for a euro mount, no cape needed. Then you guys can argue to your hearts content.

 

[whiskeydog]

as for keeping the meat clean while boning in the field, one person mentioned using plastic sheeting. that might work if you get your antelope in the flats, but on a hill or in elk/muley country, I imagine that would turn into a giant slip and slide. I always carry 1 more game bag than I need. For antelope I take 3...2 for the meat (even though you can fit it all in 1) and the last to lay on the ground and use for a mat when taking the meat off the bone. When I'm done, I use that bag to wrap the skull and tie to the top of the pack to keep brains/etc off the pack.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Antelope mounts are one of my specialties, a lot of western taxidermists do a fair job, but they are a special critter that requires some extra work and care. Many times capes, left on the carcass for any length of time after the kill, have a tendency to "shed" hair during the mounting process,even with the best tan. I highly recommend caping the animal as soon as possible, right up to the back of the head. The antelope cape is the most fragile and susceptible to "heat sour" of all the big game.

Agree 100% Jeff and why as soon as our field pictures are taken we get the hide/head off immediately and then it's generally boned out, other than the one John carried out whole and we had to the taxidermist within two hours.

 

[Bukwild3]

Thanks for all the help!!

 

[treedagain]

Cape it if you want a head mount if not just get the hide off....quarter it or debone if you have the bags to keep it clean. Get it somewhere to cool/dry it. Caping is really not that hard even if you want a full body mount. Heck my 12 yr old niece can cape one for a full mount pretty quick...it helps her dad and myself dabble in taxidermy. But still very doable if you do some research. If you do plan to do a full mount in the future try it 1st on one you have no desire to mount. Trial and error is your friend. You will get better everytime you do one......good luck.
as stated previously 40-50 lbs is about right.

 

[1_pointer]

Somebody is tired of getting poked at by people that have nothing better to do than act like childish morons, especially ones that I know have been warned previously to knock it off. Now as far as the dorsal cut, we would have done that had we known exactly how to do a full body mount, but we didn't. Therefore, we made the smallest incision we could on that buck to gut it and if John had followed through with it I think it would have been okay, but he decided to just get a pedestal mount and it came out terrific. PS: You had better not pack one out whole or you'll be violating everything the king stated!

I won't be packing it out whole just to cart it around in the truck for a while. I'll pack it to the truck, then commence to breaking it down. This makes is easy and clean.


PS- You are still way too sensitive.

 

[mtmuley]

I just throw em in the truck. mtmuley

 

[treedagain]

After spending some time reading all the posts i sure as heck would not be gutting a "book" goat and packing out whole and driving it to a taxidermist. Even in the best case senario you would be at risk of slippage of hair and blood staining. Hollow hair sucks up blood and is hard to cleanup.

 

[LukeDuke]

To the OP, not sure how many days you plan on hunting, how many tags, or camping vs hotel, but one of the things we have done in the past is throw a small chest freezer on the quad trailer and set it up at camp. we would bone out an bag the animals each day and get them in the freezer. Would only run the freezer during the day and shut it down at night. We had 9 tags and had a week to play, so we didnt want to have to worry about spoiling meat or changing out ice. We fit all 9 (boned out) antelope and my cape/skull in the freezer without issue. One of the gadgets we used in camp was tripod game hoist. sets up and takes down in minutes. Sure the freezer and hoist is a bit overkill, but we had plenty of time and extra space, so we wanted to make the most out of our experience.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fore...4095080&CQ_search=portable%2520game%2520poles

 

[treedagain]

Luke that is pretty common in Colorado with Midwest guys, seems like every camp from Minn, Mich or Wis has one on a trailer. smart choice to ensure you don't waste any meat.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Getting back to the OP, don't waste your time quartering, boning, and making multiple trips. It takes too long to get back to the truck on multiple trips, greatly increasing the chances of getting caught.

Speed is your friend.

I like to do it like this.

 

[WapitiBob]

Wind is not the enemy, just the opposite...it does 2 things that really increase the meat quality:

1. It sets the membrane and dries the outside of the meat. That acts as a "natural" game bag in a way, the dry membrane keeps dirt out, insects, etc.

2. It cools it much faster.

.

agree 100%