The Hunter's Haunch by Paula Young Lee

Author:Paula Young Lee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2014-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Anonymous, Return from the hunt, photo, c. 1922. Five hunters with hunting dogs, carrying two deer. Library of Congress.

Upside down, the whitetail buck is being carried by two men using a single pole balanced on their left shoulders. They’ve tied the buck’s legs together and fastened them to a straight sapling cut down to serve this purpose. The problems with this method are immediately evident. The buck’s head hangs low, and his antlers threaten to catch on every patch of tall grass. Walking will cause the buck to sway back and forth, creating a pendulum effect that will force the men to compensate in order to keep from losing their balance.

The better alternative is the two-pole method, which works by bundling the deer up, tucking its legs under, and fastening it head-up between two poles. No dangling, no swaying movement, no danger of the antlers catching on the ground, and better distribution of the carrying load as both shoulders are doing the supporting.

Both the one-pole and two-pole methods require two men, handy trees to cut down, a hatchet, and a length of rope. When trees are not available or the hunter has no help, another method is the “sling.” This is the method being used by the hunter on the left side of the photograph on the previous page from 1922. He has hog-tied all four legs together, transforming the limbs into a makeshift strap. Carried close to the body, the doe becomes a furry purse. The limits of this method are also readily apparent. It only works when the deer is small and the hunter is strong enough to walk on uneven terrain while carrying a lopsided burden.

Another option for the solo hunter is the “knapsack” method, which involves draping the deer over your shoulders in the manner of a bony fur stole. Looking at these old photos, one has to wonder if deer hunters a century ago drank testosterone for breakfast, but this guy tops them by carrying his deer out on skis.

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