I have the box cover for the pickup so nobody can see. Not that I am afraid to offend anyone I just prefer to keep it on the down low.
I don't feel the need to leave my deer in the open for everyone to see. They go in the back of the pickup with the tailgate closed. There is a bed cover but that stays open because usually we have a couple houses to stop at on the way home.
I have a pink styrofoam tray that I place my dead deer on. Then I wrap it in cellophane and place a bar code sticker on it. Nobody seems offended by the "dead meat" then. Go figure?
I normally transport mine hanging on a gambrel that attaches to the hitch receiver. Works pretty well, but if I forget to restrain it at the bottom to the bumper it can swing pretty far out into the oncoming lane during right turns.
Going up I would see a lot of people do this just to show case there deer they shot. They would leave it in the truck bed for a couple days driving all over town just so people would see it and stop and talk to them about it. But now I believe (but not 100% sure) that in Maryland it is illegal to haul a deer around in the open with out a cover over the deer, just so you don't offend any one. Crazy these days!
Mine go in the back of the truck, tailgate up. Only because i don't want him sliding out the back of the truck. I'm not going to a bunch of trouble to wrap it up. It is what it is.
Although I have a truck with a tonneau cover and my deer would never be exposed I'm offended that people would find a deer carcass offensive. People like to block out the things that brought humanity to where we are now. For me personally it has nothing to do with flaunting a harvest or hiding a harvest, it's just there. Should a gay couple hide public displays of affection because it might offend? Even though I don't agree with the lifestyle I have absolutely no say in what they do nor does it offend me. This would also include not being sorry for displaying it whether someone is offended or not. Just my opinion. Political correctness IS one of the main issues along with the media and government overstepping the boundaries of our freedoms and liberties. Putting the deer out in a trailer may be the best way to keep cool air on the meat, who knows what's in the bed of the truck preventing the room for the deer. Are there people who flaunt it, sure, but there's just as many who don't even think twice about it. I think it's weird that people would be offended. Well of course the scenario that Justin mentioned is not considerate (6 deer piled up with tongues out and blood dripping everywhere). That's improper care of any carcass. No carcass should touch another carcass and all blood should be washed out anyway, so that to me isn't just inconsiderate, it's a health/food safety issue. So yeah, in that regard would be careless, but no one should be sorry for having a visible carcass.
I have a small Jeep Patriot with a deer carrier. I could care less who sees it, although I do not parade the deer around, where else am I gonna put it? Gettn` the finger and cursed at always amuses me. Dont really know the right answer but its life, people need to get one!! To each his own i`m guessn!!
The difference is that the people who complain about your deer didn't have to kill that fish. I think their issue is with the "murder" of deer than anything else. Start driving back from the grocery store with your chicken and fish strapped to the roof
I have to use a trail hitch cargo carrier to haul my deer home and to the processor. I don't bother to wrap the deer in a tarp, but I do my best to wash away all the blood and make the deer look "presentable" before I start driving.
But they didn't have to kill my deer either. People who get offended over something like this offends me.
There is no difference. It's visible right there at the store whether they want to see it or not. I don't try to rationalize with people who think that meat, poultry, and fish just magically appear on the shelf already dead. They have every right to come up with their own story of how it was killed, who killed it, or how it was transported to match the wool they're covering over their eyes. No argument there.
I love seeing a buck in the truck and I think most people do as well. I'm proud of my trophies and happily display them so others can see. I don't purposely display the blood and gore, but I'll prop his antlers up for folks to see. Didn't have to go on the highway with this one, but he'd be propped up in my truck just like this if I did! :D
Playing Devil's advocate here: Hunters always talk about being respectful to the animals we hunt. For example, we owe it to the animal to wait for the most ethical shot. Is it respectable for us to then parade the animal around for everyone to see as it's sit there in the lowest point of life, dead as a door nail, tongue hanging out, completely defeated? Out of respect of the animal I choice to make it as presentable as possible. I understand the need for a hitch carrier if there isn't room in the vehicle. I do not understand the need to make a point for all to see... On another note, To make this discussion political is humorous. Obama had nothing to do with the way you transport your deer. As much as I to want to blame Liberals for all that is wrong with this country, I don't think we can blame Obama and his cronies for this one...
Heck I am offended by sandal wearing hippies telling me to eat tofu and drink soy milk but I doubt they care about my feelings . Seriously though I do not go out of my way to show off my dead deer or offend anyone. However I don't hide the fact that I am proud to be a hunter either though.
The issue at hand isn't displaying a dead animal in or on your vehicle. It's simply how we choose to display that animal. There's a tasteful and respectful way to do it, then there's the "I don't care what you think, I'm going to show as much gore as possible for the sole purpose of offending you because I'm right and you're an idiot" way of doing it. Show those same fish laying on their backs with their stomachs cut open and pieces of entrails hanging out of them with blood smeared all over the glass and you're looking at an entirely different scene.
