When up in Elk Camp in Gunnison Colorado, I'm the one who usually transports our client's deer and Elk down to town and to the processor's. Since it's an hour and 15 minute ride down the mountain,. on dusty rock/dirt roads, we always cover the Elk and Deer carcas with tarps. This is done only to protect the meat before processing, from dirt.
Most hunting magazines and articles about this very subject suggest that when a deer hunter has a successful hunt, that if they transport the carcas home whole, that they take measures to cover it up, or conceal most of the carcas. The reasons given have nothing at all to do with preserving the meat, but rather they state very clearly, it's suggested so that those who do not hunt are not offended.
I'm almost 60 and have hunted for many years. As we all know, there are responsible hunters and then there are other hunters. Carrying a deer carcas with a lot of dried blood all over it, with blood all over the head and mouth and the tongue hanging out, clearly out in the open for all to see, including young children who may not be used to seeing such a sight, could backfire on us hunters in future generations. That one sight, at an early impressionable age, could turn that young child against hunting and HUNTERS for life. We therefore just created another Anti hunter when that child grows up.
I don't look at it as HIDING anything!! I look at it more as showing respect for the animal I've shot to cover it up on the way home from where I'm hunting!! Just as I look at cleaning up the mouth area and tucking in the tongue BEFORE any photos are taken of me and an animal I've shot too. Again, that is done out of respect for that game animal I've shot.
I dislike ANTI's with a passion, and personally believe that most of them don't have a clue what they're talking about, HOWEVER, we as hunters must also do some adapting as times change, and as they say, "Times, they be a changin'". We as hunters need to be smart and use our heads and not just our emotions and mouths regarding this subject. We need to learn from the antis and take some "smart" lessons from them in this fight or we'll lost a lot more than we ever gain in this fight!! We need to change with the times, in the areas that a change is required, both geographically and mentally, regarding the subject of covering our shot animals from public view and sight. It's NOT being ashamed of the successful hunt, the dead deer, or being a hunter, it just being plain smart in today's political anti atmosphere!
