I've never really thought much about it, but up is how I usually do it. If I have to go out into a field to load it I definitely put it up, I don't want to have to load it twice.

Yup! I agree with Golfing Sportsman. Here in WI you have to show the deer. Also, I always thought it was a good thing to display your trophy, no matter the size, buck or doe.

coulden agree mote with streack

Sometimes we have so many that we have to keep the tailgate down, but most of the time we ride on the tailgate, so it's open anyway.

Nate

Have tail gate down and we ride on it but to go home it is up on the road.

I have the tail gate up. Not just for respect of the animal, but hunters already get frouned apon for just doing what we love. Where I'm from most of the people are hunters or don't mind it but sometimes I come through one of the bigger towns around us where theres a good chance someone wont like it. Don't want to give them anymore reasons to not like hunting.

Two reason why I would have it up. One, I think if its down, thats just another reason for the anti's out there to hate hunting and complain about it. Two, I know it wouldnt happen, but I wouldnt want the deer to fall out the back.

I always keep it up. I don't want to have to re-load it. You have to respect the deer. Some people may not want to see a dead deer in your truck (wimps.)

I just gotta post this and all you old timers will remember probably seeing something of the same. Back when I was a kid there weren't many deer, and if a guy got a big buck, he didn't put it into the trunk of his car or the back of his pickup, he strapped it across the top of his hot car hood and paraded it around town drinking beer and blowin' his horn! Good lord how redneck that seems today. It was pretty bad back then but the deer were so few most people were surprised just to see one.

Oh that and I dont want to have to load it twice.

I'd put the tailgate up because I wouldn't want the deer to slide out on a bumpy upgrade. This topic brings up a very good point; I'm candidly not certain if there is a law or regulation in Oregon that addresses this issue, and I've got to do my homework.

I close the tailgate because I pull a gooseneck horse trailor. Usually the buck is quartered anyway. I see guys driving around with their tailgates down I suppose to show off their kills. One day I noticed what appeared to be a couple decent bull elk in a pickup bed. As I approached closer imagine my surprise when I realized that they were gigantic mule deers.

No reason to have to load it twice, I keep the tailgate up. I drive fast and don't want to worry about the guy that is behind me running over my game.

always up. the horn are almost always higher than the bed, so people can still see it.

I keep the gate up. I used to pull a trailer behind an SUV and loaded the deer on the trailer behind the 4 wheeler. It was in plain view of everyone and I didn't like it. I do whatever I can to keep hunters from getting any flack. Now that I've got my truck in goes in the back with the 4 wheeler and tail gate closed. I can understand some people driving down the interstate with their kids not wanting them to see a dead bloody deer laying on the back of a trailer.

Depends on the area of the Country I guess. Around here if it is a nice buck or bull it is customary to do a few victory laps through town proudly displaying your success. Last fall it took me a couple hours to make it through town visiting and showing off my Mule Deer Buck. This is one of the reasons I live where I live. I don't think this shows disrespect to the animal, quite the opposite.

A couple years ago in Wisconsin, the deer had to visible. Now you don't have to do that so we keep the tailgait up unless the buck is a really nice one and we want people to notice it.

Quartered in the chest and head under a tarp or cover. Keeps the meat good and I can show off later to friends and family not the entire state.

Up and with a cover over it. I would not want to eat a t-bone after it was riding on the hood of a car on the expressway so why would I let me venison get all that dust and dirt on it before I eat it?

The MOST DISTASTEFUL thing I have seen is the 4 hooves stuck in the stake pockets on a truck. That was rediculous. I really couldn't believe the nerve of that guy....

I keep the tailgate up for respect of other people. If they don't agree with hunting, I don't want to force it upon them and make them look at a deer in my truck if they don't want to. If the tailgate is down, they have no choice.