If you would PM me with the location of this buck I would be glad to come down and help you drag it, or something like that
I generally have snow to drag a deer on, slippery is good. I always use a rope as the antler method hurts my back way too much. I prefer to have a couple of young stud hunters in camp. The stonger and the bigger the ego the better.
I have an otter sled. I use it mostly for ice fishing, but it is in deer camp also. I believe it is indestructable. I also have a pack frame. And a four wheeler complete with many hundreds of yards of rope and a snatch block.
My preferences, in order are:
1) Young, strong, egotists.
2) Four wheeler.
3) Rope and Otter Sled.
4) Pack frame.
If you have a choice choose rather dim witted egotists. The smart ones start to figure it out too soon.