me too, but in Idaho, and we did not gut them (not sure what "beyond normal" means)

skinned, quartered, or boned out the meat, remove back straps and neck meat

only guy that gutted elk wanted the strips of rib meat

I drag mine out whole. I'm usually 20 mins or less from the rack, but more than one of my deer have expired in a swamp or mud puddle. Rather now have that crap in the meat.

And you can get the ribs with out gutting.

Well there ya go...the ONLY answer there is. It’s been done that way for years so therefore it must continue to be done, if not then you’re stupid.
OR, your man enough to be able to drag a full grown deer to the truck or even take it to the processor if you don’t process it yourself. I’ll be flat out honest, I can’t tell one solitary distance dragging a deer with guts in or out. They all end up weighing about 500# by the time I get them loaded.
I guess guts are bad if you gut shoot deer, but now a days most folks got those fancy rifles with fancy optics and can hit where they aim and not hit those enemy guts. Heck, I even know of folks that can do the same thing with a bow.

We handle all or game hole, but, we or close to the cleaning shed. If we or hunting away, and it is hot ,I would gut them and pick up some ice for it on the way home.

I've shot a few deer at dusk and they didn't go down right away. And I've left them till the next day to recover them instead of bird dogging them and run them right out of the country.. As long as you didn't gut shoot that deer and you have cold temps that deer Is going to be just fine come the next morning. Well If the coyotes don't find It first.

I've done the gutless method, but don't care for it myself. Particularly when doing something the size of an elk I find it a lot easier to move it around to quarter without the added weight of the guts. Generally have to either drag or pack out game here, so it is either gutted or quartered. Only time I don't gut where they fall is when guiding deer hunters out of a stand. Personally I've never noticed that a gutpile affected the deer much, but understandably hunters don't like to sit in a stand and watch a gutpile when deer hunting, so if we may be putting other hunters in the stand I'll drag it off whole and gut elsewhere.

Oh and Wannabe. . . if you think hunters can hit where they are aiming with all the new fangled fance equipment. . . you should try guiding for a year or two. You will see some of the nicest, newest, fanciest equipment; and some of the worst shots you have ever imagined. Personally, if I'm doing the shooting, I never worry about hitting the guts, I'm aiming for the vitals, depending on situation either heart and lungs, or spine or head. If I have to shoot through the guts to hit them, or the bullet will hit the guts after penetrating the vitals, oh well, it isn't ruining any meat in the guts and I've never had a problem with gutting a gut shot animal. Do it right away, which I always do anyways and it isn't going to bother any meat, likely get some gunk on the tenderloins, but you just wash them off and they are fine.

Haha. You ought to watch quail hunters with $25,000-50,000 guns come in for a 3 day hunt and kill 3 birds during that time, lol. It’s not about what they can hit, it’s who’s cost more. I have a picture of $100,000 in just 3 guns, lol.