One place I hunt asks that all weights be recorded before gutting. Not to bad in this case because they have a nice skinning shed, etc. Most of the drags out are down the mountain to a road/atv trail....the few times I've had to drag uphill there I gutted and just explained that to them...and they noted it on their records.
State laws have made it against the law to bring deer with bone in from out of state....even though the area I hunt in the next state is on the state line and the deer likely spend as much time in one state as the other. I've started going "gutless" here. I drag the deer down the mountain to a trail I can bring a truck to, pull them up on the tailgate, open the cooler, and take the meat. First one I did was a learning experience but it's a pretty efficient method....and it keeps me legal! ...guttting in this case would just be extra work.
Most of my drags are down the mountain, better to walk up on the way in and drag down on the way out. Weight is still weight dragging down the mountain so gutting makes it lighter but a lot of leaves/dirt/etc can end up in the chest cavity so leaving the guts in can keep things cleaner.
Those are the main reasons I don't gut deer right away, at least in those locations. I've not noticed any problem or difference with the meat compared to other locations where I gut immediately, and my family eats A LOT of it.
