Printable View
Do any of you use a game cart for getting deer and similar game out of the woods.
What kind do you have and what is your opinion of it?
I was thinking of getting one to use. There are a lot of places that it is difficult to get the UTV into...and dragging a deer is more difficult for me than it used to be.
Thanks
I used a Timberridge backpackable game cart to bring out my elk. I have used horses, just backpacks, and two different plastic sleds to bring out elk. This two- wheeled cart worked very well. We made 3 trips - taking in a pack with knives, pillow cases(game bags) and sheets (ground tarps) to keep things clean. Three trips brought out the large bodied 6x5, head and all usable meat, without much fuss. It was about a half-mile uphill from where he dropped to where we had parked the truck. Except for horses, the game cart has been easier than just back-packing or using a sled. We were right at 9000 feet. I am 67, my wife 66, we did not have assistance. We were not discouraged by the butchering or pack-out and were quite pleased with the game cart. We will hunt elk again next year.
I have an aluminum folding game cart, I purchased from Bass Pro, years ago. It works but isn't the answer for getting a deer out of thick cover. I found that a plastic sled is much better, even when there is no snow, on the ground. I retired the cart, when I purchased a UTV. I'm 65 and have no problem pulling a deer out to the interior road of my acreage. In fact, I don't normally field dress them til I get them back to the house. This year, I pulled a 7 point out with the sled, at least 100 yards and didn't break a sweat. Here's a pic with the sled standing in the background.
Attachment 180968
Winelover
Here in Florida your harness for tie off to the tree doubles as your deer drag when on the ground. Then again our deer are only 150 LBS average.
I hunt a river bottom and I will go through sand, rock, mud, and water. I have tried just about every thing this is works for me http://www.explorebeavertail.com/sportsleds.html
I have used a sled and dollie. The sled works well on leaves, but can gets harder on dirt/gravel. That's where the dollie shines. Place the deer in the sled, then strap the dolly over the top of the deer and strap together (sled long axis parallel to the dollie's uprights). That way you can switch back and forth between dragging the sled and rolling the dollie quickly. Just lay it down to drag or stand it up to roll.
Years ago my dad made a deer carrier with the rear end of a bicycle and it had handles like a streher Tie the deer on the handles and wheel the game out to camp.
I use this: works well
https://www.discountramps.com/deer-c.../GAME-CART-HD/
A few people in the local good camping group use game carts to haul their gear into one nice camping spot; I have a stripped (took off the fabric) infant stroller that I use. I may move to a game cart too, it seems a nicer way to go. Larger wheels are better to some extent (I tried my groceries carrier - once. It truly sucked in off-road use!) I've seen some bad reports on some game carts of things like wheels coming off, but the good folks who I camp with seem to not have any problems with the carts. (One had problems with his hammocks' guy lines capturing him and refusing to let him go one night, but that's a different problem and possibly rum-related.)
Really all depends on the ground you hunt and are dragging the deer on . If it's fairly clear with wide spacing between trees than any type of wheeled cart works well . Where I hunt thereslots of fallen Timber /limbs on the ground very few paths wider than 2 ft and little sapplings are everywhere a narrow wheel cart say 18" can work but first time over a log and its flipping over just a pain . For my terrain a slick plastic sled works good snow or no snow . I really envy you hunters that can drive up and throw the deer onto the back of your atv and drive it home . I tend now a days as I get older to hunt closer and closer to the house each passing year .soon I'll be to the point of quartering that deer up and carrying it out in a few trips .
Just ordered one of these. https://www.discountramps.com/throne...hair/p/THRONE/
Attachment 311896Attachment 311897 I have used the Herters game cart which I purchased from Cabelas .Relatively inexpensive [$100.00 on sale] Saved my bacon hauling this buck out several years ago .Not overly robust and I don't think it will take a lot of abuse but go slow and square up on windfall and pull up and over ...It did very well. Loaded deer and cart right into the back of my truck with roof height canopy .I take it with me all the time now......
I’ve packed a lot of caribou over long distances when I was younger. Today I would definitely want something to help me do it. Make sure what you get is suited to the terrain.
I also use a cart for a bicycle that I made. Resembles a hand truck just scaled up. But we are biking 4 or 5 miles into the woods where engines arent allowed
Id get some rope on a spool. And maybe some blocks for lift. And use the UTV to tug it out by the trailer ball. How we did it before the woods were closed to vehicle access, going on 10 years ago. Some guys had a continuous piece of rope a1000 feet long.