Loading that trad kill into the truck yourself

[RGKulas]

I have a fall bear hunt coming up and hope to put a homemade broadhead through a bear with a homemade longbow. And then there are the deer I hope to send an arrow through. Couple that with being in my 50's with back issues and a darn truck with a bed that too high to simply lift an animal into and its come time to make loading those trad kills into the truck easier. So thats what I did. Here is a 1 minute video of what I hope to be an often used piece of my bowhunting gear.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Being a 68 year old guy with typical old age joint and back problems I bought one of the $88 deer hoists from the Sportsman's Guide. I keep it in my truck all season and have picked up two road kills with it as well as all the deer I killed. I have an F250 pickup with the tailgate WAY off the so I need a hoist.

[redfish]

At 65 I am thinking that rabbits and squirrels are a lot easier to load than a stringy old deer....

[redfish]

Of course, I am less concerned with loading them into the truck than getting them there in the first place.

[MCNSC]

Good idea, I often carry one of the folding ATV ramps to help get deer in the truck, there's offer great foot holds. But of course I still got to drag them up the ramp.

[Mr. fingers]

Neet idea. One thing to consider a bear or a deer being dead weight may flop off your ramp. It may not stay on as nice as your crate of weights.

[MnFn]

Good idea!
I helped a friend carry out a black bear (fall hunt) and what a chore that was.  Talk about hard to hold onto- that thick shiny hide.

I also shot a nice 4X4 buck, probably about 180 lbs or so dressed out. when hunting by myself a few years ago.  It was all I could do to get it lifted into the truck,

I have a cable winch for that purpose now. The ramp is a great idea.  Thanks for sharing.
Gary

[RGKulas]

Originally posted by Mr. fingers:
Neet idea. One thing to consider a bear or a deer being dead weight may flop off your ramp. It may not stay on as nice as your crate of weights.

Thats why the ramp is built in a "V" shape to keep the animals centered.

[monterey]

I think it's going to work fine.  Rigor will probably have them stiffened up by the time you get the truck anyway.

My problem is getting them to the vehicle!  Last year I broke a deer down to quarters and carried it the mile or so out on a pack frame.

Should work fine, but I like Eric Krewsons idea for the receiver hitch mounted game hoist the best. The good ones also swivel so you can lift them up above the bed, then swing them into the bed and let them down.

Bisch

[RGKulas]

Agreed but that required a purchase of a hoist or the welding of one. The wood ramp was made from a shed full of excess lumber and a garage sale block and tackle. The cost was 115 feet of new rope. Bowhunters are cheap, we even retrieve our ammo after the shot.    

[LB_hntr]

Great idea and will serve you well. Very well thought out.

A jet sled will help her the critter back to the truck and go up the ramp really easy and also keep critters from falling off the ramp.

I use a jet sled to get animals to the truck then lift from of jet sled onto tail gate ( with critter in sled). Then hook a pulley to my truck bed front tie down loop. Then pull the rope as I guide the sled in from behind the sled. Really easy as the sled offers no resistance on the the truck bed.

[KSdan]

6 oz pocket knife and 20 minutes will turn a deer or bear into easy manageable pieces.  I have not hoisted an animal in many years.  

Dan in KS

[Jack Skinner]

Few bucks for knife and game bags, quarter up your game.

[RGKulas]

Like the livestock we butcher, we prefer to do all the butchering in the clean setting of the butcher house with all the gear we use when processing livestock. Doing it in the woods in the dark is not what we consider a good time. Having back in the butcher room with good lighting, tables, running water, packaging equipment, etc, serves us well and produces the best table fare.

[KSdan]

Ron- check out Fred Eichler on youtube quartering out an elk with a Leatherman in 25 minutes. It is FAR easier than dragging and hoisting a carcass. . .Even in the dark with a headlamp!

(Check out my New Years deer post with my wife. 20 minutes tops.  http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=147941;p=1#000000)  

I don't butcher it, just quarter it. Still take the quarters home, hang them, and butcher them.  
   
Good luck.  
Dan in KS

[RGKulas]

Until just recently, quartering big game in WI was not legal. They had to be taken out whole. Now we can break them down to 3 pieces if we like. (I dont care for that)

For the same reasons I would not haul a steer or pig out into the woods to break down, I would not do it with a bear or deer. It might just be a western thing vs a Midwest thing but For maximum cleanliness and the best table fare, we will continue to process in a clean room with running water and all our butchering gear. Now we have a low cost and solution for getting large animals in the truck which was the only sticking point.

We dont even gut in the woods as attracting yotes, wolves and bear is something we hope to avoid.

[monterey]

Been a long time, but when you mentioned the legal requirement in WI It came back to me. We had to drag them out in one piece back when.

It is a west vs Midwest thing, like you say.  When I was younger I thought nothing of dragging a deer a mile or more.  Most guys out here don't break their deer down, but my ODO will roll over to 70 next month and doing it in pieces is my only option when I'm alone.  

It is a challenge keeping things clean in the woods.  

For the price of the rope, how could you go wrong    

[mcgroundstalker]

I like your idea Ron... Can see you put a lot of thought into it!    Thanks...

... mike ...

[nhbuck1]

Great idea, same concept here, everything has to be taken out and checked in whole.