Game Carts

[daveyn]

Looking for some insight from the creative fella's on here. I've seen some of your projects and I am always pretty impressed with some of the skill sets I see here, because I have absolutely none of those skills.
So here's my thing, I shot a pretty good whitetail this year and was by myself so I had a drag of about 500 yards through a bunch of deadfall and rough terrain, luckily it was mostly down hill and a managed, but it beat the crap out of me and I've already had 1 heart attack. I got the deer out to a place I could get the ATV to but no way was I getting that deer up on the bike, so I wrapped it in a tarp, tied it to the trailer hitch and dragged it the 3k back to the truck. All in all a very long afternoon.
So I was thinking that one of those game carts I see at Cabela's would probably have made the drag signficantly easier, and if I could rig up something where I could then hook the game cart to the top rail of the ATV I could just pull the whole thing out with very little effort.
Any body seen, heard of, or manufactured something like that? What about those ones at Cabela's, I was thinking it shouldn't be too hard to clip a couple of D rings or carabiners on a short strap between the top rail of the ATV and the handle of the game cart to accomplish that.
Anything I should be aware of or look to avoid with that type of a set up, are the game carts worth the money, should I look for a custom design or is the pre-fabs OK to work with?
Thoughts

[CanuckShooter]

I don't think those little carts would be up to the ride behind an atv when they are loaded up.

We built little wagons we can pull behind the atv to haul our game out, but we used high speed idler hubs and enough metal that they are too heavy to use as a cart to haul game out by hand.

A pull cart would help you with the drag, have you thought of using your winch to help get the deer up on your rack? I had to use a pulley and the winch to get a nice 4 pt up on the front rack one time.

[StiksnStrings]

I've thought about doing the same thing with my cart. If the ground your travelling is flat and smooth I would think it would work so long as you didn't go too fast. Where I think you will run into trouble is on soft or uneven ground. The carts are narrow and might want to flop over on it's side.

My cart is the basic one from Cabela's with the hard compound tires and spoked wheels and I think it would handle it okay if you were to take it slow and easy.

[thumper]

I was in the same situation Davey - I've had a heart attack too, but still enjoy hunting solo. My solution was to learn how to clean deer using 'The Gutless Method', and only skidding out the parts you're going to actually eat (and the tag/evidence of sex & species - of course) Bagged in cloth game bags, it'll all fit on a kids plastic toboggan from the dollar store. I use the smallest toboggan I can find, and cup it attached over my day-pack when I head out hunting. I look a little like a Ninja Turtle, but it weighs nothing, and saves me having to make a round trip to the truck to retrieve my sled/cart.
Another advantage over hauling back an entire critter, is once back at the truck, it's easier to load your game into your vehicle when it's broken down into a few bags. And the little sled will contain any blood - preventing leaks onto your back seat!

[obsessed1]

Hey Daveyn, here's my methods.
My quad has a receiver hitch on the rear to accept a ball hitch. I welded a square tube rack about 18" wide by 24" long that plugs right in it supports a deer on it's back with legs and head tied up to the rack or the front shoulder of a elk /moose with the head tied to the rack.
I also built a diy of a ( hookarack) google it. Its basically a front end loader attachment for a atv...it works extremely well for deer and b bear. Or half an elk.... if the drag is long I use a crazy carpet ( with grommets on the sides) tied tight around the animal which reduces drag a ton making pulling easy. I also have packoutbags( Google it) that I can put the front and rear if the deer into to pack it out...years ago for deer I cut their front and rear legs to make a " pack" out of them and hauled them out that way.there are two main methods of backpacking a deer a quick youtube search should help.....I find packing easier than dragging.....nowadays I generally hunt with a new style flexible pack frame and can quarter and debone on the spot....a big buck is less than 100lbs when your not taking hide bone ect... all this to say I do have a game cart with the solid rubber wheels.....it does not work well pulled behind my quad. Corners suck, rough terrain sucks...it would be better if I rigged a tongue off the axle that hooked onto the ball hitch and kept the game cart in tow mode but with my other options available I hacent put in the time to make something.....if you have any welding skills...
Or a buddy....
Make a hookarack...you'll find hundreds of uses for it outside hunting

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[DiabeticKripple]

Hilgy on here made a good one.

He took a frame for a pull behind bike child carrier, added some wood bracing and then attached a plastic calf sled to it with wing nuts, and added a handle to it.

You can have the sled on the frame to wheel it around when there isnt any snow, or pop the sled off and drag that on the snow without the wheels.

Its an all season game cart.

[Dean2]

Make your life way simpler and ditch the wheels and all the frame, cross member paraphernalia. Use a heavy duty sled with a hitch. They drag fine on bare ground, grass, snow or anything short of pavement and they will go over fallen logs much better than wheeled carts. You can also hand pull them easily with a rope. Makes zero difference how rough it is and they never try to flip you over. I have a heavy duty ice fishing sled that can be pulled behind an ATV, snow machine, sxs or whatever. Use it year round. Even a crazy carpet is better than a wheeled cart.

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Make your life way simpler and ditch the wheels and all the frame, cross member paraphernalia. Use a heavy duty sled with a hitch. They drag fine on bare ground, grass, snow or anything short of pavement and they will go over fallen logs much better than wheeled carts. You can also hand pull them easily with a rope. Makes zero difference how rough it is and they never try to flip you over. I have a heavy duty ice fishing sled that can be pulled behind an ATV, snow machine, sxs or whatever. Use it year round. Even a crazy carpet is better than a wheeled cart.

Agree I have a 48" poly sled that i attached 2 48" 3/4" round aluminum poles to the front of and can hitch it behind the quad. I use it to haul stuff around the yard in winter..it would work well on grass too I'd guess

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[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Make your life way simpler and ditch the wheels and all the frame, cross member paraphernalia. Use a heavy duty sled with a hitch. They drag fine on bare ground, grass, snow or anything short of pavement and they will go over fallen logs much better than wheeled carts. You can also hand pull them easily with a rope. Makes zero difference how rough it is and they never try to flip you over. I have a heavy duty ice fishing sled that can be pulled behind an ATV, snow machine, sxs or whatever. Use it year round. Even a crazy carpet is better than a wheeled cart.

Yup I have at Jet sled and have used on several occasions where a machine couldn’t get to the animal. Dragging it out in a sled is way easier than wheels when there is deadfall or stumps or deep snow to deal with. Plus it is a great containment tub when you get the the truck or suv.

They are super lightweight as well.

[6.5 shooter]

I have a game cart, works wonderful, made by a fellow in BC weighs about 25 # or so only thing I would change are the air filled tires to solid rubber, the Cactus around here love to deflate the air filled ones.

[Hilgy]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

Hilgy on here made a good one.

He took a frame for a pull behind bike child carrier, added some wood bracing and then attached a plastic calf sled to it with wing nuts, and added a handle to it.

You can have the sled on the frame to wheel it around when there isnt any snow, or pop the sled off and drag that on the snow without the wheels.

Its an all season game cart.

Didnt think i had any pics but came across one the other day so here it is. I'd actually like to make a new handle for it so it could be towed behind the Sami if we had to.

[Dean2]

Larger version for easy viewing. Neat rig

[graybeard]

Another place to look for carts and sled ideas would be in the Trapping Discussion category.
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/forumdisplay.php?f=5

I would imagine their demand and reliability on equipment would be well tested.

Good luck,

[raised by wolves]

My other addition is the use of Nite Ize, cable ties. I have 10 of the big ties attached to the cart. Way easier than messing about with pieces of rope or paracord.

[58thecat]

I have used a pelican 60 for 14 years of dragging gear and deer and ice fishing.
Nice manageable little unit but just upgraded to the pelican 75 with runners attached all in including the cover and hitch assembly 320 bucks at crappy tire!
Still going to use the little pelican until more holes show up though just more manageable over all but if I need the bigger one now I got it!


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[Big Grey Wolf]

What ever happened to throwing a 1/4 over your shoulder and walking out your animal. Leave the cart at home for the kids to play with in back yard.

[Hilgy]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

What ever happened to throwing a 1/4 over your shoulder and walking out your animal. Leave the cart at home for the kids to play with in back yard.

I can assure you I've carried my fair share of meat on my back over the years. I have the x rays of my back to prove it.

I'm more in the "work smarter not harder" camp now

[graybeard]

Originally Posted by Hilgy

I can assure you I've carried my fair share of meat on my back over the years. I have the x rays of my back to prove it.

I'm more in the "work smarter not harder" camp now

Boy does that resonate with me as well.....Hahahaha

The other thing with me in days gone by was to; carry one heavy load and make one trip than two lighter ones in two trips.....

Too soon old, too late smart.

[thumper]

Originally Posted by Hilgy

I can assure you I've carried my fair share of meat on my back over the years. I have the x rays of my back to prove it.

I'm more in the "work smarter not harder" camp now

x2 ! I don't even knock anything down after mid-afternoon anymore. Who wants to freeze your butt off cleaning deer and then hauling it out in the freezing cold by the light of a head-lamp? That deer will still be around tomorrow morning! Then I've got all day to enjoy a nice, neat & clean job of it!

[6.5 shooter]

Originally Posted by Hilgy

I can assure you I've carried my fair share of meat on my back over the years. I have the x rays of my back to prove it.

I'm more in the "work smarter not harder" camp now

Amen to that!

The cart I have is a Sasquatch. I did line the inside with chicken wire so my tripod for skinning deer in the field and other assorted goodies don't fall through the open bottom, Works great.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

What ever happened to throwing a 1/4 over your shoulder and walking out your animal. Leave the cart at home for the kids to play with in back yard.

5 miles out, one quarter at a time....

Or debone and pull it all out on the sled/game cart....

Too each their own

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

What ever happened to throwing a 1/4 over your shoulder and walking out your animal. Leave the cart at home for the kids to play with in back yard.

When I was 25 there were a whole raft of things I did without even thinking about it, now at 65, there are a whole raft of things I don't do without even thinking about it. Even in my 30s I learned to appreciate mechanical advantage and gas horsepower over manual work and brute force. Some apparently learn slower.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Dean2

When I was 25 there were a whole raft of things I did without even thinking about it, now at 65, there are a whole raft of things I don't do without even thinking about it. Even in my 30s I learned to appreciate mechanical advantage and gas horsepower over manual work and brute force. Some apparently learn slower.

Some of us learn by reading, some by being shown, and others just have to pee on the electric fence to find out for themselves!
Cat

[calgarychef]

Dragging a calf sled is fine with a quad or skidoo, dragging them by hand isn’t very efficient and any uphill is a bastard, dragging them on dry ground is a bastard too and if the snow is very deep it’s a bastard! Wheeled game carts are a bastard uphill…

There’s no perfect solution.