Headache Rack with Winch. Loading moose.

[buckbrush]

I've been thinking about building some sort of headache rack for loading whole moose or elk. Also to make loading of a deer into the truck easier for the wife.

It's not always feasible to keep an animal whole but I much prefer it because it tends to keep everything clean when I can do all the skinning/cutting in the shop.

In the event that I can get the animal to the truck whole, I'd like a way of loading. I've started building a headache rack but am at a bit of a standstill.

What do you guys use to load WHOLE moose/elk into the truck when hunting alone with no other equipment nearby?

[Drewski Canuck]

Once its at the truck, who cares if you split it apart between the front and rear quarters? Put a tarp around the exposed meat of each half and you will be good. Skin it out when you get home, hang it and wash it.

As for loading a front or rear half, Quad ramps, a come along, and a few extra hands will get the rears up and in.

Tricky part is getting an anchor point. I have a canopy and had to use one of the corner tie down points at the base on a very big moose. It was not a lot of fun even with help. A winch would have been nice.

Even with a winch set up mounted high on a headache rack like the f & W trucks, you still need a set of ramps.

Drewski

[vcmm]

Sheet of plywood

[buckbrush]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Even with a winch set up mounted high on a headache rack like the f & W trucks, you still need a set of ramps.

Drewski

Yes, planning on building a ramp of some sort.
I know you can quarter the animal but even a moose hind quarter when alone can be pretty heavy for one person with a high tailgate.

I have even loaded large mules that made me wish I had a better system.
With my wife starting to hunt more often alone while I am at work I'd like to make it easier for her too.

[Drewski Canuck]

Sheet of plywood works poorly. No hangers to hold it to the tailgate and it spins out at the worst of times.

Trifold Quad Ramps with the slides on it work really good but are a pain to put the slides on and off.

Get yourself a 20 volt cordless recip saw and an extra battery. Buy a couple of 11 inch demolition blades, you will be impressed.

Drewski

[buckbrush]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Get yourself a 20 volt cordless recip saw and an extra battery. Buy a couple of 11 inch demolition blades, you will be impressed.

Drewski

I own both of those but haven't figured out how to use them to load a whole elk without quartering it yet...

In all seriousness I think a winch in the box with a ramp would be handy for lots of things. Its something I've wanted to build for a while (pretty much everytime I have to load something really heavy into the box of my truck).

[MountainTi]

Quad ramps, partial piece of plywood on ramps, and chain come-along. Easy

[brendan's dad]

Pulling an animal in the box of a truck the size of a moose or elk is quite difficult if the winch is connected to the headache rack or front rail as you lose 1-2 feet of box with the winch and tackle. I have a sled deck on my truck and a 3500 winch that i normally use for loading/unloading quads. But it is also very useful for loading a moose onto a 12 foot trailer behind my truck. The trailer has a fold down ramp. I simple back up to moose, hook the winch cable across the bridge of the nose and pull it onto the trailer... works like a charm.

[vcmm]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Sheet of plywood works poorly. No hangers to hold it to the tailgate and it spins out at the worst of times.

Trifold Quad Ramps with the slides on it work really good but are a pain to put the slides on and off.

Get yourself a 20 volt cordless recip saw and an extra battery. Buy a couple of 11 inch demolition blades, you will be impressed.

Drewski

Drill to 3/8-1/2" holes in the plywood on each side of one end. Tie to bumper.
I've loaded quite a few animals over the years that way. Recip saw
Try Milwaukee's The Axe blade.

vcmm

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Once its at the truck, who cares if you split it apart between the front and rear quarters? Put a tarp around the exposed meat of each half and you will be good. Skin it out when you get home, hang it and wash it.

As for loading a front or rear half, Quad ramps, a come along, and a few extra hands will get the rears up and in.

Tricky part is getting an anchor point. I have a canopy and had to use one of the corner tie down points at the base on a very big moose. It was not a lot of fun even with help. A winch would have been nice.

Even with a winch set up mounted high on a headache rack like the f & W trucks, you still need a set of ramps.
Drewski

I load bison in the back of my truck with no ramp. Most I've had is 2 decent size bison cows. Guy before me had 3-4 in the truck. Granted, I have a 12000# Warn winch mounted to the deck behind the cab and my flatbed is a tilt deck. The biggest thing you need is a roller at the end of the bed. I'm supposed to get a new truck next year and I'm already looking at how to improve my next buffalo bus. My counterpart has a hydrabed on the back of his truck and while it works, the extra moving parts are a pain. Especially if/when it breaks as it did this past summer while moving hay.

If I was planning on building one for my personal truck, I would put a 4000# winch 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up the headache rack, then brace it in the middle and on each side. YNP bear mgmt have the basic set up. I would add a 6" roller at the back though. My 4" roller is a bit small.... Maybe I'll have to build one for my old pick up... Could be a real good winter project.

[petew]

A 2000# pound winch has lots of power on a single line , the higher you mount it the easier it has to work. Plywood works for a ramp , I have used it before, but now I have a 6 foot section of Aluminum ladder as a ramp . Start with the head on the ramp , and don't worry if the ramp comes up with the moose or elk or if the critter slides on the ramp . The object is to get the body over the tail gate.

Sometimes you need to tie off the head to the rack so it doesn't slide out ,when you winch as far as you can and it is not all in , then move to the back legs, and winch it in the rest of the way. { An 8 foot box would be much easier .}
My truck is a short box with a big toolbox in front, my winch is mounted at the back of the tool box, leaving me 4 and a half feet . It means a 1 pull load isn't happening , but a 2 pull always works .

A wireless remote makes life much easier , especially if you are alone.

Make sure that you have the winch anchored down , and the rack is anchored down so it doesn't tip under load.

I use welding cables to the winch for power leads on quick connects to carry the current, and leave the truck running to keep the battery powered up. Its a good idea to mount a light on the rack for loading in the dark.

[obsessed1]

I built a removable winch system for my brothers truck on the cheap. He didn't want anything permanent. I used a sheet of 1" plywood cut to 24"x5' ( width of his truck bed) I bolted on a 6'6" 4x4 post with through bolts nuts and washers. And mounted a hand crank winch to the 4x4. The reason I went with 6' for the 4x4 was so the hand crank was out the side of his truck and wouldn't hit it when cranking. A thick piece of carpet to cover the plywood and a eye bolt on the far end with snatch block mid line. Hook the winch Hook on the eyelet, slip the plywood between the truck box and cab, attach the critter to the snatch block with a choker cable and crank it up the ramps. Works slick and can be made for cheap. Pretty sure the system can be adapted to a powered winch with some thought... Whole thing just lifts out of place and rides in the box when not in use.

[Norwest Alta]

Hot shot racks are a dime a dozen. Many already have winches or if not a winch can be added easily.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Guys, Honda's picture of moose on his back,feet all over is good example of what we as hunters do not want to show to "Bambi" public. Most accept 4 quarters in back with set of antlers/head, I suggest less loading and more 1/4s covered with tarp, our image as hunters in future very important.

[Yaha Tinda]

Front mount winch and a snatch block. Drag the beast onto the road adjacent to a decent sized tree. Drive into the ditch, place the snatch block as high as you can and winch the bugger in.

[trophyhunter]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

I built a removable winch system for my brothers truck on the cheap. He didn't want anything permanent. I used a sheet of 1" plywood cut to 24"x5' ( width of his truck bed) I bolted on a 6'6" 4x4 post with through bolts nuts and washers. And mounted a hand crank winch to the 4x4. The reason I went with 6' for the 4x4 was so the hand crank was out the side of his truck and wouldn't hit it when cranking. A thick piece of carpet to cover the plywood and a eye bolt on the far end with snatch block mid line. Hook the winch Hook on the eyelet, slip the plywood between the truck box and cab, attach the critter to the snatch block with a choker cable and crank it up the ramps. Works slick and can be made for cheap. Pretty sure the system can be adapted to a powered winch with some thought... Whole thing just lifts out of place and rides in the box when not in use.

Picture?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[brendan's dad]

Originally Posted by trophyhunter

Picture?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He has to go shoot a moose first!

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by trophyhunter

Picture?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry I didnt take a pic. It sure wasn't beautiful but it works. Basic design is a 24"×5' piece of 1" plywood. This is the piece that's inserted between truck box and cab. A 6' long 4x4 is bolted onto the plywood with one end sticking out 12". The hand crank winch is mounted on that 12" section of the 4x4. When installed the plywood sits between bed and box with the 6x6 sitting on the box side across the back and bearing on the side rails. I put an eyelet on the opposite end of the 4x4 from the mounted winch and hooked the winch cable to that with a snatch block in the middle. With the line pulled out the cable is in a large V shape with the snatch block at the point. Simply crank the handle and cable pulls the critter into the truck.

With the 2000 lb crank winch This system was strong enough to skid a Camry with e brake on while mounted on the box of a Toyota tundra.
Since all the force is placed on the whole box back + both side rails there is no danger of damaging the truck. I wrapped carpet around the plywood to eliminate scratching. I have seen guys just use the hooks on the inside of the truck bed as anchor points for pulling and have seen them pull the inside of the truck box out of place because the hooks are only attached to the inside panel of the bed. This system seems to be stronger.

I got my idea from watching an oldtimer who had a 4x4x5' with electric winch mounted on the center pulling a deer wit the 4x4 laying across the back of the bed with short chunks of 2x4 stuffed down the stake pockets in the rail side to keep the 4x4 from pulling forward. He also used tie downs from the box hooks to pull the 4x4 down as well. Seemed to work fine for him. I just adapted a way to give the beam a greater bearing surface so it wouldn't put as much pressure on just the two spots on the bed rails.


The size may need to vary depending on truck and winch used

If you want a drawing of it I can email you one. Just pm me

[Buckwheat]

I just built a ramp that cradles the animal when winching it in. Deer is pictured but have loaded moose the same way. IMG_4799.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[brendan's dad]

Originally Posted by Buckwheat

I just built a ramp that cradles the animal when winching it in. Deer is pictured but have loaded moose the same way. Attachment 149791


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A deer looks like it would be fine, but are you not worried about the weight of a moose on your tail gate?

[Buckwheat]

Originally Posted by brendan's dad

A deer looks like it would be fine, but are you not worried about the weight of a moose on your tail gate?

Never has been an issue. Loaded at least 10 moose the same way in three different trucks over the years