Transporting heavy game animals the EASY way

[Jack O'Conner]

Why risk twisting your back or a heart attack dragging heavy animals out of the forest? We use a wheelbarrow which is an ancient Egyptian invention - a combination of the lever and the wheel. My daughter is shown with a huge muley that was taken within the Black Hills of western South Dakota. 30-30 of course. We both struggled to load the beast but wheeling it was easy.

TR

 

[JERRYS.]

I find trekking through the woods with a rifle enough, I couldn't imaging doing it with a wheel barrow too.

 

[craddleshooter]

Haha truly the easy way but it won’t be so easy up or down hill. Good idea anyways.

 

[T. O'Heir]

Wouldn't think a wheel barrow would be exactly 'easy' in that terrain. There are things called ATV's now. snicker.

 

[scottycoyote]

its better than nothing but it seems like that would be almost too much trouble.....i can barely walk a wheelbarrow over level ground i cant imagine trying to get it thru some of the stuff i walk.

they make a deer sled thats just a plastic sheet that rolls up in your pack. Slide the deer over on it and tie a rope and just drag it behind you.....ive used it and it works pretty good. Its really slick, will slide down the hill on its on and run you over if youre not careful lol

 

[TXAZ]

I prefer this method of carryout:

 

[turkeestalker]

The wheel Barrow is a good idea but hunting primarily public ground in Missouri, and typically packing in long distances, I've had a Nxt Shot Versacart for at least 25 years, and if it and I both last I'll have it that many more.
The frame is built so as to center the load while the wheels are set on an angle as well.
Rolling over uneven ground, logs, and so on, it naturally centers itself and rolls easier than you'd imagine.
Great way to pack in a couple of tree stands so long as it's all lashed tight to keep it quiet.

http://bowsite.com/nxt/gamecarrier.html

Here's the oldest two seasons back with two for meat loaded up.

 

[jmr40]

That might work in some places, but would be more trouble than it is worth where I hunt. Unless there is lots of help cutting it up into smaller pieces and leaving behind most of the inedible parts is the easiest way. It may take several trips.

Something like this works well too. I've seen guys use a kids snow sled. They slide over leaves in heavy forests almost as easy as snow.

https://jet.com/product/Terrain-Dee...a9a3&msclkid=d4b09290a63913b26d33c9c298e6e9f8

 

[Blindstitch]

I use a 4 wheeler on private property and at times a sled. But I would think a game cart would be pretty handy. If I'm on private I gut the deer at camp and use a wheelbarrow to tote the guts away.

 

[Old Stony]

Shot this fella yesterday morning. He weighed 290 lbs....try dragging that around or loading it into anything up off the ground and it will really let you know how old and weak you really are! Hogs don't have anything like horns or stuff to really get a grip on. I could see where one of those plastic sheets to drag something on would be helpful. Luckily I got this guy where I could back up right to him...but then trying to get him into the truck.....whooee!

 

[Mobuck]

POLARIS
Shoot 'em where you can drive close and drag/haul 'em out.

 

[Doyle]

Jack, I highly doubt you'll ever find a deer that big in Bradenton I've seen some hogs there though that would easily top that though.

 

[Sevens]

The only thing I hunt is prairie dogs. I could probably use a wheelbarrow to great effect, but it would really upset all the predators that feast after the sun goes down.

 

[craddleshooter]

would recommend buying a high quality pack or pack frame. It's kind of like boots, you'll thank yourself everytime you use them that you spent the money and bought what fit best and was most comfortable. My pack frame is a Camp Trails that I purchased over 20 years ago. It's been used hard and still works like new. Not sure if Camp Trails is still around or not, but they made great gear a couple of decades ago.

Another item I would recommend is a pair of ski/trekking poles. If you are carrying a heavy load a pair of ski poles can help steady the load as you step over deadfall and large rocks, cross creeks, and climb steep hills.

 

[WV_gunner]

Depends on where I hunt. Some places I’m several miles from where I parked and I drove as far as the road would let me. I plan to eventually use my Jeep but I never have time. Regardless pushing a wheelbarrow up and down mountains in the mud for a few miles wouldn’t be the greatest. And the same issue comes about, when the animal is killed the several mile walk back to get the wheelbarrow and then another trip to get the animal. We used to have a deer cart, same principle but better suited for the woods.

 

[std7mag]

My shirts aren't folded up as tight as that deer in the wheel borrow!!

I like TXAZ's method!!

4 wheelers/atv are great, where your allowed to use them. PA public gamelands don't allow them.

 

[bamaranger]

wheeling it

Quite a few years ago, I became aware of the "garden cart", a roughly 4x5" box on two 20" bicycle type wheels set wide apart, and a wide, longish crossbar for handling. Beats the snot out of any wheelbarrow for hauling nearly anything. No teeter- totter balancing act with the arms. Use one here on the place all the time. Even hauled a few deer out of the woods with it, removed the forward leg portion (that normally allows the box to set level) so it wouldn't hang up in the woods. But the garden cart is not exactly easy to store. The two wheeled deer carts sold these days that collapse are pretty slick, one can stay in the truck 'till you need it. Find a teenager to pull and you are all set.

I'll admit though, a wheelbarrow would likely be better than nothing. I've seen a toboggan in the woods in snow country pressed into service too.

 

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

In my younger times my preference for toting such MN swamp boss's was by my brawn and a piece of sturdy well broke-in rope tied around my middle and wrapped tightly around the Swamp Boss's back legs with clove & 1/2 hitch knots.
Today? I carry a cellphone with a speed dial # to inform my son.
He's got one of those newfangled UTV mobiles called: Polaris Ranger. But ~~
when I'm alone. I also have a special folding hand crank strap winch having short boom that chain tightens to any tree. (small enough to carry quietly in my back pack.) Typical use. Animals gutted on the ground. Then lifted skinned and quartered for carry-out or left whole but skinned for the next mornings retrieval.

 

[Wyosmith]

I guess a wheelbarrow would be good IF you have one in a truck nearby and IF you don't have dead-falls and IF you don't have ground covering brush and IF the mountains are not so steep that you could not stop the thing from going down hill and IF the hills are not so steep you could not push or pull it up hill and IF you don't kill a large animal about 2-6 miles from your camp..........

In other words, I doubt it would be very practical in the Rockys or Sierras

But for flatter areas where the ground is pretty mush covered with dirt instead of thick brush, it would probably be a good thing to have around

 

[Ricklin]

Oregon Coast / Roosevelt Elk

Hunting these outsize beasts in that coastal terrain may require a long camping trip with a skillet.
Take down a bull that can be one half a ton in that terrain? The most preferred tool? A chainsaw winch! That's the only "easy" way, and it ain't easy.

This would be the ideal time for TXAZ's method.