Do you have experience with a sled for hauling out game?

[Boarmaster]

I bought on of the roll up type years ago. Seems well built. It was heavy as heck to lug into the woods.
I never used it as I decided to just get a better harness.

 

[Hunter26]

I've done it. It's been a very long time ago. You need to be careful. You need to know the ground under you. I've ridden an elk laiden sled down hill while riding it, digging my heels in to keep control, over snow. In another area I went rode it downhill ovrr dead fall; if I put a foot down I could have broken a leg. Any steep downhill, the sled should be roped down, letting gravity do its job.

I would not buy a sled until I got to see the country and was pretty sure I'd use it, as there are plenty if areas that would be unusable or simply much to dangerous.

Thanks for the word of caution. That all makes sense. I could see a sled becoming dangerous without some thoughtfulness.

 

[Hunter26]

Well quite frankly the perspective of someone that has never seen a sled used is pretty worthless!
Between me and my hunting buddies we have taken out numerous elk & deer. Plus 1 moose and a whole 183" Bighorn, mostly on roll up sleds, with a few on ice fishing sleds. The key is to have grommets along each side, so you can lace rope back and forth to keep the load on the sled.
On side hills and steep down hill, put a guy on a rope on the back, to steer and slow it down.
They work well on snow and wet ground, but I have used them on dry ground as well.

Here is the sheep. It was 2.5 miles up/down/sidehill no flat ground. No snow, but rained all day.

Glad to see a guy that has done it several times and likes it. Sounds like you might generally have multiple guys to help guide it down or share the load? I plan to have a buddy with me so that could be a plus.

 

[mtnbound]

I have a middle of November elk tag in Colorado in a unit that very well could get some snow. Peak elevations are in the 13,000 feet in the unit. I am wanting to get feedback from people that have used some sort of sled to haul out meat. This unit is new to me so I can't exactly describe the vegetation or terrain but I am pretty confident that I will be hauling the meat down hill. Obviously there will be ups and downs for the literal folks but overall I expect to be loosing elevation. I would plan to just pack out the elk if there isn't snow but if there is a layer of snow what can you tell me about the use of either one of these two types of sleds?

1. Do you mainly just use it for a flat surface or down hill? How is it pulling up a hill compared to carrying it out in the snow?
2. How well do they actually work? I see pictures of guys with whole elk.
3. When going down hill can you basically guide it down the mountain from behind?
4. Any issues with either of these options braking or giving out on a single pack out over mostly snow?
5. Any good suggestions on how to use them? It appears some guys tie directly to the sled and others to the meat in the sled.

Thanks in advance, Jeff

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I currently have both styles and have used both styles. The rollup one is probably my least favorite one, as it tends to roll and dig into the snow, depending on the load. I found it was best to use it with boned-out animals compared to whole animals. The rigid one I use is an ice fishing style, so it's taller and has runners that help it track behind me better than the roll-up one. It can haul boned-out or whole animals. Depending on the style, you may have to rig up some type of lashing system to secure the load, but you can find them with holes already in them.
Going downhill, I get behind the sled and act as a break. I also will rig a second rope to the front to help guide the nose better.
Sidehill tends to be the most difficult to use, especially the roll-up style. I have found that the ice fishing style with the runners helps keep it tracking behind me. I prefer to go straight up or down with the sled, but sidehill is doable. If you have two people, sidehill is much easier, with one in front and one in back.
If you stop and take a break, anchor/tie it off the sled on any slope, as it can slide once removed from your person. I have a second rope already rigged to the sled for this purpose.
You will need snowshoes in deeper snow, as you will post-hole pretty badly dragging them. In hard snow, I use some micro-spikes for traction and braking.
I have used both styles of sleds with a technical rope setup and a rope winch system.
I always keep a rigid sled in my truck because I have found them so valuable.

 

[Axlrod]

Glad to see a guy that has done it several times and likes it. Sounds like you might generally have multiple guys to help guide it down or share the load? I plan to have a buddy with me so that could be a plus.

Most of the time it is 2 or 3 people. But I have taken several boned out deer and a boned out elk by myself. Every time there was snow.

Deadfall and large rocks cause the most problems, but I have found you can get your game out with less trips with a sled.

Also spending the time to lace your game bags down tight to the sled, will save you lots of time when it tips over.

On the Jet sled, I screwed a couple strips of aluminium bar stock on the runners. It glides easier, and protects the sled. I drilled holes down the sides of the sled, and use 3 ratchet straps criss crossed to secure the game bags. I also put my pack on top of the meat, it's a little easier to drag without a pack on your back.

 

[Hunter26]

Most of the time it is 2 or 3 people. But I have taken several boned out deer and a boned out elk by myself. Every time there was snow.

Deadfall and large rocks cause the most problems, but I have found you can get your game out with less trips with a sled.

Also spending the time to lace your game bags down tight to the sled, will save you lots of time when it tips over.

On the Jet sled, I screwed a couple strips of aluminium bar stock on the runners. It glides easier, and protects the sled. I drilled holes down the sides of the sled, and use 3 ratchet straps criss crossed to secure the game bags. I also put my pack on top of the meat, it's a little easier to drag without a pack on your back.

Great insight! Thanks for the several nuggets of advice.

 

[Hunter26]

I currently have both styles and have used both styles. The rollup one is probably my least favorite one, as it tends to roll and dig into the snow, depending on the load. I found it was best to use it with boned-out animals compared to whole animals. The rigid one I use is an ice fishing style, so it's taller and has runners that help it track behind me better than the roll-up one. It can haul boned-out or whole animals. Depending on the style, you may have to rig up some type of lashing system to secure the load, but you can find them with holes already in them.
Going downhill, I get behind the sled and act as a break. I also will rig a second rope to the front to help guide the nose better.
Sidehill tends to be the most difficult to use, especially the roll-up style. I have found that the ice fishing style with the runners helps keep it tracking behind me. I prefer to go straight up or down with the sled, but sidehill is doable. If you have two people, sidehill is much easier, with one in front and one in back.
If you stop and take a break, anchor/tie it off the sled on any slope, as it can slide once removed from your person. I have a second rope already rigged to the sled for this purpose.
You will need snowshoes in deeper snow, as you will post-hole pretty badly dragging them. In hard snow, I use some micro-spikes for traction and braking.
I have used both styles of sleds with a technical rope setup and a rope winch system.
I always keep a rigid sled in my truck because I have found them so valuable.

Looks like great advice! Snowshoes have been something I am really considering because you just never know what the weather will do. Sounds like the system you have rigged up with the ropes makes a lot of sense.

I have used snowshoes one time and I don't know if I didn't get big enough ones but I felt like I sunk just as bad as I would have without them. Then I ended up not just pulling my foot out of a hole but a snowshoe as well that caught a bunch of weight every time I lifted my foot to step. If I remember correctly it was probably about 18" of snow and a lot of it was fresh powder. Any recommendations on snowshoes and tips or tricks?

 

[mtnbound]

Looks like great advice! Snowshoes have been something I am really considering because you just never know what the weather will do. Sounds like the system you have rigged up with the ropes makes a lot of sense.

I have used snowshoes one time and I don't know if I didn't get big enough ones but I felt like I sunk just as bad as I would have without them. Then I ended up not just pulling my foot out of a hole but a snowshoe as well that caught a bunch of weight every time I lifted my foot to step. If I remember correctly it was probably about 18" of snow and a lot of it was fresh powder. Any recommendations on snowshoes and tips or tricks?

In snow with no base you’re still gonna sink but less with properly sized snow shoes. They are weight based for sizing so look for their ratings.

I try not to lift my foot too far off the ground and drag the SS tail to make it the movement more like a sliding step.

I hate the tube style of SS because they don’t hold an edge well when side hilling and they suck going downhill. I have the MSR Accent SS with the tail extensions.

If you are doing a lot of snow hunting, you could also look into Skishoeing, which are short skis with traction skins. They provide the best float and require less energy but there is a learning curve.

 

[Hunter26]

In snow with no base you’re still gonna sink but less with properly sized snow shoes. They are weight based for sizing so look for their ratings.

I try not to lift my foot too far off the ground and drag the SS tail to make it the movement more like a sliding step.

I hate the tube style of SS because they don’t hold an edge well when side hilling and they suck going downhill. I have the MSR Accent SS with the tail extensions.

If you are doing a lot of snow hunting, you could also look into Skishoeing, which are short skis with traction skins. They provide the best float and require less energy but there is a learning curve.

Awesome, you have already more than doubled my knowledge of snowshoes!

 

[hamkyl16]

I do a lot of xc skiing with an expedition era sled and ski pulk poles. works well. Snowshoes may be more applicable. Skipulk.com

 

[cnelk]

Jet Sled.
I hauled elk, deer and moose out with mine.
Don’t even need snow. Goes over grass, rocks or whatever. It even floats.

 

[mike.adams.467]

I've pulled out a few elk in snow with a kid's sled. It worked best if I took half the elk at a time. I always carry one in my truck during late season.

 

[TaperPin]

I’m just about sold on getting a basic expedition sled - this has been a good post. Even if it never gets used to haul an elk, the grandson and I can load up camp, go around a corner out of sight of the vehicles and he’ll feel like a winter explorer.

 

[The Guide]

Jet Sled.
I hauled elk, deer and moose out with mine.
Don’t even need snow. Goes over grass, rocks or whatever. It even floats.

I second the Jet Sled. I use them over rocks, on grass and cactus, dirt fields, snow, float a deer across a creek, pull it over a beaver dam, skim ice on a pond, almost anywhere. I can fit an elk in a "Jet Sled 1" and have it tied out using some drilled holes in the rim and some paracord. The trick to getting them in the sled easily is with the animal on its side, approach the spine with the sled on its side and the bottom against your legs. Put the edge of the sled under the spine and the back end of sled just behind the animals butt. Reach down and grab the animals legs and roll it towards you and into the sled. The sled will flop onto its bottom and have your animal in it. Tuck the legs in the sled or tie them to the loops on the side. Pull the head, antlers and neck towards the rump and tie it off towards the rear of the sled. The animals end up looking like they were curled up sleeping going for a ride in the sled.

This is the model I use. They have many colors.

Https://www.amazon.com/Shappell-Jet-Sled-1-Winter/dp/B011CSL3HM?pd_rd_w=qkcby&content-id=amzn1.sym.d9f1ee25-fb6f-4003-a9d0-72734f44357c&pf_rd_p=d9f1ee25-fb6f-4003-a9d0-72734f44357c&pf_rd_r=SHS92JD6JFH7Q280KHY0&pd_rd_wg=xI1Ly&pd_rd_r=b43ab9c1-241f-4fad-96fc-3485fa3d782b&pd_rd_i=B011CSL3HM&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_grid_dv_rp_0_1_ec_ppx_aw_ya_bia_sc

This is how I did it before I put in the paracord tieouts.

Jay

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I had a hunt where a sled would have worked well so after I bought a Jet sled Jr and hauled it in the truck on hunts for years never needing it. In oversight I didn’t bring it out on a late season youth elk hunt and needed it, ha! But realistically the youth toboggan I bought in town was easier to carry up the mountain in that scenario.

I drilled the perimeter to lash paracord through and wrapped the game bags in a thin tarp to keep them contained. 4 quarters was too tippy so I put a front in my pack and 2 rears and a front on the sled.

Flattish on top of the basin was relatively smooth progress. Any side hill sucked. Downhill I had my son guide the front and I held the rear.

Hindsight getting two sleds and match drilling the perimeter and lashing them shut like a clamshell might have worked nicely when the sled rolled over at times, could have just kept going?

Basically terrain wasn’t fun but I could otherwise move 4 elk quarters solo on the flatter sections which was helpful in the situation.

 

[Kenn]

Here's one quartered bull on a sled. I don't recommend for long hauls, but I think half of it at a time would be doable.

 

[cnelk]

It’s a good idea to install the polyethylene wear bars on the bottom of the Jet Sled.

Definitely prolongs the life of the bottom of the sled using in adverse ground conditions.

 

[Scrappy]

Watch the video of me with the sound up, I sound like an idiot but it's hilarious. I was going in to get a deer that day. If your not having fun with your sled your doing it all wrong.

I have pulled out tons of deer with the sled but only one elk, last year. I can tell you that a sled with a quartered elk in it hurts like heck when it runs over you going down hill. All I could do was lay there laughing trying to get all the snow out of my nose and ears.
Getting an elk out in one trip out ways all the difficulties of the sled. Bottom line is it all depends on the terrain. Sometimes it just won't be feasible to use the sled. Or maybe use the sled part of the way. Just another tool that i would not leave at home.

 

[Hunter26]

I do a lot of xc skiing with an expedition era sled and ski pulk poles. works well. Snowshoes may be more applicable. Skipulk.com

This skipulk.com seems pretty legit! Seems like they have done it and tried it several ways and found what works best. I didn’t get a chance to look at the site to much but will for sure dig in. Thanks

 

[steepike45]

"SKEDCO" sleds are a bullet-proof option IMO. Though not cheap, they will hold up and pack down nicely. Luckily I can just borrow mine. Built for rescuing patients, they are much longer than the sleds marketed for hunting and roll around the sides as well and protect your meat from being brushed against anything. Being longer makes them easier to pull and I'm sure float above the snow. My brother and I each had 1 quarter in our packs, and with the sked were able to pack out the last 3.8 miles in one trip with the rest of my bull in the sked. Mostly downhill/flat. The sked comes with a guideline for downhill portions. They also have cobra buckles that run perpendicular to the sled that keep things secure.