Field Aids for Disabled Hunters - Hauling, Dressing, Skinning, Transport, etc.

[USAF Ret]

I took a good size doe last night. I had my 4-wheeler set up with one of those little SUV hitch carriers to haul the deer out to my truck. For a guy who used to be a weight lifter, it is disheartening to not be able to even pull a 100lb doe 6 inches off the ground onto a platform. The young man that works the property came out and helped me get it to the truck, dress, and quarter it. If it were not for him, I would have not been able to do it.

For our disabled and older hunters. What really good mechanical aids and other techniques do you use for getting a deer out, dressing, breaking the deer down, transporting, and processing?

I am sure I am not the only one with physical limitations. Thanks Rokslide Community.

 

[Macintosh]

I dont know the answer, but Im following. Unrelated but sort of related, my not-disabled but middle-aged wife will be hunting out of state with an older woman-friend of hers this week, and she’s not un-worried about the same thing. Will be following for her and some others.

 

[BLJ]

If I were in a similar situation I would be bringing it out in pieces.
Quarters and backstraps. Anything that I won’t be eating won’t be brought out.
Maybe leave the quarters on the bone depending on scenario. IMO.

 

[BLJ]

Also to add.
I use pynch oulleys and cord for holding legs, head or whatever else.
Big difference when stuff not moving.

 

[USAF Ret]

If I were in a similar situation I would be bringing it out in pieces.
Quarters and backstraps. Anything that I won’t be eating won’t be brought out.
Maybe leave the quarters on the bone depending on scenario. IMO.

It is still a bit of work for an old man. I have seen folks suggesting doing a gutless quarter. I have never done that before.

 

[USAF Ret]

Also to add.
I use pynch oulleys and cord for holding legs, head or whatever else.
Big difference when stuff not moving.

I saw one of those contraptions you can bolt to your hitch with a pully system to lift the deer for skinning and gutting. Unfortunately I have a trailer on the truck for my 4-wheeler.

 

[KyleR1985]

It is still a bit of work for an old man. I have seen folks suggesting doing a gutless quarter. I have never done that before.

If you’re in good enough shape to take the deer apart on the ground where it died, do it.

Have a good zipper to make quick work of getting hide opened up. 20-30lb hams are the heaviest thing you’ll lift from there as you cut the quarters and straps off.

There’s some good lightweight pulley systems if you need to get the deer elevated to take it apart too. But where it lies is the most efficient if you can handle being on the ground with it.

 

[Billy Goat]

If you can get an atv to it, why not just drag it? Literally before I knew better would drag deer for miles. Don't go 20 mph, but a walking pace pulling a carcass should be fine.

Few different ways to use pulleys to get it in vehicle, or on the rack of the atv to then drive onto vehicle or trailer. Or over a branch to butcher it.

If atv has a winch it should be easy to make a cradle on the front similar to a loader arm/bucket that allows you to lift it a bit with the winch and drive it out.

 

[K9kodi]

I saw one of those contraptions you can bolt to your hitch with a pully system to lift the deer for skinning and gutting. Unfortunately I have a trailer on the truck for my 4-wheeler.

I used to have one of those hitch winches that slides into the receiver of a truck hitch. I too had a trailer hooked up to truck for hunting and the trailer for the atvs.
I went to the local northern tool , a trailer supply store would be just the same, and purchased about a foot length of receiver tube. I welded that to the rail of the trailer and slide the hitch winches into it.

 

[eidsvolling]

Paris Expedition Sleds have been to the North and South Poles. I’ve used mine to drag a deer on small rocks and gravel. These days they’re called ERA Expedition Pro Sleds. The front can be used for attaching a variety of pulling aids, from ropes to poles with belt or chest harnesses.

ERA Expedition Pro Sled

Pair this with some lightweight mountaineering pulleys (I use Petzl) and a suitably long and comfortable pulling rope, and you can drag the rig over the back end of virtually any vehicle. Deer and blood stay in the sled while en route to your destination:

 

[180ls1]

It is still a bit of work for an old man. I have seen folks suggesting doing a gutless quarter. I have never done that before.

With a little practice you can have the 4 quarters off in 10mins. Possibly less.

Then you just have the head/neck/torso - to deal with.

 

[USAF Ret]

With a little practice you can have the 4 quarters off in 10mins. Possibly less.

Then you just have the head/neck/torso - to deal with.

I have been watching videos on gutless quartering. I will try that.

Have not been out hunting in a bit. Had to get my doe processed and been with my wife who has been sick. The property manager went out this morning and popped a nice 8 point about where I shot my doe last week.

 

[bigunit]

You could put the game hoist on the back of the atv. You could even transfer it to the truck that way and utilize it to get the deer in the truck. Just use hooks instead of a gambler and ratchet strap the deer so its not a pendulum.

 

[mattflipper]

I’m on the same boat as you. I went from dragging deer and loading them in the truck solo to not being able to drag or load even the smallest of deer. Most of our property is accessible with a side by side so I had to buy one and I put a winch on a rack on the back. I can lift anything we shoot with it and get it in the bed.

 

[Pilsner]

I'm in a similar situation myself and we host disabled hunters on our farm every year. We grabbed a dump-bed style ATV cart that puts its tailgate low enough when in the "dump position" to not need to lift the deer up into it. A simple hand winch taken off of an old jon boat trailer works great for dragging the deer/bear/hog into the trailer. We modified the winch so that we can use a cordless drill to spin the winch spool. Works a'charm. The ATV cart is made by Vevor. We have an electric hoist on our butcher station to lift deer up for gutting and skinning.