Portable game hoist

[mikefromcanada]

I am wondering if anyone out here has some experience using a portable type tripod game hoist for skinning and what not? I was looking at a truck receiver one, but there have been a few times I haven't been able to get to the animal with the truck (don't have a quad). I wouldn't carry it with me, while hunting so weight isn't a huge issue. I would rather have a heavier/tall one that I can use for elk or moose as well as deer. I typically skin and quarter the animal out in the field. I found a few on eBay. They are typically around 8' tall.

 

[wytx]

Just skin it on the ground, gutless method. Pretty easy and no need to hoist.
Use the hide to keep the meat off the ground.

 

[CNEdeer307]

Just skin it on the ground, gutless method. Pretty easy and no need to hoist.
Use the hide to keep the meat off the ground.

We call it island style, haven't gutted a critter in years. only way to go.

 

[JoeDirt]

I want to see an elk hanging on that thing I would hate to pack anything like that around.

Harbor Freight rope hoist and welding some 2" square tubing at the tuck. Meat pole at camp or gutless in the field quarter out, bagged on the ground or in a tree.

 

[CNEdeer307]

I want to see an elk hanging on that thing I would hate to pack anything like that around.

Harbor Freight rope hoist and welding some 2" square tubing at the tuck. Meat pole at camp or gutless in the field quarter out, bagged on the ground or in a tree.

Funny story. My Grandfather welded up a really nice hitch hoist, it had a easy crank hand winch and was both sturdy and tall enough you could do both deer and elk, still have it. anyway this was like in the late 80s and my father hunted with it for most of the 90s in Montana and South Dakota. one evening they happened to be skinning off two bucks at a hotel in Belle Fourche Montana and were approached by two other hunters. The guys loved the idea and got all sorts of pictures and were asking tons of questions. well long story short the two guys ended up being much more business savvy than my father or grandpa and within a year you could buy a very similar hitch hoist from Cabela's. Not saying my my Grandfather invented the hoist hitch beucse im sure he'd seen something that inspired it but at the very least he missed out on what would have rpoublh been a pretty lucrative patent.

In fact I believe this is the very patent

US5791858A - Vehicle mounted game skinning device - Google Patents

A vehicle mounted game skinning device 10 comprising a vertical support unit 11 having a hitch connection member 30 connected on one end to a vehicle hitch 101 and connected on the other end to a vertical column member 20 which slideably receives a boom arm member 40 and a winch unit 12 mounted...

patents.google.com

 

[mikefromcanada]

So perhaps a bit of a back story on this to explain my question. This year I got a cow elk. I could get the truck about 400 yards to the elk. No big deal, packed out many animals. However this year, I have been having a ton of problems with my left leg. Mostly in the hip but then it affects my knee. Walking is not really an issue. However, being on my knees and bending over is. I cannot stay on my knees for very long anymore (insert "that's what she said"). I get this sciatic nerve pain like you wouldn't believe. Plus my knee starts to ache. I can barely stand up once it starts. Standing up and bending over for a short period of time works of a bit, then my hip just says no more.

So, skinning an animal on the ground is becoming not an option. I do the gutless method. The truck receiver hitch hoist would work but I need to get the truck to the animal. I am going to buy a Hawk Crawler game cart. I was thinking of leaving the cart and tripod at camp or in the truck. If I cannot get the truck to the animal, then I will put the tripod in the cart and haul it. Skin and quarter it up then use the cart and if needed, my backpack to haul it out. I am seeking medical attention for my hip but I am not a young man anymore. It may get better, it may not. All I know is I don't want to go through that again.