Suspended gralloch.

[willie_gunn]

This is what I use.

A metal cable that can be hung over a branch, a Thule ratchet strap, and a folding gambrel. All folds down to little more than a handful, and has been used for muntjac, roe and fallow.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Do people really take all this rigging stalking with them??

For a simple field gralloch all you need are two 'S' hooks - one for each leg, & a long enough piece of rope. The rope can either go in a suitable rear pocket or be worn as a 'scarf' under your jacket.

The method I use is to tie a small loop in one end of the rope but with about an 8" tail on it to use later. Pass the rope around any suitable tree trunk at about chest height (or higher if you prefer but make sure you have a long enough tail to use later) and put the end though the loop then pull tight and let gravity work for you (same principle as the OP's dog lead).

Put one S hook in each leg from the inside so that at the top the hooks overlap each other so that you can hang both of them on the rope. Now take the end of the rope in both hands and take up the slack so you have the back end of the animal in the air but the ground is still taking weight. When you have raised the animal as far as you can by simply using your arm muscles take a lower grip on the rope, bend at the knees so that you hands are back at chest height & your elbows are by your sides then stand up keeping a straight back. This will lift your animal up enough for you to then tie off the end of the rope with the 8" tail you left on your loop using a simple clove hitch which can be done one handed with practice.

Once you have reduced the weight of the carcass by performing the main gralloch you can remove one of the S hooks to let the leg hang out to the side & turn the carcass around to get at the rear passage without the tree getting in the way.

I have used this for everything from Muntjac to Fallow bucks for many years & have never had any problems. The system will work on trees of any size from ash wands of 3"-4" diameter up to much larger Beech & Oak trees, provided you have a long enough piece of rope. It may sound crude, and granted it doesn't provide the huge mechanical advantage that proper pulley blocks provide, but it's effective & you only need to get the animal in the air enough to use gravity to help with the gralloch.

Just my two penn'th.

 

[willie_gunn]

Each to their own, but I wouldn't particuarly think of a handful of kit as excessive.

The rope is the same regardless, but with a ratchet it means you don't have to tie it off like you do a rope. A folding gambrel is little more than two S hooks. It then all fits in the hydration pack I use as a stalking bag - which also carries the nitrile gloves, blood kit (I am currently taking part in the serosurveillance study) and Poppins roe sack. Easy to grab and easy to carry.

 

[Firefly]

if you need a bit of extra height use your stalking sticks ( or a stick ) to get that dog lead higher or use a branch.

Ff

 

[Roestalker39]

Gralloch on the deck it’s quicker

 

[RM100]

if you need a bit of extra height use your stalking sticks ( or a stick ) to get that dog lead higher or use a branch.

Ff

Good point, thanks.

 

[willie_gunn]

Gralloch on the deck it’s quicker

It is - and I probably do half my deer that way.

However I also like to do a suspended gralloch if there’s a suitable tree handy.

 

[Roestalker39]

It is - and I probably do half my deer that way.

However I also like to do a suspended gralloch if there’s a suitable tree handy.

If I’m carrying on my stalk I’ll generally hang the beast up with an s hook after the gralloch ( easier to lift then ) hope you’re well Dom

 

[ferretmanabu]

I've tried the silver line pulley and found it got tangled up too easily with the length of rope required plus it took a few minutes untangling the actual pulleys and getting them the right way up.
I like the napier auto lift but too pricey so looked at alternatives and found this self retractable ratchet:

Search results for: 'ratchet straps ratchet straps below 3000kg 1500kg auto retractable ratchet tie down'

www.theratchetshop.com

I also bought a webbing sling from the same place:

1000kg Webbing Sling (30mm wide)

Meets the performance requirements of BSEN 1492-1:2000. 1000kgs SWL, with a minimum breaking load 7 times the W.L.L. Manufactured from 100% high tenacity polyester material. Resistant to oil, grease and most acids. Colour coded as per latest EN standard. Soft sewn eyes. Marked with size...

www.theratchetshop.com

Haven't used it yet on deer but overall looks like a more compact system than using the pulleys.

 

[8x57]

I have bought something similar to the retractable ratchet strap that Ferretmanabu uses. So far only used it once for a medium sized fallow buck and it worked a treat. Hoping to have the opportunity to test it again tomorrow morning. As regards slings I had a couple of old climbing slings hanging about that I use but the cost of new ones from Decathlon are peanuts.

 

[Tim.243]

I've tried the silver line pulley and found it got tangled up too easily with the length of rope required plus it took a few minutes untangling the actual pulleys and getting them the right way up.
I like the napier auto lift but too pricey so looked at alternatives and found this self retractable ratchet:

Search results for: 'ratchet straps ratchet straps below 3000kg 1500kg auto retractable ratchet tie down'

www.theratchetshop.com

I also bought a webbing sling from the same place:

1000kg Webbing Sling (30mm wide)

Meets the performance requirements of BSEN 1492-1:2000. 1000kgs SWL, with a minimum breaking load 7 times the W.L.L. Manufactured from 100% high tenacity polyester material. Resistant to oil, grease and most acids. Colour coded as per latest EN standard. Soft sewn eyes. Marked with size...

www.theratchetshop.com

Haven't used it yet on deer but overall looks like a more compact system than using the pulleys.

My pulley lift is the rope type, however I clipped it to the truck set the rope in the right direction coiled it up and put it in a bag...saves a mess for next time.

 

[Freeforester]

Main gralloching kit, the rest is carried under my bonnet.

 

[Roebuck9]

Gralloch on the deck it’s quicker

It might well be quicker but at my age my back suffers too much so a suspended gralloch is easier

 

[Freeforester]

It might well be quicker but at my age my back suffers too much so a suspended gralloch is easier

Best you'd not be burdening yourself with too much gear to carry the rest of the time when out, then? Or perhaps change posture when you're gralloching, they tell me 'taking the knee' is popular these days in some circles?

Not to be funny, but if you're doing this for carcass hygiene purposes, then I don't think either the op illustrates this too well, nor K's #20 posed pic (- potential for piddling/dribbling pizzle into inner carcass, oh, and fab consequential 'scope rezeroing opportunity', possibly notwithstanding for much longer if one takes a step back to admire the work); I'm not knocking the concept, for sure the intent is laudable, but from what I've seen it seems to need a bit more work to be convincing of its merits for the added time needed (some are culling several per day at times) and the gear to be carried (and cleaned thereafter) to my mind. Happy to watch any demo vid or photo sequence suggested to better acquaint myself with the best practice form, though.

 

[Roestalker39]

View attachment 175914
Main gralloching kit, the rest is carried under my bonnet.

Puma very posh you can tell where the money is It’s opinel or mora for me

 

[Freeforester]

Any guess as to how auld it is?? As lang as I aye have it, it's nae costing mair every year, and it's nae wearing away quick either. Hankie dried out lang ago, sniff

 

[llwynog]

For lowland stalking you can't beat a JCB in your gear sack

 

[User00025]

Any guess as to how auld it is?? As lang as I aye have it, it's nae costing mair every year, and it's nae wearing away quick either. Hankie dried out lang ago, sniff

Always a toss up, which do I use for the gralloch.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Do people really take all this rigging stalking with them??

Boys toys for the stalkers playroom or vehicle as distinct from carting around the woods in a fanny pack.

For that I have a setup that fits in the palm of hand and relies upon cutting a hazel wand for the leg spreader once the beast is down. I will put a picture up when next I nail a good sized fallow as that is the real test for my dingy double blocks, shackles & paracord:




Its also dishwasher proof.

Cheers

K

 

[Freeforester]

They've come up ultrabright, they don't look too 'dingy' to me, what dishwasher tablet are you using??

Must check the brightness and contrast setting on my screen!