Getting red deer in back of truck

[tonyhall200]

For those of us that dont have a winch in the back of our trucks, how do you get a stag, or even a hind for that matter, up into the truck bed on your own?
Do you use ramps, planks of wood etc?
Pictures would be great.
Either the deer are getting heavier or im getting weaker!

Look at the Napier Apex Autolift. Its inexpensive and effective. Let us know if you tyr it.

 

[NickJ]

I use a home-made hoist that fits right up against the lowered tailgate of my pick-up. It`s the easiest way to gralloch especially in rough or muddy ground. After gralloching I just swing it in the back - it`s already nearly there. My hoist is height adjustable so will still work for larger deer although I have to turn the hoist head around to overhang the cargo bay if the deer is particularly heavy.
Incidentally, I also made the rotating shooting seat in the back of the truck. It has adjustable gas rams on the shooting rest to allow for different weight rifles so that adjusting for elevation and pan is almost weightless and really easy. Everything locks up at the push of a couple of levers for a really steady shooting platform- great for foxing and deer. Rifle barrel is 8 feet above ground. The same seat goes on a 10 foot high tripod for a full-on high seat with about a 14 -15 foot barrel height. I can rig all this on my own. Everything packs in the back of the truck with space for deer as well. Works for me.

I need a friend like you!

 

[JH83]

Has anyone ever made/had made a winch frame setup in the back of their pickup they’d be happy to put pictures up of? My hope is to get one fabricated and put on drop pins with an electric winch, so it can be transferred when I change vehicles.

 

[Pkiernan]

Has anyone ever made/had made a winch frame setup in the back of their pickup they’d be happy to put pictures up of? My hope is to get one fabricated and put on drop pins with an electric winch, so it can be transferred when I change vehicles.

How would you power this winch?
I've read that wiring the winch to a stand alone battery, not connected to the vehicle charging system, will quickly flatten the battery.

I'm asking as I want to do the same as you.

 

[8x57]

I wondered if anyone has ever fitted one of these lifts to their vehicle. Autochair disabled car adaptations, lifts & hoists

It could possibly be used for a suspended gralloch (with same adaption) and also lift the beast into the vehicle. Perhaps something similar only hand pumped would be cheaper and easier to install.

 

[Mike_E]

How would you power this winch?
I've read that wiring the winch to a stand alone battery, not connected to the vehicle charging system, will quickly flatten the battery.

I'm asking as I want to do the same as you.

the size of winch will just be a small ATV style winch, not a 10,000lb 4x4 recovery winch, and in terms of the load on the winch a deer will provide it will be very low, hence current draw will be quite low. Pulling a deer up into a ute/pickup should be able to be done many times off a decent sized leisure battery (ie a deep cycle battery) before it needs to be recharged.

That said I would just run a cable around (with a suitable fuse!) to the main vehicle battery.

 

[JH83]

How would you power this winch?
I've read that wiring the winch to a stand alone battery, not connected to the vehicle charging system, will quickly flatten the battery.

I'm asking as I want to do the same as you.

I thought wire to the battery of the hilux as its dual battery but I’m prepared to be conviced otherwise. Saw a FC setup the other day and it was serious!

 

[Pkiernan]

I thought wire to the battery of the hilux as its dual battery but I’m prepared to be conviced otherwise. Saw a FC setup the other day and it was serious!

I was thinking using a battery in the truck bed, not the vehicle battery.

 

[Firefly]

any one used the stainless steel tilting cradle from Donnington deer management? looks a good idea as i dont have a tow bar

Yes, I bought one last year. I really like it, winches with ease, great on the back for unzipping etc as you’re not on your knees. But downsides are IMHO. It must be used on pretty flat ground or you’ll brain yourself when it topples over. If you’re doing a suspended the base gets covered in blood, not the end of the world but it’s going back in the truck. Overall a nicely designed bit of kit that I enjoy using and it makes life a lot easier if your ‘Cillas’ playing up.

 

[T.eddie]

Yes, I bought one last year. I really like it, winches with ease, great on the back for unzipping etc as you’re not on your knees. But downsides are IMHO. It must be used on pretty flat ground or you’ll brain yourself when it topples over. If you’re doing a suspended the base gets covered in blood, not the end of the world but it’s going back in the truck. Overall a nicely designed bit of kit that I enjoy using and it makes life a lot easier if your ‘Cillas’ playing up.

thanks mate, oh yeah the flat ground would be key that didnt cross my mind! do you think it would be possible to use some heavy duty tent peg type things over the base to hold it in less desirable ground?

 

[Selous]

Has anyone ever made/had made a winch frame setup in the back of their pickup they’d be happy to put pictures up of? My hope is to get one fabricated and put on drop pins with an electric winch, so it can be transferred when I change vehicles.

Andy had one in the back of his white L200. I don’t know if he has pictures but even if he doesn’t I know where it lives

 

[Firefly]

thanks mate, oh yeah the flat ground would be key that didnt cross my mind! do you think it would be possible to use some heavy duty tent peg type things over the base to hold it in less desirable ground?

I have considered that, and also parking a wheel on the base or even a shortish plank and then the car on the plank, but haven’t tried it yet. It’s possible to use on a slight slope but you need your wits about you when the deer is hanging.

 

[Foxyboy43]

The way I get my deer/boar into an unmodified pickup type boot when on my own is as follows:
Drag the deer ass end closest to the back of the truck. Pick up the front half and head of the animal and lift it so it rests against the back of the vehicle and 'stands up' on its rear end. If you can secure the head /shoulders with a rope from inside the vehicle do so. Now push the head, neck and front legs into the vehicle boot and once you've done that grab the back legs and lift them while pushing the animal into the vehicle with your body to stop it falling out. As more of the animal is pushed into the vehicle you can eventually get your legs/arms underneath the haunches and lift/push the animal into the boot. No pictures as this is a last resort technique when out on your own and you will be covered in mud/blood. Ive managed to get deer and boar upto 60kg unassisted into a pickup style boot. But it is difficult and HARD work.

Hmmm. Could be a tad tricky to explain to a local plod if he happened to come by at just the wrong moment.

 

[TASR12]

Andy had one in the back of his white L200. I don’t know if he has pictures but even if he doesn’t I know where it lives

I finally got around to fitting this before Christmas in the back of the Hilux having wanted to do it or years. Galvanised box is bolted to uni strut which runs down the sides of the tub fixed to the original eye points. Single bike ramp and it pulls straight up and in, 140kgs is the most I’ve tested so far. Wireless remote and solenoid from eBay, the wiring just needs a cover.

 

[Olaf]

How would you power this winch?
I've read that wiring the winch to a stand alone battery, not connected to the vehicle charging system, will quickly flatten the battery.

I'm asking as I want to do the same as you.

Ive got a steel frame / roll cage I made up that sits snugly under the hardtop. The winch is bolted onto this up at the top of the back of the cab. To prevent the battery running down , I have it wired up to the vehicle battery , and it’s fitted with a voltage sensitive relay switch so it gets charged when the main battery is full . It will shut the winch off the Moment it runs out of power so it doesn’t run down the vehicle battery. I’ve never run the battery out despite winching for long periods of time.
just find yourself a Self employed vehicle electrician, they will wire that all up in a few hrs and it will be done properly and safely. You need some very heavy electrical cable so as not to set fire to your truck !
kindest regards, Olaf

 

[willowbank]

Regarding point 3. Can’t you just span a length of bailing twine across the cab and attach either end of it to a door ? If you pull it up nice and tight the weight of you sitting on it will stop the doors popping open while you’re driving along. Also, by simple adjustments to the length of said bailing twine, you can simultaneously add adjustment to your seating height
If only Land Rover had consulted with me eh !
Kindest regards, Olaf

That brings back memories of driving through Morocco as a young man in a Defender, we all slept in it with ratchet straps across the cab from door to door, the locals came out after dark ‘foraging’.....

Willowbank.

 

[BigPat]

Any chance you could take a photo of the winch setup.?

Apologies Pkiernan, I totally forgot to take some photos....but here you go.

This setup is wired via a breaker to the truck battery, so whenever I am hauling beasts I have the engine ticking over so the battery doesn’t get drained. I have hauled dozens and dozens of large deer with this setup and it’s never let me down, I just check the rail fittings every now and then to make sure they don’t loosen but so far that’s not been a problem.

 

[Mike_E]

Apologies Pkiernan, I totally forgot to take some photos....but here you go.

This setup is wired via a breaker to the truck battery, so whenever I am hauling beasts I have the engine ticking over so the battery doesn’t get drained. I have hauled dozens and dozens of large deer with this setup and it’s never let me down, I just check the rail fittings every now and then to make sure they don’t loosen but so far that’s not been a problem.

Very solid setup

 

[smokey]

For those of us that dont have a winch in the back of our trucks, how do you get a stag, or even a hind for that matter, up into the truck bed on your own?
Do you use ramps, planks of wood etc?
Pictures would be great.
Either the deer are getting heavier or im getting weakerSmall

 

[smokey]

For those of us that dont have a winch in the back of our trucks, how do you get a stag, or even a hind for that matter, up into the truck bed on your own?
Do you use ramps, planks of wood etc?
Pictures would be great.
Either the deer are getting heavier or im getting weaker!

small section of aluminium ladder and a come along or small pulleys cheap as chips and does not haver to stay in the the truck