Hoist/Winch or carcass carrying alternatives.

[5pointer]

Hi all,

I’m looking for some help regarding the above.

I shot two fairly large Fallow bucks the other day, (53kg and 75kg gralloched, head and feet removed), and despite having shot a few large beasts before, for the first time I found myself having a bit of grief getting them into the back of the truck. I eventually managed it after much time had passed and much sweat had been lost and I found myself thinking that there must be a better option.

My truck doesn’t have a towing hitch fitted at present so I don’t think one of the suspended gralloching type systems would work but I have heard of people using an electric winch system from within the truck to aid in lifting them into the back. Does anyone have any experience of these and, if so, I’d really appreciate any advice and recommendations on the equipment used and how best to fit it etc.

Thanks in advance,

5pointer.

 

[Monkey Spanker]

I carry a portable Superwinch 'Winch in a Bag', which is exactly as its name suggests. It can be attached to pretty much anything and runs off a standard 12v supply. I've used it for vehicle recovery, carcass extraction, hoisting very large deer for suspended gralloch, up-righting toppled machinery and dragging deer into the back of the vehicle. I think it pulls something like 2500 lbs direct which can be increased using a pulley block.
Great bit of kit!
This one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Superwinch-1125149-quantity-Portable-Installation/dp/B005GWSUTU
MS

 

[5pointer]

That could be just the job, thanks very much for the suggestion!

5pointer.

 

[Freeforester]

Or you could lay a couple decent length and stout battens or poles inside the tailgate in a slightly open 'V' shape, take your beasts one at a time, lay them on the bottom end of the V, grab the 'handles' or ends of your poles/battens and lever and lift them and roll the carcasses in, might save you a few quid?

the beasts you describe are more cumbersome and awkward to lift alone, rather than outright too heavy, but a lever helps enormously in such situations. If you wanted to you could fashion some lattice or rungs between the gap using webbing and screws, so they ant fslll through the gap. Guessing your truck back lip is at that awkward height, much like many of the newer quads.

You may wish to consider this option, as very inexpensive, and thus worth a try before splashing out on things that can go wrong, and usually choose to do so at moment of maximum inconvenience!

A couple additional ideas here, varying forms of handling, and differing levels of simplicity:

How to load a deer by yourself onto a four wheeler. Game Handlers loading a doe onto a 4 wheeler - YouTube

and/or


New 2014 Viking Solutions L-E-Vator - YouTube

 

[devon deer stalker]

I almost bought the winch as used by MS, awesome bits of kit, but not for my situation.
I understand the ball ache trying to lift a deer up and over a tail gate as in my Hilux, but I got a friend to make me a ramp which solves the problem.
For me, when I have saved the money, I will be purchasing a Capstan winch, they are very expensive (around £1.1k) compared to the winch in a bag, but for me they are the perfect solution, I have not shot so many red deer in the past knowing I couldn't get them out, that won't be the case when I get the capstan.
But if you can get a vehicle near your extraction area then MS recommendation will work for you.
Cheers
Richard

 

[Chasey]

I use a drag slead with an elasticated over behind the quad and use the drag sled to lift my deer into the back of the truck

I could use a open sided block inside the cab and put the two rope through that and use the quad to drag the deer up into the back but I haven't felt the need with the size animals I have round here to shoot.

 

[deerstalker.308]

https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co...side-pick-up?p=1400393&viewfull=1#post1400393

 

[westrawdanny]

View attachment 99539View attachment 99540View attachment 99541View attachment 99542View attachment 99543View attachment 99545This is the remote winch setup in my hilux

 

[5pointer]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

That’s given me a few ideas and considerations to work with moving forward. Some of the ground I stalk is particularly steep and I too have left deer in the knowledge that getting them out is likely to be a serious pain in the backside so that’s an interesting point for me to think about. It’s good to have a few options for different scenarios though so I can see a few of the techniques suggested coming into play at one one or another.

Thanks again,

5pointer.