Simple pocket sized carry strap for roe

[Woodsy]

Most of the time where I stalk I can get a vehicle in to collect a deer so I’ve never wanted to lug about a roe sack. But there are occasions I need to carry a deer out of an inaccessible place. After gralloching I used to tie up the legs and carry the deer like a shoulder bag. That works fine, although the foreleg bones do start to bite in to your shoulders after a while. Not too bad with lots of winter layers to act as padding but more noticeable in the summer.

I’ve started carrying this leather strap with paracord loops. There are metal eyelets in each corner of the leather to prevent tear-out. I made this to carry rabbits while lamping but it works perfectly for roe too.

You can put the legs in beyond the knee joint if you want the deer higher up while carrying but you then get blood on your shirt/jacket rather than just on your trousers, (with chest shot deer).

Pros - fits in pocket, no need to carry a roe sack everywhere. It’s cheap. It’s light. It’s much more comfortable on shoulders than the forelegs of a deer tied together. Better than dragging a carcass along the ground.
Cons - more chance of ticks than with a deer in a roe sack, (although I’ve not had an issue with this so far). Clothes will get blooded to some degree. You’re carrying the load on one side or the other, rather than distributed evenly as with a roe sack.

I used it again yesterday and thought it might be of interest.

 

[Tim.243]

Most of the time where I stalk I can get a vehicle in to collect a deer so I’ve never wanted to lug about a roe sack. But there are occasions I need to carry a deer out of an inaccessible place. After gralloching I used to tie up the legs and carry the deer like a shoulder bag. That works fine, although the foreleg bones do start to bite in to your shoulders after a while. Not too bad with lots of winter layers to act as padding but more noticeable in the summer.

I’ve started carrying this leather strap with paracord loops. There are metal eyelets in each corner of the leather to prevent tear-out. I made this to carry rabbits while lamping but it works perfectly for roe too.

You can put the legs in beyond the knee joint if you want the deer higher up while carrying but you then get blood on your shirt/jacket rather than just on your trousers, (with chest shot deer).

Pros - fits in pocket, no need to carry a roe sack everywhere. It’s cheap. It’s light. It’s much more comfortable on shoulders than the forelegs of a deer tied together. Better than dragging a carcass along the ground.
Cons - more chance of ticks than with a deer in a roe sack, (although I’ve not had an issue with this so far). Clothes will get blooded to some degree. You’re carrying the load on one side or the other, rather than distributed evenly as with a roe sack.

I used it again yesterday and thought it might be of interest.

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V neat,

 

[JohnSmith]

Great idea!

As for blood on the clothes, that’s just expected for me . It’s the only reason I wear camo.

 

[Woodsy]

V neat,

Cheers Tim. Be good for muntjac too of course! Simple but works well.

 

[Woodsy]

Great idea!

As for blood on the clothes, that’s just expected for me . It’s the only reason I wear camo.

Ha! Yes, it’s all part and parcel of what we do!

 

[Woodsmoke]

Nice idea. Fine and light For my part though, I like to do as much as possible to keep keds and ticks off me. I know most deer ticks are pretty well-dug in to their host, but I take no chances with them as I hate the bloody things with a vengeance!

 

[Woodsy]

Nice idea. Fine and light For my part though, I like to do as much as possible to keep keds and ticks off me. I know most deer ticks are pretty well-dug in to their host, but I take no chances with them as I hate the bloody things with a vengeance!

Yes, that is one drawback. Some areas seem more heavily infested with ticks and some deer more than others. I’ve never had an issue so far. If I need to carry a deer it’s usually not far and I do so very soon after shooting, as soon as I’ve gralloched so I guess most ticks are still quite happy on the deer at that stage.

I tend to find more ticks on me while skinning/moving cooled carcasses than when moving recently shot deer.

 

[Roebuck9]

May i suggest a black bin linner might solve both issues blood and ticks by sliding the linner over the deer and tied to your straps it will save blood on the clothes and perhaps keep the ticks in as well, just a thought. your carrier is an excellent idea though very light and obviously does the job.

 

[308tikka]

A decathlon ‘blood bag’ is also effective and rolls up to large pocket size or just wear slung when empty and under binos.

 

[Heym SR20]

For not a lot more bulk or weight you can get a blue Ikea bag. These fold up into a pocket but still allow you to carry out a buck and you don’t get covered in blood and ticks.

 

[JohnSmith]

For not a lot more bulk or weight you can get a blue Ikea bag. These fold up into a pocket but still allow you to carry out a buck and you don’t get covered in blood and ticks.

I need a photo of this, please.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Good idea and nice to see you cut short any negative comments around tick transfer by acknowledging the potential.

K

 

[patrickt]

I use a similar strap, but made from car seat belt, strong, durable, washable, I got my local cobbler to stitch a couple of lengths of car seat belt stitched together, (and long enough to put over my shoulders diagonally so you can alternate shoulders whilst dragging over a long distance) with a loop on one end to drag a carcass. Than made two smaller ones like the one above, again with a loop on either end, then a piece of rope nylon to tie the front a rear legs together. I found it spreads the load more evenly, and great in ice or snow!!

Patrick

 

[zimsim]

For not a lot more bulk or weight you can get a blue Ikea bag. These fold up into a pocket but still allow you to carry out a buck and you don’t get covered in blood and ticks.

Its not pretty or what the cool kids use but works a treat

 

[Woodsy]

I use a similar strap, but made from car seat belt, strong, durable, washable, I got my local cobbler to stitch a couple of lengths of car seat belt stitched together, (and long enough to put over my shoulders diagonally so you can alternate shoulders whilst dragging over a long distance) with a loop on one end to drag a carcass. Than made two smaller ones like the one above, again with a loop on either end, then a piece of rope nylon to tie the front a rear legs together. I found it spreads the load more evenly, and great in ice or snow!!

Patrick

Sounds good!

 

[saddler]

I made myself and a couple of mates, some of the "Whitehead" designed leather carry harness's (?)
They seem to work very well.....and obviously Mr Whitehead thought they were just the ticket too!

 

[Woodsy]

I made myself and a couple of mates, some of the "Whitehead" designed leather carry harness's (?)
They seem to work very well.....and obviously Mr Whitehead thought they were just the ticket too!

As pictured in his ‘practical deer stalking’ book? They do look good...

 

[Utectok]

Most of the time where I stalk I can get a vehicle in to collect a deer so I’ve never wanted to lug about a roe sack. But there are occasions I need to carry a deer out of an inaccessible place. After gralloching I used to tie up the legs and carry the deer like a shoulder bag. That works fine, although the foreleg bones do start to bite in to your shoulders after a while. Not too bad with lots of winter layers to act as padding but more noticeable in the summer.

I’ve started carrying this leather strap with paracord loops. There are metal eyelets in each corner of the leather to prevent tear-out. I made this to carry rabbits while lamping but it works perfectly for roe too.

You can put the legs in beyond the knee joint if you want the deer higher up while carrying but you then get blood on your shirt/jacket rather than just on your trousers, (with chest shot deer).

Pros - fits in pocket, no need to carry a roe sack everywhere. It’s cheap. It’s light. It’s much more comfortable on shoulders than the forelegs of a deer tied together. Better than dragging a carcass along the ground.
Cons - more chance of ticks than with a deer in a roe sack, (although I’ve not had an issue with this so far). Clothes will get blooded to some degree. You’re carrying the load on one side or the other, rather than distributed evenly as with a roe sack.

I used it again yesterday and thought it might be of interest.

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I had a thing like that for years… then I got tired of getting blood on my trousers and more importantly older and perhaps wiser? Now I drag my deer with the same shoulder patch but a short length of rope through the ankles of the deer. Much easier on the back and shoulders.

 

[Koenig]

I have a US made shoulder strap thingy (I think the brand is Avid or similar) that the yanks use for carrying those big wild turkeys. Works a treat for Muntjac.

 

[saddler]

As pictured in his ‘practical deer stalking’ book? They do look good...

Yip - that's the one!
I decided to make some, as the original inspiration for his design were the German made examples that he'd seen when stalking there.
Those models were very influenced by German military shoulder straps, which I was already set up to make - so a couple of small changes resulted in the "Whitehead" Roe harness; it was more of less a case of swapping out some of the fittings.