To drag or to carry? That is the question!

[Heym SR20]

So, the advice seems to be that in the UK, dragging (on foot, with a winch, or towing with a car/quad) is just the way it's done.

I find that interesting considering the popularity of "packing out" deer, particularly in the US. I get the fact that our terrain lends itself better to dragging but I am surprised that so few SD members carry their deer nonetheless.

I thought that something like this might be more common but alas it looks like I'll just have to invest in some blue barrels...... And a Jimny; thanks @SussexSteve

Yup you are correct. In the UK introducing something new is always treated with a great deal of scepticism and intrigue - whether its in the sporting field or in other walks of life.

 

[Andy seatrout]

I was stuck on how to extract sika stags from forestry…. 700m to 1km from the road and at least 80m in height ( up to the road not down to it).

Save your back and as we found far, far easier than dragging - even in a Napier drag sack it’s hard work.

I imported this from the USA, four wheels which pivot and traverse logs/ ruts etc….cost me about £300 all in I think….. but I’m not sure if Bushwear are doing them….

 

[John Gryphon]

Those split blue barrels be good for sledding a 1/4 lol. I do mean it too.
This young hind be a bit big for the shoulder carry.

 

[alberta boy]

@alberta boy May have seen or remember the Canucks using what looks like a painters plank with one motorised wheel in use in the back country,if you do mate can you enlighten us?

I've seen this set up a few times over the years , but it isn't common . We use calf / game sleds for the most part , pulled behind a quad . Some use Argos or Bombardier track vehicles in flatter country . Game like Moose or Elk usually require a few trips , especially in mountainous terrain . You won't carry any of our game whole , they're too big , but I have packed out a few animals . I've only done it when I absolutely had to , there are a lot of places here without roads and heavy old growth forests . If you hunt in these areas , or in high alpine areas , it's the only way to get them out . We also have a lot of areas where motor vehicles of any sort are banned , like our Wilderness reserves . Even the use of horses and mules is restricted . As Pard 007 pointed out , shooting them is easy , getting them out isn't . I've passed up a number of animals over the years because I knew how much work it would have taken to get them out .

AB

 

[Tikka 270]

Choose where you shoot them then just get on with dragging them(or get a sika sack, get 3 roe or a sika stag in it) drag or carry red hinds and stags up to a good size the way you regularly see in nz (front legs cut and threaded through hocks to make a back pack) or best of all - quad bike and slee sled

 

[John Gryphon]

I've passed up a number of animals over the years because I knew how much work it would have taken to get them out .

Isnt that the truth!
I remember a one k + carry out of one back leg of this stag off at the hip joint. I was strong as in those days (circa `85 ?)
Half of the stags back leg isnt in the pic,he was a big lump. Mate on right Brian is remembered (Dec)

 

[Cranhill]

I was stuck on how to extract sika stags from forestry…. 700m to 1km from the road and at least 80m in height ( up to the road not down to it).

Save your back and as we found far, far easier than dragging - even in a Napier drag sack it’s hard work.

I imported this from the USA, four wheels which pivot and traverse logs/ ruts etc….cost me about £300 all in I think….. but I’m not sure if Bushwear are doing them….

Hello
Does it fold down?

 

[Ratel]

I was stuck on how to extract sika stags from forestry…. 700m to 1km from the road and at least 80m in height ( up to the road not down to it).

Save your back and as we found far, far easier than dragging - even in a Napier drag sack it’s hard work.

I imported this from the USA, four wheels which pivot and traverse logs/ ruts etc….cost me about £300 all in I think….. but I’m not sure if Bushwear are doing them….

You are lucky, the Sika we had ran mainly into dense Sitka spruce. This began at ground zero or 6" up if we were lucky. Belly crawl and still catching your back, uphill was murder, pulling from tree to tree, you would never have got that contraption in there.

 

[John Gryphon]

I am searching for the single wheel mule and found this bare bones beast.
Quite a few were used by military. The 4ws be good in tight spots.

 

[Bowland blades]

Dont shoot something you will struggle to recover ! There is always the chance you will do yourself serious injury or suffer a hart attack , even if you think your fit

 

[Andy seatrout]

Hello
Does it fold down?

Yes it does, the ‘tailgate’ section folds in and the handle section folds down onto it….. not super compact but a bit like a flymo used to do ( sort of, showing my age!)

I’ll take a photo of it folded later on

 

[Cranhill]

Yes it does, the ‘tailgate’ section folds in and the handle section folds down onto it….. not super compact but a bit like a flymo used to do ( sort of, showing my age!)

I’ll take a photo of it folded later on

Thanks, I’m was looking at that model just before Christmas.

 

[Andy seatrout]

Hello
Does it fold down?

Hopefully the below will show you, it’s tipping down with rain here so it was a couple of quick pics….. you can easily get a sika stag (8 pointer) on it, probably two fallow does, three at a pinch. I’ve had six 20kg bags of wheat on it, so it’s strong enough, I think with four tyres as long as it’s not a bog you’re traversing then wheels have less resistance than a sled….. and I’ve dragged a few…. I drilled some additional holes in the handle and the tailgate to insert D pins to lock them up better than the friction locks provided - you’ll need some cam straps to keep larger deer from shifting around if you’re going uphill or over rough ground …

 

[Cranhill]

Hopefully the below will show you, it’s tipping down with rain here so it was a couple of quick pics….. you can easily get a sika stag (8 pointer) on it, probably two fallow does, three at a pinch. I’ve had six 20kg bags of wheat on it, so it’s strong enough, I think with four tyres as long as it’s not a bog you’re traversing then wheels have less resistance than a sled….. and I’ve dragged a few…. I drilled some additional holes in the handle and the tailgate to insert D pins to lock them up better than the friction locks provided - you’ll need some cam straps to keep larger deer from shifting around if you’re going uphill or over rough ground …

Many Thanks

 

[alberta boy]

I am searching for the single wheel mule and found this bare bones beast.
Quite a few were used by military. The 4ws be good in tight spots.

View attachment 287768

I've seen these before , who made them ? It has trans axle steering , that could come in handy ....... or be a bitch to work on lol .

AB

 

[John Gryphon]

I've seen these before , who made them ? It has trans axle steering , that could come in handy ....... or be a bitch to work on lol .

AB

I think they are Canadian. I had a quick look M274 ½-ton 4×4 utility platform truck - Wikipedia


Great platform for the dog to sit in too lol.

M274 ½-ton 4×4 utility platform truck - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[alberta boy]

I think they are Canadian. I had a quick look M274 ½-ton 4×4 utility platform truck - Wikipedia


Great platform for the dog to sit in too lol.

M274 ½-ton 4×4 utility platform truck - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You're right , they were used by Canadian Forces , but were a US design . I remember these from the 1970's ( vaguely ) but haven't seen one since . I wonder what happened to them all . Thanks for refreshing my memory .

AB

 

[cyberstag]

I am a lazy sod, I prefer to get them out like this.

 

[VSS]

I am a lazy sod, I prefer to get them out like this.


View attachment 288207View attachment 288208

The muscling on those hindquarters is tremendous! A credit to your breeding

 

[cyberstag]

The muscling on those hindquarters is tremendous! A credit to your breeding

Thank you, feeding and breeding, stable social groups and no hunting.