Author Topic: Game Cart (Read 722 times)

snicker · « **on:** September 17, 2004, 05:57:44 AM »

In Cabela's catalog there are two collapsible game carts I am considering. The lighter one weighs only 20 lbs and is backpackable. The other is a little bigger and weighs 36 lbs but has bigger wheels. Does anyone have any experience with either of these carts and if so how well do they work. I have a hard time dragging a deer out due to arthritis and am considering one of these carts. I appreciate any information. Thanks.

BnSC · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2004, 06:34:16 AM »

I use a game cart, but mine is homemade. It resembles the ones in Cabela's, but is not collapsible..

We made ours out of electrical conduit and old "hi wheel" lawn mower tires. We've got about 20 bucks in it...

I LOVE it. I have a little engineering background so I took some time to plan it out. you can balance 100# w/ 1 finger on each handle if the weight is distributed across the axle. It does still take some effort to haul deer around, but it is WAY easier than dragging. I think you'll find most of the effort in your legs and upper arms. Again it is way easier than dragging.

I like the idea of a collapsible. W/ the time involved in making the brackets and fixtures for the collaspsible, I may end buying one as well for areas that would require a long walk back to get the cart....

HuntenNut · « **Reply #2 on:** September 19, 2004, 04:34:17 PM »

If I'm that far out, I process the deer on site and remove only the hide, meat and head in a good backpack. Work that has to be done anyay, and why carry out all those bones just to have to get rid of them anyway? This is usually about 70=80lbs if you bring out the hide+head on a good sized deer. Just meat is usually around 50-60lb.

Once you've done it a few times, de-boning a deer is a breeze, can be done in about an hour or so. If you've never done it, consult a guide book or website, but its not that hard.

BnSC · « **Reply #3 on:** September 20, 2004, 05:14:16 AM »

W/ the length of our season, I don't want to leave stinky stuff lying around. Especially when I am hunting on a food plot or other types of bait. That I wish to hunt some more. A dead carcass lying in the woods can ruin a stand for the rest of the season.

Our deer down here just don't like it.. I like to remove all possible traces of the deer....

snicker · « **Reply #4 on:** September 20, 2004, 06:46:50 AM »

Thanks BnSC. I'm not much on making stuff and really don't have the room to do it or the tools. Was just wondering about the two carts I had mentioned because they do collapse and I could store them with the room I have. Also I'm with you about leaving dead stuff lying around. Okay if you want to shoot some coyotes I suppose but where I hunt I intend to hunt bow, muzzleloader and gun and really don't want to leave that lying around.

BnSC · « **Reply #5 on:** September 20, 2004, 07:30:55 AM »

I understand... IMHO I would go for the one w/ the higher wheels. It makes it easier to pull over logs and over debris.

The biggest drawback to them for me was the pull bar. You have to pull w/ your hands basically behind you. I made mine so that it has handles instead of a bar. This lets you stand and pull w/ your hands by your side. To me this change would put less strain on your shoulders and back.

However, mine is 24" wide too!! The narrower models like the one you are considering would be a tight squeeze.

HuntenNut · « **Reply #6 on:** September 20, 2004, 09:22:27 AM »

So you remove the whole dear without even field dressing on sight? Most people around here gut the deer and then haul it out. I tend to go in a little deeper, at least a couple miles, so I don't like hauling out any extras.

Up here in MI, its not uncomon for other deer to eat the contents of the stomac right out of the gut pile within 24hrs of field dressing.

Also, the coyotes and coons usually have the carcass worked over pretty quick. Not much left to stink. And as carcasses are a natural thing to the deer anyway, I'm not sure that I've seen a negative affect anyway.

But the hills, ridges and draws where I hunt would destroy most any cart setup before you were halfway out anyway. And then theres the swamps and bogs which would give you a really tough time.

rickyp · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2004, 11:17:29 AM »

HuntenNut, I fully understand why you field dress the deer before moving it.

I like to field dress the deer closer to my truck. most of the time it is only with in a few yards of it. The reason is this: The further you carry a deer exposed to the elements the more chance it has to get dirt and debris inside the chest cavity. We normally have at least 1 4 wheeler close at hand to do the dragging and if not I hunt close to fields that I could drive to with in a few hundred yards of the place of kill.

Now My hunting lease is almost up we may not get the same farm this year so it will be back to hunting on public lands meaning I will not have the use of the 4 wheeler of be able to drive almost to the deer. I have always thought about a cart for this reason. the only bad thing is you have to worry about someone taking it when you are not using it or if you leave it back at the truck someone may come along and take the deer when you go to get it

I did like the idea of cutting the handle to make it more like a rickshaw

tscott · « **Reply #8 on:** September 22, 2004, 01:53:46 PM »

I just filet the deer in the woods... String it up with parachute cord.
Most states with remote areas allow this. I call in my take and get a record # on my cell phone... I don't waste a thing, and was surprised that when I first did this, I gould get the whole adult deer in an average back pack. At 58 I don't need any more knee surgery or lower back deals.
Doesn't anyone else do this... Also allows you to hunt back to the car,
although I have not shot another deer heading back.
I can't believe I am the only one who does this...

tscott · « **Reply #9 on:** September 22, 2004, 02:03:07 PM »

just went back... missed huntenut's post.........
You are absolutely correct.... All adult deer I have packed out weighed
40 - 60 lbs of meat... I cut the antlers, and skull plate and attach to the back of the pack. Believe me.... So much easier up on mid back, than
bent over dragging, or wuth a rickshaw in rough terrain that I hunt....

HuntenNut · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2004, 05:33:02 PM »

Tscott,

I usually carry a pack with several big black hefty bags, about 25' of rope and a small poly tarp.

I cut 2 sapplings about 12' or so, and lash together near the end. Tie off your deer to the lashing by the antlers or neck if its a doe. Take the rope and tie off to the same point and pull it so it lifts the deer and tie the other end to a tree. You can also use one of those pulley jobs if you don't want to lift the full weight of the deer.

This gets the deer off the ground in easy position to be gutted, skinned and quartered. The guts come out nice and easy once you unzip em.

I lay the quarters on the poly tarp and debone them one at a time.

The meat all gets loaded into the hefty bags and along with the hide. All goes into the pack. I bring out the whole head either way to do a euro mount which I also do myself.

I hunt pretty deep into pretty rugged, hilly areas of public land to escape the crowds and go to where the deer get driven. This has worked out to be much easier than draging the whole deer out. I don't think those carts would even work at all as the hills are way too steep and bogs at the bottom that would suck them into the mud. When I did drag em, I used a sled and a chest harness and "muled" em out that way. They'd float right through the bogs and slide right down the hills. Gettin up the other side was hell though.

tscott · « **Reply #11 on:** September 24, 2004, 01:41:54 AM »

Yes, you got it down. I gut first, then run a stick through each femoral tendon, separating the legs about 18". I then nail one of those hinged c clamps about 8 feet up a trunk or large limb... Thats my pulley.
after hoisting the deer up I skin pulling down hind to head. I use those mylar human waste bags found at hosp / gym (I run a gym).
At 58 (or any age) the key is to stay in shape year rounnd, both strength
and cardio!!
I get a kick on an opening day, on public land, returning to the parking
lot, from 1-2 miles in... no hunters sighted...Deer in backpack.
It's 10am, most hunters are in their trucks, cigarettes and coffee break.
I always get asked: "see anything". When I reply "I got my buck", I get looks like I'm full of crap!
Oh, I make damn sure I take the heart and liver!

rickyp · « **Reply #12 on:** September 24, 2004, 06:53:59 AM »

HuntenNut,
be careful with the big black hefty bags. alot of them have been treated with chemicals to kill bacteria and keep down the orders.

The chemicals can tant the meat and cause some people to get sick.

you need to look for food grade bags

HuntenNut · « **Reply #13 on:** September 24, 2004, 11:58:56 AM »

Rickyp,

I was unaware of the chemicals. I have been doin it that way for a few years. The meat is usually only in them for hauling out after which it immediately goes on ice in a cooler for aging.

I might put in a call to Hefty to check that out. Seems like they should put a warning on the lable or someghing.