A drag-cart for hauling game...

[bearmgc]

I've pictures of horses pulling drag-carts, don't really know what they're called, and wondered how you could fashion one in a hurry, that would be strong enough to carry a dressed deer, one could pull. I've boned out or quartered game and carried in a pack frame when it was necessary. Would a drag-cart offer any advantage in some situations? I sold my ATV a long time ago, because I don't like ATV's, the noise, the destruction in the Nat. Forests.

[Dixie Dude]

You could probably make one out of a couple of hardwood staffs.  Hardwood would be stronger with a smaller diameter.  I've seen game haulers with small wheels on them for the same purpose. 

[GRIMJIM]

It's a lot easier to drag deer sized game with one of those harnesses. It takes your arms out of the equation and puts your entire body into it.

I've actually found the carts to be kind of a pain. You basically have to clear a path through the woods so there are no obstacles in the way or it will get hung up or tip over on you. They do have their place, I suppose.

[Casull]

Jim, I'd much rather roll a deer over a log than drag it over.  I've found it takes me about 1/4 the time to move a deer with my cart than by dragging it over the ground.  Plus, it's cleaner when I get there.

[mirage1988]

I used to have a roll-up plastic sled that was made for dragging deer (lost it somewhere)- worked slick, even with no snow, but haven't seen them in the stores for a while. Rolled into a tube about 1" x 20". Might have to do a google search on them.

[mechanic]

I used to have a roll-up plastic sled that was made for dragging deer (lost it somewhere)- worked slick, even with no snow, but haven't seen them in the stores for a while. Rolled into a tube about 1" x 20". Might have to do a google search on them.

If you have a cola distributor or beer distributor nearby, they probably use "slip sheet" instead of palletized on some items.  This is a very slick and dense plastic sheet that an attachment on a forklift "grabs" and pulls the load onto the forks.

When these get damaged, they are thrown away.  All you need is a good knife and some strapping to make a deer drag that will likely outlast you.

[mirage1988]

Funny how when you get a bit older you start thinking about the drag out before you pull the trigger, no? I like to shoot mine where I can get the truck or a wheeler with-in a hundred yards or so

[fr3db3ar]

I used to have a roll-up plastic sled that was made for dragging deer (lost it somewhere)- worked slick, even with no snow, but haven't seen them in the stores for a while. Rolled into a tube about 1" x 20". Might have to do a google search on them.

If you have a cola distributor or beer distributor nearby, they probably use "slip sheet" instead of palletized on some items.  This is a very slick and dense plastic sheet that an attachment on a forklift "grabs" and pulls the load onto the forks.

When these get damaged, they are thrown away.  All you need is a good knife and some strapping to make a deer drag that will likely outlast you.

The sled i just bought @ meijer's for $2.89 pretty much matches that discription.  i bought a grommet set and punched 4 holes in each side to run rope through and drag the deer on that.

i'm not going through the 2 hour drag again that i had in early bow season this year 

[bearmgc]

Funny how when you get a bit older you start thinking about the drag out before you pull the trigger, no? I like to shoot mine where I can get the truck or a wheeler with-in a hundred yards or so

Oh, heck yeah. I've been pretty lucky most of the time, finding a 2 track near the kill site. But last year, I dropped a big doe right in the deadfall as the sun was going down. Thank God, and Petzel for a headlamp. Gutted, skinned and halved into large game bags, head and lower legs off, I carried about 300yds. 'bout killed my old back.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[bilmac]

I put off getting a cart for years but finally decided that a grandpa deserved to start doing things a little bit easier. Wow what a difference. It's so easy now. Guy I was hunting with this year walked maybe a 1/2 mile from the vehicle and shot an antelope. I took the cart down to where he was and threw it on and just walked back, uphill to the truck about as easy as having no critter. He wanted to help, but it was so easy that help would have been pointless. Wife and I killed 4 doe deer in two days. Had to haul all of them moderate distances, no offroad driving. Before the cart I would have been a very tired puppy after a trip like that. With the cart, literally, no sweat. 

[95Road King]

 Once I find a permanet spot for my ladder stand I use my deer cart to haul it in. After the season is over I haul it back out with the same cart.

[kyhareraiser]

 i came up with this after i saw it at a yard sale,,,you know a while back they made bed covers for pickup trucks out of seatbelt like strips that were sewes togethet to fit the size of truck,,well this one was for something of the chev. s10 size.biught it for $5.00.. now when i go hunting i just fold it and strap it to my fourwheeler. once i get a deer down and dressed out ,i cut 2 mall sapling trees about silver dollar size ,run them through each lap of the belting and tie the ends to the back of my 4x4 ,then i pull the deer up on the drag far as i can andtie the antlers to the back bumper.after this is done i tie the main back of the sapling at the bottom together and it makes a neat pocket for the deer to lay in as i drag them appx. 3 miles out of the hill.  brought some nice ones out that way..got'em on the wall too

[Uhrich]

I've pictures of horses pulling drag-carts, don't really know what they're called, and wondered how you could fashion one in a hurry, that would be strong enough to carry a dressed deer, one could pull. I've boned out or quartered game and carried in a pack frame when it was necessary. Would a drag-cart offer any advantage in some situations? I sold my ATV a long time ago, because I don't like ATV's, the noise, the destruction in the Nat. Forests.

I have a folding game cart that I have locked on the back of my ATV.  But the name of what you where asking was a "Travois".  I remember years ago as a Boyscout that we would have timed competitions of putting them together, then getting a scout into it and drag race pulling it around a track.  That brings back some good memorys.   

[bearmgc]

Some good ideas here. Thanks! A "travois", yeah, now I know.

[Dixie Dude]

A travois would work if you had to make one, but if you can buy a wheeled cart, it would be easier.  I've read that larger wheels are easier over stuff like logs. 

[Uhrich]

Here is a picture of the folding one I bought at Cabelas.  I have it locked into a tree stand mount.

When I take her out to haul game back to my 4 wheeler, I feel like I am shopping at Wally World.  Thats my Dad on the right, 72 and still hunting.  That is his speed goat, 175 yards 1 shot dropped like a rock in its tracks, 10 yards off the 2 tracker.

[Old Fart]

Funny how when you get a bit older you start thinking about the drag out before you pull the trigger, no? I like to shoot mine where I can get the truck or a wheeler with-in a hundred yards or so

I'm getting to where I want to wait until the critter is jumping over my truck bed before shooting.
Let him drop right in the bed, easy peasy.

Nice looking goat Uhrich.

[Yankee1]

In Utah several years back I had shot a buck and had my ATV with me so no problem until a friend walked up that had just shot one and he had walked in about 5 miles. To solve the problem we made a travois from two long poles and piled brush on the poles and put the other buck on the brush between the poles. It dragged in fine. My friend walked in.

[mechanic]

Funny how when you get a bit older you start thinking about the drag out before you pull the trigger, no? I like to shoot mine where I can get the truck or a wheeler with-in a hundred yards or so

I'm getting to where I want to wait until the critter is jumping over my truck bed before shooting.
Let him drop right in the bed, easy peasy.

Nice looking goat Uhrich.

+1

[tacklebury]

I know it's an old post.  Just thought I'd give an idea of one we made.  Take the front end of a motorcycle.  Leave the brake lever attached, then run 2x4 boards out so when it's level.  Looks kinda like -\o- if that makes any sense.  lol  Anyway having the brake included lets you go slowly down hills and you can load up a kid, hurt buddy, or carcass quick and can even run with it.    We left one of the mirrors on too, so you can see behind.  We carried up to 3 kids at a time and it even does well with curbs within reason.  Nice thing is it has built in shock absorbsion if you use a motorbike with shocks.    If anyone is interested I can try to do a better picture than the little stick figure.  hehe