Senior friendly helps/gear for hunters

[Tra3]

A couple 2x4’s to use as a ramp, and a block and tackle will work to get an animal in the truck.

You can make a very light weight and effective block and tackle from rock climbing gear.

 

[mdwest]

lift a deer onto the tailgate--the tailgates on the new Tundras and other gigantic trucks are about a mile high, not senior friendly. Man is it hard to get that deer even started up there

I had a hard time getting a little 110lb doe into the bed of my Polaris Ranger a couple of weeks ago lol…I don’t even want to think about hoisting one up into the bed of my Silverado anymore…

It prompted me into making an $80 investment… I bought one of those cargo carriers that attach to the hitch of a UTV…

That makes the lift from the ground about 12” instead of the 36” to the UTV bed.. and also keeps the bed free of blood (a lot easier to clean the cargo carrier… and I typically throw my pack and rifle in a soft case in the UTV bed)…

I’m thinking about getting one for my truck as well… the truck versions are bigger.. and extend straight out… keeping them maybe 18” off the ground..


I’ve also thought about getting a small wench (2000lbs) for the back of the truck as well… not really for deer…but for all of the other heavy stuff I seem to always be loading and unloading… the motorcycle ramps make it easier than just muscling hundreds of pounds of stuff up to the bed..but a winch would make some stuff thst much easier… and they’re cheap.. a 2000lb warn is $129

 

[Tra3]

I had a hard time getting a little 110lb doe into the bed of my Polaris Ranger a couple of weeks ago lol…I don’t even want to think about hoisting one up into the bed of my Silverado anymore…

It prompted me into making an $80 investment… I bought one of those cargo carriers that attach to the hitch of a UTV…

View attachment 501309

That makes the lift from the ground about 12” instead of the 36” to the UTV bed.. and also keeps the bed free of blood (a lot easier to clean the cargo carrier… and I typically throw my pack and rifle in a soft case in the UTV bed)…

I’m thinking about getting one for my truck as well… the truck versions are bigger.. and extend straight out… keeping them maybe 18” off the ground..


I’ve also thought about getting a small wench (2000lbs) for the back of the truck as well… not really for deer…but for all of the other heavy stuff I seem to always be loading and unloading… the motorcycle ramps make it easier than just muscling hundreds of pounds of stuff up to the bed..but a winch would make some stuff thst much easier… and they’re cheap.. a 2000lb warn is $129

How much weight can you put on that UTV cargo carrier? That is a good idea.

 

[steve white]

I had a hard time getting a little 110lb doe into the bed of my Polaris Ranger a couple of weeks ago lol…I don’t even want to think about hoisting one up into the bed of my Silverado anymore…

It prompted me into making an $80 investment… I bought one of those cargo carriers that attach to the hitch of a UTV…

View attachment 501309

That makes the lift from the ground about 12” instead of the 36” to the UTV bed.. and also keeps the bed free of blood (a lot easier to clean the cargo carrier… and I typically throw my pack and rifle in a soft case in the UTV bed)…

I’m thinking about getting one for my truck as well… the truck versions are bigger.. and extend straight out… keeping them maybe 18” off the ground..


I’ve also thought about getting a small wench (2000lbs) for the back of the truck as well… not really for deer…but for all of the other heavy stuff I seem to always be loading and unloading… the motorcycle ramps make it easier than just muscling hundreds of pounds of stuff up to the bed..but a winch would make some stuff thst much easier… and they’re cheap.. a 2000lb warn is $129

be sure to wrap the deer in a cheap tarp or the road dust boiling up behind the tires will coat your deer with about 1/4 inch of dust

 

[fourfive8]

Headache rack in pick up. Can use either a portable winch attached by clevis to rack or permanently attached winch. Even a small winch can pull a bull elk into the bed of a pick up. Use a block to double the pull. That's the quickest and easiest way that I know of to load a whole game animal into a pick up. I can still pull an adult mule deer buck up into a pick up bed- but it is becoming more of a struggle. A portable come along attached to front of bed makes it easier but the head ache rack attachment is better because it gives elevated angle of pull. Or just cut the animal in half and lift it into the bed. For elk, either a winch or quarter it and lift it in. I guess you can also use an ATV and pulley it in with a block attached at front of bed or on a head ache rack Should work- but I don't know for certain... I don't use ATVs for hunting so have never tried it. Usually packing out on foot so the original premise of loading a whole animal doesn't doesn't apply 75%+ of the time. Of course a lot easier with 2 people.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Things are just getting harder for me as I get older, especially if I have to do them alone. Example: lift a deer onto the tailgate--the tailgates on the new Tundras and other gigantic trucks are about a mile high, not senior friendly. Man is it hard to get that deer even started up there. I suppose someone will get rich by inventing new senior hunter helps gear wise, gadget wise...maybe one of you!
What challenges have you had to overcome, and what are your best ideas for making life easier on ourselves? If no one guesses my favorite, I will chime in with it later!

https://www.amazon.com/Viking-Solutions-VS-VSL001-Game-Processing/dp/B00VXURFSG/

I use one of these albeit highly modified with an electric winch, cut and drilled in the middle so I can pin it to keep it from swiveling on uneven ground. As it stands with the manual winch, the cable binds up with a heavy load.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Something like this comes to mind IMHO:

1/2 Ton Capacity Pickup Truck Bed Crane

Amazing deals on this 1/2Ton Capacity Pickup Truck Crane at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[mdwest]

How much weight can you put on that UTV cargo carrier? That is a good idea.

The one I bought is rated to 300lbs… I figured that was all I needed… there were 500 and 700 lb options that weren’t a whole lot more expensive though…

 

[mdwest]

be sure to wrap the deer in a cheap tarp or the road dust boiling up behind the tires will coat your deer with about 1/4 inch of dust

Hadn’t thought about that, but you’re right!

I’ve got a couple of 8’ cheap tarps still in the wrapper that I bought at harbor freight a couple of years ago thst I just “found” in the garage a couple of weeks ago… now I know what I’m going to do with them! Into the UTV box along with a couple of bungee cords they go!

 

[Doug Hamilton]

You need a young fella to tag along and do the heavy lifting... Sure they're annoying, but they can be useful.... Kind of the human version of the Tommy Gate

I have been known to bring a wench along, but I found that she wouldn't lift a damn thing!

 

[gillettehunter]

Last few yrs I've killed my deer alone. So I bring along a jet sled. Easy to load the deer into the sled by tilting the edge of it down by the side of the deer and rolling him into it. Then I pull it to the truck which I get as close to the deer as possible. I'll use the truck to move the sled to where the front wheels are higher so the tailgate is lower. Sometimes only 16 inches off the ground.
I'll then lift the front end of the jet sled onto the edge of the tailgate. Then I simply push the deer and sled into the truck. At home I back into the garage. I have circle screw hooks screwed into the ceiling. A simple ratchet on the loop and the deer and I can lift the deer enough that it won't hit the floor when I drive the truck out from underneath him.
Low tech, but also low cost. Best of all it works. Next post I'll attach a pic that partially shows this years buck in the sled.
Bruce

 

[gillettehunter]

Like I said it works for me!
Bruce

 

[steve white]

Last few yrs I've killed my deer alone. So I bring along a jet sled. Easy to load the deer into the sled by tilting the edge of it down by the side of the deer and rolling him into it. Then I pull it to the truck which I get as close to the deer as possible. I'll use the truck to move the sled to where the front wheels are higher so the tailgate is lower. Sometimes only 16 inches off the ground.
I'll then lift the front end of the jet sled onto the edge of the tailgate. Then I simply push the deer and sled into the truck. At home I back into the garage. I have circle screw hooks screwed into the ceiling. A simple ratchet on the loop and the deer and I can lift the deer enough that it won't hit the floor when I drive the truck out from underneath him.
Low tech, but also low cost. Best of all it works. Next post I'll attach a pic that partially shows this years buck in the sled.
Bruce

What is a jet sled exactly?

 

[gillettehunter]

https://www.amazon.com/Shappell-Jet-Sled-Multi-Purpose/dp/B002RWBPQM/

Try this link.
Bruce

 

[Tra3]

@gillettehunter nice deer!

You need a Pocket Ox! Look up the “Pocket Ox” pulley system. I bought one a few years ago and it travels with me for hunts. I regularly use it to hoist animals into the garage rafters, or pull them into the truck. It is a really small system and works great.

without a pulley system, It is quite a struggle to try and lift a big deer high enough to be able to comfortably skin and quarter. I’ve made all kinds of improvised paracord systems for hanging deer, elk and antelope over the years. I finally just bought a real pulley system.

note: the pocket Ox really is lightweight and the cord used is thin, you will need gloves to grip the cord if you are pulling up an elk.

 

[CM McKenzie]

View attachment 502754Like I said it works for me!
Bruce

Nice buck in that calf sled.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I had a hard time getting a little 110lb doe into the bed of my Polaris Ranger a couple of weeks ago lol…I don’t even want to think about hoisting one up into the bed of my Silverado anymore…

It prompted me into making an $80 investment… I bought one of those cargo carriers that attach to the hitch of a UTV…

View attachment 501309

That makes the lift from the ground about 12” instead of the 36” to the UTV bed.. and also keeps the bed free of blood (a lot easier to clean the cargo carrier… and I typically throw my pack and rifle in a soft case in the UTV bed)…

I’m thinking about getting one for my truck as well… the truck versions are bigger.. and extend straight out… keeping them maybe 18” off the ground..


I’ve also thought about getting a small wench (2000lbs) for the back of the truck as well… not really for deer…but for all of the other heavy stuff I seem to always be loading and unloading… the motorcycle ramps make it easier than just muscling hundreds of pounds of stuff up to the bed..but a winch would make some stuff thst much easier… and they’re cheap.. a 2000lb warn is $129

@mdwest
A small 2,000 pound wench. Man If'n that's small I would hate to see big.
I prefer my wenches between 100 and 140 pound depending on height.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
I know it was only a typo but I couldn't resist a laugh.
Bob