# What do you use to drag a deer out?



## Onion

Last year I broke a buddy's old deer drag and promised I would make him a new one. Well, what do you know its damn near deer season again and I have done nothing to make him a drag  

Has anyone ever made a deer drag they were happy with? ATV's are out of the question in the spots I hunt, the drags are usually a mile or better up and down hills, and the deer are always huge!  

My initial thought is a plastic sled (heavily modified) but I wondered if anyone had a better idea.


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## Hoss5355

Use the antlers....  That's what we always use to drag deer. The sled idea might be an alright idea until you were going down a hill. I've watched dead deer take out my buddies more than a few times. One big eight point threw a 250 pound guy down a hill and really humiliated him  ...I still laugh thinking about it!! I really don't know if there is an easy way to carry a deer out. I see the ones advertised with wheels, but I don't know how that would work. I would think it would be a pain in and out of trees, but I can't knock it cuz I haven't tried it. 

Kevin


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## Richs63Corvair

I'm going with the sled this year. The same one I use to drag my ice gear out on the lakes with............Rich


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## H2O Mellon

ATV's out of the question? Then the only other choice for me would be....... a helicopter!!!!!


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## fishingful

do what i do and use the wife you should see her calfs   .............jim


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## truck

We built one using the wheels i bought for my treelounge.We bowhunt in the suberbs of cincy,no quads allowed.I would say the best thing we have used,except for quads to get deer out.If you have real steep hills it is still drag time till you get them to a place to use the cart again.What a life saver!!!Daryl looks alot like the ones in basspro or cabelaes


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## Carpn

Umm...I use a rope.....


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## Procraftboats21

I use a game cart, same as the ones you see in Cabelas, Redhead, etc except my buddy welded it up, saved me from spending 100 bucks. Works great!


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## ARGEE

I Use A Garden Wagon..has Big Wheels And Goes Over Dead Wood Great.also Works Great For Yard Work..it Does Work But I Dont...lol....


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## Lundy

I use my 24 year old, big, strong son.

Most of the areas on the farm we hunt don't require any really long drags to get them to vehicle access. We do have two areas that you really need to think long and hard about killing a deer in there. We have pulled a few out of there over the years and it is no fun at all and at least a 3 person job, it's way too steep. It's hard to just walk out, much less dragging a deer.

I've heard that those roll up plastic sheets that are made for dragging deer work pretty well but have no first hand experience.

good luck


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## Lil' Rob

I was thinking about getting one of those carts to get the deer out this year. From what a few of you have said, though, they don't appear to be the answer in hilly terrain. An ATV would be perfect, except I don't have the cash for one, nor the room to store it right now.

I am curious and would pose a guess.....having the deer on the cart going up and down hills and over logs is really no different effort-wise, than just dragging them under the same conditions. Is this a correct statement?

The area I hunt where I was considering using a cart is all downhill into the property and all uphill getting out. Unless you are 20-something years old or are in exceptional physical shape, just walking out is an effort. My buddy and I dragged 3 does (2 the same day) and a 13 pointer out of there last season...it was not fun at all.

Any input, advice, or suggestions are appreciated.


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## Onion

Sounds like you are hunting the same land I am Rob. The problem I think I would have with the wheeled carts is how much room they take up. I hunt 3 hours from during gun season and have very little room in the truck after packing food and everything else for a week's stay in an unheated house  

I think I am gonna try a homemade sled I can break down into a few pieces. PVC will probably be the frame using some kind of pin to hold it together instead of glue.


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## H2O Mellon

I dont know, man deer hunting sure sounds liek a lot of work!

I'm not sure why we're even discusing this, half of us wont even get a big deer anyways!


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## Lil' Rob

I believe some of the cart models from BassPro or Cabelas will at least fold down, thus not taking up too much room in the back of a truck. As heavy as they are though, I would not want to haul that thing on my back as I am getting to a stand or blind! As is, I am usually carrying a climber, along with a small backpack with snacks, water, rain gear, etc. I doubt I would even have enough room for some type of home-made sled, as described by "Onion". This would then force you to return to the truck to get the cart, after shooting a deer, and then having to get back to the deer. That adds at least 40 minutes of time eaten up for me, which could lead into darkness. A lot of pros and cons regarding this. I'll probably wind up saying the heck with it. 

H2O Mellon...I don't have any problem harvesting smaller, medium sized does. I agree, most of us will not even see a monster. I am mainly hunting for the meat, not a trophy, and the meat off smaller does tastes better than that of a bigger, older buck. The property I hunt is all uphill to get out, just trying to find a way to save my back. I've tried using a drag rope, as opposed to just grabbing the deer and dragging, and both are equally strenuous on this property.


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## Header

When I first started I modified a nylon mesh horse hardness for a belt and another strap for around the deers head. Then used a looped cable to connect the to belts, pulled and dragged without any arm effort. Also it fit into my backpack easily. After which I used a 2 bicycle wheeled cart which I still use when ATVs are not aloud.


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## bkr43050

I use my safety harness and strap to the deer's antlers or head. Then as Header said it does not take the arm effort. If there are hills you are able to grab trees, rocks, or whatever to help yourself along. Fortunately, I have only shot a very few that were considerable dragging distance from vehicle access.


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## Procraftboats21

> I am curious and would pose a guess.....having the deer on the cart going up and down hills and over logs is really no different effort-wise, than just dragging them under the same conditions. Is this a correct statement?


The cart defiently helps. where I hunt the drag is all uphill and without the cart theres no way I could do it by myself. as for logs/Obsticles you almost have to take the deer off the cart to get over these unless of course you can go around them.


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## Shortdrift

Use an ATV.


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## flathunter

I just grab a leg and start hauling.


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## PromiseKeeper

I found a great way to drag a deer out and the best part is....it's free! If you know someone who works in a warehouse, or someplace that recieves frieght on pallets have them get you a couple of the black plastic slip sheets that are on top of the wood pallet. One side is super slippery. I used a grommet tool and fastened two of them together. Next, I folded a couple of inches back on the front making a double thickness and put a couple of grommets there. These are where I would tie the drag rope. Step 3 is every foot or so put grommets down the side. I roll this up and carry it into the woods with me, it only weighs a pound or so. Unroll it, put the deer on top, then use the side grommets like shoelaces, wrapping the slip sheet around the deer. I've used this method serveral times and it works great! Last time I used it, it was well over a half mile along a gas well road. Two of us pulled it, talking while we walked and didn't even have to stop for a break....it pulled that easily! Hope this helps!
Scott


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## Onion

Now THAT is what I'm talkin about!

Thanks for the idea Promisekeeper!


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## Darwin

I just saw this on Bass Pro......

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/cata...0&hvarDept=13&hvarTarget=UB&cmCat=Clearance13


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## Stampede

I have one of the wheeled carts.Not the one in the previous post.Mine still folds down farly flat except for the wheels.It works great.Even on hills.going over logs' creeks etc.Glad i got one.


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## Nightprowler

I use a modified kids plastic sled. Drill holes in various spots along the edges. Attach a rope to the front with a garden hose handle. I load all my stuff on it going in, then deer and stuff coming out. After I got my stand set up I hide it in the woods around my blind. Very cheap after season pricing. It's there when you need it.


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## Shortdrift

The roll up PVC drag sled works great. Be careful when you go downhill or the deer will take YOU for a drag.


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## reel

The reason I am not doing so great this year, is I avoid the drag distance problem.
1. I try to rattle & grunt them to my spot.
2. I try to only take a perfect shot that would keep the deer from taking off wounded. Such as a double lung - heart shot.
3. Locate my site, so a haul-out is down-hill to the vehicle.
4. Not sure about dismemberment ? Must keep head attached to body.
5. Choose a small deer size of the shot opportunity choices.
6. Keep a phone # list of my strong buddies. Then share the bounty.
...


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## flypilot33

I found out that straps or rope taied to a full body tree stand harness works great.


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## Fishstix

I grab rack or leg and start dragging. I am still in my youth, so I am fortunate enough to still do this. My dad is 58 and still drags his deer at of the woods. He refuses to use the 4-wheeler because he feels the dragging process is all about the hunting experience. I hope I am still able to drag my deer out of the woods when I am his age.


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## doegirl

I use a deer cart. I can only drag small yearlings out for a short distance. Any mature animal-no way. I also survey my hunting site and make sure that getting an animal out by myself with a cart is doable there. If not, I'll hunt somewhere else. The thought of middle-aged, mostly sedentary hunters hauling deer out by dragging makes me cringe. It's a heart attack waiting to happen. Please use a cart, an ATV, or someone's 20 something son


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