crazy carpet?

[Black Bird]

Hi there,

I have been scouting out a bit of a new spot but it is a bit of a hike in (around 2km) through deer trail and over old cut blocks. It is going to be a bit of a grunt getting the deer out and I have just powered my way through it in the past (although it looks like this new area is going to be tougher than what I have hauled out in the past). I got to thinking as I was scouting a week ago that maybe a crazy carpet (plastic sheet that kids ride in the snow) might be the way to go. I could drill some holes along the edge and fix some line through it to keep the deer in. Has anyone tried this before and if so how did it work for you? I have hauled loads in the past when I used to climb up north. There I used kids sleds to put all my climbing gear and supplies on and attached it to myself with bungie cord to make the hauling easier. I was able to haul very large loads (a months worth of supplies) but I was pulling over snow and on skis. I know this idea of the crazy carpet won't be as smooth, but I am wondering what people think about how effective it might be.

Cheers,
BB

[guest]

If you want a true sled that won't crack or break, a product we use for Technical Rescue is called a SKED Stretcher, it was designed by an avid woman deer hunter having a hard time getting her deer out. Just super heavy duty crazy carpet but WAY better. Rather pricey though ......... specialty item.

CT

[finngun]

im sure idea is workable..are you talking about snow or not? with snow it is really easy pull it,exept down hill,controlling not so easy.unless you are working as a brake behind that carpet..back in old country hunters are pulling moose too with same idea... several man -as a team..

[Darksith]

you will find that if you are on any kind of side slope, no matter how small that it will start to cause you huge amounts of grief. I don't know if they plastic will hold up either, you might find that you rip it apart where the rope attaches.

[Bowzone_Mikey]

there is a peice of Confined space rescue equipment that is essientially a "Crazy Carpet" invented in Austria ...by a dude whos wife hunted ... she built the sked to haul deer and what not on ... he seen her design and made it into a Confined space rescue stretcher
http://www.skedco.com.au/PictureFiles/SK-200-GR%20Component%20(2).JPG
http://www.skedco.com.au/PictureFiles/sk200.htm

[BlacktailStalker]

Or you could just bone it out ?
Nothing easy about dragging any dead carcass through a slash, whether it be 50 yards or 50 miles. Sounds like a good spot to get into though.

[Ruger4]

I built a "Dead Sled" out of a truck box liner (used for $20)
cut out the inside 4ft wide x 6-8ft long, rolled the front around a 4'' pipe by 4ft wide, fastened with carriage bolts and heavy flat washers ,welded a small pair of ski's (galvanized x 12'' long 3'' wide) on the outside, welded heavy chain to ski's added a steel rope ring for towing, hitch it on your quad ball and away you go , pretty much over and through anything, mud,water,snow,bushes etc . You can haul out a moose elk whole if you like , have pics , send me your email addy, hauled out 2 elk last year , you wont want to drag it down a logging road very far but it sure gets your game outa the bush with ease. A couple hours work and about $40 in material.

[Black Bird]

Thanks for the input,

- Curly Top and Bowzone_Mikey: thanks for the link and pic - I am trying this on the cheap but that does give me some ideas on how to hand make one.
- finngun and Darksith: the area where I go won't have snow when I am there hunting. I hunt blacktailed deer so they aren't too heavy, but still controlling it on side hill and down hill is going to be a challenge.
- BlacktailStalker: I hadn't considered boning out in the field, I do my own butchering and last year was the first time I boned out the deer after hanging them for a few days.
- Ruger4: Wow! That is quite the setup you built yourself! I don't own an ATV so I just walk in where I go. I am going to have to think light when I build mine.

Cheers everyone,
BB

[Big Lew]

Seems like a lot of trouble and frustration. If the logged off area has a lot of gnarly bush and criss-crossed downed logs and limbs etc. as well as steep hillsides, it would probably be easier to quarter and pack out your game. It can be pretty maddening and frustrating trying to pull something through a rough slash when the object keeps sliding sideways and getting jammed under logs and whatnot, especially if you're going downhill and have to wrestle and pull it back uphill to get it loose, as well as physically having to lift it over those same downed logs.

[moose2]

If you want a true sled that won't crack or break, a product we use for Technical Rescue is called a SKED Stretcher, it was designed by an avid woman deer hunter having a hard time getting her deer out. Just super heavy duty crazy carpet but WAY better. Rather pricey though ......... specialty item.

CT

Its funny you metioned that. Us hunters eye ours up every emergency responce traing sesion we have. It hasn't gone missing yet though lol . I think they would be great might be worth the price. We have used plastic tobogans or calf sleds these work ok as well.
Mike

[moose2]

If you yourself or someone you know works around rail cars and you can get some old air bags they work well for this. They are a super tough tarp material over a hd plastic liner. They are about 3 feet wide and ten feet long. I just open one of the narrow ends with a knife this creates a long bag to put game quarters in or full deer. We have drug moose and elk quartes as well as full deer out of river bottoms over grass, brush and even small trees with no problem or rips. They keep the meat clean and slide easy. They fold like a tarp when not in use. They are pretty handy for something that normally just gets chucked when they are found.
Mike

[fireguy]

I brought two whole goats off a mountian once wrapped in tarps then accross a clearcut in a canoe to get them out in very deep snow, probably not what you are looking for but think outside the box and sometimes there is a solution.

[hunter1947]

I agree with your thoughts anything is worth a try go for it try it you have nothing to loose only to gain..