Sled Upgrade

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
I have upgraded my sled for dragging out deer this season. I have photos of deer being dragged out on a kid’s pink plastic sled back to November 2012. It was showing its age with a number of cracks so I bought a 54” jet sled.

04ea98b6202a66e1847ae28b492ea1b6.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

BLOODBROTHER

Twelve Pointer
Always thought about this method but was concerned about how the plastic would hold up where the rope goes through the plastic. Pretty sure mine would break after 10 feet and then I’d have to push it on my hands and knees...
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
BLOODBROTHER said:
Always thought about this method but was concerned about how the plastic would hold up where the rope goes through the plastic. Pretty sure mine would break after 10 feet and then I’d have to push it on my hands and knees...
Click to expand...

I put a washer between the hole in the sled and the rope knot so that the pressure when pulled is distributed over a wider area. I didn't do this on the pink sled which is thinner plastic and it still held up for 8 years.
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
wolfpacker said:
I got one this year too. Has worked good so far dragging corn to the feeders.
Click to expand...

How is the wear on the bottom so far? I'm thinking of installing some UHMW runner strips on the bottom. I'll either buy the pre-made ones from Shappell or make my own.

One thing I'm looking forward to is just tossing the deer in the sled. With the pink kid's sled, I had to use several bungee cords to hold the deer inside the sled.
 
wolfpacker

wolfpacker

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
One thing I'm looking forward to is just tossing the deer in the sled. With the pink kid's sled, I had to use several bungee cords to hold the deer inside the sled.
[/QUOTE]


Its held up good so far. Haven't had to go over too many rocks. I used it at the beach too. Was at oak island and all the oceanfront walkways over the dunes got wiped out by the hurricane. Used to sled to drag all our stuff down to the public access.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
duckmauler said:
I have the same pink sled in the back of my truck now... this has made me feel more normal.. thx!
Click to expand...
My favorite that I've seen was a jogging stroller that I saw bike locked in the back of a truck bed at some Game Lands.
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
JONOV said:
My favorite that I've seen was a jogging stroller that I saw bike locked in the back of a truck bed at some Game Lands.
Click to expand...
There used to be an older feller that hunted PNF years ago. He rode a bike in and had one of those bike “trailers” you tow younguns around in that he hauled deer out with
 
JJWise

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
I’ve got a jet sled that I use for duck decoys, I’m trying to find a way to rig it up to some sort of chest harness because after about 3/4 of a mile that rope starts to rub my hands raw
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
JJWise said:
I’ve got a jet sled that I use for duck decoys, I’m trying to find a way to rig it up to some sort of chest harness because after about 3/4 of a mile that rope starts to rub my hands raw
Click to expand...

I have installed one on my Jet Sled. It was previously on my pink sled and worked well. I just attached the rope from the harness to the pull rope for the sled. If you look at my photo in my first post, you can see the orange harness sitting on the ground. It is still attached to the pink sled when I took the photo.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/hunters-specialties-deluxe-deer-drag
 
Last edited:

Ballshrinker

Button Buck
I use a coleman minbike and a converted viking cart. All fits in back of 4' tacoma and I can lift bike in and out. Got a few heavy bucks 2 years ago and realized I'm too old for all that.
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
I forgot to say I have two other good reasons for the sled upgrade. One is that I should be able to carry a deer in the back of my SUV without getting blood all over the place. I use a hitch carrier when hunting locally but for my hunting spot over an hour away, I prefer to carry it back home inside my vehicle, especially if it is hot outside. The second reason is that it will double as a catch basin under the deer when I am skinning and processing a deer in my garage.
 
41magnum

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
JJWise said:
I’ve got a jet sled that I use for duck decoys, I’m trying to find a way to rig it up to some sort of chest harness because after about 3/4 of a mile that rope starts to rub my hands raw
Click to expand...
yer sposd to use a deer drag harness, that has the D-ring at the base of your back, and use a carabiner to snap the draw rope to the d-ring. ALSO, you get a pc of scrap steel bout 3/4" or 1" x 24" and use it as the "washer" to distribute the weight.
This frees up your hands to carry other gear/stuff AND lets your legs do the work, since they are the largest muscles on our bodies.
 
Hunting Nut

Hunting Nut

Old Mossy Horns
You could always put the deer in sled then use a "Glenn's deer handle" to attach to deer's neck or antlers. Google "Glenn's deer handle " (about $10). I've got one thats been used about ten years. Lightweight and invaluable, IMO.
I've given them to 3 friends and they love them.

@JJWise .... look at incorporating a handle like this (ski rope handle) on your duck decoy sled to save your hand.

Just another option besides a harness.
 
dobber

dobber

Old Mossy Horns
I have used this style of sleds for a while, they are mainly used for ice fishing up here, thought about adding extra runners, but that was a fleeting thought. The only issue i have is tying the deer to keep it from falling out while i tow it behind the 4 wheeler. Been 4 years of use, dragged behind the 4 wheeler for many miles and still holding up, did nothing to the holes to stiffen them up
 
Hunting Nut

Hunting Nut

Old Mossy Horns
dobber said:
I have used this style of sleds for a while, they are mainly used for ice fishing up here, thought about adding extra runners, but that was a fleeting thought. The only issue i have is tying the deer to keep it from falling out while i tow it behind the 4 wheeler. Been 4 years of use, dragged behind the 4 wheeler for many miles and still holding up, did nothing to the holes to stiffen them up
Click to expand...

Drill holes and hook rope ratchets criss crossed over the deer ? I think they make them good up to 250 lbs.
Maybe help ?

I use them to hold deer on a 4 wheeler.
 
dobber

dobber

Old Mossy Horns
Hunting Nut said:
I think they make them good up to 250 lbs.
Click to expand...
Hope to take a pic in just over a week and will share, my deer are a bit bigger than in NC, some of my trails depending on the year are tough to keep anything straight or flat, but always a nice feeling having that problem of adjusting a good deer you just shot
 
Hunting Nut

Hunting Nut

Old Mossy Horns
dobber said:
Hope to take a pic in just over a week and will share, my deer are a bit bigger than in NC, some of my trails depending on the year are tough to keep anything straight or flat, but always a nice feeling having that problem of adjusting a good deer you just shot
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know you kill some monsters up there. I just thought it might help hold the deer in the sled while traveling, not having to take the weight of the whole load.

Yeah, I've never killed a 250 lb. deer. :ROFLMAO:
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
NCBulldog said:
This is my set up. Hoping to baptize it soon.View attachment 53199
Click to expand...

Is that good only over flat trails? I've ridden just bikes through the woods, up and down hills and over fallen trees. It's not that easy before you add a trailer with 100+ pounds of deer in it. It would seem to be a difficult ride when there would be places where you have to disembark from the bike and try to push it.
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Homebrewale said:
Is that good only over flat trails? I've ridden just bikes through the woods, up and down hills and over fallen trees. It's not that easy before you add a trailer with 100+ pounds of deer in it. It would seem to be a difficult ride when there would be places where you have to disembark from the bike and try to push it.
Click to expand...
This is the best way to use a bicycle to get a deer out of the woods

 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
Yes, that hunter is riding on a trail. Now if he had turned off of that trail and tried to ride through the forest, how hard of a ride would he have had? Where I'm hunting, I'm walking up and down hills, across creeks and over logs. It would be a very hard ride on a bike alone. There are no established trails where I go. It might be nice if I ever decided to hunt along the American Tobacco Trail.
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Homebrewale said:
Yes, that hunter is riding on a trail. Now if he had turned off of that trail and tried to ride through the forest, how hard of a ride would he have had? Where I'm hunting, I'm walking up and down hills, across creeks and over logs. It would be a very hard ride on a bike alone. There are no established trails where I go. It might be nice if I ever decided to hunt along the American Tobacco Trail.
Click to expand...

That post was mostly in jest.... but you’re right of course. I’d say that the sled method is about the best option for you’re particular hunting area.
 

NCBulldog

Spike
Homebrewale said:
Is that good only over flat trails? I've ridden just bikes through the woods, up and down hills and over fallen trees. It's not that easy before you add a trailer with 100+ pounds of deer in it. It would seem to be a difficult ride when there would be places where you have to disembark from the bike and try to push it.
Click to expand...
I used the cart for the first time behind the bike this evening. The game land I took it to is rolling hills at its worst. No luck with loading it down with 100+ lbs of animal but I will say that the state’s 2+ years of failure to bush hog roads was probably not a bad comparison. In addition, the spot I hunted is about two miles from the nearest parking, but 90% of that is overgrown gravel road. Opening weekend of gun my son and I were able to kill one in the same spot I went to today but without the bike, and I ended up walking 8 miles that day.
So long story short the cart is very well designed as far as ergonomics are concerned, but yes once in the woods you would probably have to detach it from the bike.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top