Guns & Outdoors Forum

As I get older I am finding that some tasks are getting harder to do. Case in point, hanging deer in a tree to dress them out in the field. Used to be able to lift my own weight nearly. Now I struggle to hang more than 40+kilos.
Looked at getting a gambrel hoist but found they were bulky and not easy to fit in my day pack. Figured I could make one that would do the job and not be so bulky.
Went to my local Marine shop and found these...... The match next to the packet gives you an idea of scale. Note the load capacity.... Max working load is 240kg/530lb from a pulley that is smaller than a matchbox! Nylon cord is rated at 400kg....
Put it all together and it makes a very small packet that fits in the side pocket of my day pack.
Been carrying it around for the last couple of months but havent had to use it cos normally I have the quad winch handy or someone else to help lift.
Sunday night gave me the first opportunity to try it out. The doe I shot weighed about 55-60kilos on the hoof and came to rest on a steep hillside resting against a tree with a steep drop off below it.( about 30' vertical)
Set up the hoist on a tree about 10-15' uphill, cut through a rear leg and looped a rope around the leg and using very little effort, dragged the deer uphill then hoisted it off the ground. Tied a second loop to the other back leg and tied it to a branch which gave me full access to field dress it. Cut and cable tied the anal orifice and poked it into the body cavity, then opened the deer as far as the brisket. Cut through the brisket with a Gerber gut saw having already split the skin with a knife down to its neck.
A quick pull on the gut bag, a bit of knife work around the diaphragm and the gut contents fell free.
Having neck shot the doe, the gut cavity was as clean as a whistle.
When Bh arrived to help carry the deer out he was impressed........so impressed that I went back to the marine dealer today and got him all the bits to make his own hoist..
Getting old means you have to learn to work smarter, not harder.

( Note: With a 4 pulley system, 4 ropes, it multiplies my lifting capacity 4 times....)

Apologies for no pics but my ph was in my car. Will carry it with me next time and provide pics....

I have a portable pulley system. As a kid, I learned to dress game from the hanging position. Not gonna lie,, now days, I prefer to gut then I’m the ground. It’s so much faster for me.
Skinning and quartering is better in the hanging position. But, I can gut one on the ground in about 2 min or less. Just easier.

Mines not so portable. Slips in the trailer hitch.
I go back and forth on gutting, whether it’s laying down or hanging. Think I prefer a mix. Get stuff cut while laying, then lift it to dump the guts.

Quartering and skinning is obviously done hanging. The beauty of the hoist is you can raise the critter to a comfortable height.

Or, you can be a knuckle dragging ape and have a hoist, yet leave the critter at the lowest possible setting while bending over to do the work.

Not that I’m judging. #yesiam

When you keep their legs on the ground, they don’t twist and turn while butchering.
Meanie.

Zee wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 2:25 pm When you keep their legs on the ground, they don’t twist and turn while butchering.
Meanie.

I’ll deal with that it tie a leg off instead of bending over. I’m old and fat. Comfort trumps speed.

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 12:57 pm Mines not so portable. Slips in the trailer hitch.
I go back and forth on gutting, whether it’s laying down or hanging. Think I prefer a mix. Get stuff cut while laying, then lift it to dump the guts.

Quartering and skinning is obviously done hanging. The beauty of the hoist is you can raise the critter to a comfortable height.

Or, you can be a knuckle dragging ape and have a hoist, yet leave the critter at the lowest possible setting while bending over to do the work.

Not that I’m judging. #yesiam

Polite guests hold a leg while the cutter is cutting

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 3:11 pm

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 12:57 pm Mines not so portable. Slips in the trailer hitch.
I go back and forth on gutting, whether it’s laying down or hanging. Think I prefer a mix. Get stuff cut while laying, then lift it to dump the guts.

Quartering and skinning is obviously done hanging. The beauty of the hoist is you can raise the critter to a comfortable height.

Or, you can be a knuckle dragging ape and have a hoist, yet leave the critter at the lowest possible setting while bending over to do the work.

Not that I’m judging. #yesiam

Polite guests hold a leg while the cutter is cutting

Only if asked. He’s like a spider monkey on meth with knives for hands. It’s best to just stay out the way. You AINT gonna make it go faster. Likely slow it down and make monkey mad.

Haha!

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 3:32 pm

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 3:11 pm

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 12:57 pm Mines not so portable. Slips in the trailer hitch.
I go back and forth on gutting, whether it’s laying down or hanging. Think I prefer a mix. Get stuff cut while laying, then lift it to dump the guts.

Quartering and skinning is obviously done hanging. The beauty of the hoist is you can raise the critter to a comfortable height.

Or, you can be a knuckle dragging ape and have a hoist, yet leave the critter at the lowest possible setting while bending over to do the work.

Not that I’m judging. #yesiam

Polite guests hold a leg while the cutter is cutting

Only if asked. He’s like a spider monkey on meth with knives for hands. It’s best to just stay out the way. You AINT gonna make it go faster. Likely slow it down and make monkey mad.

#Truth

Years of knee and back problems has me do what I can lifted in the air. It’s just easier and less painful to gut the animal while it hangs

Back to the original post- I like that idea. I may have to put together something like that for my hunting pack.

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 3:32 pm

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 3:11 pm

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 12:57 pm Mines not so portable. Slips in the trailer hitch.
I go back and forth on gutting, whether it’s laying down or hanging. Think I prefer a mix. Get stuff cut while laying, then lift it to dump the guts.

Quartering and skinning is obviously done hanging. The beauty of the hoist is you can raise the critter to a comfortable height.

Or, you can be a knuckle dragging ape and have a hoist, yet leave the critter at the lowest possible setting while bending over to do the work.

Not that I’m judging. #yesiam

Polite guests hold a leg while the cutter is cutting

Only if asked. He’s like a spider monkey on meth with knives for hands. It’s best to just stay out the way. You AINT gonna make it go faster. Likely slow it down and make monkey mad.

Meh, I could hold a beer and steady the deer at the same time, I was not concerned until he took off his pants because of the "fleas"

Zee wrote: ↑Tue Jul 11, 2023 4:45 amIMG_0590.gif

.

.

FINALLY

Zee wrote: ↑Tue Jul 11, 2023 10:12 pmIMG_0592.gif

We’ve done number one standing shoulder to shoulder, number two is the next logical step.



Actually, forget I said that. I know you well enough you’d hold a poop till I had to, just so we could poop together. Side by side.

He doesn’t need encouragement or new ideas.

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 12, 2023 12:53 ampoop.jpg