Sled or cart for hauling deer

[luberhill]

We’ll time to admit dragging deer at 64 yrs old isn’t fun anymore .

most of my spots I can get to with my 4 wheeler but one spot I can’t 

so it’s a sled or cart

i know the cart is cheaper but which is best ?

have you guys tried that hawk hauler cart ?

[CharlieNY]

Jet sled is the way to go. I'm a few years older than you and use one. You can drag them over any terrain and they even float if you have to go across water. When my son and I shot black bears in Maine a few years back, the outfitter used a jet sled to drag the bears out of the dense Maine woods. In addition you can use one for hauling gear into the woods. Also they are not that expensive and last a lifetime.

[Grouse]

How well do they work in the big woods going uphill?  I can't see adding more to what I carry into the woods now, unless it has some major advantage for me.  Besides, I don't always take a stand when I hunt, preferring to have the option to move if I need to.

[CharlieNY]

7 minutes ago, Grouse said:

How well do they work in the big woods going uphill?  I can't see adding more to what I carry into the woods now, unless it has some major advantage for me.  Besides, I don't always take a stand when I hunt, preferring to have the option to move if I need to.

Whether it be a sled or cart it is going to be harder going uphill as gravity will be your enemy. However a sled does not have wheels that can hang up on branches or rocks and a sled will slide over them. When we used them in Maine for the black bears we were actually dragging them up the side of mountains. 

[chrisw]

I bought the Hawk Crawler deer cart this year and couldn't be happier, much easier than traditional carts.

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[airedale]

1 hour ago, CharlieNY said:

Jet sled is the way to go. I'm a few years older than you and use one. You can drag them over any terrain and they even float if you have to go across water.

I use a sled also, I like it best because it can be used in almost any type of terrain, really works great with a little snow. I would not say a drag is exactly easy but a Hell of a lot easier than dragging without it. Mine gets double duty as I not only have used it to drag out a deer but also use it for chores here on the farm hauling around all sorts of stuff.

Al

[luberhill]

So… is the 43” one large enough ?

I think there is only one property I would ever use it on that I hunt 

the others I can use my wheeler 

[Shoots100]

I use this ;

Magnum sleigh'r

Packable and lightweight.

 

[CharlieNY]

1 hour ago, luberhill said:

So… is the 43” one large enough ?

I think there is only one property I would ever use it on that I hunt 

the others I can use my wheeler 

The large 54" one would be your best choice. Here is pic of my son's bow kill buck on our 54" jet sled.

[Hock3y24]

I used a sled cause I hunt with my suv often, slides right in with no mess. 

[luberhill]

Perfect

BPS had the 54” for 59.99 but they matched Runnings 39.99 sale price and gave me 20.00 more off for signing up for a CC I’ll never use

So I got it for 20.00 and change 

[fasteddie]

I have the camo Jet Sled . My oldest son has a black Jet Sled . I also have two of the Orange or Yellow Toboggan sleds in my SIL's woods plus 2 new ones in the rafters in my garage . I had put the two new Toboggan sleds on Craigs List for $30 each and didn't get any takers . They go for almost $50 elsewhere . 

 

[SportsmanNH]

On 11/27/2023 at 10:51 PM, luberhill said:

We’ll time to admit dragging deer at 64 yrs old isn’t fun anymore .

most of my spots I can get to with my 4 wheeler but one spot I can’t 

so it’s a sled or cart

i know the cart is cheaper but which is best ?

have you guys tried that hawk hauler cart ?

DONT buy the Hawk Hauler !  You will bust your butt getting that in and out of the woods. The wheels are too small and get caught up in everything. Not to mention it weighs at least 40 lbs .Im sure it works fine tied to an ATV going up a logging  road but is horrible in any woods with undergrowth.  I used mine to bring a 20ft climbing stick and a hang on stand through the woods. It would of been 3 times as easy to just carry them in. The 2 wheel aluminum carts with big wheels that weigh 25 lbs do just fine. Not the Hauler

 

[chrisw]

DONT buy the Hawk Hauler !  You will bust your butt getting that in and out of the woods. The wheels are too small and get caught up in everything. Not to mention it weighs at least 40 lbs .Im sure it works fine tied to an ATV going up a logging  road but is horrible in any woods with undergrowth.  I used mine to bring a 20ft climbing stick and a hang on stand through the woods. It would of been 3 times as easy to just carry them in. The 2 wheel aluminum carts with big wheels that weigh 25 lbs do just fine. Not the Hauler
 

I've had nothing but good things to say about this cart as have most of the reviews. As with most carts, they aren't overly suited to going through the woods, get the deer to a trail or logging Rd and it's a breeze. I get the deer to a suitable place then go get the cart. I hunt a lot of state land that has access trails, maybe in private land it's not as functional? To each their own...

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[Tughill Tamer]

I also use an old ice fishing sled and it works well.

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[xpert66]

A lot of people love the Jet sled. Personally I can't see something that's going to apply friction on the ground being a better alternative to something with wheels. I'll take a wheeled cart any day of the week. Better yet a wheeled cart with an e-bike even better.

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[airedale]

2 hours ago, xpert66 said:

Better yet a wheeled cart with an e-bike even better.

Hey that is quite the rig xpert, I have a Rad Mini ebike similar to yours looks wise, I just ride it around for fun.

Al

[xpert66]

Hey that is quite the rig xpert, I have a Rad Mini ebike similar to yours looks wise, I just ride it around for fun.
Al

Yeah looked into that one it was more money than the Lectric XP plus this one folds I can put in my backseat. Plus you can turn this one into a class 3 goes up to 28 mph

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[chrisw]

I also vote e-bike/ deer cart.

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[airedale]

I can see in the right terrain those rigs would work well for hunting.

Al

[Northcountryman]

On 11/28/2023 at 6:07 AM, Grouse said:

How well do they work in the big woods going uphill?  I can't see adding more to what I carry into the woods now, unless it has some major advantage for me.  Besides, I don't always take a stand when I hunt, preferring to have the option to move if I need to.

Agreed; this season, I'm subscribing to the "More is less" maxim and am tryin to lighten the load I haul in.  Sleds a good idea, I think; just keep it in the truck and if you get somethin, go back and get it? Either way, theres never gonna be a perfect scenario, but thats likely, what i'd do if i purchased one. 

[Northcountryman]

23 hours ago, xpert66 said:

A lot of people love the Jet sled. Personally I can't see something that's going to apply friction on the ground being a better alternative to something with wheels. I'll take a wheeled cart any day of the week. Better yet a wheeled cart with an e-bike even better.

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Ohhh, thats a sweet setup, right there!! I would use that puppy to ride to my spot-put the climber in the cart!!

[hueyjazz]

For quick and dirty you be surprised how well a 6 x 9 tarp works.  I always carry one in my pack and wrap deer in it if only to keep out dirt and leaves.

[airedale]

17 minutes ago, hueyjazz said:

For quick and dirty you be surprised how well a 6 x 9 tarp works.

I have watched some game taken on African Safari hunt videos and many times they wrapped the animal in a tarp and dragged it out, looked like it worked great.

I have used many times a purpose made Deer drag harness that goes over your shoulders with a rope attached, you just pull like an Ox and it works pretty well, just used mine the other day. I bet it could also work even better tied to a sled or a tarp.

Al

Edited December 3, 2023 by airedale

[Northcountryman]

35 minutes ago, airedale said:

I have watched some game taken on African Safari hunt videos and many times they wrapped the animal in a tarp and dragged it out, looked like it worked great.

I have used many times a purpose made Deer drag harness that goes over your shoulders with a rope attached, you just pull like an Ox and it works pretty well, just used mine the other day. I bet it could also work even better tied to a sled or a tarp.

Al

Sounds like a great idea!!