Anyone use a portable game hoist?

[Bolt action]

I'm making the move this year from taking my deer to a butcher to processing my own. $80/deer adds up real quick. I don't have a big enough shed or the garage space to hang it inside, so I'm thinking about picking up one of these tripod hoists. I see them online for under $100. Essentially they are a tripod with a hanger and a manual winch. I live in a suburb of Monroe county so the only thing I'm worried about getting to it is the heat. Does anyone have any experience with these?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

11 minutes ago, Bolt action said:

I'm making the move this year from taking my deer to a butcher to processing my own. $80/deer adds up real quick. I don't have a big enough shed or the garage space to hang it inside, so I'm thinking about picking up one of these tripod hoists. I see them online for under $100. Essentially they are a tripod with a hanger and a manual winch. I live in a suburb of Monroe county so the only thing I'm worried about getting to it is the heat. Does anyone have any experience with these?

are you planning on using this to hang and age the deer or just use it to raise and cut them up?

[WNYBuckHunter]

You could build one with 5 4x4s, a couple of 2x4s, an eye bolt and a cheap gambrel from Walmart for less than that. Do you have a tree in your yard with a large enough branch?

[Bolt action]

The plan would be to (weather permitting) age them.. cutting them up for sure.  Not a single tree in the yard. I thought about building, but yard space is limited so I like the idea of being able to take it down when it's not being used.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

no reason they shouldn't work fine. i will say that even with cooler temps be very careful about leaving them in direct sunlight. It can raise the temps and spoil it even when its cool. 

[moog5050]

You can't find a small area in the garage, even if you leave a car outside?  That is where I do mine.  Door closed so as not to offend neighbors.

[Swamp_bucks]

I dont know if you have kids but ive used swing sets that are made out of 4x4s only problem is the big boys are to big for them.  

[Five Seasons]

what's the height of your garage ceiling? 

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

I bought one from Dicks sporting goods for $20.00 two years ago, comes with spreader, pully system and rope,, you can hoist a deer up by youself and lower it yourself, best thing I ever bought ,, kicking myself for not buying two at the time, next time Im there I will pick up another.

similar to this 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/302488582539 

Edited October 26, 2017 by Bowshotmuzzleloader

[Bolt action]

Had a swing set but the wind destroyed it in those storms we had earlier in the year. Garage beams are 9 foot and could work, but the wife isn't thrilled about having a deer hanging around in the garage. Happy wife = happy life.. I could take it inside if the weather didn't cooperate but that would be a last resort. Seems likes this is my best option for hanging and processing..

[moog5050]

7 minutes ago, Bolt action said:

Had a swing set but the wind destroyed it in those storms we had earlier in the year. Garage beams are 9 foot and could work, but the wife isn't thrilled about having a deer hanging around in the garage. Happy wife = happy life.. I could take it inside if the weather didn't cooperate but that would be a last resort. Seems likes this is my best option for hanging and processing..

Not trying to convince you (maybe I am a bit), but I typically butcher same day and the time from hanging the deer until the garage is cleaned up is an hour at most.  Skin, quarter and remove straps and tenderloins.  Leave a plastic tarp underneath and wrap it up to dispose of leftover parts in garbage bin.  Easy and quick.  No deer left hanging for extended periods.  Plus, not concern of those really frigid days, snow or rain.  I do the final clean and cutting of the meat at the table.  That said, I am sure the portable hoist will work.

[wolc123]

You might want to keep your eye open for an old refrigerator.  That way, it will not matter how warm it gets and you can still properly age your carcass before processing.  A 1.5 year old deer should age for 1 week at 33 to 43 deg F.  A 2.5 year old should age at least 10 days.  Older deer can go two weeks.   A fridge works perfect for that.  People are always looking to get rid of old ones.  Get one and remove all the shelves and drawers.   I skin the deer and cut the rear quarters off.  Those get hung from the tendons from hooks on the top of the fridge and I rest the front section on the neck at the bottom.  Close the door and wait the required time before processing.   After you learn how to properly age venison, you will never want to take it to a processer again.  The cost savings is just an added bonus.  No one that I serve it to has been able to tell that it was not top quality beef.    

[Bolt action]

Moog I think you takes me out of it. If it's only taking you an hour to skin and quarter, and with minimal mess, I can handle that. And if not, I can always pick up the portable hoist later..

[moog5050]

1 minute ago, Bolt action said:

Moog I think you takes me out of it. If it's only taking you an hour to skin and quarter, and with minimal mess, I can handle that. And if not, I can always pick up the portable hoist later..

Might take a bit longer at the start, but really is pretty quick.  I take extra time if caping for a mount.  Only suggesting because once you get it down, its easy and mess free.  Pick up some 5x7' plastic tarps from harbor freight.  A few large plastic bowls to put the quarters, straps and loins makes it easy to put on table and finish butchering.  My wife was opposed at first too, but now helps me clean and vacuum seal after I get it to the table. 

[Five Seasons]

1 hour ago, Bolt action said:

Had a swing set but the wind destroyed it in those storms we had earlier in the year. Garage beams are 9 foot and could work, but the wife isn't thrilled about having a deer hanging around in the garage. Happy wife = happy life.. I could take it inside if the weather didn't cooperate but that would be a last resort. Seems likes this is my best option for hanging and processing..

i'd really think the wife would be happier with one inside then out...

i really don't like leaving deer outside. it could be early and warm, it could be rainy, it's unprotected from sun, contaminants and other hungry critters. even with a portable i'd put it in the garage. At most it's hanging for a night or maybe 2. If she's not ok with that, I'm not sure she will be thrilled about the garbage full of the remains or the mess in the kitchen from cutting it up. and being inside will be a lot nicer during the skinning process. 

with a 9' ceiling i'd recommend a simple pulley system with gambrel, but make sure it's a locking one, not one you have to tie off. they run like $20 at dicks. Then if your ceiling is exposed, lay a 2x6 vertically across 3 joists and secure it to the truss with 2 screws at each truss so it's secure and wont flop over. then just thread a heavy duty eyebolt to the 2x6 in the middle.

i would not recommend just threading an eyebolt to a single joist, you want to spread the weight out over 3 if you can. If your ceiling is drywalled and isn't exposed it gets a little more complicated and your portable solution will be easier. just need to make sure you have room to store it when not in use. 

[Five Seasons]

1 hour ago, moog5050 said:

Not trying to convince you (maybe I am a bit), but I typically butcher same day and the time from hanging the deer until the garage is cleaned up is an hour at most.  Skin, quarter and remove straps and tenderloins.  Leave a plastic tarp underneath and wrap it up to dispose of leftover parts in garbage bin.  Easy and quick.  No deer left hanging for extended periods.  Plus, not concern of those really frigid days, snow or rain.  I do the final clean and cutting of the meat at the table.  That said, I am sure the portable hoist will work.

i did plastic but found cardboard to be good too. we all buy enough crap now where i just save some of the bigger sections. absorbs the blood and then to the recycler lol. hair just vacs or sweeps up. Skin and clean up is quick i agree. I tend to cut steaks and roasts while it's hanging instead of quartering the hinds. but yeah the real pain is vac and grind.

another trick i learned was to use some good manual hedge trimmers to do the neck and leg bones. just clips right through. no saw required. 

[Five Seasons]

20 minutes ago, Bolt action said:

Moog I think you takes me out of it. If it's only taking you an hour to skin and quarter, and with minimal mess, I can handle that. And if not, I can always pick up the portable hoist later..

he still hangs it for skinning. you really want to let it hang for a bit to drain. it's also a LOT easier to pull the hide off

[moog5050]

3 minutes ago, Belo said:

i did plastic but found cardboard to be good too. we all buy enough crap now where i just save some of the bigger sections. absorbs the blood and then to the recycler lol. hair just vacs or sweeps up. Skin and clean up is quick i agree. I tend to cut steaks and roasts while it's hanging instead of quartering the hinds. but yeah the real pain is vac and grind.

another trick i learned was to use some good manual hedge trimmers to do the neck and leg bones. just clips right through. no saw required. 

Good point.  I use some heavy duty loppers to cut the leg bone below the hind quarters - last thing hanging by then

[moog5050]

2 minutes ago, Belo said:

he still hangs it for skinning. you really want to let it hang for a bit to drain. it's also a LOT easier to pull the hide off

Sorry if that was misunderstood, you do still need to hang the deer.  Cheap self locking pulley gambrel set up will work.  You can chain the top pulley to a truss.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

1 hour ago, moog5050 said:

 the time from hanging the deer until the garage is cleaned up is an hour at most.  Skin, quarter and remove straps and tenderloins. 

When We did the ones we took up North with the muzzle loader we hung them in a tree. rope over the limb and used the truck to raise and lower them. On three of them it took me 20 minutes each  to skin, loins, backstraps, boneless hind quarters and front shoulders. They pulled them up and I started and then they dropped them. The one really big doe took me a half hour.  We didn't have to worry about clean up out in the hedge row. We dint have the option to hang at all because it was mid 70's for temps. When we got them home we put them in our meat totes with lids and tossed in the old fridge.  cut them up a couple days later. This all can be a simple or as complex as we want to make it. I think everyone should make an attempt to do one deer themselves. They would find there really isn't any vodoo to it and not that hard or time consuming at all. (Wrapping or vacuum sealing is the killer. )

Edited October 26, 2017 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Bolt action]

You guys make a compelling case for processing your own deer. I think you're absolutely right that's it's only as easy or as hard as you make it. I'll let you know how it goes!   Now all I need is a deer to work on!

[Five Seasons]

When We did the ones we took up North with the muzzle loader we hung them in a tree. rope over the limb and used the truck to raise and lower them. On three of them it took me 20 minutes each  to skin, loins, backstraps, boneless hind quarters and front shoulders. They pulled them up and I started and then they dropped them. The one really big doe took me a half hour.  We didn't have to worry about clean up out in the hedge row. We dint have the option to hang at all because it was mid 70's for temps. When we got them home we put them in our meat totes with lids and tossed in the old fridge.  cut them up a couple days later. This all can be a simple or as complex as we want to make it. I think everyone should make an attempt to do one deer themselves. They would find there really isn't any vodoo to it and not that hard or time consuming at all. (Wrapping or vacuum sealing is the killer. )

It’s a learned skill though. A good hour for a newbie, and who knows what hair you end up with haha.

It certainly gets easier after every one. Small things like knowing where the glands are and where to cut for steaks and roasts seem easy for us but for a first timer it can be intimidating.

I love doing my own deer because I just feel better about it. Even spent a bunch of time, money and effort to make it easier at my new place with an electric hoist.


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[Five Seasons]

This isn’t how a lot of guys do it, but after watching the video I started doing mine this way. Easier than dealing with a quartered hind in my opinion.

Good beginner video either way.

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[Culvercreek hunt club]

It’s a learned skill though. A good hour for a newbie, and who knows what hair you end up with haha.

It certainly gets easier after every one. Small things like knowing where the glands are and where to cut for steaks and roasts seem easy for us but for a first timer it can be intimidating.

I love doing my own deer because I just feel better about it. Even spent a bunch of time, money and effort to make it easier at my new place with an electric hoist.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Separate muscle groups to smallest "chunk". Trim everything off that isn't meat and cut steaks across the grain of the meat. It can be intimidating if you haven't done it. Just can't be scared to try. As far as the hair. Cut hide from inside to out and you will release a fraction of cutting in. Th n quickly brush over it with a propane torch and it's gone .

[moog5050]

Hide from inside out?   I just trim it off the bag legs and peel it down.  What do you mean culver?