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How are you getting deer in your truck when solo?

Spartan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
469
Starting to do more remote/solo hunting and realized last year that I need a better solution than the old pull-and-pray method for getting heavy deer up into my truck bed. With this method, from the ground, I just tie the antlers off near the tailgate so it's head/rack is held above the tailgate, and then I climb up into the truck bed and start pulling, using the tail gate as a fulcrum point. Not great...

I'm kicking around a few ideas such as a hitch hoist or sled and ramp. I've used the hitch-mount hoists in the past, but I'm not a big fan of them. Curious to hear some good ideas from the members here.

So what are you all doing?
 
 
I've always drove an suv/hatchback. It's really easy to get an animal on it with bad hitch rack. I have played with a piece of plywood cut to fit the bottom of the rack that rides in it and can be removed and used as a ramp, but it's not really necessary.

If you have a pickup bed, a cheapo hitch rack is easy to leave in it. My dad keeps one and will use it to keep from having to put a deer or heavy ice chest in the bed while solo
 
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This probably isn’t what you’re looking for but it might help in a worst case situation. Cut the deer up into quarters. Watch @Nutterbuster video on how to do it on YouTube. That’s what I did and his videos help a ton. You can do it super quick. You’re gonna do it anyways so it’s either blow you back out or cut it up. I pack my deer out so maybe this doesn’t help you tho but this is a gotta do whatcha gotta do kind of thing.
 
My method is almost exactly like this except
I fastened an eyebolt to the bed close up by the cab then got a cheap come along from harbor fright and a couple 1x6s 6 feet long. I’d drop the tailgate, throw one end of the boards on the tailgate and the other end on the ground like a ramp, throw the deer on the “ramp”, girth hitch or throw a loop around the head and start cranking. You can throw a tarp on top of the boards first to reduce drag. If you don’t want to throw an eyebolt in the bed the above method works as well I just didn’t use an anchor point
 
Put the handle of my sherpa mag game cart on the tailgate then pick up on the other end and slide/horse it into back of the truck. You can put the truck down hill of the cart if it is a real "CORKER".

I'll add back the pickup into the ditch if needed for less of a steep angle.
 
I have this toyloader and I use two wood ramps with these brackets.

 

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I've got a hinged bed topper on my truck so I can't crawl in/stand up much past the tail gate. I use a version of the system @Exhumis posted. I simply attach a biner with micropulley to the front bed cargo hook, run a rope off the deer thru the pulley to a tree behind the truck. With the deer's antlers lifted over the edge of the tail gate, I get in and pull the truck forward. The rope pulls him right in.
 
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