Deer Cart

[analyzer]

We're hunting public land this year, and will be as much as a 1 1/2 - 2 miles from the vehicle. Have any of you ever constructed a deer cart from bicycle tires, or similar, and how did that work out for you?

If any of you have been successful with such a thing, would you mind sharing a pic or two?

I'm not talking about pulling it behind an ATV. I was thinking more of something I can pull by hand. We can't drive in where we're at, no vehicles/ATV's allowed.

[motley man]

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[Bear55]

They can be a life saver if there are decent trails. I have an ameristep version and used it this year for the first time to pull out a doe. It wasn't a long drag, maybe 300 yards but it was up hill about half the way and I must say it was nice, a one hand "drag" the whole way.

[Finlander]

I used my cart to bring goose decoys in the field, otherwise it would have been 4 trips back and forth. I also painted my cart camo so I can put it anywhere without any game noticing it!

[George]

Made one a few years ago and works well. Need 2 people. Looks like a ladder with a v shaped bed for the deer to lay on. Used 1" steel for the sides and 3/4 for the bed. Centered a bike tire in the middle. Had to use 4 braces, 2 on ea side for stength. You can go as fast as you can walk. Made it so the height is about waist high. Made handles about a foot long. Make the handles long enough so that the bed does not get in the way when you walk. Think it is 8 feet long and maybe 2 feet wide.Can be tough going thru brush. But if there is a trail to go on it works great. Don't have it at home so I cant give you any pics.

[analyzer]

Made one a few years ago and works well. Need 2 people. Looks like a ladder with a v shaped bed for the deer to lay on. Used 1" steel for the sides and 3/4 for the bed. Centered a bike tire in the middle. Had to use 4 braces, 2 on ea side for stength. You can go as fast as you can walk. Made it so the height is about waist high. Made handles about a foot long. Make the handles long enough so that the bed does not get in the way when you walk. Think it is 8 feet long and maybe 2 feet wide.Can be tough going thru brush. But if there is a trail to go on it works great. Don't have it at home so I cant give you any pics.

That sounds interesting. So it only has one tire? hmmm.

The ladder isn't a bad idea. I have an old aluminum ladder, perhaps I could use one side with a couple bicycle tires.

[KG243]

I saw a big box store had one for $49 last week or this week, worth every penny in my book as I have hunted over two miles back in on WMA's. Great to be able to bring back a load for the whole day.

[pascooter94]

yep, picked up 5 of them going to be great x-mas gifts.

[SartellMN]

Whatever you get, or whatever you make, be sure that it has the largest tires possible.

[analyzer]

I saw a big box store had one for $49 last week or this week, worth every penny in my book as I have hunted over two miles back in on WMA's. Great to be able to bring back a load for the whole day.

Big Box Store? Is that in minnesota?

[analyzer]

Big Box Store? Is that in minnesota?

[Wensel]

Big Box with a C I found mine.

Its not the best but with some straps and rope, its certainly a better way to go than draggin....

[LightningBG]

Cabela's has some right now for $100 and some for $50.

I looked into the bicycle type tires to make a decoy cart. They run about $20-25 each. For a game cart your better off just buying one.

[elkhuntingfan]

I bought a game cart a few years ago that had the plastic spokes. I got a nice buck about a mile and a half from the truck. We put the deer on the cart and went about ten feet. When we went over a bump, the tire broke right off from the sideways torque. I now have a homemade cart made out of conduit with ten speed tires on it. It has a pull handle, and it works great in just about any terrain. I agree, the bigger the tires, the better.

[analyzer]

elk, any chance you could post a pic?

[elkhuntingfan]

Analyzer - I've tried posting the photos about 3 times, but it isn't working. My computer is very slow tonight, and that might be the problem. I'm leaving for Ripley early in the a.m. so I won't get to this until Monday. Sorry.

[thefishRmine]

I second watching out for plastic spokes. This one maybe went 5 feet and hit a bump and the wheel fell off from the spokes after a minor bump with the first deer on it. Can't remember the name brand but I do remember the plastic spokes on it so fabricating something from home that is solid would work out much better.

[elkhuntingfan]

Analyzer send me your e-mail and I'll send the photos over. I've been trying to download the photos for an hour with no luck. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. If I keep working on this, I'll have to shoot my computer. [email protected]

[deerminator]

You could also consider a $25 handtruck from Menards or Home Depot if you can manuever it to your hunting spot. It's an easy journey across a picked or plowed field - or down an old road or trail. I've hauled a few deer that way.

[elkhuntingfan]

This is the cart I've been using. A friend of mine made it. We've hauled a couple deer at a time and lots of gear. It works great. The handle is threaded so it comes off for hauling.

[fishinfey8]

How many lbs. do you think your cart is elk?

[analyzer]

Very nice Elk. I was wondering how you handled the axle part of it. Thank you for spending so much time trying to get the pictures posted. I didn't mean to kill your entire day. But the pics give me a nice starting point.

[analyzer]

I'm going to check out the handtruck tomorrow, Deerminator. Thx for the idea. I think I like the idea of having very large wheels like Elks though. I might put them a little closer together to navigate tight spots.

ELK do you like the width between the wheels for stability, or do you sometimes wish they were closer together?

[elkhuntingfan]

I hunt at Sherburne Refuge. It's lots of fields with sand and gopher mounds. The wide track makes the cart very stable and easy to pull. You're not fighting it from tipping over like some of the carts I've used. A narrower track might be easier to get through the trees in the big woods.