Get Out... Buck and Bear

[PLB]

My deer cart doesn't work well til you get the deer on a skid trail. So I run the cart in as far as I can and then drag the deer to the cart. I don't see the point of a sled without snow? To me you would want that weight off the ground? They are nice in the snow though! I think not being able to quarter a deer is dumb! It would be so nice especially for older hunters!

[Mountain Man]

I would think that using a sled should be easier than dragging on the ground (with or w/o snow) because the coefficient of friction between the sled (assume plastic) and the ground should be lower than the coefficient of friction between a deer’s body and the ground – this is also assuming the surface area of the sled (though maybe slightly larger than the surface area of the deer touching the ground) is negligible. Also with a sled you can tie the deer’s legs to the sled so the legs aren’t hanging out which would decrease the amount of surface area of the deer touching the ground and therefore decrease friction and the likelihood of the deer getting hung up on saplings, rocks, logs, etc.

One other thing to keep in mind is that dragging on the ground can break hairs, the hide can get punctured, and cause heat to build up through friction which can speed up decomposition of the hide in those areas and the hair can then fall out. So if you want to get that deer or bear or whatever the animal is mounted, keep the dragging to a minimum and put it on a sled, cart, or where legal get it on an ATV (and make sure no part of the animal is touching the ground or a wheel) or truck.

[dan]

Sleds work great with no snow... Not as good as with snow, but a of a lot better than with no sled.

[Schultzy]

Bear are about the worst thing to drag out of a woods. Even the smaller ones drag hard, I think It's the hide.

[dan]

I got a pretty big bear in northern Wisconsin about 8 years ago and the land owner had a large ice fishing otter sled. Rolled the bear into the sled and it pulled so easy it was just one hand on the rope walk back to the farm. It went so easy I dragged it all the way to the truck rather than driving to the bear... And there was no snow in September.

[Schultzy]

Was It thick and full of down fall Dan? I've thought about the otter sled but haven't tried It yet.

[dan]

Was It thick and full of down fall Dan? I've thought about the otter sled but haven't tried It yet.

No... I dragged that bear thru fields mostly. But I have used smaller hard plastic sleds to get bucks out of the middle of swamps full of down falls, cattails, and obstacles with great success... The main trick is to really secure the deer to the sled. If you just flop it into the sled and expect it to stay there your in for a rude awakening. On the 1st sled I used I had bungees. Next one I stepped up to rope and strung it thru holes drilled on the rim edge.
The rope worked best. Legs and antlers need to be tucked in and tied down too or you will be untangling more than dragging. Its really nice not to get swamp muck into the deer gut cavity. Its also really easy for two people to lift the full sled over a tree. Also, dragging a buck out thru some of the swamps I hunt in is a sure way of ruining your cape for mounting...
SCHULTZY, if your thinking of getting a sled for Northern Minnesota swamp retrieval of bears, I would highly recommend it. I believe you will be able to pull that thing thru anything you could drag a bear thru. And it might just get your bear or multiples at your camp out fast enough to keep them from spoiling on one of those hot September days...

[Schultzy]

That's good enough Info for me. I'm going to get one. Thanks a bunch Dan!!

[dan]

Check out this link:
http://eelement.appolis.com/OTTEROUTDOO ... =7323&iss=

For bear I would choose this sled:
#1130 Medium Otter Sled - 64" L x 32" W x 15" H = 32 Lbs
$109.99

[publiclandhunter]

An ATV always works the best, if you have one and if you can get to your critter, otherwise the sled idea seems to hold favor for most here. I don't care what you use, bears always seem to be a big pain in the a##.

PLH

[dan]

Most of what I bear and deer hunt you could not get an ATV to... With my biggest bear ( 500 pounds ) it was only 100 yards from a dirt road. We drove a large 4X4 ATV right up to it and it took 6 guys to load the bear. Then the ATV sank and kept getting stuck. It took several hours with the ATV to get it out. With a sled, I believe the time would of been measured in minutes, not hours, and it would of taken two guys to roll the bear into the sled rather than 6 to lift it onto an ATV... We should of gotten pic's of that ATV. the bear completely covered the whole ATV. no one was riding it. One hand under the bear to control the throttle, two guys trying to reach under and steer it and the rest pushing.... If that bear was in a remote swamp no way we would of got it out without spoilage if not using a sled. Also, if you got an ATV, the sleds hook right up to the back...

[venisonassassin]

Check out this link:
http://eelement.appolis.com/OTTEROUTDOO ... =7323&iss=

For bear I would choose this sled:
#1130 Medium Otter Sled - 64" L x 32" W x 15" H = 32 Lbs
$109.99

What would be a good size for slob bucks? The next size down? I was gonna buy one towards the end of ice fishing season but by the time I remembered to go back and buy it they were sold out, dammit . Oh well, I would think I can buy one direct from Otter.

[dan]

Deer size:
#1120 Small Otter Sled - 54" L x 26" W x 13" H = 16 Lbs
$64.99 direct from Otter...

[Uncle Lou]

I need a new sled, I am checking these out and likely getting one.

I had an old plastic sled that finally wore out. Hauled an elk out of Wyoming with it(after dragging and packing for some ways). Hauled much wood with it too over both snow and no snow.

[Singing Bridge]

Lou, you can haul a lot of gear onto the ice with it too- multipurpose necessity if anyone asks why you need one.