My "Deer Retrieval System" I made and opening day WV buck
 

I hunt in a hollow that has no ATV trail and I don't own it so I can't put one in it. I hunt every opening day there and then move onto my land which neighbors it for the rest of the week. It's just too good of a spot not to be opening day, so I deal with the ordeal of getting a deer out. My buddies just assume I am dragging one out of there every opening day, lol.

Years ago I would drag it to the bottom of the hollow, then walk back up the hill and get my ATV, drive down to it, and then drive back up. Unfortunately that trail has become too damned dangerous and honestly, it was more of a task than my new system, which is to drag the deer straight up the damned mountain.

I usually have to drag the deer up 4 "flats" to the ridge, 5 this year since the deer ran down to me after I shot it this year. So I carry 100' of rope, 2 pulleys, and 2 ratchets in my backpack when I am hunting there. I attach the end of the rope and 1 pulley to a ratchet and attach that to a tree above me, then I route the rope through a pulley on the ratchet strap around the deer's antlers and then back up through the pulley on the tree above me. As I go down, the deer goes up the hill. It works really well and takes me about 2 hours to get the deer up the hill.

My system layout:



The opening day 6 point:





The system in use:



The hill's grade:



So if you have a great deer spot that kick's your butt getting a deer out of, try this system, it works well. Also, the steeper the grade, the easier it is to pull him up since gravity is on your side. Also, the higher you mount the tree pulley the better as it keeps his antlers from dragging the ground and getting caught up every log, rock, or crevice there is.

I use a para-cord and a tarp.

Tie the cord to the holes in the tarp and pull the deer onto the tarp and :rock:

The tarp provides a slick surface to drag the deer easily without damaging the hide.

grab the deer and go with it

I've thought about making a tarp for the deer to make it slicker and keep those antlers from getting tangled on stuff, but my bag is pretty full opening day, I think my system is done design wise, although next year I am throwing a pair of leather work gloves into the mix, my hands were killing me when I got to the top.

Nice deer Brent...Good system, too.

As far as "Grab the deer and go with it"....if Brent's area of WV is anything like where my farm is...I can barely walk up them myself, let alone dragging a deer. LOL

Nice deer and nice pulley system. You know what we used to get my buck out of the brush up at my sister & bro-in-law's farm up in New York? A backhoe! :happy0157:

Serious... My bro-in-law drove up to the upper ridgetop in his backhoe after he heard the shot and I called him on the cellphone to tell him I got a deer. Cracked me up! We hooked a long chain around the buck, and dragged him out into the edge of the pasture. Then shortened the chain up and my bro-in-law raised the backhoe bucket way up in the air, so I could easily gut him. Talk about making it easy! :s3:

Yeah, that isn't happening and I doubt any of us are dragging a deer up that hollow without some kind of system. Could it be done, sure, but you're talking about an all day event and you would be wore the hell out.

Exactly. On my land, any where you get one you can drag it primarily down and eventually you'll come to an ATV trail. This hollow, not happening.


Nice, that's the system my buddy uses in PA and it works well. When his uncle hears a shot he fires up the International. :biggrin:

I'm from the Mountain State too and this year I tried one of those two wheeled deer carts and dude let me tell you that they are the crap for getting a deer out of the WV hills. Just strap the deer to it and pull the cart it's great.

I got me a two wheeled cart. When I shoot one, I wlak back to my truck, put up all unnecessary gear, take in the cart, load him up and wheel him back.

Man: in my younger days I can remember dragging for 7 hours on 1 deer but them days are over and I draged for more then 43 plus years .I am 64 now 2 cervical disk removed 3 years ago and now I use a QUAD
ruff to get old