I was wondering if anyone out there has come up with a somewhat inexpensive way of carrying deer on your atv without having to load it the front or rear of your atv? I was going to take the route of using an auto hitch carrier that fits into a receiver hitch on my atv but putting even a 100 lbs. on the carrier makes the suspension on the rear really sit down. If I could somehow fit a small wheel with some type of suspension arm to it, it would I think take some of the weight strain of the atv suspension. What do you guys think and/or what do you use. I have seen some of the carriers available out there but I have no desire to pay +/- $300 or more.

Thanks in advance.

 

I just quarter the animals and strap them on the racks. With the extensions you can fit one whole cow elk on the racks quartered. Put bothe fron quarters on fron rack and rears on rear rack and put the back straps and tenderloin wherever you can get them to stay. I also built a 4'x8' trailer that can handle an animal whole pretty easy but it isn't always handy depending on the terrrain.

 

Look at Cabelas Atv Hitch Haul. Its a downsized truck version that features an s curved shaft to give you more ground clearence.

 

I use the angled bar for the standard hitch hauler. It raises the HH 7" for more clearance. With the std. 2" receiver hitch on the AC, it works great and only have to lift a deer about 20 inches to get it on the hauler. Sure beats pulling it onto the hauler when on the back of my F350.

 

gooseman,

Have you thought of a meat trailer? I built one using 2x2 square stock, made a T and welded in spindles bought a pair of 22inch tires and wheels and mounted a flatdeck on it for less then 200 bucks(paid for the welding). This year I lucked into a clearance sale at Wally World and picked up a 10cubicfoot lawn trailer and dismantled it and used the box to mount onto the T I had originaly made for 88 dollars. A little reinforcing over the axles for the tub to stiffen it up some.

I used it this year to haul out an entire moose in. If you want to see it go to my pictures and it is the red one with the moose standing off on the river bed. It also works around the yard for hauling firewood up to the house and today when I am raking the leaves. I bolted the tailgate shut but you could leave it alone and just drag the deer up into it, I would recomend some foam on it to quite it down if you go this route.

You could find everything to make a trailer for for less then 200 bucks and maybe even closer to a 100 if you know how to weld or know somebody who will do it for free(12 pack of beer would smooth things).

I see your in Asheville, my wife and I stayed there one night on our way to Charlotte. I remember the guy at the hotel but not the name of it and he wanted to know if I knew his budy who lived up here in Alaska, he was a hoot. Especially when we asked for a room with a hot tub, he told us it was alot more money for it and since we were only paying 19 bucks as it was we decided to go ahead and spend the extra 10 bucks for the hot tub.

The Case or was it the Buck museum is around there, or am I mistaken?

AlaskaBoy.

 

gooseman,

I went to my photos and I see I did not load the one of the trailer but if you want to see it anyways I could email it to you, just PM me if you want to look at it.

AlaskaBoy.

 

Here is how I solved the problem.

I had an aluminum "deer cart" that folds and uses bicycle wheels that I bought from either Cabelas or Bass Pro. It looks like this:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...ainCatcat20712

(sorry about the link. If it does not work, search for "Magnum Game Carrier")

I can use it manually as designed OR I have taken a six foot 1 inch square tubing (it was handy scrap) and attach it to the cart using two sets of u-bolts and wing nuts. I can connect it to the back of the ATV with a hitch pin or use an inexpensive 2" coupler.

It works quite well for me.

 

I work at a steel processing Co, so I have access to any flat steel. I took a 4x6 foot sheet of treadplate, bent the front end up to deflect debris. Built strap hooks on the side and pull it with an old chain I had laying around. It may sound fruity, but it really looks professoinal. And it cost me $0. And works great! All ya do is drag the deer onto it strap it and go.

 

AlaskaBoy,

What can I say except you live in Gods country for sure I envy you. Your cart idea sounds good please email a picture.


SPD522,

I attached the made for an atv carrier and it just seemed to small to carry a deer. Maybe its not?

tennfire,

I thought of the same thing before moving to the idea of an auto hitch carrier. I have since returned to my original idea. Attaching a six foot piece of tubing would definitely help in the maneuvering department.

 

I have the hitch carrier and use it on a Polaris 700. Problem I have seen with it is that I have shot several deer (mostly in western KY rather than my home state of TN) which were just too heavy for the 150 pound recommended tongue weight. It the hitch carrier were stout enough (or perhaps supported with braces/straps for heavier loads, perhaps.

A second problem I have had twice with the hitch carrier is cross deep creeks, when loaded it tends to drag an awful lot going up and down banks and the angle at the rear of the ATV closes.

I have not had a problem with the coverted platform. More weight capacity, easier to "clean" the animal on, plus I can use it without the ATV if need be.