Ideas for a good game winch setup?

[bisonic]

After just about killing myself lifting a 250+ lb boar this weekend with a standard four pulley Cabelas hoist I'm thinking of a better setup and would like some ideas to make the process easier. Any ideas?

I don't have power so that's out. I don't always hunt with my truck and don't have storage space so I can't use a receiver hitch style hoist. I was thinking of just using an ATV mounted winch, but my quad only weighs 650 lbs or so and I wonder if it's heavy enough to lift the big ones without lifting itself up as well, plus I don't know if the angles for the winch cable would work well.

I usually hang the hoist from a big limb of an oak tree. I was thinking of somehow mounting a hand cranked cable winch (boat trailer type) to the oak tree, but can think of at least two problems. First, the handle would bash into the tree, so I'd have to make some sort of a mount to give it clearance. Second, I'm not sure how well those winches can crank the load down as they're made to crank them up with the rachet.

Thoughts?

thx

 

[Uncle Bambi]

I don't have any DIY ideas like a hitch-mounted apparatus etc., but something I've used to great effect when out in the boonies is something called a Spanish Windlass. Basically, all you need are the tree you hang the game on, some sort of other anchor point (another tree for example), a good rope and a stick. You can almost move a mountain with this technique, and everything you need except the rope can be found laying around where you're hunting.

Primitive and probably not what you're looking for....... but very effective:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Spanish-Windlass

 

[cali-carnivore]

They sale hitch mounted hoists or a cheap auto winch/pulley.

 

[solus]

http://www.harborfreight.com/4000-lb-capacity-cable-winch-puller-30329.html cheap and conveniently fits in your truck/car/ suv

 

[Grasslandhntr]

What I've found we tried to winch a 250 lb pig on a quad and it lifted it off the ground and it was a big 700 Polaris so not a small bike

 

[Uncle Bambi]

http://www.harborfreight.com/4000-lb-capacity-cable-winch-puller-30329.html cheap and conveniently fits in your truck/car/ suv

I have the 8000 lb version, and have used it successfully to hoist hogs into trees. add a tow strap and heavy duty rope, and you can haul your truck out of a ditch, too.

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Adding pulleys makes it easier. Or you could just use a come-along.

 

[hogassin]

this block and tackle works way better....
It is smaller and has more wheels...
I weigh 140 and I pulled a large boar 20ft out of a ravine

 

[bisonic]

I'd thought about a come-along, but they're awfully slow. Hogassin, I think your idea is the easiest one, where did you see that block and tackle set for sale?

thx

 

[redneck_trevor20]

i think im gonna run into the same problem except here arnt any trees in my area

 

[hogassin]

15 bucks on ebay

 

[Marty]

If you do not have trees, then bring along three landscaping posts and lash them into a tripod. Set the posts, then anchor the block and tackle rig to the tripod and pull away.

 

[cali-carnivore]

Did you say winch or wench?

 

[cali-carnivore]

around $90 and a 300 pound capacity.

 

[Uncle Bambi]

around $90 and a 300 pound capacity.

I don't have power so that's out. I don't always hunt with my truck and don't have storage space so I can't use a receiver hitch style hoist.

:big-grin-aqua:

 

[bisonic]

I went the easy way and ordered one of the block and tackle sets Hogassin pointed out. 7:1 leverage will certainly be an improvement over the current 3:1 or whatever it is, though it means a lot more rope to tangle up. I'd love to come up with an easy way to mount a hand cranked winch to the oak tree, will have to give that some more thought.

 

[hogassin]

cool...you wont be disappointed....
I made a loop of thicker rope with a stainless lanyard that goes around the tree limb
also I put locktight on the bolt threads....
I replaced the rope with 800 lb parachute cord 1/4" from cheaper than dirt
I cinch the pulleys together then wrap the rope around....
then I stuff all that into a old neoprene bino case

 

[jagdman]

The easiest way to move anything is with a chain hoist. Its to heavy if you are doing a back pack hunt, but if you can get the truck or quad near it this is what i would use. As you can see in the pictures Our guide in Africa is picking up and loading a Cape Buffalo all by him self using a chain hoist( 2000 pound animal) If you are in a tree area then just loop a rope over the limb and hoist or if not as in the pictures then get three poles or limbs like Marty said and lash them together like our guide did put the hoist on it and crank it up. He had it so well down that he would cut just 2 slices about 5 inches long next about 4 inches apart from each other in the middle of the animal and is able to load the animal by attaching it to the skin of the belly and would lift the whole Buffalo so its back was flat and could drive the truck under the animal and then just lower it onto the truck. Give it a try you might like it. It works great for Elk, Deer or any animal that is to heavy to lift by yourself or with friends.

 

[jagdman]

A couple more pictures

 

[hogassin]

I beg the differ this is the easiest way ...check out my buddy Erics rig