I have hauled deer out of the woods trying several different methods. What i’ve learned over the years is that I won’t go on a hunt without having something to recover my deer with. You never know where the deer is going to end up after shooting it.
Game carts work extremely well for transporting deer and getting them through tough terrain. They make the deer recovery process much easier, especially for the solo hunter.
I recommend hunters to use a deer cart even if they are in great physical condition and able to drag a deer by hand. Why work harder when we can work smarter.
Besides, a big deer and rough terrain can literally make it impossible for a solo hunter to get their deer out of the woods without some kind of aid, like a deer cart, to help them.
Lastly, have you tried lifting 200-300 pounds of dead weight in the back of a pickup truck? It’s very difficult! You can make this task much easier on yourself by using the deer cart as leverage to lift the deer into the bed of the truck.
What to look for when buying a game cart
I have purchased several game carts in my hunting career and learned a lot about each of them. Some gave me problems that others didn’t. These experiences helped me identify a few key things to look for prior to purchasing a cart. I recommend buying this game cart.
- Overall build and sturdiness
The cart needs to be engineered well enough to hold 400 or 500 pounds, and function as its intended.
- Type of tires
Purchase a game cart with solid rubber tires. Do not buy one with pneumatic tires that need to be filled up with air.
- Tire diameter
Larger tires make it easier to haul game and roll over large objects. However, some tire diameters are so big that a truck bed cover can’t close all the way. I bought a new game cart once because I wasn’t able to lock my truck bed cover to prevent theft.
- Foldability
A deer cart that folds up doesn’t need as much space in the back of a truck or in storage.
- Easy to assemble and disassemble
If the cart doesn’t fold up well, it should be easy to assemble or disassemble. This comes down to how well it’s engineered and the types of hardware (nuts, bolts, pins) it comes with.
Tips for using a game cart
- Make sure the pins, nuts, and bolts are secured
One time when dragging a deer out of the woods, my game cart lost a clip that kept the tire from falling off. I think the clip got caught on some brush and forced it to get pulled out of place. The tire kept falling off and I ended up getting the deer to my truck by hand the old-fashioned way. After that experience I always bend the clips with a pair of pliers to make sure the pins can’t get pulled out by accident.
- Always have straps on the cart for tying deer down
Deer have a way of wiggling around and falling off deer carts unless they are tied down somehow. I always keep two small ratchet straps on my cart so I always have them when I need them.
- A straight path isn’t always the best path
Consider using a road or deer trail instead of bulldozing a straight line to where you’re taking the deer. The cart will make it easier to move the deer, so just take the path of least resistance even if it means going out of the way a little bit.
- Avoid hilly terrain
Hilly terrain is difficult to climb. It takes more physical effort to move the deer and the odds of the cart tipping over are substantially increased.
- Keep the cart pointed uphill or downhill
If a cart is pointed uphill or downhill, it’s not likely to tip over. However, people tend to walk up hills at an angle because it takes less effort. Coincidently, this result in the cart tipping over sideways more frequently.
Deer cart vs. sled
Deer carts and sleds are both useful for transporting deer. However, here are two reasons why a Jet Sled should be used over a game cart:
- Deer sleds should be used if the ground is muddy, covered with snow, or is being used in swampy habitat. For most hunters, the deer they kill aren’t recovered in these types of conditions. Therefore, deer carts are more likely to meet the needs of most hunters.
- Deer sleds, like a jetsled, should be used instead of game carts if hunters need a way to store deer inside their vehicle without getting blood on everything. Just keep the deer inside the sled during transport and it will contain the blood and keep the vehicle clean.
With that being said, I highly recommend using a game cart over a sled of a sled unless the hunter situation meets one of those two reasons.