Getting an elk into a UTV bed Solo

[Rudebob]

Curious if anyone has any creative ways to load an elk in a side X side bed solo?  My previous Polaris Ranger had an external roll cage that I could attach ratchet straps to the top bar and could ratchet an animal up on to the bed while tilted until enough weight was pulled over the center of gravity and the bed could be lowered.  My current Ranger has the roll cage inside the cab with no solid external attachment points to secure a pulling device to.  There is a good winch on the front but not sure how one might best use it other to possibly hoist the animal high enough up into a tree, secure it, and then back the vehicle up underneath.  Any ideas would be appreciated.  Thanks!

[oz31p]

13 minutes ago, Rudebob said:

Curious if anyone has any creative ways to load an elk in a side X side bed solo?  My previous Polaris Ranger had an external roll cage that I could attach ratchet straps to the top bar and could ratchet an animal up on to the bed while tilted until enough weight was pulled over the center of gravity and the bed could be lowered.  My current Ranger has the roll cage inside the cab with no solid external attachment points to secure a pulling device to.  There is a good winch on the front but not sure how one might best use it other to possibly hoist the animal high enough up into a tree, secure it, and then back the vehicle up underneath.  Any ideas would be appreciated.  Thanks!

 

[Rudebob]

I guess I should have clarified without quartering, halving or going boneless in the field.  At the price of meat these days I want to maximize the yield which I can do much better in the comfort and cleanliness of my garage which is less than a 30 minute drive by UTV from where we usually hunt.  In the past I always had help loading.  That may not be the case this year.

[AZCoueser]

I have not attempted this and it’s a truly horrible idea, but maybe you guys can make it better.
 

1) throw a rope over a strong enough tree branch. Pull the elk up with your SxS so that it is just high enough to clear the cargo area. 
2) this is the tricky part: somehow anchor the hanging elk so that you can move your UTV under the dangling animal. 
3) cut the rope. 
 

I think a lot of things could go wrong lol!

[Shooter McGavin]

I ended up shooting this cow elk in unit 27 and it ran toward the road and expired in the middle of the dirt road. I ended up dragging it off the road so I could gut it. I called my buddy who was still at camp, he ended up bringing a small trailer so that we could to load it up. As we were getting ready to pull up on the trailer this logging rig pulled up and asked if we wanted some help…..I kindly said yes with a big ole grin By far the easiest way to load an elk and I highly recommend it😂😅

[oz31p]

Skidder for tha win

[Flatlander]

A lot of work to avoid quartering an elk that is going to get quartered anyway.

You could take a saw and cut it in half and load that pretty easily without any additional meat loss.

[thegunsmith2506]

I understand what you are trying to do. I am the same way when we get cow tags close to home. Use the sxs and a rope over a limb to get the back 1/2 high enough to back under. Tie the elk off with a second rope and back under it. Then spend 45minutes trying to wrestle it into the bed using ratchet straps to hold things in place wondering why you didn't just cut it in half. I've done it a few times and still wonder why. 

[NOTAGS]

What he  said above… been doing it for years, BUT… sometimes there’s not a tree big enough around. Happened two years ago. Plus, we’ve snapped a lot of mule tape over the years too. I ended up making a pulling bar that bolted onto the factory brackets on the sides of my Ranger which has the internal roll cage. I hope to give it a try in October..

[WHT_MTNMAN]

I help load a bunch of elk every year and this is the best.   You just have to live in a unit like this one.  
Im in the process of building another one like it on a flat bed.  You could do similar with a UTV

 

[firstcoueswas80]

In Africa, they have a winch on the front, then run a contact point with a im going to call it a grooved wheel with a bearing over the high point of the cab. Use the winch and guide the animal in.

[Rudebob]

12 hours ago, Flatlander said:

A lot of work to avoid quartering an elk that is going to get quartered anyway.

You could take a saw and cut it in half and load that pretty easily without any additional meat loss.

This will be my go to if I can't figure simple way to load.

[Ed67]

Gambrel hook, two ropes. One goes over branch to pull the elk up, other anchors to a tree.  After anchoring to the tree, back up a little and untie that rope. Back under the elk and untie the other. 

[Redman]

get a cordless saw saw or mini chain saw off Amazon and it will make short work of it

[wildwoody]

why?