game sled, roll-up/packable type any good?

[Jamen]

With no snow ill put meat on my back 10/10 times. Lighter loads id maybe makes the case for the sled. I took 60% of a cow elk this year plus gear "only day trip gear" in one trip with my stone glacier in the badlands and id do it every time in that situation over a sled. Thats just me though

 

[Khunter]

They have plenty of snow. All quarters off the steep stuff, just a mere 3 miles to go down the creek bottom.

 

[Sytes]

With no snow ill put meat on my back 10/10 times. Lighter loads id maybe makes the case for the sled. I took 60% of a cow elk this year plus gear "only day trip gear" in one trip with my stone glacier in the badlands and id do it every time in that situation over a sled. Thats just me though

But sleds make you earn each step in front of the other. I'll take a game sled single trek over multi treks to the 2000' camp... Key is hunt higher than the vehicle. Been there, done that multiple occasions in wilderness. Everyone pays in pain hiking solo I simply rather get the pain over in one go. To each their own though.

@Khunter , Did you run rope pully sets off trees down some of those steep contours along approx 2/5th's of that trek or? Looks as you mentioned, steep for a sled full of moose meat!

 

[Khunter]

But sleds make you earn each step in front of the other. I'll take a game sled single trek over multi treks to the 2000' camp... Key is hunt higher than the vehicle. Been there, done that multiple occasions in wilderness. Everyone pays in pain hiking solo I simply rather get the pain over in one go. To each their own though.

@Khunter , Did you run rope pully sets off trees down some of those steep contours along approx 2/5th's of that trek or? Looks as you mentioned, steep for a sled full of moose meat!

for that steep open slope off the top, with rock hard frozen quarters, no sled down used bc would have been a rocket down mountain. turned out a daisy chain of quarters being pulled down the slope was controllable versus a rocket ship of a sled.Was not easy as quarters would hang on sage etc at times but beats holding back a freight train from behind

then sled was awesome going out gentle downhill grade out creek bottom

actually paired the j5 (held one quarter) with a jet sled (held two quarters) to maximize each trip with two guys.

I had left for home by time the “easy” sledding started.

 

[Bonasababy]

The deer sleigh-rs and similar I have lots of experience with. Going back to the 70's--a hunting partner who worked at Honeywell got some slick plastic and made one initially. Black bear and deer, not elk though. And mostly flat ground. If they pull hard you are doing it wrong--flip it over, the rough side is up! Problem is they often come curled up the other way. You want to have rope that slides through grommet holes easily and cinch the critter up well. Not good for rock/dirt/gravel trails, but works well even without snow vegetation that isn't too thick, you can drag up and over down logs if not too many of them. I would now want to try one going down a steep hill though. Although hopping on and riding down with your critter might be exciting!

 

[Bonasababy]

I tried using the roll up type sled a few times a long time ago, didn't really go well. Front kept digging in the dirt and it kept rolling over. Maybe theres a way to solve those issues. I have used the plastic ice-fishing or duck hunting type sled on a few occasions when there was snow or grass, either flat or downhill. I still wouldn't do this over dry ground, or uphill.

Have to cinch them up and then have a drag tie in front that lifts the front off the ground a bit while pulling. They will roll over and you will be getting dirt and debris in the sled if they aren't cinched up well before starting. The one I have is a pain as the slick side comes curled up and you want that down--takes a bit of doing to reverse it and cinch things up but worth it makes dragging a lot easier! No major hills for me though.

 

[F250]

I run the tow rope through the appropriate grommet holes, then secure around the deer’s head and snout like a horse halter as tightly as you can. Then you are pulling straight on the deer/load. If you take a little time, it’s possible to cinch the front of the roll up sled to make it like a torpedo.

 

[pocoyocohunter]

I have never used the roll up sleds, but have seen guys used them and swear by them when you talk with them. I have used a jet sled to haul firewood out of the woods on snow and on dry leaves. It works very well and I wouldn't hesitate to dry using the jet sled with a deer.