Thread: Moving or Hoisting Big Game Animals in the Bush or at Home

I've always been active and persistent, but I've never been particularly athletic, sporty or inclined to carry a whole pig or deer for more than a short distance. If the distance back to the homestead or car is too far for carrying what I catch, I will drag it if the conditions are favourable, or I'll cut it up and leave the skin and most of the bones behind.

I have skinned and dis-assembled big animals on the ground, but it can be hard to keep things clean in muddy conditions. And when the terrain is steep things can become difficult. So if there is a half-suitable tree nearby I will often try to hang the animal up to help keep it clean and/or prevent it from rolling down the hill.

Lifting a big animal high enough to work on isn't always easy. By having a couple of ropes and physically lifting the carcass as best I can while tightening one rope at at time I have sometimes managed to get an animal hanging up. Truckie hitch rope arrangements do offer some mechanical advantage and can be a help, although there is a lot of friction where the rope pulls through an eye when the animal is heavy.

A couple of pulley blocks fitted with suitable rope are ideal. But good pulleys can be hard to come by and they cost a bit. Plus they add weight and bulk to my load.

I've found that simple stainless steel hooks can be used like pulleys. There is a lot more friction involved because there are no wheels and bearings, but I've found that they really do help.

Here is my hook lifting system under the veranda roof of our garden shed. The pig was light enough to lift with just a simple purchase. The deer has an extra couple of 'turns' on the hooks. In both cases the lower hook is hooked under the pelvis/aitch bone.



The pig below was a big one, and it had been wallowing in mud. The hillside was relatively steep, so it was good to hoist it into a tree to keep it as clean as possible. I still managed to get some mud on the exposed meat, but the situation would probably have been a lot worse if I'd been working on the ground. This is just a simple lifting purchase with a theoretical lifting advantage of 2:1 if I've understood the theory correctly.


The hooks were made from 8mm diameter 304 grade stainless round bar, bent cold while held in a strong vice. The rope is soft nylon braid.

I used to carry a pulley or two. Here is a pic of a fairly big boar being pulled up to a position where I could deal with it. There were no decent trees nearby to hang it from, but I could drag it up to a flatter, clearer bit of ground to work on it. It isn't obvious, but a bit of that thin grey cord is tied around the pig's neck and attached to the pulley for a 2:1 advantage. It was still fairly hard work pulling it up the slope.

Pulleys are in most hardware stores.saw them in Bunnings today. I have a double double set up in garage.would like to find triple wheel pulley but no luck so far. I run rope back through hole in metal bracket on bench,I pull rope tight with both hands and wife takes the slack behind me,through hole.i pull some more,she takes slack until desired height is reached,I then clamp rope in the bench vice as it's right there. I have ran rope back out door to front bull bar on truck and reversed till sheep was high enough. Good rope makes all the difference. Sash cord will be ideal.

Ships Chandlery shop like Burnsco will have suitable lightweight pulleys and cord to make up a lifting system. Reasonably cheap and easy to make. I often carry one in my gear, packs up about fist size.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Pulleys are in most hardware stores.saw them in Bunnings today. I have a double double set up in garage.would like to find triple wheel pulley but no luck so far. I run rope back through hole in metal bracket on bench,I pull rope tight with both hands and wife takes the slack behind me,through hole.i pull some more,she takes slack until desired height is reached,I then clamp rope in the bench vice as it's right there. I have ran rope back out door to front bull bar on truck and reversed till sheep was high enough. Good rope makes all the difference. Sash cord will be ideal.

As said any yachting or boating place should have pulleys to suit . for rope in a killing house we have always used sisal as all the other types tend to get a bit slippery when you get fat on them from your hands

I was in the same boat...trying to lift the animal of the ground while trying to tie of the rope was getting bloody difficult as I aged. One day while searching for a simple pully system I came across exactly what I wanted. A pulley system that as you lift the animal by pulling on the tag end of the webbing locks as soon as you stop...what a game changer...not made in china!!!!! Made in Oz. Great quality & can lift up to 150kgs...for memory. To lower you just pull the tag end of webbing sideways to gently lower to the ground. Also used it in the workshop lifting things. https://www.liftandlock.com.au/

Originally Posted by NGDave

I was in the same boat...trying to lift the animal of the ground while trying to tie of the rope was getting bloody difficult as I aged. One day while searching for a simple pully system I came across exactly what I wanted. A pulley system that as you lift the animal by pulling on the tag end of the webbing locks as soon as you stop...what a game changer...not made in china!!!!! Made in Oz. Great quality & can lift up to 150kgs...for memory. To lower you just pull the tag end of webbing sideways to gently lower to the ground. Also used it in the workshop lifting things. https://www.liftandlock.com.au/

This one might be OK - made in USA I think ??
https://www.huntingandfishing.co.nz/...hXwT8XsMB0R8Pw

Originally Posted by NGDave

I was in the same boat...trying to lift the animal of the ground while trying to tie of the rope was getting bloody difficult as I aged. One day while searching for a simple pully system I came across exactly what I wanted. A pulley system that as you lift the animal by pulling on the tag end of the webbing locks as soon as you stop...what a game changer...not made in china!!!!! Made in Oz. Great quality & can lift up to 150kgs...for memory. To lower you just pull the tag end of webbing sideways to gently lower to the ground. Also used it in the workshop lifting things. https://www.liftandlock.com.au/

That's brilliant! And only weighs 1.25kg. Available in NZ or only from Oz?

Originally Posted by Coote

I used to carry a pulley or two. Here is a pic of a fairly big boar being pulled up to a position where I could deal with it. There were no decent trees nearby to hang it from, but I could drag it up to a flatter, clearer bit of ground to work on it. It isn't obvious, but a bit of that thin grey cord is tied around the pig's neck and attached to the pulley for a 2:1 advantage. It was still fairly hard work pulling it up the slope.
Attachment 280090

I've carried a light block and tackle for many years, and have a heavier one set up at home. I still have an endless chain hoist from farming days used with a hip clamp to lift cows but no headroom to deploy it anymore. I've only ever used the block and tackle a couple of times in the bush. My kill count is pretty low compared to some of you fellas. With goats I still manage to lift them onto a stainless butchers meat hook, of which I carry two, if there's a handy tree branch. They're the most useful thing ever. With two I can swap which hock/leg is held easily. Otherwise like you I skin and bone out on the ground for as much meat as i can carry. I also pack a piece of oilskin, a very light weight groundsheet sleeping pad size, that I've had for 40 odd yrs. Spread on the ground it helps keep a carcass clean. Also becomes a dry sitting pad if required.

I carry hooks and paranoid everywhere but hasn't thought of this approach. Thanks for sharing!

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You are most welcome Eat Meater. I have all sorts of synthetic cord. I've found that I get the best deal when buying cordage if I go to Quality Equipment or Hampijan in Nelson. I've bought it by the spool. The paracord I'm familiar with is certainly strong, but a bit thin to pull a heavy weight with. If I have to move something using thin cord, I sometimes tie a stick to it as a handle.

It took me a while to find a photo of the decent game hoist that my Dad rigged up at his place in the Sounds years ago. My brother lives there now and the pulley blocks and gambrel are still in good order, but the system has just had its third rope fitted.

That's Dad in the picture, and the rifle, I believe, is an SKS.... 7.63x39. Dad used to import machinery from China, and one day he got the urge to import a few firearms. This was one of them I believe. He passed away back in 2004, so he did not have to live through the crazy times when honest hunters and shooters had to hand in some of their gear.

The pulley-block hoist at the homestead is a good thing. And I have a small block and tackle that I sometimes have in the vehicle when going hunting. But I find that my simple hook rigs do the job well enough and the hooks can be handy for other things.

Originally Posted by NGDave

I was in the same boat...trying to lift the animal of the ground while trying to tie of the rope was getting bloody difficult as I aged. One day while searching for a simple pully system I came across exactly what I wanted. A pulley system that as you lift the animal by pulling on the tag end of the webbing locks as soon as you stop...what a game changer...not made in china!!!!! Made in Oz. Great quality & can lift up to 150kgs...for memory. To lower you just pull the tag end of webbing sideways to gently lower to the ground. Also used it in the workshop lifting things. https://www.liftandlock.com.au/

That is an awesome looking bit of gear NGDave.

Originally Posted by luckey

This one might be OK - made in USA I think ??
https://www.huntingandfishing.co.nz/...hXwT8XsMB0R8Pw

Looks sturdy and the price isn't too frightening. I can't see the details clearly, but it looks like there are only three 'falls' of rope going to the bottom block. I assume the bottom one is a double block, but I can't see it. I'd be inclined to tie the pulley end of the rope to the top block or whatever it is hanging from, and then wind the rope around all the sheaves, with the first pass going around one of the bottom wheels.. I'm not an expert, but I think that the change would increase the mechanical advantage. But that is assuming that the bottom block is a double one.


Edit: I see Marine Deals have a similar hoist and gambrel set branded 'Outdoor Outfitters' It looks like the pulley end of the rope is fastened to the top pulley block. The advertised price was quite a bit lower.

@Jhon I too have endless chain and the same issue re head room. I have thought to put single pulley up high and used endless chain tied down low,to pull rope down rather than animal up....just haven't tried it yet as haven't had need lol.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

@Jhon I too have endless chain and the same issue re head room. I have thought to put single pulley up high and used endless chain tied down low,to pull rope down rather than animal up....just haven't tried it yet as haven't had need lol.

Mines out on permanent loan to a mate working on car engines.. if I have anything that heavy to lift these days I probably have no business trying to lift it lol