Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Building a Game Hoist and Cable Winch

After skinning my last buck in the sage brush I plan to build my own game hoist similar to the one below from guide gear, anyone build one?

I found a 1 ton hand crank hoist and gambrel for less than $40, plan a trip to the local metal shop to get the square tubing this weekend.

Any suggestions?

take it out before you drive into the garage........or do you want good suggestions?

Not what I was looking for

I have a "store bought" hoist and have made a couple as well. Firstly, it is a bit more versatile if you use round pipe at the base of the upright fitted into round pipe at the receiver hitch. That will allow you to swing it around into the bed if you use it in a pickup, just make sure it will clear the tailgate when it is lowered. You can use heavy wall square tubing for the remainder. Make sure to get a GOOD weld at the base or it will break off/crack/bend when you get a heavy load on it. We loaded a mature Nilgai bull and bent the crap out of one the very first time we used it - there is a lot of force out at the end of the hoist. If you plan to use it for animals larger than deer, I would bend drill stem as it won't break. A don't drive with a swinging animal or you will bend a poorly made one or else screw up the receiver hitch.

The round pipe sound like the way to go, will check on some.

thanks

Really shooting from the hip here as I've never even seen one in action. I'd be inclined to make the 45 degree brace part bigger.

I like the round pipe idea but would you want something to keep the hoist from swinging freely about the round pipe on the hitch? Maybe something simple like an L shaped threaded rod into a nut welded to the outer pipe and through to the inner pipe.

Several ideas and photos here:

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123750

Bruce

how bout this home made one ?
use square tubing, it's a lot easier, and no need for a crank, just peull em up.

Here is a photo of last year�s version of a skinning hanger.
Last year�s model:


�Parts list� for last year�s model:


After selling �Big Red� I needed a new way to quickly set up the device in my F150 � the stake holders were covered by plastic trim. The final solution was 1� square tubing, pre-cut from Home Depot. Also needed 4 bolts, 8 large carriage washers, 4 lock washers, 4 holes I had to drill in the tubing and a few minutes time to bolt the tubing to pre-existing holes inside the truck bed at the rear stake holder areas. The 1� square tubing clears the garage door when the pipes are removed. The top bolts act as a �stop�, preventing the pipe from sliding too far into the tubing, allowing for shorter pipe that will fit in the truck bed (albeit at an angle in a short bed like mine, or with the upper part sitting on the tailgate). No welding or no metal cutting required, just the 4 holes to drill.

Here�s a photo of this year�s �new and improved� device in action. You can see the bolts. Have to remove the tail lights to install the bolts.

That works fine for "small game". Put an elk or nilgai on it and things change!

we had 3 - 200 lb guys hangin off it to proof it. never even sagged. if you look close the gambrel is connected to a block and tackle. makes it even easier to pull up something.

its made of heavey walled tubing.

You guys ever use a skinning table???

This one at the larder of our hunting club...I tended to use it for doing the initial cuts on the gralloch, but some folks prefer to skin on them as well...



Below is a netpic of a folding version:

A friend who posts as DJM over on AR built the hoist below



Its was meant for fallow and red, so the Muntjac isn't really a good work out for it!

The Red staggie below shows it a bit better, plus demonstrates the working lights hes built into it, which I thinks a nice touch:

That is the first time I ever heard of a skinning table!

Pete

That one is great, the earlier post with the link had a good diagram which I will use but make a few modifications like the one you posted.

The guy who built it, Dave, is a bit of a whiz as far as DIY engineering goes and has built all manner of hunting related stuff..

The vehicle he is using is an ex Forest Rangers vehicle so it is quite well kitted out for stalking..For instance their is a loading ramp that stows out of the way up under the roof of the back box, and there is also a 12V electric winch in the back to help load carcass...

Personally if I were building one I'd go with the road tubing so the whole thing can rotate, but given the winch and the loading ramp, Dave probably didn't need that feature..

The Auzzies have some neat hoists for lifting game onto their hunting vehciles, but they are more like "mini cranes"...

Just found these pics on the net which give you an idea of what I mean...

Mine's been in use by 4 generations of butchers and hunters in my family. Sorry, I can't comment on a new one, but our very old one works just fine!

My father-in-law is a welder so I am having him make one for me. I am going to pick it up this weekend.

Looks like it was shot somewhere you could get a frontend loader to!

Not that there is anything at all wrong with that; in fact I have nothing but admiration for you guys who handle the larger game species like Elk or Moose....