Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Winch on hunting truck

Most of the talk around the campfire is always about backpacking hunting when I know most of the hunting is done from a camp hauled in by a pick-up or such. Do any of you guys have a winch on your truck? Is it electric or power take-off? Have you ever used it for anything or just for show? What kind of jack do you have in the truck for mud and snow? I have a high boy but is seems to get left in the garage most of the time unless I take the 16' flatbead trailer. -- no

No- I have seen winches used around here for many purposes. We have used them to pull stuck trucks out of the mud and up muddy log roads with deep ruts. Dad used a friends truck winch to move his portable building around in his backyard. He also used one to pull up cypress knees at the lake so he could put in a boat ramp. A friend used one to pull a trailer loaded with firewood out of his rain soaked front yard (left some pretty good ruts). I have seen one used to retrieve a submerged truck out of the Yazoo canal after its parking brake failed. You could barely see the top of the CB antenna and the truck was still running underwater. They are used to pull logs out of ditches so they can be easily cut up for firewood. Every now and then they are really handy to have around, along with a couple of strong chains. Most of the ones around here are the old Warn electric winches. You do have to be careful when using them. Have a good day. Bob<P><p>[This message has been edited by Bob.280 (edited May 09, 2001).]

Actually you can have a lot of fun with a good wench in your truck. Especially if it is a free spooling model. I have generally found that the newer model wenches are better than the older models. Old wenches just don't cut it. They are balky and cost too much to operate on a full time basis. Besides that newer model wenches are usually lighter weight and just feel better to handle than the older ones. It might take you a little bit to get a new wench warmed up but when you do they can sure wear you out in a hurry. If you pour a little liquor or beer into the gear box it helps warm them up really quick.<BR>Once I got really blue and downhearted in my truck and if I had not had a new wench to play with I probably would have still been stuck.<BR>BCR

OK Bob, -- I'll bite how did the truck under the water get air to run? This is going to be good, foshore. Have they ever used the winch to hoist an animal up a bank, hill, or pull it up a meat pole to dress it out? How about pulling the hide off a deer. Tie a wire line between two large trees and use the winch to tighten it, then use it for the ridgepole for the tent. That way no poles to fight and a ready made clothesline and lantern hanger. I have a hitch on the front and back of my suburban and an electric winch,(3500 pounds pull), just drop the winch over the trailer ball, clip on to the battery and pull, it is strong enough to lift the front end of the truck up to work on it. Have a hitch ball mounted on the front rail of the 16' low boy trailer, have dropped the hitch on it and pulled disabled cars up onto the trailer. Know for a fact it will deag an elk up on anything. An extra 50' or 100' of winch line is a plus in the mountains. -- no

Boggy, Boggy, -- check your spelling, you are correct for the model wench you are using, I have had some of those in the past also, and the new slim jobs are best. Just don't put too much fire water in them or they get weak and worthless. -- no

Has anyone ever used a "come-along"?I saw one in Cabela's with a 2 ton rateing.Is this an alternitive to the electric winch?

Stinky Balls, -- you betcha, but the wench is more fun. -- no

Winches are nice to have, no doubt about it. However, I've only had one instance where I really needed the abilitys of one over that of a good Hi-Lift Jack. I've not had one the last three 4WD's that I've owned. I carry a Hi-Lift Jack instead. I don't know how good the new ones are, but my old Warn 6,000 lb. electric model was really something. I used it to pull some stumps once. I parked my 4,600 lb. Scout II against the curb. I stood on the brake. By the time I got the stump out, that thing was dragging me over the curb ! E

Stinky I carry a come along in my pickup all the time. Get the four ton model. If you can find something to hitch to they will work, slowly. Sort of the same difference between cutting wood with a chain saw and a termite.<BR>I also carry a hi lift jack. I have had the pleasure of turning a pickup 180 degrees using only the high lift jack. Took all morning.<BR>I still think wenches are better for fun in a truck.

No- The truck finally died but it ran for a good 4 minutes with the truck fully submerged. Everyone was surprised it ran for that long. Some kids had to dive down and hook the cable to the frame in very muddy water. Fairly dangerous with the current in the canal. <BR>I carry a come-along in the back of the car along with a 30 foot tow rope. Just in case.

The one time I got really stuck was in east texas near clarksville and a winch would not have helped unless it was mounted in the back. there was nothing in front to hook on to. buried that full size chevy diesel 4x4 to the frame in the front. the framer that tried to help me buried his john deere also. he had to get a log skider to pull him out. I went back 3 days later and got it out with a come along. I all most pulled a 12 inch pine tree over getting the truck unstuck. tom

I've carried (and used often) a come-along in my truck. But never could get a wench to come along in my truck. Sure would like a nice one. Have lead in my pencil but nothing to write on.<P>Sigh

I've had three 4X4's since 1979. They've all had 8,000# Ramsey winches with 95' of cable. I also carry 800' of rope during hunting season.<P>For general usage I've pulled hundreds of alder and fir stumps clearing land in the Olympics of Washington state. Can't count the number of stuck hunters and tourists I've pulled out. This past winter I ended up pulling one particular neighbor, (he drinks), out of the snow at least five times. I use it because it's there and have pulled fence posts, mail box posts, old buildings and God knows what-all with it.<P>Really impressed my nephew when he shot a deer down a canyon and I gave him the end of a fresh roll of 3/8" rope and a hand held radio. He walked down to the critter, tied it on and used the radio to direct my winch operation. No sweat.<P>I also blew out a "U" joint while doing some very serious four wheeling on a labor day weekend. I was at the bottom of a steep stream bank, probably 150' either way to get out. Couldn't get a wrecker up there until after the holidays. Luckily had a friend along and we picked up another 75' of cable and winched that baby out. His Chevy made a good anchor.<P>On another hunting trip we were camped in an old ranch house high on a pretty trecherous ridge. When it was time to break camp we had to get a good sized, fully loaded utility trailer down that ridge. This in over two feet of fresh snow. I hooked the winch to the back of the trailer and let out about 50' of cable. I followed the other truck and trailer down the ridge keeping the cable fairly tight so it wouldn't go over the edge.<P>Besides the nephew's deer I've also recovered two of my own from canyons as well as several antelope from ground that was too muddy to travel on or across fields where crops were planted and vehicle travel was prohibited.<P>I had a little stroke about nine years ago and unless I'm headed downhill I just don't pack 'em out anymore. If I get too far in and get in a bind I've also got a 1500# winch on my ATV.

Ken, nice ones are hard to come by. One must push long and hard to fully maximize their potential. A mechanical pencil is handy in some situations. Argh Matey, pass the grog! Slim seafaring models make good booty! This all ties in well with my signature. <P>------------------<BR>Shoot straight and often!

What kind a cable should I use?How long?Has anyone ever used (or seen) an anchor that you can stick in the earth and pull against?Thanks.

Cable size and length are limited by the spool generally. I think my 95' is 3/8 and I could go longer with 5/16 but would lose load capacity. Mfr's spec's usually tell you all that stuff.<P>For an anchor in emergencies, (assuming you've got a shovel), it's recommended that you bury your spare tire and use it. The instructions and illustrations show the tire as rather shallow, just deep enough to get a bite. I've never had to do it as I've always found a tree or a stump or that Chevy.