Not too long ago, while in the Omaha area to teach a course in responsible armed self-defense, I found myself in a Cabela’s which had graciously furnished a conference room for the classroom portion of the program. While I was there they had a “door-buster” sale that included $99.99 Mosin-Nagant 7.62mm Russian military surplus rifles. They had hundreds of ‘em, and sold over a hundred in the first fifty minutes, according to one of the Cabela’s staff guys. Damn decent condition, too…helluva deal at today’s prices. They sent enough Mosins out the door that weekend to defend the gates of Stalingrad.
While we were there, the cute little redhead I call The Evil Princess spotted an Internet ad from the very same Cabela’s for a product named The Dead Sled. Turns out to be something called generically a “game cart.” It’s basically a “dolly,” only set up to transport the carcass of a deer that has been transformed into venison. I was told it was a discontinued item in Cabela’s “Bargain Cave.” Given the name, I can see why it might have been discontinued.
Who knew? All these years, we confident deer hunters simply brought some rope into the woods with us. You shoot the deer. You dress it out. You wrap the rope around the deer, and drag it out behind you.
Or you drape the deer over your shoulders like Dan’l Boone and those guys used to, and hope no one sees the antlers and shoots at them. Or if there are two of you, you gut the deer, tie its hooves together, cut a long piece of wood out of the forest and run it between front and back legs, and hang the fresh food over your shoulders between you as you bring it home from the woods.
But, you know, I do like this new paradigm. I’m not sure about wheeling a cart through the woods with me during hunting season (though at my age, I could probably use it as a walker). Cabela’s also has a $20 thang called a Sleigh’r™, which is kind of like a drag-blanket for you to haul the quarry out of the woods and back to the car or truck.
Until we find some way to convince Bambi to walk into our freezer so we can shoot him there, this new “game cart” technology DOES seem to have potential. Only thing is, I saw the Evil Princess looking at the Dead Sled, looking at me…looking at the Dead Sled, looking at me…
And I could tell that what was going through her mind was, “He IS kind of an ‘old buck’…”
Anybody know where I can find a Fled Sled, to get me to someplace safe?
Somber expression reflects the realization that “deer cart” is about the right size for…oneself.
Cabela’s on-site classroom graciously hosted this class.
Instead of using it just for deer, I can see this being used in an emergency as well. Just in case for those situations where your buddy is injured and can’t walk outta there, and you’ve got lots of gear. The picture on their website http://www.deadsled.com/ looks like the dragbag though
Bring out yer dead!!!
Xaio Cui, excellent point! Many thanks,
Mas
Yeah, I came to post the same thing – looks like just the ticket if your buddy broke his leg :(.
If i recall right from one of your previous posts we’re about the same age (64 for me ) and at that age anything helps keep afield. I’ve two new hips and am looking at two new knees. Bring on that sled!!! Might be me on it. When the Redhead gets done shooting I’ll slide over so’s ya got some room.
Those game carts work pretty well in open terrain. My wife found one for $40 at a garage sell. The one time I used it on a 150# plus whitetail in a South Georgia swamp was worth the $40.00. You just want to make sure the carcass is very secure to the cart before moving as the deer tends to flop easily when fresh.
My brother found some plastic snow sleds online he uses in his towing business to slide blocks, chains and other heavy tackle around. Tend to small though.
Nothing to fear; just remember the old adage: A rolling cart gathers no Mas.
“Instead of using it just for deer, I can see this being used in an emergency as well. Just in case for those situations where your buddy is injured and can’t walk outta there, and you’ve got lots of gear.”
I’ve seen wire photos of a modified version of that Dead Sled used at forward military hospitals in Iraq or Afghanistan to cart in wounded GIs from the helipad.
I have a friend who modified one of these to use as a gun cart to use for the various Buffalo Gong Matches that he attends using his Black Powder Cartridge Sharps rifle in 45-70, works out well for both him and his wife’s guns and accessories.
In some areas dragging a deer across rocky and thorny terrain can just mess up a pretty decent hide. In my area, I would be loath to thoss a deer across my shoulders, almost a guarntee of getting shot. It does look like a great multi-purpose device for hauling injusred buddies, but if your buddie is that prone to injury maybe he should consider a different pasttime?
Love my mosins, all in different configurations of course, actually use one as my deer hunting rifle. $100 is a pretty good price, wonder if the had any dragoons, Have one a 1917 Nagant made by Remington
I’ve got one somethig like that I made out of PVC pipe and Bicycle wheels and some nylon paracord
Another use for these is if you live in a disaster-prone area (hurricanes, etc.), it gives you a way to transport supplies to/from your house if the power is out and there is no gasoline. A person could rig it to carry a bunch of water/ice/food/relatives. You could also use it to carry supplies during an evacuation if the highways are choked/collapsed. It would sure beat a shopping cart, with the high-clearance wheels.
Hi Mas,
I just got done watching one of those Personal Defense TV shows. Your segment was of you demonstrating how to keep your jaw lined up with your bicep and kind of sighting down your arm (pointability). I noticed that you overlap your thumbs. Weak thumb overlappimg the strong thumb. Other excellent shooters I have watched are pointing both thumbs up along the slide, which seems like a new approach, possibly dangerous. Any comments would be appreciated.
Randy
Mas,
I like the concept, but fail to see that it would work well in the desert environment I frequent. She Who Must Be Obeyed wants one however, and is casting furtive glances my way. Why am I starting to feel like a sheep caught between two wolves?
The sled has many potential uses, but I don’t intend to be one of those uses for a wife with a Homicide Investigator friend that owns a shovel. Maybe I’ll but one and use it to cart my belongings to my girlfriend’s house.
Lambchop Biker
Randy, straight thumbs are only dangerous with very small auto pistols (big thumbs and micro .380s, for instance) or with revolvers with rearward-sitting cylinders such as the new Rhino. While the straight thumbs grasp has a lot to recommend it and is indeed the popular technique among most auto shooters today, you’ve noted correctly that I’ve personally gone back to the curled down thumbs “double action revolver grasp,” even with service autos. For me, personally, it just gives better results.
best,
Mas
Uh… Kinda like a tactical wheelbarrow… Where’s Gunkid when you need him?
the concept seems good, but it didn’t hold up very well in the rocky, steep terrain with the larger mule deer we have in the west. A large mulie on a rocky ridge made this a one time item. It was easier than pulling with the hair, but split after only a quarter mile on the rocky hillside. Two of the straps pulled out also, making it awkward to drag. the concept is good, but needs to be sturdier for larger animals.