Yeah they drag alot. I've often wondered why nobody made them longer and higher so it may be close to the same height as the bed or rear rack of a quad. Lower the tsilgate of the ranger and have meet the the edge of the hitch hauler and have a real bed extender.
I was pleasantly surprised this fall that I was able to put a 190 lb bear in the dump body and close the gate and on another day put a 140 lb buck in dump body and closed gate both before bodies stiffen.
Winch with synthetic line. I run the synthetic line over the top roll cage and wrap around the animal (different animals have different best spots) and use the winch to pull the animal up into the tailgate. I hunt alone and there is really no other way to get large animal like nearly 400lb bear into your bed!
I've thought about doing the over-the-cage winch line pull. Do you have anything special on top of the roll cage to reduce the friction for the winch line?
Can't speak for the 900's but the new 570's will not support weight on the rear upper bar, not enough metal there. Saw two at my local dealer when I picked mine up that did the "over the top with the winch" thing loading 150lb deer and it bent them down 4-6". Thought about a pulley mounted to top of the roof but, decided on my winch bar in the above pics.
Here's an over the topper. Stopped 1/2 way to ckean and let the guts fall out, then raised until the bed drops. Pulled the Ranger on the trailer and drove home. Loosen the winch, attach the chain hoist. Done. A one man job!
Nice cow. I'm taking my 570 crew to CO this October. Hope to throw an elk in the bed as well. I'll have two buddies to help though.
This "over the top" witching method... Are you literally taking the winch line from the front bumper, over the cab, and pulling the animal into the bed?
Yes. I built a a roller assembly on the front of the Ranger so the winch line clears the hood. I have guides on top of the plastics roof with supports to the steel frame beneath so the roof won't cave. Loaded my wife's buck and my cow elk with it this year. Worked like a champ. Got the idea from this forum a couple of years ago?:glee::encouragement:
Nothing special at all. THe synthetic lines slides pretty good over the cage. You just need to watch the tailgate as the animal comes up...No roller mechanism needed. I've done deer, bear, and a small moose...
I have two issues with the hitch hauler. They will work for some and I'm not trying to insult anyone, I just wont use them.
-First the exhaust as already mentioned. Its cool for short distances, but if you are riding an hour or so back out of the hills, I think thats too much
-Second, the crew is already like driving a school bus in the woods at times. THat may work on flat farm country, but get out into the northern woods (like extreme northern NH where I bear hunt, Coos county) and you will get hung up on stuff constantly. I've actufit ally been toying with the idea of fabbing up a removeable rack to fit over the bed. It would be slightly longer than the bed and angled slightly down the last few inches. On the back would be a roller for the winch line. This would keep me from having to worry about screwing up my tailgate as the animal comes up.
1 - winch w/ synthetic cable
2 - roof & windshield
3 - ratchet and torx set
4 - tow strap
5 - small tire compressor
6 - length of rope / extra synthetic cable
7 - first aid kit
8 - pair of warm gloves
9 - 3 extra carabiners
10 - 4 lengths of 3' x 1" pvc tubing that fit into the bed holes
11 - hunting knife
During hunting season... this 500 lb deer hoist I bought this year for $150 from Discount Ramps. Best investment ever to to save my back
roof, windshield, winch and synth
truck tool box lock and rided' to the bed: full of tools, chainsaw, shovels, first aid, game dressing stuff, extra clothes, Axe, gambrel, compressor
Polaris double gun mount
12v blankets (my daughters just started hunting)
2 LED work lights facing back
coola! and booze, beer is for before noon only.
boat cable rollers from front to back to pull up an elk/muley
I don't gut, I do the "gutless method" for elk, way too big of a PITA to quarter and gut if you can help it. I put a hook through the hocks, drag it up into the bed, take it back to the cabin and cheat dress the effer and then go dump the carcass
One of the winch ups that goes into receiver hitch. Need to add an extender pipe inside so I can take it up higher for bigger deer. That gash you see..... NAP (New Archery Products) F.O.C. mechanical broadhead exit wound
Exit wound, broadside. Mechanical broadhead that opens up 3". Plenty of google images showing similar results. Got pic of rib cage, took out three rib bones.
Cool. I dont shoot mechs. I like small fixed blades. Slick trick 85s.
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