Tips & Tactics

Loading Heavy Animals Alone

Loading Heavy Animals Alone

By Hilario Pena

Photo: No, it’s not a world record whitetail doe; it’s a female nilgai antelope from South Texas. A hunter on a neighboring property wounded it, so Hilario Pena had to finish it off when it hobbled onto his ranch. Hilario uses a two-rope trick to load heavy creatures like this by himself.

My tip is an easy two-rope method of loading heavy animals onto your ATV or truck all by yourself.

There’s no need for specialized equipment. All you need is two sturdy ropes and a stout stick to use as a gambrel.

In the area of Texas where I live, there are wild nilgai. Nilgai are a large antelope native to India that resemble Brahma bulls with short spike horns. They were introduced into Texas in the 1920s and are considered an exotic species here.

I figure if my technique works on a 600-pound bull, it will work on a 300-pound whitetail buck, or perhaps a large wild hog.

First, drag the animal with your rope and vehicle to the base of a large tree with a sturdy overhanging limb. Be careful not to pick a rotten one.

Find a stout stick to use as a gambrel and insert it through slits in the bend of the hind legs.

Now, tie one end of the first rope to the center of the gambrel and the other end to your vehicle. Hoist the animal high enough so that its waist is above your tailgate or ATV rack.

Next, tie one end of the second rope to the gambrel and wrap the other end securely around the tree so the animal won’t drop when you take tension off the first rope.

After the second rope has secured the hanging animal, untie the first rope and back your vehicle underneath it, allowing the animal to slide into the truck bed or ATV rack with ease.

If it’s a hot day, a good time to field dress the animal is before you tie the second rope.

In review, the first rope hoists the animal. The second rope ties it off so the vehicle can release tension off the first rope, allowing you to back underneath the hanging animal.

Now you know how to load a heavy animal by yourself. Just make sure to keep two good lengths of heavy rope in your vehicle. And, it’s a good idea to purchase a gambrel to keep on hand.

— Photo Courtesy of Hilario Pena

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