Deer Hanging Contraption

Striper69 · Sep 1, 2021

I'm going to build a thing I can hang deer up on to season the meat outside. I'll only use it after the weather cools down and the outside temps are around 40 degrees or under. I'll probably stand it up in my backyard but may try to put it up in my garage but I don't think it'll fit. I'll put hooks under the top board to hang the triangle things (can't remember what they're called).

I'm using a six foot long 4x4 for the top and two 10 foot 4x4s on the sides. I'll use some 2x4s to keep it upright (kinda like feet) and put another 2x4 across the bottom to brace it.

Thoughts.

MeatGrinder · Sep 1, 2021

Gambrel is the word for the triangle thing.
Your device seems like a lot of work. Can you just hang a deer from the ceiling in your garage?

delaware_export · Sep 1, 2021

gambrel

A small electric winch to power is great.

cww · Sep 1, 2021

I just made a scaled up version of a rural mailbox post, stuck it in the ground, added an eyelet, a pulley and a boat trailer hand winch. Used it to hang, skin, and quarter deer.
I’d be a bit worried about critters getting to it if left outside to age. My garage is easily 10+ degrees warmer than outside so check that

cww · Sep 1, 2021

I just made a scaled up version of a rural mailbox post, stuck it in the ground, added an eyelet, a pulley and a boat trailer hand winch. Used it to hang, skin, and quarter deer.
I’d be a bit worried about critters getting to it if left outside to age. My garage is easily 10+ degrees warmer than outside so check that

nedsurf · Sep 2, 2021

An old swing set works well, people are always trying to get rid of them for free.

ohen cepel · Sep 2, 2021

If you quarter it in game bags it makes hanging it easier. If, that works for you.

Doctor_M · Sep 2, 2021

I have two old meat hooks hung from chains around the rafter beams in my shed. Works perfectly. Off season, I just flip the chains up and out of the way. When I have something to hang I just bear hug it and lift the hind legs up to hook level. It's all I've ever needed.

kstone803 · Sep 2, 2021

nedsurf said:
An old swing set works well, people are always trying to get rid of them for free.

This was what I used at the old house. Now I just have eye bolts and pulleys in a giant oak tree. Conveniently placed close enough to the driveway to skin em with the truck

Harrys · Sep 2, 2021

I have a spot in my garage with pullies where I skin them when guarter them and cut up on a plastic covered cable.

Brickman301 · Sep 2, 2021

I set this up at my FIL’s hunting camp last year. Either run out an extension cord, or hook it up to a generator.
It’s just a cheap winch from HF, and a piece of pipe anchored to the tree. Works awesome.

pre64hunter · Sep 2, 2021

CoolBot

The problem around here is when its only 40 during the day, it freezes at night.
Meat takes a lot longer to age when its too cold.

I bought a thing called CoolBot. Its a control that connects to a window air conditioner and keeps it cooling almost constantly.
I cut a rectangle hole in my shed wall and installed the air conditioner. When it's too cold out the air conditioner coils will freeze up, ice over and no air will move through it.
When the coils ice over the CoolBot will turn off the compressor, the fan keeps running, in about 20 or 30 seconds the coils thaw out, the compressor comes back on. It gets me 10 or 20 degrees colder than outside but if I better insulated my shed and the concrete floor it would probably drop the room 30 degrees maybe more. The bigger the A/C, more insulation and smaller the room the better. My A/C is 12,000 btu, the shed is 8x12 and I put a curtain across to make the cooling area smaller.
Klein Tools makes a little block and tackle for stretching electric wires/cables. It's made well and much better than the cheap ones places sell for deer.
I use to butcher about 30 deer a year and we'd have deer hanging in my shed almost constantly from September till first week of February. Used the A/C till Thanksgiving then a heater after December.

wilcam47 · Sep 2, 2021

pre64hunter said:
The problem around here is when its only 40 during the day, it freezes at night.
Meat takes a lot longer to age when its too cold.

I bought a thing called CoolBot. Its a control that connects to a window air conditioner and keeps it cooling almost constantly.
I cut a rectangle hole in my shed wall and installed the air conditioner. When it's too cold out the air conditioner coils will freeze up, ice over and no air will move through it.
When the coils ice over the CoolBot will turn off the compressor, the fan keeps running, in about 20 or 30 seconds the coils thaw out, the compressor comes back on. It gets me 10 or 20 degrees colder than outside but if I better insulated my shed and the concrete floor it would probably drop the room 30 degrees maybe more. The bigger the A/C, more insulation and smaller the room the better. My A/C is 12,000 btu, the shed is 8x12 and I put a curtain across to make the cooling area smaller.
Klein Tools makes a little block and tackle for stretching electric wires/cables. It's made well and much better than the cheap ones places sell for deer.
I use to butcher about 30 deer a year and we'd have deer hanging in my shed almost constantly from September till first week of February. Used the A/C till Thanksgiving then a heater after December.

Ill second coolbot

Brickman301 · Sep 2, 2021

I’ve never had a place to let my deer “age”.
I’ve always at least quartered up my deer the same day I harvested them. Then put them in a spare refrigerator. Most of the time, the next day or 2 I cut/grind everything and either freeze wrap, or vacuum seal everything.
I’ve never been comfortable letting deer hang around here, as the temperatures change so much/fast. With that said, I might just have to check out coolbot

Archeryrob · Sep 2, 2021

We built the entire building with stuff we had and bought probably for the price of a coolbot.
https://archeryrob.wordpress.com/2017/11/07/deer-cooler-with-a-diy-coolbot-clone/

outrider58 · Sep 2, 2021

Brickman301 said:
I’ve never had a place to let my deer “age”.
I’ve always at least quartered up my deer the same day I harvested them. Then put them in a spare refrigerator. Most of the time, the next day or 2 I cut/grind everything and either freeze wrap, or vacuum seal everything.
I’ve never been comfortable letting deer hang around here, as the temperatures change so much/fast. With that said, I might just have to check out coolbot

My butcher ages mine.

Brickman301 · Sep 2, 2021

outrider58 said:
My butcher ages mine.

You know, last year was the 1st time I ever took a deer to a processor. A childhood friend works at one, and I took a deer there. I was so impressed, I took a few more there after that!
Honestly, we will probably take most of the deer we harvest this year there.

outrider58 · Sep 2, 2021

Brickman301 said:
You know, last year was the 1st time I ever took a deer to a processor. A childhood friend works at one, and I took a deer there. I was so impressed, I took a few more there after that!
Honestly, we will probably take most of the deer we harvest this year there.

I would love to be set up to do my own prcessing(like archeryrob) but I just don't have the room.

What's nice is, I can donate there to FHFH too.

Striper69 · Sep 2, 2021

MeatGrinder said:
Gambrel is the word for the triangle thing.
Your device seems like a lot of work. Can you just hang a deer from the ceiling in your garage?

The cross beams (2x4) aren't really high enough and are probably too weak.

Striper69 · Sep 2, 2021

nedsurf said:
An old swing set works well, people are always trying to get rid of them for free.

I was thinking of making one of those. I want it to be easy to disassemble though.

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