Lifting animals with antlers with a loader

jimh406

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501 with R4 tires
Jan 29, 2021
2,154
1,557
113
Western MT
I found it harder than expected to get my mule deer buck up to full height it's feet barely off the ground with bucket on. I'm thinking I probably should have put on my pallet forks. The antlers kept wanting to hit the bucket. Got it done, but I was kind of surprised.

What do you guys do ... use pallet forks or a bucket hook?
 

JimmyJazz

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Aug 8, 2020
1,094
643
113
Pittsburgh, Pa
I have an extra sharp bale spear I use on zombies. The is no bag limit in my area and sometimes I get 2 or 3 on there. I call that a zom-ka-bob.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

ZTMAN

Active member

Equipment
BX2380
Aug 26, 2018
156
80
28
South Central Pa
I used a BX for my white tail and it worked out ok.

Used carbineers through the rear leg tendons and connected to bucket hooks. Curl bucket all the way down.

Your L would give a higher lift than my BX, but a mule deer is much larger than a white tail, so it is probably about the same difference.

I think I will just go back to a gambrel in the shed.
 

NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572 box scrape, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,488
3,508
113
Central Piedmont, NC
The Kubota is great for just rolling the deer into the bucket to haul back to the shop without having to lift it manually or lash it down. It’s also great for hauling off the gut pile for disposal. We don’t use it for hanging to dress, though.

We used a gambrel on a block and tackle prior to getting the Kubota and still do for skinning and dressing. Before the Kubota one of the older tractors had a loader that would go up about 10’ but that would put us outside in the cold and often in the dark as a running tractor inside isn’t ideal. Using the gambrel with block and tackle puts us in a lighted shop with heat. We don’t use a processor so we spend a little time with it in the shop skinning and breaking it down to kitchen sized sections before final processing and vacuum packing. That requires some raising and lowering throughout the process thus the “running tractor inside” requirement. Maybe I’m a weenie but I like the light and heat when it’s an option.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

Magicman

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4900 Utility Special 4WD e/w FEL & 1530 John Deere "Traveling Man"
Oct 8, 2019
5,058
6,438
113
80
Brookhaven, MS
knotholesawmill.com
I suppose that only in the South animals are hung by their hind hocks for dressing/skinning.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572 box scrape, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,488
3,508
113
Central Piedmont, NC
I suppose that only in the South animals are hung by their hind hocks for dressing/skinning.
Not counting fish, I’ve never dressed or skinned anything outside NC so I don’t know how they do it elsewhere. Deer, bear, steers, hogs, pretty much anything too big to hold with one hand and skin with the other that’s the only way I’ve ever done it seen it done. I guess maybe some folks do it different. Never knew. Learned something new here yet again…
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

jimh406

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501 with R4 tires
Jan 29, 2021
2,154
1,557
113
Western MT
Fwiw, I have a local shop do the butchering. Yes, it is somewhat expensive but cheaper than beef by a lot. I could skin it, but they charge if the animal is "dirty" and charge if they skin it, so I let them skin it. :D. I only process a few animals a year. For me, it's more about the experience although we do eat the animals.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

mcmxi

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25TLB
Feb 9, 2021
4,066
4,612
113
NW Montana
I found it harder than expected to get my mule deer buck up to full height it's feet barely off the ground with bucket on. I'm thinking I probably should have put on my pallet forks. The antlers kept wanting to hit the bucket. Got it done, but I was kind of surprised.

What do you guys do ... use pallet forks or a bucket hook?
I used the MX bucket hooks with short chains and was able to lift up a good sized white-tail without any issues. I think I could hang a bull elk from the MX bucket. 😄
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

Clint from Flint

Member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2350, B26 TLB, Covington Plant., Landpride Tiller, Hustler Flip-up
Dec 12, 2020
45
38
18
82
Flint, Texas
Yup, that is the way we hang them.

Oh my, I broke a motorhome axle in Vernon, TX, back in 1989. :(
I would imagine U had to go to Wichita Falls to get a replacement axle....not much in Vernon any more....
I'll be going there this weekend to the ranch deer hunting.
Clint
 

Magicman

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4900 Utility Special 4WD e/w FEL & 1530 John Deere "Traveling Man"
Oct 8, 2019
5,058
6,438
113
80
Brookhaven, MS
knotholesawmill.com
Yup, Christanelli Ford did the tow/replacement and the "used" rear end came from Wichita Falls.

We loaded all of our stuff into the Bronco II that we were towing and continued on to Wyoming. Funny thing was that I had the speedometer disconnected on the towed Bronco II and forgot to reconnect it before we left Vernon. Yup, payed a speeding ticket in Claude. We still ate our steak at the Big Texan in Amarillo.

We both got our Wyoming mulies and the MH was ready to travel when we returned to Vernon.
 

Clint from Flint

Member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2350, B26 TLB, Covington Plant., Landpride Tiller, Hustler Flip-up
Dec 12, 2020
45
38
18
82
Flint, Texas
Yup, Christanelli Ford did the tow/replacement and the "used" rear end came from Wichita Falls.

We loaded all of our stuff into the Bronco II that we were towing and continued on to Wyoming. Funny thing was that I had the speedometer disconnected on the towed Bronco II and forgot to reconnect it before we left Vernon. Yup, payed a speeding ticket in Claude. We still ate our steak at the Big Texan in Amarillo.

We both got our Wyoming mulies and the MH was ready to travel when we returned to Vernon.
Estellene and Claude cops are always ready to have U sign on the dotted line.

I can remember back in the '80s a state game warden friend and I would take his bird dogs and go to my ranch in Vernon quail hunting and I asked him one day while we were there if ever saw any deer tracks there and he said he hadn't noticed any deer tracks.....and now the deer and wild hogs population has exploded.....way too many deer
Clint
 

UpNorthMI

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3200, L3901, MX5800, SVL75-2, KX040
May 12, 2020
850
564
93
Up North, MI
A 60” tree boom comes with a quick attach loader plate and will do a fine job of making your loader suitable for any type of deer. I’ve used my front bucket before to save on a lot of dragging, just role the deer body in with legs sticking out. No point in killing yourself too in the hunting process!
 

Magicman

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4900 Utility Special 4WD e/w FEL & 1530 John Deere "Traveling Man"
Oct 8, 2019
5,058
6,438
113
80
Brookhaven, MS
knotholesawmill.com
I'll be going there this weekend to the ranch deer hunting.
We will be at the Cabin this weekend because our rifle deer season opens Saturday and will be open until January 31st.

I provided the sawmill/sawing on a humanitarian job for a family in need in Rusk.
DSCN1771.JPG

DSCN1781.JPG

We provided all of the necessary framing lumber for a new home in 4 1/2 days.
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: 3 users

GeoHorn

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,570
2,936
113
Texas
We will be at the Cabin this weekend because our rifle deer season opens Saturday and will be open until January 31st.

I provided the sawmill/sawing on a humanitarian job for a family in need in Rusk.
View attachment 69943
View attachment 69944
We provided all of the necessary framing lumber for a new home in 4 1/2 days.
THAT…was a TON or TWO of WORK!

Good on-ya’…
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,282
3,865
113
Chenango County, NY
Off topic, but our rifle season started yesterday also.

Only about 80% sure, but I think I saw 2 bear cubs tearing through our place last night. About 35 yards from back door.

Too much brush to be certain, but coal black and I didn't see any tails....

We've had bears here for years. Just haven't laid eyes on one before.