Sleds Pulks - do you use one? have you used one?

[fmajor]

OK, as the title states, what type of sled or pulk do you use?

Is it manufactured?

Is it a DIY?

Is it some combination?

Pictures earn extra credit!

 

[Mike 338]

Years ago, I made one out of a plastic tub, an old back pack belt and a couple heavy wooden closet dowels for poles. It worked fine on the flats and I'm sure it would have been better with a skag for side-hilling. Now days there are better sleds and poles, most of which you can just buy online. Cost is a relative thing and you can just buy one outright and it'll be great but my experience is that they get used less than you think they will so I'd just cobble one together and try it out for a while. If you find yourself using it enough to justify the effort and/or cost, you can make a better one or just buy one. I guess it also depends on how a person intends to use it. For day trips and heavy loads, a durable long one might be worth the effort and cost. For back country expeditions, you might make your own and spend the money you saved on staying warm. Because I do less cold camping than I envisioned myself doing, I think my old tub is fine but I might put a skag on the bottom and change the old closet rods to fiberglass poles.

 

[fmajor]

Thanks Mike -

I sure appreciate the encouragement.

I've used a sled before, but it was strictly for camping trips. It was a DIY and *very* simple.

Now, i'm planning on making another one (and a good bit more elaborate) and using it elk hunting during 4th season (rifle) in CO. I'll be in GMU 14 and I spoke with CDOW in that area who assured me there will be snow on the ground.

I was wondering if others here use sleds/pulks for elk hunting and what their experience with it was like.

 

[mtmuley]

I've used the cheap plastic kids sleds for retrieval. mtmuley

 

[wyowinchester]

After using a buddies last year, I bought one. The kind they make for ice fishing is sturdy and tough. Make sure it's not too wide for the game trails your be dragging it on.
The kids sleds work well, but should be considered disposable. Rocks, ropes, trees, tear them up.

 

[Litehiker]

DISCLAIMER:
I was a Nordic Ski Patroller and my buddy and I designed a Nordic rescue toboggan from a polymer Stokes rescue litter. It worked very well.


I made a pulk from a kid's plastic sled and hardwood dowels filling the PVC rectangular framed traces, a long one for skiing and a short one for snowshoeing.

But I gave the sled away and kept the traces when I moved from Pennsylvania to Nevada.

BUT, were I to build a new one I'd get the small version of the Jet Sled and use crossed fiberglass traces attached to my harness. The X'd traces get a rubber O-ring at the crossing point to keep them together.

BTW, crossed traces work better than rectangular traces in virtually every situation, especially going around corners. They will take a lot more abuse than rectangular traces.

My first sled had 1" aluminum angle skegs about 10" forward of the back of the sled to keep is from sliding sideways downhill when pulling it on sidehill traverses. I'll do that again on the next sled.
Also my next pulk will have a large (8") door hinge at the rear end to act as an automatic brake to keep the pulk from sliding backwards when I unhitch facing uphill. For unhitching facing downhill the harness and traces are the "brake".

Google "pulk building" and you will find sites that are full of good details on how to make one, including where to get the fiberglass traces, clevis pins, harnesses, etc.

Eric B.

 

[fmajor]

DISCLAIMER:
I was a Nordic Ski Patroller and my buddy and I designed a Nordic rescue toboggan from a polymer Stokes rescue litter. It worked very well.

I've seen some very nice Kelvar fabric pulks in my searching about, but they're very spendy... Also seen some very nice toboggans (some made from UHMW and some from PTFE)

BUT, were I to build a new one I'd get the small version of the Jet Sled and use crossed fiberglass traces attached to my harness. The X'd traces get a rubber O-ring at the crossing point to keep them together.

HA! Excellent!!! I'm making mine from the next larger size (Jet Sled I in ATC camo).

I've also already bought some 6' x 1/2" fiberglass poles, a pair of ball-joint/tie-rod ends, some coupling nuts and eye-bolts and threaded the poles and epoxied all the components to the rods.

I'm using fixed-wheel caster brackets (wheel removed of course) to attach the poles to the sled body. They'll be placed UNDER the front lip of the sled to give lift instead of snow-plowing.

BTW, crossed traces work better than rectangular traces in virtually every situation, especially going around corners. They will take a lot more abuse than rectangular traces.

Watched some youtube vids and seen how well that works - what a difference!!!

My first sled had 1" aluminum angle skegs about 10" forward of the back of the sled to keep is from sliding sideways downhill when pulling it on sidehill traverses. I'll do that again on the next sled.

HA! Its comforting to know I'm on the same track as the experts!!!

I have some alpine ski storage brackets which are 1" x 2" "L" shaped and are powder-coated. I'm going to put a small hinge on the top, front end of each skeg and cut an equally long slit in the bottom of the sled. This way I can "hinge" the skeg down through the inside "floor/bottom" of the sled, through the slit in the "floor/bottom" and screw/lock it in place. When going through blow-downs, etc and the skeg(s) are not needed, they will be "hinged" back inside the sled and secured there.

Also my next pulk will have a large (8") door hinge at the rear end to act as an automatic brake to keep the pulk from sliding backwards when I unhitch facing uphill. For unhitching facing downhill the harness and traces are the "brake".

Great idea!!! Thank you!!!

I have some old real estate signs from back when my license was active. I believe they're made of aluminum and I bet i could cut/shape one perfectly for this application.

Google "pulk building" and you will find sites that are full of good details on how to make one, including where to get the fiberglass traces, clevis pins, harnesses, etc.

Eric B.

Yep - I've been on that very path!!! I'm a natural researcher (which helped in grad school!) so since i posted this thread i've been googling my fingers off!

Thanks for all your great suggestions/tips/help!!!

I'll try to post some pics of the process from start to finish once i'm done. It has been a lot of fun thus far.

Do you have any pics of your designs?

frank

 

[ssssnake529]

I've never used one for hunting, but I use one occasionally for ski touring.

The one I use is from The Ski Pulk Company. (not a very creative name, but it's a very good sled.)

I have a full review of it on my blog, here:

Ski Pulk sled | Mediocre Mountaineering

 

[Litehiker]

major,

I have no photos of my old pulk. If and when I finish a new one i'll post photos. PMmw with your e-maill address if you like.

BTW, do not lend you pulkto anyone. I lent mine once to my buddy who lent it to his friend and the idiot wrecked the poles and did not offer to pay for it. "No good deed goes unpunished."

Eric B.

 

[fmajor]

I've never used one for hunting, but I use one occasionally for ski touring.

The one I use is from The Ski Pulk Company. (not a very creative name, but it's a very good sled.)

I have a full review of it on my blog, here:

Ski Pulk sled | Mediocre Mountaineering

Thanks for review/link - great blog btw!!!

I read his free .pdf book. That's a generous gift for sure.

I've borrowed a lot of ideas from him.

major,

I have no photos of my old pulk. If and when I finish a new one i'll post photos. PMmw with your e-maill address if you like.

THat'd be great. It seems folks luv 'em or hate 'em. I've done enough winter camping/climbing/etc to appreciate something else "carrying" the load for me. Well, that and i can't afford horses!

BTW, do not lend you pulkto anyone. I lent mine once to my buddy who lent it to his friend and the idiot wrecked the poles and did not offer to pay for it. "No good deed goes unpunished."

Eric B.

Yeah, gotcha. Been there, done that (and got the t-shirt).

I've lent backpacks, tents, harnesses, helmets, snowshoes, sleeping pads, etc and they usually came back with holes, tears, straps ripped loose, dirty, etc.

I have a fairly large stock pile of gear - 7 (i think) backpacking tents, 5? 6? backpacks, 8? 9? sleeping pads, 5? 6? sleeping bags, etc (i ran a hiking/camping ministry/outreach in a non-US country) that i loan out of.

However, my personal gear (all higher-end) never gets loaned out. I learned that one 20 years ago.

So, i'm about half-way through the completion of my pulk and have been taking photos from time to time. However, i need to try and photo the whole thing after final assembly.

I have to finish painting the pole-mounting brackets, mount and hinge the positional skegs, mount the rear pull strap attachments and fabricate/mount the rear (hinged) break.

My boss is sewing a cover for me (i bought 2 yds x 54" of white 1000 denier Cordura), but she leaves tomorrow for a ten-day cruise.....

FUN!!!!!!

 

[sp6x6]

Used a sled, thought it was called a Alaskan but looked just like picture think I drilled holes on each side and laced para cord.Hauled many a 1/2 elk out on it in way of 2 qrts.I slide it up under my pick up camper ladder and bungee on.

 

[the444shooter]

Just don't use the Deer Sleigh'r. I used it on a Mule Deer pack-out last year about 3mi over sage and down some two-track ranch roads. It was miserable, and come to find out, there were 2 holes worn into it by the time we reached the truck, and we had been "plowing" for a loooooong time, and picked up about 10-15lbs of rocks that got pinned between the deer and the sleigh. That was just with one use--brand new.

two thumbs DOWN.

 

[SansSouci]

OK, as the title states, what type of sled or pulk do you use?

Is it manufactured?

Is it a DIY?

Is it some combination?

Pictures earn extra credit!

I've never used one.

A hunting friend of mine told me many years ago that he will pay to have an outfitter, where required, or a local resident to pack out his game if he can't do it himself. He told me that he'll line up packing help before he hunts.

For elk-size game, I'd recommend quartering and boning it, packing out only meat. But were you miles in or in harsh terrain, I'd go with paying an outfitter or local resident to pack out large game.