# Diy deer cart



## MattR_WI (Sep 27, 2012)

mvestal30 said:


> Took an old bike apart and used some scrap metal I had laying around to build this. Not the prettiest, but after a paint job it will get the job done.


Never used a deer cart, so excuse any dumb questions. Wouldn't the deer get hung up in the spokes? I do like the idea though since I also have a bunch of bike parts and since I am getting older, a cart would be very handy. Is that a metal grill grate?


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## mvestal30 (Jan 13, 2013)

Planning on strapping the deer on so spokes should be no problem. Actually they are racks out of a commercial oven that I replaced.

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## snoozer (Aug 9, 2013)

Looks good.
I'm not 18 anymore..passed it 28yrs ago.
I don't heal as fast as I did then..so a cart is on my list.


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## MattR_WI (Sep 27, 2012)

Thanks for answering my questions. Nice work on recycling old materials.


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## river drifter (May 1, 2013)

Looks awesome, great way to re-use!


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## rand_98201 (Sep 24, 2008)

that looks like it will work out pretty good


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## handirifle (Jun 9, 2005)

One thing for certain, that thing will NOT break! I thought I overbuilt stuff, that thing is the tank of deer carts. Not criticizing, just sayin! :teeth: I wondered if those were grills. Hope ya get a deer to test it with. Nice work.

I see you left the front brake on, that's good, in case it tries to run over you goin downhill. :teeth:


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

that should do the trick - post up a pic with a nice big deer on it


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## buckeyboy (Feb 6, 2007)

I can appreciate making something yourself, and good work , but you can buy them for 50 bucks .. is it really worth the time and effort.. no disrespect..


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## MattR_WI (Sep 27, 2012)

buckeyboy said:


> I can appreciate making something yourself, and good work , but you can buy them for 50 bucks .. is it really worth the time and effort.. no disrespect..


No disrespect either.... Have you seen the junk that companies sell you lately? Very thin walled metal compared to the square stock the OP used. I bet this deer cart will outlast 10 (or more) of those $50 ones. Plus the OP gets to keep the original $50 in his pocket to spend on other things since he mainly used scrap and welded it all up. Definitely worth the time and effort in my opinion.


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## buckeyboy (Feb 6, 2007)

MattR_WI said:


> No disrespect either.... Have you seen the junk that companies sell you lately? Very thin walled metal compared to the square stock the OP used. I bet this deer cart will outlast 10 (or more) of those $50 ones. Plus the OP gets to keep the original $50 in his pocket to spend on other things since he mainly used scrap and welded it all up. Definitely worth the time and effort in my opinion.


 I did not mean it that way. Just saying you can buy them pretty cheap.. I haven't used a cart and now am considering it so perhaps you may be right on the quality. and he did do a nice job,,


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## La Wildman (Mar 9, 2010)

Looks great man !!!


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## handirifle (Jun 9, 2005)

MattR_WI said:


> No disrespect either.... Have you seen the junk that companies sell you lately? Very thin walled metal compared to the square stock the OP used. I bet this deer cart will outlast 10 (or more) of those $50 ones. Plus the OP gets to keep the original $50 in his pocket to spend on other things since he mainly used scrap and welded it all up. Definitely worth the time and effort in my opinion.


+1 it's called repurposing. Nice use of stuff left over. I have a few grates I saved from the last bbq I tore apart. Still not sure what they will end up on, but they are not getting tossed out. Steel is too much $$$ these days.


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## MattR_WI (Sep 27, 2012)

buckeyboy said:


> I did not mean it that way. Just saying you can buy them pretty cheap.. I haven't used a cart and now am considering it so perhaps you may be right on the quality. and he did do a nice job,,


I mainly threw in the "no disrespect" thing to make sure you knew I was being an azz about it. The store bought ones are flimsy compared to what most people can make. If you have a welder and enough spare things around to make a sturdy cart, I say give building your own a try. If all else fails, at least the store bought ones are not too expensive even though quality is not what it used to be.


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## batboy (Sep 4, 2013)

Nice cart! I made mine out of half of an extension ladder and bike wheels.I've used it for three yrs now and works great. I'd post a pic, but don't know how. Yours looks very useful.


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## Chopayne (Mar 2, 2013)

I think your tires should be spaced further apart if you're in harsher terrain. I dont know what the terrain of TN is like.

Also im guessing some welding was involved? Did you also think about putting a bottom stopper? I know that the deer will be strapped down, but thinking theoretically in my head, it might help to have atleast 2-3" of a backstop/wall at the bottom of your cart?

Great item btw, not trying to bash.


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## mvestal30 (Jan 13, 2013)

I looked at the store bought ones and figured what the heck, why not just build one. I have plenty of scrap and the grates are stainless steel commercial oven racks (heavy duty). The terrain here in West TN is not to bad where I hunt for the most part and the spots that are rough are easily avoidable. I did think about the back having a stopper and if you look at the pic I left 3 rungs hanging over the back. I plan to heat them and bend them up. I had a couple of projects to finish up for my wife and wanted to spend some time with the family before bed time, so I left it as is and will finish up in a day or so.


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## treehermit (Nov 13, 2011)

I like the handle bar idea... :thumbs_up


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## emerson (Sep 20, 2009)

batboy said:


> Nice cart! I made mine out of half of an extension ladder and bike wheels.I've used it for three yrs now and works great. I'd post a pic, but don't know how. Yours looks very useful.


Yes nice , Made mine out of a old wheel chair and medal bed . came out good but have not got to try it out yet.


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## Siouxme (Aug 26, 2013)

Wheel chair wheels work nice and you never have to air them up. The wider you make the cart the easier and more stable it is to use. We used 1" square aluminum from the scrape yard, my old wheelchair wheels (I was in a car accident) and a push mower handle on each end. The one on the front (where you pull) is parallel with the platform. The one on the back is at a 45 (or so) degree angle to keep the deer from slipping out the back. Also, it helps when you got two men for loading.


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## Thib454SS (Aug 13, 2006)

Nice work! I get a kick out of make something you could buy, out of something you would throw away. Take that, Economy!


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## MattR_WI (Sep 27, 2012)

Siouxme said:


> Wheel chair wheels work nice and you never have to air them up. The wider you make the cart the easier and more stable it is to use. We used 1" square aluminum from the scrape yard, my old wheelchair wheels (I was in a car accident) *and a push mower handle on each end*. The one on the front (where you pull) is parallel with the platform. The one on the back is at a 45 (or so) degree angle to keep the deer from slipping out the back. Also, it helps when you got two men for loading.


I was looking through the junk, ooops I mean potential project pile, and was thinking the bars on a treadmill that are there to hold on to while exercising would work good. I have a few junk mowers with handles as well.


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## justinhonkytonk (Apr 29, 2013)

Nice job


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## Siouxme (Aug 26, 2013)

I'll try to take a picture sometime. Carts are the way to go and the one above sure is nice. Those store bought ones would work if you don't like to tinker, but I have always wondered about the stability of the narrow profile.


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## straightedge (Jun 7, 2013)

Just got a bike from the garbage man the other day thinking about trying something like this.


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## frogman412 (Apr 21, 2009)

I think it great ,,, I made one something like that with left over pvc pipe


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## TC-CountryBoy (Aug 30, 2004)

Thanks for the post, it reminded me that I need to gather parts to make me one as well. Have the metal, just need a good set of wheels. I intend to try some hunting on some nearby state and Arm Corp ground, and they don't like the idea of me using my ATV. As my back isn't as young as it use to be I need a cart.


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## mccoppinb (Aug 14, 2012)

ttt for any ideas. im planning to make one soon


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## Tazzy123 (Mar 23, 2015)

...


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## mccoppinb (Aug 14, 2012)

Nobody


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## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

*deer cart*

I built this years ago using 3/4" EMT conduit and the thing that makes it work so GREAT are the 24" wheels. I rolls over larger logs than most manufactured deer carts will allow. The only thing I wish I had different was NO FLAT tires. 
Oh the handle extends too which is NOT shown in the pictures.


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## die_dunkelheit (Jul 29, 2016)

Put Slime in the tires. The translucent bottle of green stuff with the bike tires at walmart. Or just get the Slime bike inner tubes.


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## rs101 (Sep 16, 2013)

Ive got a pile of old bicyles in my scrap metal , ive been thinking of doing this my self. Thanks for posting this.
I'm 35 and like the workout dragging deer gives me but ,a good day hunting is still a good day the faster I can get it home the quicker I can get back out.


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## Doofy_13 (Jan 2, 2012)

Great job and very well done.

One thought that you may consider is somehow making it so you can have the handle bars in front of you while you walk. I have a Cabelas Alumalite and it is great but I bought a cart because I always hunt .75 miles or further back in. Having your hands behind you pulling a cart gets to the shoulders after a while. I've thought about rigging something up where I can push a bar in front of me.

Just a thought from my experience.


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## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

My cart works equally well pushing or pulling. Took a big doe for a 3 mile walk once so I didn't have to climb my steep mountain where I rifle hunt. As for the tires they are dry rotten and need replaced. They are from back in my BMX days in the 80's/90's.


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## redyak3 (Nov 5, 2011)

RatherBArchery said:


> I built this years ago using 3/4" EMT conduit and the thing that makes it work so GREAT are the 24" wheels. I rolls over larger logs than most manufactured deer carts will allow. The only thing I wish I had different was NO FLAT tires.
> Oh the handle extends too which is NOT shown in the pictures.


I like it, now I know my next project.


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## oklahomaswitchb (Jul 12, 2006)

I like the big tires, should work good on rough terrain.


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## Rbach (Aug 17, 2016)

Nice job. Usually can find junker bikes for free or next to nothing.


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## camar068 (Feb 12, 2015)

keep an eye on Walmart.com....2 yrs ago they had one on sale for $34 free shipping to store. The sale was shortly after deer season. I don't really need one where I hunt....most drags are all down hill, but your darn right I got one. I work at a hospital, so I took the wheels off an old wheel chair and slapped em on there.

Nice job on yours, looks functional. LOL not sure if I'd worry about the paint or not. Course being camo you'd be able to hide it a bit better from others.


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## escout (May 28, 2013)

I'm really liking this idea. It would be a big help considering I always have my climber on my back with a bow or rifle in hand while dragging.


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## labrown83 (Aug 5, 2014)

Man , that is super cool. I love the DIY thread on AT.


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## Oldillini (Dec 11, 2015)

Just glad my bike is not lying around your shop. Might get re-purposed.

Nice job.


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## RLZ (Aug 30, 2016)

Great job. thanks for the idea!!


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## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

I built a single wheeled cart at one time and left the freewheel on the back rim so it only rolled one way, sort of a hill hold/stop. Worked well but using a one wheel cart was tough on the arms trying to balance the rig with deer on it. After that year I built the cart posted above.


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## Fowl Chaser (Dec 17, 2014)

very nice


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## Coltonhunter (Jun 26, 2016)

I have a store bought one, I know I use that more than I use the 4 wheeler.


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## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

I tried to load my 130" buck on our 4 wheeler last year myself and I would of done anything to have my deer cart instead!! It will be getting fresh tires/tubes in two weeks so I do not have to do that again.


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## mnormand (Sep 9, 2008)

Carts are fun to build..nice job OP. I've done a few.. this one with plastic wheelchair wheels, emt conduit, and sewed up some canvas. I think it was about $10 total. Pulls behind mountain bike. The smooth curved handle is comfy on hands too. 










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## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

WOW, that's a fat nanny!!!


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## escout (May 28, 2013)

Does anyone have any photos from the underside? TIA


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