Gamrel (Game Hanger)

wilson · Feb 24, 2004

I am looking for a gambrel or in my terms a game hanger. Do you have one that works good for you? I would like to hang deer and elk from it. Let me know where you found yours and any other tips on game hangers. Thanks.

dakotakid · Feb 24, 2004

Wilson,

I made my own. It seems to hold an elk just fine.

Mike

bobcatbess · Feb 24, 2004

CONTACT oldoregon

I THINK HE MAKES A FEW IN SCHOOL AND SELLS THEM!!!

LOOKS LIKE dakotakid HAS GOT A HANGING TREE THAT COMES IN HANDY!!!

I THINK THE U.S. GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO LEASE IT FORM YOU SINCE THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO USE ONE!!!

THE ONLY bobcat WONDERING WHAT SADAMN INSANE WOULD LOOK LIKE HANGING FROM THAT TREE???

dakotakid · Feb 25, 2004

Wilson,

Cabela's also sells them in thier catalogs. Mine took about 15 minutes to build, but I had the necessary materials on hand to do it with.

bobcat,

I can tell you that if Saddam were in MY tree in MY back yard that he'd look an awful lot like that elk does. Stiff, gutted and upside down gettin ready to be hided.

Mike

Cowboy · Feb 25, 2004

wilson,

A boat winch is a real handy way to get the animal hoisted up.

dakota and bobcatbess,

I dont know if I'd touch that SOB. Might get fleas. Think I'd leave him rot like a mange coyote.

ELKMASTER101 · Feb 25, 2004

SINGLE TREE,
find them at most farm auctions,
and the make great colectors items.
I have 5 that I use.

redrabbit · Feb 25, 2004

I've had the welding class at the high school make two of different sizes(deer & elk) out of rebar/sucker rod. The cable from a tennis net is used to pull it up. Had to buy the pulley, but use the flat line used to pull cables and wires through pipe to hoist the pulley and cable up to a tree limb. I like the idea of the boat winch.

Doug/RedRabbit

dakotakid · Feb 25, 2004

>wilson,
>
>A boat winch is a real
>handy way to get the
>animal hoisted up.
>
>dakota and bobcatbess,
>
>I dont know if I'd touch
>that SOB. Might get
>fleas. Think I'd leave
>him rot like a mange
>coyote.

cowboy,

That picture was taken two seasons ago, last year I added a boat style winch to my "meat tree". I got some 6 inch long deck screws and lagged it into the tree. Before I would just drag the critter in the back yard and then use the ATV to hoist it up but my rope was getting weak so I just opted for a complete change of method. And I'd still like to get my fingers around Saddams neck, mange or not.

Mike

we_B_huntin · Feb 26, 2004

I built myself one simular to the one shown in the picture except I weld three or four chainlinks between the frame and the hooks. That way when you split an animal you can start quartering right on the gambrel and the heavier side doesnt dip and want to slip off.It's hard to describe but in other words you could even hang the whole animal from one hook and it wouldn't fall off. If needed I'll post a picture.

kilowatt · Feb 26, 2004

weBhunting,

The one I have was made for me by a welder a long time ago and it is all out of StainlessSteel and like you said, off the ends of the crossbar, it has about 4or5 1" "lockwashers" flatten and welded together end-for-end then the hocks.
Brian

elk_horn · Feb 26, 2004

why are you hanging an elk??? The elk should be quarted and skinned asap! The meat will be much better! You can skin and quarter an elk on the ground and then hang in meat sacks the meat will cool much faster!

stalker · Feb 26, 2004

LAST EDITED ON Feb-26-04 AT 05:29PM (MST)[p]The Gambrel I use is much like the one in the photo. I also have access to a portable tree that slips into the reciever hitch on my truck. The tree (2 1/2" pipe)is in 3 sections that are about 3' long. The top piece is curved out about 2' and has a pully attached on the end. A boat winch is mounted to the side of the middle section. No more looking for that special tree or hauling it back home before skinning. The hard part is packing the truck to the animal LOL...
I maybe able to locate a picture if needed.
We_B, post that pick if you can I would be interested in seeing that.

Stalker

dakotakid · Feb 26, 2004

>why are you hanging an elk???
>The elk should be quarted
>and skinned asap! The meat
>will be much better! You
>can skin and quarter an
>elk on the ground and
>then hang in meat sacks
>the meat will cool much
>faster!

elk_horn

Note picture above, I dont think that cooling of the carcass was much of a problem.

Mike

stalker · Feb 26, 2004

>elk_horn
>
>Note picture above, I dont think
>that cooling of the carcass
>was much of a problem.
>
>
>
>Mike
>

Dakota,
The elk probably won't spoil in that circumstance but you are not doing the meat any justice in my opinion either. Actually real cold weather can be bad also because it will freeze the outside layer creating a bearier that prevents proper cooling of the rest of the carcus. But some like the gamey taste better than others.

Stalker

dakotakid · Feb 27, 2004

Note to all internet hunting experts and meat bacteriologists:

Maybe, just maybe this fellow hunter that started this thread wants a gambrel for skinning purposes. Maybe, just maybe the picture of that elk on that gambrel at the top of this thread was hung and skinned at the soonest possible time. That particular elk was shot at dusk, field dressed and drug to pickup and loaded by about 11 pm (really really dark by that time) then drove 125 miles to the house. House arrival time of almost 2 am. Slept for about 5 hours then drug elk to gambrel for immediate skinning and butchering. But then what the hell do I know, its only my elk, my backyard and my story.

That elk was cooled all the way through, no frozen outer layer, (note brown furry stuff, thats hide and it keeps flesh from freezing, at least for short periods)no spoiled meat, no bacteria running amok and absolutley NO gamey taste.

Wilson,

If you want a gambrel, get one as they are the easiest way to skin and, if the conditions are right, the best way to age a carcass.

Mike

elk_horn · Feb 27, 2004

I still would not leave the hide on an elk for any amount of time if possible.... the hide will hold the heat even if its cold out ... we shot and elk years ago in Colorado ... we left the hide on over night then skinned the elk the next day in camp ... guess what it as still warm in the hind quarters.... not good! The weather was cold but didnt penitrate the elk hide....I will always skin and quarter my elk ASAP.

RLH · Feb 27, 2004

have to go with elkhorn here. i'm sure there are conditions that will allow you to leave the hide on an elk overnight, but i'd never take that chance. from what i've seen, they will sour where the neck and shoulders come together, real easy. a bull of any size oughta be split as soon as it is skinned, also. if you don't have a saw, take a knife and split the meat to the spine from the ribs up through the neck. lets the heat out. as far as gambrels, i've made several out of 3/4" sucker rod and #5 and #6 re-bar. seem to work ok. for an elk, if you're gonna be splitting them with a saw, make it fairly wide, so it really stretches out the hind legs. as you saw through the vertebrae, it keeps the meat pulled aside so it doesn't drag on the blade so much. i have an 051 stihl chainsaw that works great for that. has an oiler that can be shut off. that is if you don't particularly like the taste of valvoline 10-40.

Cowboy · Feb 27, 2004

I've killed a few elk and ran out of light at the end of the day. I get them on their back and open up clear through the throat and remove the windpipe. I peal the neck hide well back off the cut. Then I prop open the cavity with sticks. Never lost an ounce of meat due to spoilage.

Whenever possible I like to skin em on a gambrel like dakota's when its daylight. I can be careful and keep the meat free of hair and meat, and do a better job of trimming fat.