My hunting partner and I planned a combo trip to ranch last week with intention of making a few stands in the morning, loading jeep up around noon and bringing it home.
We arrived at camp at daylight and headed for a favorite stand not far from camp. Light SE breeze, set up decoy/call about 50 yds. east on south side of two track. About 25 minutes in a large male came trotting in from the south. Barked him to a stop a few yards past the call and my partner knocked him down just as my trigger broke.
Made four more stands w/o any takers, but did see a couple of interesting snake tracks a few yards from where a huge snake had crossed a few years ago. There were several “crossings” of various ages across the roadway; two old tracks visible to left of the fresh track shown below.
Got back to camp, around noon and the work started. Had several plans in mind, and with limited maneuvering, decided to try to get everything lined up on the caliche “parking lot” between the two pole barns. My jeep was near center of the south barn and trailer in next stall to east (J & T). Only about 10' of maneuvering room between my truck & the brush line opposite the pole barn when trailer hooked on front hitch. So close it would be impossible to make the turn to back trailer into the narrow stalls.
We used the rear 1500 # game winch cable to hook up to pickup and drag the jeep out with pickup, then hooked it to the base of a pole in the west pole barn.
The little 1500# ATV winch handled the jeep easily on flat ground.
With the trailer on front of pickup, positioning trailer to load the jeep was easy in spite of cramped quarters. With only 2” clearance between trailer rails and tire sidewalls, had to have a straight shot. Should have hooked the chain shorter but winch/battery performed beautifully! We had three sets of jumper cables that we figured would reach from my truck to the jeep if battery had failed, but they were not needed.
After adjusting the chain harness and positioning jeep on trailer, boomed her down and all that was left was to hook trailer on right end of pickup, stop by the barn to air trailer tires up a bit and hit the road.
Appreciate the advise and support, guys.
Regards,
hm
