Looks like the 450 Honda rancher and the Kodiak 450 are about the most affordable new atv’s on the market.
Roughly the same price. I may be in the market for one after season. I’ve drug several deer hundreds of yards this year and loaded them in my truck bed by myself. Idk if I can keep doing this. Thought maybe an atv on a trailer and just drag the deer up on the trailer to the house. Y’all have opinions on these or other affordable atv’s and how do you load your deer?
I just can’t manhandle them forever.
Thanks

Rope, snatch block. Easy just to rig on a couple trees and drive it right up on the back of the atv

My uncle just bought a new Rancher 4x4. It is a really good machine, especially with EFI (I used to have to rebuild the carb on his Prarie 360 about every other year). His only regret is he didnt opt for the EPS model. I tried to convince him before to go ahead and get it, but he decided not to. I like the Kodiak 450s too, but haven't driven one. I have a crew cab truck with a toolbox so have to use a trailer for my wheeler. Getting them on the back of the ATV by myself can be interesting. I always try to find a little depression or something I can back the atv into and lower the rack to make it easier.

Small trailer with gate. Or a sxs with a dump bed. Attach cheap winch close to cab on bed, tilt bed winch deer right up on it. Then secure bed in normal position

You know you can put a cargo rack on the back of most of those four wheelers. Makes loading them up simple.

I never load one unless it’s going to be shoulder mounted. I keep a small section of rope with carabiners on dash end. When I shoot a deer I back up to it and wrap one end around it’s neck and then clip the other end to the back rack and drive to wherever I’m going. As long as the rope is short enough to get the head off the ground you’ll never have an issue. We’ve done this with my older foreman 450 and my brothers new rancher 420. Also doesn’t hurt to keep a longer rope with you. If you get to a steep hill you can hook it to the front rack and run it straight under the fourwheeler to make sure you won’t flip backwards

Something like THIS or THIS

Hell ,,, get one of those plastic slide sleds and just roll them over on it

^^Jet sleds work well, too. Only time you have to pay attention to pulling with atv/utv it is when pulling over tacky mud….gumbo type. It”ll either break the pull rope or pull the end knots through the plastic. Otherwise, they”re tough enough to be dragged over most any terrain.

Why can't you attach a basket to the trailer hitch on the back like you would on a truck? You can even attach a lift to the trailer hitch to raise it even more.

I can’t get a truck to where I’m shooting them. Prob could a atv. I’ve drug several hogs and deer with my ranger right near the house. But I’ve got several ages of clearcut right now and thinking about an atv to get to them, then yeah drag them up on the trailer, then to the house. I try to take care of my ranger. Don’t want it out in clearcuts. Looking at the smallest 4x4 atv they make.
Might be looking for a 4x4 atv/ trailer package when seasons out. Maybe gently used one?

I just walk them up from the foot pegs into the basket/rack. If that is too tough then just park under a limb and throw the winch cable over it and lift the deer in the air and push it in the basket/rack.

Tie the head as high on the rack as you can, then just lift and roll the deer’s butt up on the other side. Tie it down and head to the camp.

The trick is tying the head on the rack as close to the rack/high as possible to get good leverage on the rear end when you flip it on.

Stand on the tailgate, rope on the head, and get the shoulder over the tailgate and tie on. Jump off and grab the hind legs and get it in the bed.

This is exactly what I use my Yamaha Kodiak 700 to haul deer out of the woods. Take a look at the link below - about halfway down the post I have a couple pics that show how I use a snatch block along with the ATV winch. VERY easy and simple, and the machine does ALL the heavy lifting.

http://www.aldeer.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3784837&page=1

I appreciates that, must have missed that post (back when).

Globe, one of these aluminum hitch haulers works great. You can put it on the front or back of just about any ATV. You’d have to order a front hitch to install on a rancher or put it on the back with a height extension to get it a little higher off the ground. I can drag to a slight depression or bank, pull right up to it and slide any size deer in by myself. My back just simply don’t allow me to lift one alone up to the back rack any longer.

Sliding them up and over the rear fender onto the rack is about as easy as it gets, if you're using an ATV.

I got a bowed up loader i think it called - a winch basically on back of my polaris - got it from Tucker atv in jackson - it yanked up that 213 pound 9 point like it was nothing - one of my better purchases

The above rack is exactly what I was talking about except I use a height extension to get it a little higher off the ground and have it on the back

What?

Well done, BD,,,,well done indeed!

I’m gonna try to be set-up before next year. My knee is what’s starting to get to me.
Atv/trailer/rack should cover it 👍