Photo credit: The Avid Outdoorsman
Prices checked September 30, 2026 against Sportsman’s Guide, Optics Planet and Bass Pro Shops catalogs. The Avid Outdoorsman earns a commission if you buy through links here, at no cost to you.
Pulling the trigger is the easy part.
Getting a 150-pound deer from where it dropped all the way back to the truck? That can turn into the hardest part of the hunt pretty fast.
I’ve learned there really isn’t one “best” way to get a deer out. It mostly comes down to what kind of ground you’ve got between you and the truck.
- Flat or rolling ground, trails, and field edges → use a wheeled cart. If the terrain lets you use one, it’ll save you a ridiculous amount of work.
- Snow, mud, steep hills, or thick brush → use a sled. Wheels can become more trouble than they’re worth once the ground gets nasty.
- Short drag, or you want something you can leave in your pack → use a drag strap. They’re cheap, weigh almost nothing, and they’re a whole lot better than grabbing antlers and dragging by hand.
⚠️ Check before you roll. Wheeled game carts count as mechanized transport in some areas. They aren’t allowed in federally designated wilderness areas, and other public properties may have their own restrictions.
At a glance
| Type | Price | Where | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabela’s Deluxe Game Cart | Cart, heavy-duty | $159.99 | Bass Pro Shops |
| Hawk Crawler | Cart, folding, 4-wheel | $249.99 | Sportsman’s Guide |
| Muddy Mule MGC400 | Cart | $165.49 | Optics Planet |
| Guide Gear Aluminum Deer Cart | Cart, budget | $119.99 | Sportsman’s Guide |
| Magnum Deer Sleigh’r | Sled | $27.99 | Sportsman’s Guide |
| Hawk Cinch Deer Drag | Drag strap | $23.49 | Optics Planet |
| HS Deluxe Deer Drag | Drag strap | $8.99 | Bass Pro Shops |
Carts
Outdoor Life actually put several game carts to work in its 2026 test, hauling a doe across grass, gravel, and uneven ground.
The results were pretty much what you’d expect: lighter carts are easier to carry in empty, while heavier carts tend to handle the loaded trip out better.
So the tradeoff is simple — the easier a cart is to get back into the woods, the less heavy-duty it may feel once you’ve got a deer strapped to it.
Cabela’s Deluxe Game Cart — best heavy-duty
$159.99 at Bass Pro Shops · Check price at Bass Pro Shops
The biggest platform and highest capacity in Outdoor Life’s test (500 lb), on 16-inch airless tires so you’ll never deal with a flat. The catch: at 62 pounds it was the heaviest cart they tested, and it has to be taken apart to fold. Best for hunters who can drive or walk a reasonable trail close to where they hunt.
Hawk Crawler — best folding cart
$249.99 at Sportsman’s Guide · Check price at Sportsman’s Guide
Outdoor Life’s pick for folding, and the one that handled logs and uneven terrain best thanks to four inflatable tires on a pivoting axle system. It folds without taking anything apart, and it’s rated to 500 lb. Downsides: 45 pounds empty, and inflatable tires mean checking pressure and carrying the risk of a flat. At $249.99 it’s under the $320 list price OL cited.
River’s Edge Game Cart — Best Light Weight
$141.95 on Amazon · Check price at Amazon.
Outdoor Life’s best overall was the River’s Edge cart (about $130, 29 lb, 300 lb capacity, airless tires, no-tool assembly). If light weight matters most and you won’t haul elk, it’s definitely worth tracking down.
Muddy Mule MGC400 and Guide Gear Aluminum — the other options
Muddy Mule MGC400: $165.49 at Optics Planet · Check price at Optics Planet Guide Gear Aluminum Deer Cart: $119.99 at Sportsman’s Guide · Check price at Sportsman’s Guide
Two more carts from brands that turn up in plenty of hunting trucks. Neither was part of Outdoor Life’s test, so we’re listing them as options rather than ranking them.
Sleds and drags
Magnum Deer Sleigh’r — best sled
$27.99 at Sportsman’s Guide · Check price at Sportsman’s Guide
A plastic deer sled keeps the hide off the ground and slides over snow, mud and leaves far easier than dragging bare. It also keeps dirt out of the body cavity. For steep or snowy ground, a sled often beats a cart.
Hawk Cinch Deer Drag — best drag strap
$23.49 at Optics Planet · Check price at Optics Planet
A strap-and-handle drag that cinches around the head or antlers so you can pull with your body weight instead of your grip.
HS Deluxe Deer Drag — cheapest thing that works
$8.99 at Bass Pro Shops · Check price at Bass Pro Shops
For nine bucks, leave one permanently in your pack.
What we’d actually buy
Hunt farm ground, field edges or logging roads: Cabela’s Deluxe Game Cart. Weight doesn’t matter much if you’re rolling it down a two-track.
Walk in a mile or more over uneven ground: Hawk Crawler, or track down the River’s Edge if you want to save weight.
Hills, snow or thick timber: Magnum Deer Sleigh’r plus a drag strap. Under $40 total.
Frequently asked
Is a deer cart worth it if I hunt alone? Especially if you hunt alone. One person on a cart can move a deer that would take two people to drag.
Should I field dress before hauling? Yes — it removes a large share of the weight and starts cooling the meat.
Can I use a game cart for other things? Most people end up using them for hauling stands, blinds, feeders and bags of seed. It’s one of the more versatile pieces of hunting gear you’ll own.
Bottom line: match the tool to the ground. Carts for trails, sleds for snow and hills, and a cheap drag in every pack.
Sources: Outdoor Life, The Best Deer Carts of 2026, Tested and Reviewed. Prices from retailer catalogs, September 30, 2026.
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