Alvin Stremcha 4435 River Road Havre, MT 59501 (406)394-2228 alnval@ezloadgamecart.com

The first EZ-Load Game Cart was fabricated in the mid 1980's. It had a single wheel with a removable wheel assembly. Since that time, the cart has been improved to a point where it is a great asset to any big game hunter, especially with today's limited driving access.

The carts are made from one inch and one half-inch square steel tubing with welded and bent joints. Some of the tubing is double strength where needed. The dimensions of the bed are 79 inches long by 19.5 inches wide and stands about 36 inches high including the wheel assembly. The widest point on the wheel assembly is twenty one and three quarter inches which is between the two outside wheel forks. This narrow gauge makes it easy to follow most trails and with the wheels mounted underneath the bed, they are out of the way. The two or three wheels are 20-inch polypropylene with half-inch axles and a 150 pound capacity per wheel. These wheels are placed on the wheel assembly at an angle, which adds to the stability of the cart. The wheel assembly is then centrally located on the bed, which helps keep the weight on the wheels instead of on your arms. The tires also have sealant and a hard plastic liner in them to help prevent flat tires. To test these tires, I put 120 pounds of weight on the cart and ran them through all the cactus I could find. I live in the Milk River Badlands so that's a lot of cactus. The tires never did go flat.

For EZ loading, the wheel assembly hinges to the side and the bed lays flat on the ground as in figure 1. After placing the animal on the bed, pick the light end up and the wheel assembly swings back into place as in figure 2 and 3. The light end would usually be opposite the hindquarters of the animal. This is done easily with deer sized animals. Replace the lock pin and its ready to go. If the wing nut on the lock pin is tightened, it will prevent rattling between the bed and wheel assembly, especially when the cart is empty.

One or two people, one in the front and one in back can handle the cart. If the load is heavy, it will go easier with two people. When fences are encountered, it is best to unload and drag the animal under the fence and then reload. This only takes a few minutes.

This cart can also be used with one wheel as in figure 4. It can be changed in the field by hinging the wheel assembly over and removing both wheels and the strength axle that is on the middle fork. Replace one of the wheels onto the middle fork and carry the other one on the cart. The tool to do this is bolted on the cart. With one wheel, it is much more awkward to handle, but may be necessary on narrow trails, side hills, or where brush and trees are a problem.

Another option is a third wheel, which could be used for extra heavy loads such as elk or anything over about 300 pounds. This wheel also would fit in the middle fork where the strength axle is located. The third wheel is set slightly deeper than the two outside wheels so it will act like an overload and still work together as in figure 5. This wheel would have to be purchased separately as the cart only comes with two wheels.

The wheel assembly is also removable, which makes for easier storing or hauling. This is done simply by removing two hinge pins, one lock pin and lifting the assembly off. There is also a bed that is designed to break down into three pieces. This option is by special order only and is usually used for shipping. Another option is a detachable tongue so the cart can be pulled by an all terrain vehicle or a garden tractor as shown in figure 6.

The cart was originally designed for retrieving deer sized animals, but because of its rugged framework and solid construction, it has been used primarily for elk in this area. Some are wheeled out whole and some in quarters. In figure 7, this elk was wheeled out in quarters. It weighed 435 pounds including head and antlers. In Figure 8, this cow elk was wheeled out whole. Notice that three wheels were used for this amount of weight. The brakes on this cart were installed by the owner. The carts do not come with brakes yet. Figure 9 shows a nice Montana bow killed White Tail and Figure 10 is my granddaughter's Mule deer buck.

The cart also works well for hauling camping and hunting gear into an area where motorized vehicle access is not allowed. I use it for hauling my tree stands and ladder stands in and out of the woods. Over all, the game cart saves a lot of hard work by wheeling instead of dragging. If you would like to learn more or have comments about EZ-Load Game Cart, please send an email to alnval@ezloadgamecart.com. If you would like to purchase an EZ-Load Game Cart, please send us an email or call (406)394-2228.