Trying to come up with a slick way to motorized a target to mimic a moving deer. I am looking at driving the system with a trolling motor setup. 12 volt, water resistant for outside use, variable speed, etc. Anybody use a trolling motor for this? Would it have enough power to drive it?

I am thinking of using a rope/cable suspension, with one of those Delta Kill Zone mid-section targets to cut some weight/size. Anybody have any links for plans like this?

Thanks

David Waldrop who makes or at least invented the waldrop pack seat was making these 20+ years ago worked of deep cycle batteries we used them for moving target shoots. Should be able to find his contact info here on trad gang. Biggie Hoffman or JoeBuck may be able to help. Or any old timers from traditional bowhunters of georgia.

I flip guarge door openners (chain drive works best) runs at walking speed uses a remote to start and stop.

Waldrop

home 706-561-7850
cell 706-577-6495

Thanks again. We'll see what we can get together before spring.

Fishing pole with line attached to the target and a kid or wife......

QuoteOriginally posted by buckeye_hunter:
Fishing pole with line attached to the target and a kid or wife......

Those Power wheels jeeps would work,battery powered and have plenty of power. Take off the body and mount your deer to it and hood up a garage door remote to make it go forward and reverse. It will have its own wheels and motor, or just use a brick on the gas pedal and shoot it as it goes on its own.

If you live on a hill you could just attach a cable between two trees and use a pulley system.  Hang the target from the cable and then you can put two swiveling pulleys on the tree to attach a retraction rope.  You can then easily pull the target up in between shots and hold it with by stepping on the retraction rope.  Come time to shoot just move your foot.  I plan on doing something similar when I get a home in the mountains with either a pig or deer 3-d target.

I also think a garage door opened is custom made for this. . .  IF  you have a nearby power source or generator.  That trolling motor set up sounds doable, but the instructions in each that I have seen warns against running it out of the water due to overheating.  Might want to check on that.

ChuckC

We have shot several 3D's that used garage door openers.  Velcro on the chain to hold small game and fish targets.  Never saw a deer, but putting the rail high and hanging the deer makes sense.  Auto stop and reverse.  I may try it

Chuck - In water only . . . I'll have to get a hold of some operating instructions for a trolling motor, thanks for the heads up on that.

When flipping the Garage door opener, you build a cart(2 wheels on T shaped, cut a hole  into cart to pull/push it) The base of the T rides on the carige bar. Holes drilled through the cart with big bolts to hold 3D -(can mount several diffent size 3Ds just move bolts)                        

Or just use the garage door motor to power your own target mover

I built one using a Power Wheel Chair motor. The motor is 12 volt and geared reall low. Made it Front wheel drive with a pulley on the front axle and a pully on the motor and made the back axle pivit for different radius's. I mounted the 12v battery on a turntable (lazy-susan) and it is connected to the Motor of the target cart with a heavey duty extention cord. This also acts as an anchor for the target to revolve around. I built a metal box for the battery to sit in incase of a stray arrow. Put an on, off, switch on it and it works great. I also put 2 moveable 1/2" threaded rods on the main beam so I can adjust them to suit what ever target we want to shoot at. This is not my idea, I've seen these for sale somewhere but can't remember the name !!! Hope this helps,...Lloyd