SoS I don't know what it would actually take to pull one in two, they are probably just about as strong as the bones they connect to. I have seen them butcher beef and hang the same way since I was a kid. I know others who do it like you described  and it works well also. Some that do a lot of deer  use a winch and a pulley that is anchored in the ground. You can stand right by it and control with ease. Mike Smyth

I've been doing it that way for years. This year the hide got hung up and I actually started to seperate the spinal column( it was dislocated). It worked out nice because the back straps had seperated and all I had to do was cut them at the hind quaters and under the shoulder then peel them out with my fingers.

There are several videos of this on youtube.  Most folks who work hides prefer the back to front pull.  If you aren't doing anything with the hide it doesn't really matter.

You can make a fleshing knife from an old file.  Grind a single bevel and wrap tape around the ends.  If you want to get fancy, grind tangs on the ends and pound wooden handles on them..