Atv for deer hunting?
 

I used a honda rancher w a silenced muffler to navigate my hunting lease and the noise can be very manageable especially since it is manual shift and u can control the gearing and rpm,s better. However, i need more size and room so the hated side by side is coming into the pic. Others on my lease use them and the cab noise and overall mechanical noise is bad but newer bikes are getting better, at least some of them. Do u have any recommendations for me? Ive tried old jeeps and they are fine but slow and old means mechanical work. Also the electric buggies havent held up on our lease given creeks and excessive water otherwise id get one.

Walking and stalking have never failed me yet. When I get to the point that I can no longer do that, I'll saddle a horse. I have no desire to ever have to resort to a mechanical beast to hunt after I get to an area. Frankly, I hate the things.

A few years ago I also walked. Then heel spurs and old age made that difficult. I bought a Kawasaki 650 Brute Force. Bigger then I needed but the price was right. Since then I have used it to deer hunt. I ride it to an area I want to hunt and park it. I haul the deer out on it-sometimes over a mile. Deer do not seem to be afraid of the ATV, they are used to tractors. I think I prefer an ATV over a side by side. They are fun to ride and will go most anywhere. They are cheaper and easier to haul on a small trailer. I can use the small trailer behind the ATV when I get it to the farm. I would like fuel injection, which mine does not have. I could not hunt without one.

I like the japanese mini trucks. They have heat and air. You need to lift them a little to put atv tires on them, but that's cheap to do. They are quieter than an atv, but I stuck another muffler on it in front of the stock one. It gets used a lot around the farm as well. So far it's made it 11 years without breaking down. In the mountains it's better to use an offset rim that kicks the tires out a bit for a wider stance for the steep off angle trails. The 3 cyl has plenty of power for hauling heavy loads. I honestly can't remember the brand as it's camo now but think it was called a mighty truck.

Usually I walk and then if I kill one I go get the 4 wheeler out of the truck.

I've ran atv's since 1986, they are a big help if you use them right, I currently own 2, an '05 660 grizzley, and a '13 Kawasaki terry-x, if you have the width required no 4-wheeler will go where the side by sides will, if you have a 5' wide trail, and you can walk it, a utv will go there.


RR

RR, yer obviously not from Northern Minnesota... I have an 03 Bombardier Traxter Max, but there's no way it or your side by side is going to take me where my 83 Honda Big Red 3 wheeler will in this area... I also have a Yamaha 500 Phazer for when the snow gets too deep... I've run the Bombardier in 10 inches of wet snow, but the Phazer handles it much better.

As far as noise goes, Kawasasaki's are notoriously famous for there engine noise (at least they used to be) I'm not sure if they make any wheeler with a gas engine that's real quiet.

The side x sides do well to the snow gets deeper than 14", I stand by my statement, they go where a 3 or 4 wheeler will not dream of. I have a trail along a steep ridge, in 3 places I have to hold on to a fence to keep my 4-wheeler upright, the side x side doesn't even feel the slightest bit unstable in those spots.

The 3 wheeler for 1 is not 4 wheel drive as the terry-x is, plus the Kawasaki has a locking differential, and a 4000 pound winch for those areas that are not "flat ground"
RR

RR, your probably right in hilly, or mountainous regions, but if you introduce your side by side to a Minnesota Spruce Bog you'll be buried in a big hurry... The winch helps, but many times you'll find that there's nothing stout enough around to hook it too... The 3 wheeler with the flotation tires walks across the top of Peat Moss, and if it does get stuck it's light enough to lift out by hand... Another advantage the 3 wheeler has in the bog is the 3 point stance, the rear tires don't run in the tracks of the front... That makes a huge difference in the bog.

I have a Polaris Sportsman 570 to plow my driveway. It seems like a solid machine. It has EFI, plenty of horsepower, and the price was not too bad.

I will never use it for hunting.

The equipment I carry when afield alone will allow me to get "unstuck" under about any conditions, if a 3 wheeler can get there, you can bet the farm a 4 wheel drive utv will.
I do not hunt off of it, I use it to transport hunters to their stands and retrieve downed game, it does however see a lot of use and abuse chasin bear dogs during our bear season.
RR

RR... I can't help but laugh at that... Not trying to be rude so I hope you don't take this the wrong way but here's the deal... You just don't get it...

There are plenty of side by sides in my region. The only ones that can go where I can go with my 3 wheeler have put track kits on their machines. Even then the weight of the UTV stops them in many areas... Peat bogs run deep... And if you never been on a floating bog, your in for a real treat when you finally do.

It's about the weight, and weight distribution, not about how much traction you can get.

I've been around my neck of the woods long enough to know what can go where, and what can't. There are many areas where quads will go where your UTV won't, let alone my relatively light 3 wheeler.

I sold my 3 wheeler back in the 90's and started running quads... I've gone back to the 3 wheeler to get me into areas that quads can't go. The reason I've got 3 machines these days is to deal with the different situations I face around here.

There is no doubt that its situational. An ATV will absolutely go where a UTV won't and a UTV will absolutely go where an ATV won't

I don't know boys ...I'm with Flags on this one. I can still remember the woods during hunting season BEFORE motorized machines...PEACEFUL ... Now hunting season sounds like the citys come to the woods. 4 wheelers EVERYWHERE.

If I get to the point where i can't walk out or ride a horse... I guess it's time to quit huntin sept for off the front porch :)
As far as retrieving A mule The 4 legged kind is still my favorite in the mountains. In flat country a Glens deer handle can usually get it to where the pickup truck can get to it to load!

Agreed Rock... There are hills in my area I don't even want to think about dealing with on my 3 wheeler, but have no worries with my quad. My quad is a 2up machine so the wheel base is about 10 inches longer than a 1up quad.

On the other hand, my quad is 800lbs dry weight. By the time I'm loaded up I'm a 1/2 ton plus. There are bogs I wouldn't dream of going into with my quad, but can get my 3 wheeler into most of them with relative ease.

you can get a used decent 4x4 Truck for what you can get a utv for. my 97 Toyota is not much wider then most utv.

Mules, and horses would be great if you have the know how, and facilities to deal with them. Most hunters these days don't.

The quad also has many other tasks besides hunting... Moving snow, mowing food plots and such.

Yeah that's cool BUT the question was ATV's for deer hunting. I am aware of their many uses and you can do just as much plowing and snow removal and mowing with a good team of horses or mules and I assure you a good mule CAN go in between trees a 4 or 3 wheeler can not. Also never seen a 4 wheeler walk sideways or jump a fence on command. :)

Seems like it would be pretty silly for me to use a mule in my situation.

9 out of 10 hunts my 4 wheeler never leaves the back of the truck. I'm not going to load up a mule or a horse and drag it around in a tailor for 9 days just to use it for 45 minutes.

I get it as far as liking doing it that way but I don't think it makes sense to "hate" 4 wheelers. 4 wheelers are clearly more efficient in some if not most cases.

If some guy is messing up the hunting with his 4 wheeler.....well I hate that to but its not the 4 wheeler doing it.

Sure a mule can do some things a 4 wheeler can't but a mule cant hang out in the back of my truck for a month waiting for me to get a deer.

Also unless you have money growing on trees using something that you use for other task is certainly a factor.

I suppose we could get into quite a discussion about a wheeler vs a mule, but I'm thinking that most today don't have the knowledge nor the ability to care for a horse or a mule. Not that many don't really have a clue about taking care of there wheelers either, but I can park my wheeler for months at a time and don't have to worry much about it. That's a pretty handy thing for the many hunters that live in an urban environment.

I'm not knocking anyone who prefers horses or mules over wheelers. I'm just thinking that it's not a good option for most of us these days.

For you yes it would be silly. For someone who has the know how not in the least. A lot of Big Game hunts that's the only way you can get there is by horseback with a pack mule but I wouldn't expect you to know about that. Oh and BTW no Cellphone service either so you would probably get lost. Might even have to camp out over night SCARY ...... just funnin with ya no offense!

IF it made sense I would do it and I do in fact have the know how. I'm not sure why you would assume you know what I know how to do like an idiot but hey........no offense just funnin with ya.

I never seen a 4 wheeler scare from a snake or loud noise.

Wonder how they'd react to the smell of wolves, or black bears... And vice versa for that matter...

You're the one that said it would be silly for you to use a mule in your situation ...I was just agreeing with you. My point was.. that too much dependence on so called modern technology could be not such a good thing. Ever followed a GPS off a cliff? You are absolutely right I know nothing about you other than what you post here. I draw my own conclusions from what I read you say. I stated my opinion that I prefer a mule in mountain country. Didn't say it was for everyone. Other than that I was just funnin with ya Really!

My atv's don't hafta be fed the 50 weeks a year I don't hunt.
RR

You only hunt 2 weeks a YEAR?? You poor man. Somethings always in season round here. I don't even take off 2 weeks :)

Hey they are an early warning system ... another set of eyes and ears.. let you know somethings there. Try that with a 4 wheeler. Most mules know the smells around where they live. With them it is more the Sight of a wolf or bear than the smell. Especially if your trying to get it to walk up on a dead one.

We wouldn't be having this conversation if that is what you really said now would we?

I said it wouldn't make sense for me to use a mule not that I didn't have the know how to use a mule or camp or survive without a cell phone...

Seems like you think everybody that don't do it your way is stupid and can't do anything.

Sorry.. Didn't know you were so thin skinned. "In vino veritas."

I don't think not letting you talk down to me has anything to do with the thickness of my skin.

Your right I was way out of line ...I apologize!

Well this one is taking some interesting turns... I guess at this time I'd like to make a couple of things clear from my point of view.

KSWild, Flags, and Rock... I honestly respect your ability's to be able to use, and hunt with horses, and mules. To be honest again, I'm envious of that. For me it's not exactly the "Twilight Zone", but it is certainly not an experience I was brought up with, or have ever been exposed too. IMHO it would be great to at least experience something like that at least once in my lifetime.

Now to the GPS... I can't remember the exact year I bought mine, but am thinking that it was in this century. I managed to get by with just my compass since the late 60's, but also feel that the GPS is one of the greatest inventions since the compass... I doubt I'll be following my GPS off of a cliff anytime soon.

As to being lost and having to camp out in the woods... Hell I've purposely camped out in the woods so I'd be lost to everyone else... No big thing there... Try it at zero degrees under a self made lean-two... It's amazing how quickly one learns under those conditions.

Now back to the gist of this thread... Welcome to 2014... Baring anything drastic, wheelers are here to stay in many if not most regions/areas in this nation. Those with any sense seek out the machines that best serve their purpose in the areas they live. I'll admit that I'm out of line trying to tell RR or anyone else what the best machine is for them in their regions/areas. Likewise, anyone else is equally out of line telling me how well a certain machine will work in my area/region unless they can prove they've actually dealt with the conditions that I deal with.

Flags, I'm not sure about the reason for your animosity, but as Rock pointed out, it may very well be the operator, not the wheeler that you should be directing that animosity towards. I can only speak for myself, but can say that I always do my best to make sure that when I'm running my wheelers, or snowmobile that I'm not doing something that is interfering or disrupting someone Else's hunting.

Well Lunker God forbid the economy ever takes a dump but if it does working with livestock's not a bad skill to have. :)

RR, I don't use an ATV yet but might have to get one someday. if that is your log house it sure looks nice from what can be seen of it. nice looking area too.

There was once a time when a guy could pretty much hunt wherever he wanted in my area outside of deer hunting.

Back then mules made a lots of sense. We used them to coon hunt back when hides actually brought enough money to justify housing a mule. It worked great for chasing dogs all over. They jump fences so that alone was a big advantage.

Now days with people coming from all over and paying big money to hunt it just doesn't make sense anymore. Everything is private owned and most fences are either property lines or have gates. The biggest farm I have permission on is 500 acres and it has 2 roads running through it then I have 2 other farms that are about 300 acres each and 70% of that is crop fields.

It just doesn't make sense to use a mule here unless of course its simply because you want to.

I can certainly appreciate it. I do some things the old fashioned way because I like it and if I lived in the mountains and/or had vast expanses of land to use I'd probably use a mule but Ive been around and worked with live stock most of my life from farms to vet work to a slaughter house and to be honest I don't want any part of taking care of a mule I don't need at this point.

Umm... Have we been living in the same nation since 2007???


Okay, kidding aside yer absolutely right:D

It could get a whole lot worse. Believe it! But that's for another thread! :)

Rock, I spent the fist half of my hunting life with out the aid of livestock, or machines to assist us while deer hunting. I was born in 62, and didn't buy my first wheeler until the late 80's. I'm not exactly a stranger to hunting big woods on foot, and dragging our animals out of the woods with manual labor alone.

That said, this is 2014, and adapting to the times is what it is. I'm now 51 years old, and can't drag a deer like I could at 25 years old. The conditions of hunting areas are changing all across this nation. If someone wants to stick with the way they did it 50, 40 or 30 years ago, more power to them.

I for one have chosen to adapt to the times I'm dealing with today, and for now will continue to do so. Which for me deals with new, and old methods of hunting. No horses or mules for me, but am keeping a 31 year old wheeler running to suit my needs:rock:

No, belongs o the man I work for, sits in the middle of 1200 acres (which he gives me full hunting rights) log houses are just to high maintenance for me, I live in a brick rancher.
RR