ATV, 4-wheelers, OHVs, or whatever, are necessary for most hunters.
Another expensive piece of multiple use bow hunting equipment is your ATV, if you have one. Some bow hunters use
horses and others just hike or use a mountain bike. We are partial to 4-wheelers because they go farther and faster than
the other choices, and they are a whole bunch safer than a horse (and an ATV minds better).
A buddy of mine once defined a horse as something dangerous on both ends and uncomfortable
in the middle. A better definition has never been heard.
Before we moved to the Mountain West, we did not have much of a need for an ATV. Most of our hunting was done by walking
or driving to within a hundred yards of our hunting stand. Now, with vehicles so expensive and fuel costs rising daily,
we find that an ATV is an essential piece of hunting and camping equipment.
Without one the cost of fuel alone for a week
or two's hunting would be about a week's pay. If it were not for having an ATV, we would not have seen the hundreds of miles
of mountain roads and trails that we have seen in the last 10 years because we will not put our other vehicles through such
punishing conditions.
When we saw that it was necessary to have ATV's to cover the harsh terrain here, we researched all alternatives. We queried
every ATV dealer within a hundred mile radius and even in adjoining states. Used was out of the question because of the
abuse that we saw ATV's being given by the majority of the owners when we first started hunting here. We decided that since
the ATV's were the third most expensive piece of camping equipment we would own, we should get the most for our money.
The absolute best deals to be had were at VESCO'S in
Brigham City, Utah (435) 734-9424. Ask for Steve Underwood and tell him Rufus and Donna told you to call.
The dealership handles the Big 4 in ATV's and their prices for parts and accessories will be difficult to beat.
We chose Suzuki the first 4 times, but now that the racks and bumpers have changed and Suzuki no longer offers the best
rig for our style of hunting, we were thinking the Yamaha Grizzly next. The Suzuki 500 Quadrunner had it all, but they
decided to replace it with the Vinson, bad move. The Vinson just is not capable of the things the Quadrunner could do.
For our money, the Yamaha Grizzly seemed the best for what is available for our style of bow hunting and for our third most
expensive piece of camping equipment.
Even though the Suzuki 500 Quads had the most to offer the hunter, rancher, farmer, or construction company, we still
had to modify the racks to be useful. The racks were too small and weak to hold much weight. We made the racks larger
and stronger to hold more and accommodate our bows and rifles. Check out these
modifications
Well maybe I misspoke. Since writing the above, we have found the better ATV for the tall bow hunter or any
tall person. That is the Kawasaki Brute Force 750. This is the most comfortable ATV I have ever sat on.
I am 6' 3" tall and a bit, ok a lot on the heavy side and this machine is almost as comfortable a sitting in my F350.
Maybe after this hunting season, I can find some factory incentive to take advantage of and get one of these bad boys.
The problem with the Brute Force is that Kawasaki (like Yamaha, Suzuki, and Honda) wants to keep the weight of the
machine to around the 600 pound mark. Now think about this. If you started making ATVs with 350 to
400 cc engines with 5 speed transmissions that weigh around 600 pounds, then you
put larger engines in the machines and you want to stay around the 600 pound mark,
you will need tosacrificeweight some where.
Not only has the engine size been increased, but the use of automatic transmissions has caused the weight to increase.
Almost all of the large cc ATVs now use automatic trannies, so more weight needed to be sacrificed.
If you give up weight, you give up strength, unless stronger and lighter material
is used. The stronger and lighter material would make the price unpractical, so what the manufacturers (the big 4)
have done is make plastic racks and bumpers. They have made the racks smaller and in some cases the bumpers are just
not there.
This practice has eliminated most ATVs from being practical for the hunter, farmer, rancher, and construction
company.
UPDATE-UPDATE-UPDATE
Just before the 2005 Archery season, we attended an outdoor expo in the Salt Lake City area. While there we visited
an Arctic Cat ATV dealer display and noticed some interesting things:
For one thing, ARCTIC CAT is made in America.
They do use Suzuki and Kawasaki engines for some applications.
Their racks are around 25% larger diameter than other ATVs.
The rack capacity is the largest in the industry.
The ground clearance is the greatest in the industry (up to 13 inches on the 650 V2).
The fuel capacity is the greatest in the industry (5.5 to 6.5 gal.).
Longer warranty period (up to 3 years).
Truck type receiver hitch that allows sharper turns with a trailer.
They offer the dump bed TBX model with loads of storage.
They have a proprietary "Speedrack" system with a whole catalogue of accessories that just plug in, including tents.
Some ATV models come from the factory with synthetic oil.
Independent rear suspension.
Front differential lock.
Arctic Cat does not believe in the 600 pound limit (they weigh up to 752 pounds).
These features and the end of the year prices that were far better than the big 4 (Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda, and
Suzuki) were offering caused us to purchase an Arctic Cat 500 TBX (the one with the dump bed) for my wife just prior
to the archery hunt. As you can see, it came in real handy. I shot a small cow elk while hunting alone.
I was 4 miles from camp and no one to help, so I "borrowed" the wife's ride to get the elk to camp.
Granted this is a small elk, but my Suzuki 500 Quadrunner could not have carried the animal. I would have had to cut it
up and make 2 trips. Since the coyotes were howling the previous day all around my hunting blind, I did not want to
leave my prize alone for very long.
I was so impressed by the TBX, I decided to try to find a 650 at a good price after the hunt.
I found out that ARCTIC
CAT does not make a TBX with any other engine.
I rode a 650 V2 and with its 26 inch tires, 13 inches of ground
clearance, 6.5 gallon fuel tank, and extra large rack capacity and decided that it would be my next ATV.
After a few
phone calls, I found the color I wanted and struck a deal.
Here are the Arctic Cat dealers that were so helpful in finding what we wanted. If you call, tell them that
Rufus and Donna of Archers-Friend sent you.
Dave at Advanced R. V. Supply 877 788-6974 (we bought the TBX here).
Bob Buttars at Buttars Tractor 800 850-7001 (very helpful and my preferred dealer).
Jared Hansen at Big Boys Toys 800 273-9040 (where we found my 650).
The 500 TBX ATV has a Suzuki 500 and came with synthetic oil. The 650 has a Kawasaki engine but did not come
with synthetic oil. At the next oil change I will put the best synthetic oil and oil filters that money can buy
in the bikes because I expect to keep them for several thousand miles and hundreds of hours. The absolute best
oil is
AMSOIL.
Many pages of information, studies, and tests, can be found at
Click2Synthetic.com.
UPDATE--NEW KING OF ATV'S IS AN UTV!
Our latest favorite ATV is an UTV. The Polaris Ranger Crew. This 6 seater with
dump bed is the Hunter's Caddy. With 750 pound capacity of people and gear storage
PLUS 1,000 pounds in the bed for a total of 1,750 payload, this rig rocks.
We added a few convenience items and walla, the most comfortable and useable rig
that we have found so far. It will be hard to top this machine. It has 4 wheel,
2 wheel, and 1 wheel drive. The 1 wheel drive allows for easier turning and no
destruction of the vegetation when turning.
We do hours of research each month on the internet for products and services that benefit our family
and our interests. One of these searches has found a source for ATV parts that boasts The Web's largest powersports store! Over 4.6 million ATV and motorcycle parts and accessories online. Try it and see
if you can find just what you need at a price that you like.
If you prefer the comfort of of something more comfortable than the ATV type vehicle, say with the convenience of a top, heater, doors, windshield, and so on, maybe a Jeep type vehicle would be more to your liking.
Maybe you would be interested in our Jeep, a
1967 Jeepster Commando.
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I was so impressed by the TBX, I decided to try to find a 650 at a good price after the hunt.
I found out that ARCTIC
CAT does not make a TBX with any other engine.
I rode a 650 V2 and with its 26 inch tires, 13 inches of ground
clearance, 6.5 gallon fuel tank, and extra large rack capacity and decided that it would be my next ATV.
After a few
phone calls, I found the color I wanted and struck a deal.
Here are the Arctic Cat dealers that were so helpful in finding what we wanted. If you call, tell them that
Rufus and Donna of Archers-Friend sent you.
