Any one use a Subaru as a hunting buggy

[Clarktar]

I have a 1988 gl that is going to be my grocery getter and part time hunting rig.

Trying to find parts can be a pain. I'm currently trying to find a transmission.

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[Trr15]

You guys with the Subarus, how the hell do you hike in Birkenstocks?

 

[Zappaman]

I fully intend to get my wife's 2019 in a year or two I've rolled into "camp" many times (in a Hyundai) without my Tahoe the last few years ONLY because gas prices always SPIKE the week before my hunts (two states away). My buddies have a Tundra and Forerunner for the 2% of the time we need a 4x4. But going slow and watching the rocks, the Subaru can get about anywhere- especially in snow.

Cool thing is we bought the Outback with the nice, thick rubber floor and rear mats. We live in rural Kansas, and those mats have kept the carpet "factory" clean for three years now. I look forward to getting some blood on them when I get the car (and sell the Hyundai but keeping the Tahoe- just in case).

Now, if I could KILL all the damn "safety" crap out of the computer... I'll enjoy it as much as the Tahoe the last 22 years.

 

[Clarktar]

You guys with the Subarus, how the hell do you hike in Birkenstocks?

Those are just the driving shoe. Duh.

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[streetdoctor]

You guys with the Subarus, how the hell do you hike in Birkenstocks?

Gaaaah you’re doing it wrong! Birkenstocks get strapped to the pack for camp shoes.

 

[Huntin_GI]

I think alot of this depends on where you hunt and your expectations. I have had an Impreza since 2014. It started in CA and managed the snow in the western Sierras pretty well. Took it to Europe. Did great on the cobble stone and in the Alps but 0 power. Brought it back stateside and if you are chasing ducks all over the place, it can not be beat. Now we live in CO, and since getting here, we have finally found its limits. Deep snow will ruin you. Ground clearance is ass and there a reason they are called the "rockies". Everytime we have brought it along camping, it ends up getting left way farther from camp than expected and we end up shuttling gear in the truck.

Now, if you want a little rig that is gonna get laughed out of the room but has the ability to go, take a look at the older Honda CRV's. They go forever, you can tow an ATV, gas mileage is great, when you fold the rear seats forward you can fit anything in there. This includes a 5x6 Bull elk skull. As long as you have a buddy with a truck, its hard not to recommend the CRV.

 

[Coldtrail]

In the late 80's me and a buddy used to haul 2-4 adults & 3 walker hounds laying on straw on the back, in a early 80's Subaru GL wagon. I can say that the Subaru was not a detriment to bringing home fur and we took that car places I wouldn't dream of taking my F150. I'm sure the newer ones are a little more posh, but that GL was one tough SOB....even came factory with the steel white 5spoke wheels like everyone was putting on their trucks then.

 

[camping1601]

I've had two of them and they both served me well. I can't remember how many Deer had been hauled in them.

 

[Wrench]

My first deer came home in the trunk of my 78' subaru. I rallied the chit out of that car....coming from a guy with 2 fully locked rigs and 4 on 35's or bigger. A unibody that you hate is pretty fun to thrash on.

 

[Mt Al]

Have had many, 7 or 8 over the last 24 years, have one now and have, do and will hunt and fish the crap out of them. Mine are usually one or two styles old so I don't care about dings, small dents, etc.. Have towed pop up campers, drift boats and strapped a canoe to the top of a '97 outback 20 weekends a year for 5+ years - and it showed. Have had two antelope and a mulie tied to the top on a few occasions. Looks funny but works. Have slept in the back many times on long distance bird hunts all over Montana.

All that praise, but they've never replaced my truck. They are excellent in shallow snow, but not anything deep.

Yes, some of them have head gasket issues but (knocking on wood) mine have been incredibly reliable.

You can hunt out of a Subaru without smelling like patchouli, wearing berkensocks or having a man bun. It's OK to us "hunt" vs. "harvest" - but make sure you talk about conservation and the earth and holistic and "reducing our impact" and that you're concerned about sustainable agriculture, being a locovore, gender fluidity and NEVER look like you're trophy hunting - just taking a "representative of the species"

 

[Clarktar]

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[Lawnboi]

View attachment 377426
Exhibit A of trunk and back seat liners in use. MI public land doe, tree stand and bow went in the seats and doe in the back. Usually have a tarp as well but the trunk liner works well.

My wife would kick my ass if I did that!

 

[Centralcoastca]

An older stock 4Runner Would probably end up being cheaper in the long run and way more capable. Gas mileage wouldn’t be great but you wouldn’t need to modify it and they typically run forever with basic maintenance. The 3.0 has the head gasket issue, but if it’s already been replaced it’s probably good to go.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I see no reason to buy one on purpose.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

My friend recently got a BMW 840 Gran Coupe. I told him, that is one fine huntin Vehicle.

 

[fngTony]

There’s a YouTube channel called “softroading the west” he started out with a forester and did some reasonable mods to it. You’ll get a good idea of what it’s capable of. Keep in mind that his Subaru was a bit older before they used cvt transmissions and had the fancier computer controls.

I have a 16 forester that’s completely stock. It’s great for going down dirt roads or mild off roading. Much faster than any pickup can do so it helps when your short on time. The drive train is better than a standard 4x4 high since the Subaru will transfer power to the wheels with traction where as a basic 4x4 is only driving one wheel per axle. A 4x4 with a locking diff and other fancy controls would out perform it off-road. Obviously there’s no low range in the Subaru but their “x mode” and down hill assist some what mimic that (personally I don’t think there’s a replacement for mechanical gearing).

They’re not as mechanically reliable as say a Toyota truck. By that I mean Subaru’s tend to have gasket and head problems relatively early but they aren’t an everyday nuisance problem. The overall cost of ownership and fuel mileage makes for this and then some.

 

[Zappaman]

I can tell you the x-mode works! We took the Outback over 16" snow roads over a pass in CO when the main road was closed (we found a map on the iphone waiting behind all the cars and went for it). I thought we'd get stuck (several times). But it was like being in a Cadillac with tractor treads under it. We never lost traction like I have in my old GMC Jimmy (only true 4x4 I drove before).

 

[jacob_ski4]

Split my time in college between a 2005 Subaru Outback 2.5XT and a 2002 Chevy Silverado 1500 Ext Cab and both got a ton of hunting related use in the southeast. They both had their strengths and weaknesses but I’ll try to speak directly towards the Outback.

Starting with the weaknesses, early season deer was a no go. Our animals are covered, and I mean covered, in ticks and there’s no way in hell I’d put one in the back of my Subaru and not expect to have to bug bomb the thing. I also had to be selective about the roads I took. We have some that can get pretty muddy/rutted/pooled with standing water and as a rule I wouldn’t take it through anything I wouldn’t take a truck with street tires through. I know the AWD is extremely capable, but you just can’t drive a car through 3ft of water sitting on a road like you can a truck. Now this may not apply to one you get, but I had a 5 speed manual that I didn’t like because I couldn’t crawl or slowly move forward when needed without burning the clutch or stalling it, it’s geared for highways and not trails. Sometimes internal space could be an issue with 2 or more guys. Between bow cases and totes and coolers you have to be pretty careful about how you packed or how much you packed. Lastly, do some research on the tongue weight limitations. I know on mine the limit was 200lbs, so when you put a 40lbs cargo carrier on the hitch it limits the animal size significantly, and will only let you kill one (we can kill 2 a day where I am). Some people say it handles more weight fine on the highway, but I didn’t want to test it on rutted trails where stuff is getting bounced all around.

Outside of those things, pretty sweet little vehicle. Mine got a ton of use for waterfowl or turkey trips where the animal size wasn’t a factor and the back is sweet to lay down the seats, put down a mat, and get a good nights sleep in. Also have a soft suspension on bumpy ass roads was a dream compared to a truck. All that being said, selling the Subaru and just put a topper on the truck as it best fits my needs.

 

[JoeDirt]

I owned a 2003 Forester, it was a great car. Ive never owned anything that cruised logging/forestry roads better than this car. My ex wife has a 2014 Crosstrek that also great.

However I sold my Forester for two big reasons, range and power. The car would get horrible millage for the power it had. They're gutless, only have a 13 gallon tank and would only go 170-200 miles hunting before needed fuel.

I ended up with a Tacoma, I get the same millage but more power, range, cargo space and I can tow a small camper.

 

[S.Clancy]

We used Subaru's ALOT for hunting. I had a 97 outback that went on a ton of forest roads in terrible conditions. I had 3 quartered out elk in it one day going sideways down a road in central MT, glory days. You can buy tire cables for them that make them even better. The only thing that will stop them is clearance. They are really easy to stay out of ruts with, bit if you fall in, God help you. Negatives, at least in the older models was timing chain and head gaskets. That, and every Subaru Ive ever been in the rubber gaskets around the doors fail, which is pretty annoying.