Being at a Disadvantage without a SxS

[BadDogPSD]

So the nephew hunts an area with a long dusty rocky road that really beats you up in a pickup, but he rips up the road like he’s in the Baja 1000 with his sxs, covering every inch of gear with a thick layer of dust. I said I’d rather chew on a sagebrush than ride with him, and getting bounced around all day in a pickup for a marginal area isn't my idea of fun. He killed a nice buck there and I didn’t. Would he have been just as successful driving his 3/4 ton pickup? Idk.

The dust is no joke! My ranger is a 2013 model, built before they started making enclosed cars. The dust has me thinking about upgrading, but dang the new(er) UTV's are EXPENSIVE!

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Thank you. I was born in 1941 and I have good genes. I took my Dad on his last big game hunt and he filled his elk tag with a nice 5x5....he was 90! He owned a duck club and hunted waterfowl until he was 92.

Y'all are doing something right for sure. Congrats for winning at life sir. Also go buy you that SxS I think it'll be a great tool at your age.

 

[go_deep]

Not at all. I can afford one, and don't want one, and we fill all the freezers we need ever year.

 

[MallardSX2]

When you travel as far as I do to go hunting, you don’t want to drive down crappy roads with the only means of transportation of getting your ass home. A side-by-side or a 4 wheeler definitely bridges that gap for me.

Not to mention, it’s twice as fast getting me to where my jump off point is. I can go two or three times the speed of my truck down almost any bumpy road (where legal).

 

[il_cop]

As stated, very area dependant. I owned one for years but found we were more successful and efficient when we didn't use it. I'm in the process of selling it as we speak.

My crew has two rules when looking at new areas - 1. "don't hike into and hunt an area someone can drive into" . Whether that's private access to roadless public or areas scattered with two tracks. 2. "Hunt drive-by country" - you ever see trucks parked randomly by the side of the road that you drive by on your way to a trailhead or a two track and wonder what they're doing?

Killing elk.

 

[tx_basser]

After hunting in CO during some rainy or melting snow situations, I definitely had some white knuckle situations that could have gone either way. It would have been nice to have one, but after having an ATV it just became another excuse to spend some time using boot leather.

 

[BRTreedogs]

If you can’t afford it, what does it matter?

 

[Weldor]

Good read, I glass from the front porch. The areas I hunt have roads and trails everywhere. There is no getting away from SxS or ATV, ebike's etc. I watch Elk melt into the ponderosa as soon as they hear a diesel rolling down the main road (dirt FS Rd). The UTV and Atv noise not so much. I think it is because there is so much recreation riding all year. I use mine to get in early to where we need to be and move out. One thing to note also is in some national forests you can drive 1 mile or better off trail to retrieve game.(Elk) . I have seen guys well away from the trails cutting their way in to an animal. Called FS they told me it was legal (in that area) to my surprise.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

They can be a blessing and a curse. I've watched them drive right by elk hidden near a road that I was watching from a nearby ridge. A lot of people seem to develop the habit of driving from high point to high point all day with the spotting scope and never see anything you can't see from the parking spot which I think leaves quite a bit of ground/animals unseen. For sheer speed and convenience of getting from point A to point B, they are probably hard to beat.

Hunters driving by without seeing game is not a SxS issue; it happens with all vehicles.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

This might ruffle a few feathers. While I have no doubt that everybody on this forum follows every law and would never take a sxs where its not supposed to be. However the fact is that every dirtbag out there has one. They tear the shit out of the roads and they take them everywhere that they aren't supposed to be. Most of them leaving a trail of keylite cans behind. If the machines weren't loud enough, the boat speakers they bolted to the cage sure are.

sxs's are a legit lil machine no doubt about. I'll go out on a limb here and say that most of the haters. Actually have an issue with sxs owners.

And hunters that drive non-SXS are true stewards of the wilderness?

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

A SxS is a tool just like everything else. Sometimes you can make do with another tool and other times you would be better served having the right tool. Lots of animals still get killed every year with folks driving hatchbacks and sedans let alone trucks, Jeeps, and 4x4 SUVs.

A side-by-side can get you to where you want to be faster, safer, and with less jarring when compared to other vehicles. Some roads/trails have bad angles which can pose an issue for larger vehicles. Some also have tight turns which some full size vehicles may not be able to make. They can save a lot of wear and tear on your primary vehicle.

The more annoying the exhaust the faster animals go seek safety. I see this often when glassing. Folks' coffee can exhaust, no matter the vehicle, will alert game 1+ mile out. Those are animals that might as well not exist. Electric rigs, all types and as long as they aren't rattling, can get right up on game before they seek safety. This is more likely due to lack of regular encounters with electric over a prolonged period of time.

Is it worth it? Easier to justify at $12K than at $30K+.

 

[LostArra]

When you travel as far as I do to go hunting, you don’t want to drive down crappy roads with the only means of transportation of getting your ass home. A side-by-side or a 4 wheeler definitely bridges that gap for me.

Not to mention, it’s twice as fast getting me to where my jump off point is. I can go two or three times the speed of my truck down almost any bumpy road (where legal).

Also regarding elk hunting, when Plan A doesn't pan out we get to Plan B quicker. This isn't so important now that we are all retired and hunt as long as we want but when we had a set time frame it was important.

 

[AZ8]

And hunters that drive non-SXS are true stewards of the wilderness?

Yup. They’re great at staying on roads.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I was stunned by the amount of roads in AZ, I could see it making sense or feeling like your are at a disadvantage there for not having one, but in Co I’ve never felt disadvantaged.

Some are saying they are safer and faster… I’ll give you faster but I will say they are not safer haha a coworker died driving one, another almost died and know more than 5 with serious hospitalization injuries, don’t know any from people who are hunting on foot or from their truck/ jeep

 

[HuntHarder]

Yeah, I agree, on the whole, UTV's are in no way safer than a pickup.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Yeah, I agree, on the whole, UTV's are in no way safer than a pickup.

Interesting.

No trucks, Jeeps, SUVs have never rolled while driving in an off camber section that is a non-issue with a SXS due to its lower center of gravity?

 

[Hnthrdr]

Interesting.

Zero trucks, Jeeps, SUVs have never rolled while driving in an off camber section that is a non-issue with a SXS due to its lower center of gravity?

Just said from the dozen or so serious injuries i know of from my circle of life they all involve sxs. Of course people will roll tucks and jeeps. I think the difference is often people are taking it easier in the trucks and jeeps the SxS can maneuver challenging terrain much faster and can lead to problems. Obviously this isn’t a law of nature just what I have witnessed

 

[wapitibob]

I rarely use my atv but not having it would have been a big disadvantage on specific hunts in WY, AZ, OR, and NM. Whether to take it, is a hunt by hunt basis. Would I buy a sxs today, no, but maybe an older used atv where I wouldn't miss the money. If you'd take it to the dunes as well as the desert, it "might" make sense.

 

[180ls1]

Yeah, I agree, on the whole, UTV's are in no way safer than a pickup.

IMO its the nut behind the wheel that is the issue. SXS are the Jetski's of the trail.

 

[Tradchef]

I have never felt at a disadvantage. To be honest, I feel like most of the ones that I see using them bypass so much stuff. It would be nice to save some energy and to get back a good ways faster but I feel like there's so many little holes the animals go in when they hear them coming that they miss and you can capitalize on. Until I can't backpack anymore and need assistance getting from point A to point B, I'll save my money.