We’ve rented an f250 several times for waterfowl trips to ND. Since we beat the trucks up pretty bad it works great. We’ve totaled one (had to rent an U-Haul just to get home) and ripped the bumper off of another so we were glad it wasn’t our trucks. For some other hunts I’ve put a chest freezer in the back and put any important gear in the truck. The chest freezer can hold some items since I don’t get it running until sometime when we get where we are going and that’s depending on what we’ve killed. When/if we stop I take my gun or bow, binoculars, hunting pack with essentials and a small bag of clothes in the hotel and leave the rest. Typically we are getting in the hotel late and leaving early so the stuff isn’t in the truck long at all. We always try to park where it seems less likely that someone would risk breaking in but that isn’t always possible. On the way back it’s always straight through so no issues there and we just have stuff crammed in every corner of the bed, truck or strapped to the toolbox since the freezer would have meat and capes in it.
As for staying awake, ride with the windows down, stop often to get out, I used to pound the Red Bulls but that’s proven to not be too healthy, podcasts and pointless conversations with whoever is in the truck or will talk on the phone with me. Be careful though, falling asleep and getting in a wreck isn’t with it, obviously.
For the waterfowl trips we put the 4 wheeler in the bed of the truck and the decoys and blinds/sled etc in an enclosed trailer but that’s a pain. We bought a brand new trailer and it lasted 2 trips (1800 miles one way) so that sucked. Otherwise we never take a 4 wheeler.
