Good Gas Mileage Hunting Vehicle

[seww]

I use our 2002 Toyota Rav4, I do miss proper 4wd but on the good side is that I drive more conservative when it comes to off-roading.
It still does the trick and I cannot believe the roads I've covered with it. Crazy capable for sure.

 

[dboone3]

What about a 2000’s Toyota Tacoma. Those are 15k or less around where i live. What state are u in?

I'm in WA. I might look at those. I was hoping to find something with lower miles and with decent reliability for an everyday driver.

 

[dboone3]

I use our 2002 Toyota Rav4, I do miss proper 4wd but on the good side is that I drive more conservative when it comes to off-roading.
It still does the trick and I cannot believe the roads I've covered with it. Crazy capable for sure.

How are you generally hauling your game out?

 

[A.hol1]

Daily commuter is an Audi Q5.
Put a small lift and better wheels and tires on it. I have a about 10” of ground clearance. I get 27mpg overall and can go anywhere my buddy can go/wants to go in his tundra. Roof basket on top and seats down I take it elk hunting and deer hunting. I can sleep in the back when seats are down and fits all my gear

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[HappyHuntr]

I'm in WA. I might look at those. I was hoping to find something with lower miles and with decent reliability for an everyday driver.

Ok I’m in Duvall Wa which uses seattle craigslist. I would check out seattle.craigslist.com

 

[mkbubolz]

With fuel prices skyrocketing is has anyone started looking at alternative hunting vehicles? I'm currently using a Tacoma with a cap, roof rack, bumpers, and lift, I average about 13mpg during hunting season and 17 on the hwy. I have a couple of out-of-state hunts scheduled this fall and typically hunt 8+ weeks from Aug. - Nov. normally fuel has been one of my largest expenses but now it will defiantly be by a land slide.

I'm really considering selling the Taco before these market crashes, currently, I could make a lot of money off of the truck even after beating on it for the last couple of years. I really don't know what to get though, I think a crappy little fwd car would get me to about 80% of the places I hunt, more if I beat the shit out of it. I just don't know if I'm quite ready to give up having a decent rig. I've considered buying a small hybrid SUV like a toyota Rav 4 which gets over 40mpg, put a hitch on the back and haul my t-dub or CT90 on the back for the really poor roads. It really is a tough decision though, especially going out of state like NE Nevada where there is pretty much nobody to help if you break down or get stuck.

I've always really liked having a capable vehicle but the current prices are crazy. Just the two trips I have planned I will be putting on 1300 miles just to and from, not to mention any driving while there. I normally keep about 1K set aside in an envelope for the fuel each fall so it doesn't hit the bank account as hard. This year we are already double with a couple of months to go. Maybe I just need to accept that it's going to be the cost of doing business going forward.

Curious what everyone else's thoughts are, I defiantly feel like the woods are going to be a much lonelier place this fall with prices the way they are.

Can’t go wrong with a Subaru

 

[xsn10s]

I miss my old 1987 Subi Hatchback. 4sp 4wd it got 26 mpg on the highway and i don't remember what offroad. Better than my F350 with a 460 in it lol. Surprising how well it did in deep snow with winter street tires.

 

[Coldtrail]

I miss my old 1987 Subi Hatchback. 4sp 4wd it got 26 mpg on the highway and i don't remember what offroad. Better than my F350 with a 460 in it lol. Surprising how well it did in deep snow with winter street tires.

30yrs ago me & some friends used to run hounds out of a '86 subaru wagon, 3 big guys and 4 dogs, and gear jammed in it. Almost daily in the winter we would have to go around some fully accesorized 4x4 truck stuck, if we got stuck 2 guys would jump out and push it and we'd be on our way. Looking back I cant believe we were successful being that there were no internet threads telling us what kind of tires we needed or someone giving us an ALL CAPS opinion on why subarus suck and we need a blah blah blah etc.

Currently my wife drives an outback with a lifetime warranty, once it gets rotated into a secondary hunting rig for my close to home stuff I plan to get every penny out of that warranty.

 

[xsn10s]

30yrs ago me & some friends used to run hounds out of a '86 subaru wagon, 3 big guys and 4 dogs, and gear jammed in it. Almost daily in the winter we would have to go around some fully accesorized 4x4 truck stuck, if we got stuck 2 guys would jump out and push it and we'd be on our way. Looking back I cant believe we were successful being that there were no internet threads telling us what kind of tires we needed or someone giving us an ALL CAPS opinion on why subarus suck and we need a blah blah blah etc.

Currently my wife drives an outback with a lifetime warranty, once it gets rotated into a secondary hunting rig for my close to home stuff I plan to get every penny out of that warranty.

I keep an eye out for 1990 wagons so I can have an inexpensive rig for fishing and hunting. FI 5sp with Hi/ Lo transfercase. The Forresters with a lift could be on the list. But a bone stock Jeep XJ Cherokee HO with a 5sp would work too.

 

[seww]

How are you generally hauling your game out?

So far, I haven't had the chance to try it out
But the back seats folds down pretty flat, and I always carry a tarp in it, so shouldn't be an issue. I usually hunt fairly close to home, less than 2 hours away.

 

[CorbLand]

So far, I haven't had the chance to try it out
But the back seats folds down pretty flat, and I always carry a tarp in it, so shouldn't be an issue. I usually hunt fairly close to home, less than 2 hours away.

If you are worried about blood and stuff in the back, get a blow up kid pool. Put it in the back, blow it up and you have a cheap, waterproof barrier.

 

[seww]

If you are worried about blood and stuff in the back, get a blow up kid pool. Put it in the back, blow it up and you have a cheap, waterproof barrier.

Ha smart! That's a good idea!

 

[browning2480]

Or just quarter it up and put in coolers. I have hunted out of a Tahoe for over 15 years and wouldn’t go back to a truck. That hunting has been Antelope, Deer and Elk. Just have to change your process. I have a hitch hoist as well for when I want to skin and quarter something at the vehicle. Leave all the junk right there

 

[CobraChicken]

2011 ram 2500 cummins. You may laugh because it's an mph thread, but it's egr and emissions free (live in wyo) and is get about 19 to 20mpg on the highways on a slightly higher tune where I go to hunt (70-150 miles away).

DTE is usually around 550-600 miles depending on grade.

Also, yes my tpms light is on and what kinda of hunt rig doesn't have a dash indicator light on?

Also, look how green Wyoming is in July.

 

[Crusader]

Daily commuter is an Audi Q5.
Put a small lift and better wheels and tires on it. I have a about 10” of ground clearance. I get 27mpg overall and can go anywhere my buddy can go/wants to go in his tundra. Roof basket on top and seats down I take it elk hunting and deer hunting. I can sleep in the back when seats are down and fits all my gear

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Wow, that's a really nice vehicle. Personally, I don't think I could/would take that into the woods, be too afraid to get it scratched up or otherwise damaged.

 

[GAHunterJim]

My son has a Ford Maverick that gets 38 highway mpg, it's a very nice little truck. He left town this week with a 11' jon boat in the back, no problem. My 2020 Chevy Silverado 4x4 2.7 has gotten as much as 26 mpg on the highway, more typical loaded for hunting about 23-24.

 

[sodaksooner]

Old Toyota Corolla..really. Took it on many elk hunts. 36mpg normally.

 

[HappyHuntr]

older VW bug is a good mountain car.
I know a fellow who takes a crown vic copper up in montana bear country