How do you travel (drive) with your gear?

[Lurch12]

Myself and 2 others are applying for a Colorado 1st season rifle elk hunt. Should have a pretty good chance at drawing.

How do you guys travel?

We will be driving about 1600 miles straight through each way in a truck more than likely with a tonneau cover. Probably going to bring an old chest freezer to bring any meat back in if we are fortunate enough to harvest an elk.

You guys ever travel with an open trailer?

I have a 14ft aluminum landscape trailer i am thinking about strapping the freezer to and also have the ability to put any horns on it to. That way the guns and gear can stay in the bed under the cover protected from the weather and lurking eyes.

I guess my fear is one night in a hotel with any meat or antlers on an open trailer. Obviously the horns could be carried inside for the night and the freezer would be strapped down. Could always chain it as well. Anyone ever travel this way.

What are your thoughts and suggestions.

 

[rayporter]

that will work.
you will see numerous rigs on the road and out there, some fancy and some home made purpose built for the job.

i take a trailer and use old sleeping pads or Styrofoam to build space in the front to put meat and dry ice in and cover it with gear. the meat will be frozen by the time we get to Arkansas.

 

[davsco]

drove from va to co the last three years, stopping each nite (so two overnite stays each way) to eat and sleep in a motel. fortunately didn't have any issue re theft or damage. two years had rifle and backup buried in back of the truck under a tonneau. last year just brought the one rifle and had it buried under the back seat. one year had a trailer with sxs on it and some coolers that were all strapped and chained down/in. basically i was just trying to make it a hassle to get to or take anything. i parked under lights near activity areas.

first year we took i-80 back and stopped at a town i think an hour outside of chicago. total craphole and sketchy as all get out. got back in the truck and drove another 2 hours despite being super tired, just to get to a better area.

 

[fmyth]

Camper shell on truck towing a 10' flatbed with my utv. Bed of utv filled with water and gas cans. Never stay in a hotel just sleep in the truck at a rest stop. Not taking any chances of getting my gear stolen. Have considered buying a small enclosed trailer so I can stay in a hotel and just back the trailer up to a fence, wall or light pole to make it too difficult to steal. I suppose you could rent a small uhaul box trailer.

 

[ThisIsMyHandle]

I would imagine that 3 of you taking turns driving 1600 miles, you should be able to drive straight through without having to overnight anywhere. If you’re concerned about theft, you could drill into the freezer and bolt on plates that will allow you to lock the door shut.


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[grossklw]

I used to just travel with an open back and ratchet strapped everything down. I broke down and got an old man topper and I haven't looked back. It's really really nice having the extra space and able to keep all your gear dry. It'll still get dusty back there, but it doesn't get wet. Can make for an interesting ride back with coolers/rack etc. We've came back from WY with 3 guys and 2 elk, I had to fold a seat down and load it to the gills, but it worked.

 

[Lurch12]

I would imagine that 3 of you taking turns driving 1600 miles, you should be able to drive straight through without having to overnight anywhere. If you’re concerned about theft, you could drill into the freezer and bolt on plates that will allow you to lock the door shut.


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That’s correct. Drive straight through. Usually only stay in hotel the first night off the mountain to get showered and a little refreshed before the commute back to PA.

 

[rayporter]

drive straight through
2 of us done it all the time

 

[Jethro]

3 guys is perfect for driving straight through. 1 guy can always be stretched out sleeping in back seat. We usually have 4 which adds a guy to the driving rotation but makes for sleeping while sitting up/slouched in back seat. Never had anybody want to use the other guys lap as a pillow.

We've also done the open trailer a time or 2, now we rent an enclosed.

 

[BRTreedogs]

So I have a canopy again now. And I take an open trailer often as well.
But I've also used these brackets to make cab high plywood side boards.
If you don't want to use your stake pockets set the plywood on the floor of truck bed cut out the shape of wheel wells etc.
I make a rear gate as well.
No one will really be able to even see in the bed.
And you can stack 2 layers of bin and cooler the toss them big old elk racks on top.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Another option is to keep your sleep gear close and stay at KOA campgrounds etc. That way you are rite buy the rig.
Can't believe I'm letting this out but I use a freecampsites.net alot to find places to sleep.

 

[Fullfan]

Been driving from Pa to elk hunt in Idaho for years. Three of us went together and bought a 26' enclosed R&R aluminum enclosed trailer. Have hauled 10 guys gear, everything needed to stay for a month, including 3 freezers. For years we drug and open landscape trailer out and back. Always manage to run into rain out and back. Not a problem now..

 

[pk_]

Many many times with open trailers, boats, etc. I have a 15’ or 20’ Schlage cable, loop it thru everything and lock. Lock tailgate. Lock anything and everything that can be locked and never ever had a problem. Slept in many Walmart parking lots, rest areas etc...

3 guys, drive straight thru rotate turns sleeping in the back seat you are Golden. If you get tired while driving grab a big bag of sunflower seeds.

 

[CAElkhunter]

I would recommend taking any valuable optics and guns into your hotel room. Park somewhere well lit and
you should be fine. I have been driving to NM, MT, CO for 20 years and have never had a problem. As a rule
never leave anything valuable in an untended truck. Anywhere.

 

[Justinjs]

If you get tired while driving grab a big bag of sunflower seeds.

As a former dipper, this is solid advice.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I'd personally leave the trailer behind. I like to travel as light as possible. We hauled 4 guys and all our gear to Colorado for archery elk season last year in a crew cab GMC with a 6.5' bed. We stacked two gear-filled 100 qt coolers on a cargo basket that slides into the receiver hitch and everything else fit in the bed under a tonneau cover. The only thing we didn't take that we would've packed for a rifle hunt was a wood stove for the tent. Depending on your elevation, first rifle season will likely be cold enough that getting/keeping your meat cold won't be too difficult. The freezer would be nice, but you could make it work with coolers and dry ice.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Lock your hitch on your trailer and your hitch on your truck. Does you no good to lock everything to the trailer if they steal the whole trailer.

 

[Jimss]

I have a topper on my truck. You can put a lot more gear in the topper than with a toneau cover. My topper locks and things are out of view. You could likely rent a U Haul trailer and split it between the 4 of you that locks and is totally enclosed.

 

[Jb917]

We travel 1350 miles. We usually stay one night each way in hotel. Usually around hays or colby Kansas. Tonneau cover on truck with all our gear under it. Coolers, gas jugs, and atv locked onto trailer.
On the way home we usually just tie antlers to the atv racks and lock the coolers full of meat to the trailer. We have been fortunate. Have made the trip 7 years and haven’t had anything messed with.

 

[FLAK]

Everything either goes inside the cab(4door) or under the tonneau cover in the full sized long bed. Outta sight.
I'm just not gonna tow a trailer for 17-20+ hrs.