How much do you use a atv?

[mk_v]

I'm debating on if I should get a atv to get back into areas to save wear and tear on my jeep. Im only using it on roads that are legal motorized use. I'm very consciousness of motor noise, nothing ruins a hunt more than hearing someone else driving in on a dirt bike or atv to ruin a hunt. I'm not going to be that guy. My question is if you use one, do you use it enough to justify getting one? Has it become a critical piece of equipment or just a luxury? I don't hunt from a vehicle but some of the roads to get to where I'm going to day hunt this year are pretty bad, not so bad it's un passable but so bumpy it gets annoying to have to slow to a crawl, speed up, slow to crawl and so on. With a atv I could get to where I hunt faster. So what do you guys think? If I do get one I'm looking at the grizzly 550 or 700. Thanks for the input!

 

[Terrapin]

I have a 2005 Rancher with less than 300 miles on it, mostly plowing snow. I had the same thoughts as you, but I feel like such a POS slob sitting on it that I take my truck and walk in. I would rather be unsuccessful than be counted as one of the pieces of white trash that tool around on a 4 wheeler and shoot critters off the road. I guess in Idaho you get pretty jaded when you see those f-ing things on every back road, gated or not.

 

[Jay03]

While I totally understand the wear and tear on the truck, lower fuel consumption, ease of travel in some areas and roads I absolutely refuse to hunt big game from an ATV of any kind. Even if just traveling from camp to hike in spots.... I wont do it! For a number of reasons I guess... Like terrapin said seeing the use of ATV's get abused all these years and getting up early and hiking a few miles back off the roads only to have some jackwagon roll up at light in a noisy ATV where he shouldn't be pisses me off to no end and I don't want to be associated with that at all. I do understand and respect disabled or elderly hunters using them but as long as their LEGALLY doing so. And don't get me wrong I have no problem with people using ATV's while hunting. But not a year has gone by in the last 20 or so I have spent in the woods that I haven't seen someone abusing or illegally using their ATV. Im sure there are some that do it right and respect others while using ATV's but I have yet to see that as the norm.

I will however use one coyote hunting in the desert because a 1 ton truck on those roads can be miserable and expensive, moving from stand to stand quicker can get me more yotes or at least more calls made in a day. But there is no big game seasons going on and the dirt roads in the desert are legal to use an ATV on and I hike off the road to make my call. So for varmints and predators yes, big game species NO. The grizzly 550 is a great choice though.

 

[Jay03]

Sorry for the rant, as you can tell I am less than impressed with the way some people around my neck of the woods choose to operate.

 

[wapitibob]

For hunting, it's the cats azz. I've been out scouting a friends antelope unit lately and it's 20 mph vs 5. In Wyoming, because of mud, it was the difference between hunting most of the unit with no one else vs the one county road that everybody else was hunting from. If you have kids, just a Saturday toodeling down forest roads will brighten their day. Will you get your money's worth? Who knows, kind of like guys trying to justify a diesel rig.

 

[tttoadman]

I am also an ATV hater because of the abuse. I live in Molalla. The 20,000 acres above my house have been locked up since 1987. If people didn't constantly abuse the right to access the land, we could possibly have some roads open to drive in a little further. I dread the day I don't get around so good, and I am looking for an ATV to take a little wear off my bones.

 

[Bar]

I'm old school. If you can't hike in by foot. Get a horse.

 

[Newt]

I am going to be using one this year. Only because there are three of us going, and we are only taking one truck and trailer. This way we can all hunt in different directions without having to worry about "meeting up" and using the truck.

Besides, a good ATV with a good muffler is just as quiet as a truck. I see no difference between riding it to the trail I will hike in on vs driving a truck to it. On top of that, it takes up less room so it allows others to park in the same area. I also find that when you meet people on the backroads that are usually very narrow it makes it a lot easier to get by each other. I have came up numerous times on someone, both in trucks, and one of us would have to back out because there was just not enough room to pass.

I draw the line in taking it off the roads, and using it as a gun rest. It is one fear of mine where I am going because I did see some ATV tracks off the main roads where I am planning on hiking in on. I timed it, and where I plan on parking and hiking from it took about 45 mins to hike to one spot. That same spot would be VERY easy to get to on an ATV in a matter of 10-15 mins. I dread hiking in early, then sitting there hearing an ATV putting up an hour later or so.

If its just to ride on the roads to save wear and tear on the jeep I would go for it. You don't need an expensive one at all to do the task, and if your going to stick to roads/open trails then just 2wd will be perfect. I can only think of a handful of times I have used 4wd and that is only when I was around my house in the snow.

 

[Bar]

Another example of why I hunt wilderness areas.

 

[hunting1]

I hate them, but have one and use it only to get to trail heads, etc. There are areas where you will either beat up your vehicle so badly or worse get stuck. It saves a few miles of walking through areas that are not productive.

It is nice for scouting new areas as well. I do not go where I am not supposed to nor do I drive as fast as it will go. Kind of like guns, the few idiots make it bad for those who follow the rules.

 

[Josh Wright]

Don't let a few bad apples ruin your idea. They can be great. The models you are looking at are loud but can get an aftermarket muffler for them. I have a ranger 900 xp and love it. Where I am at is 1000 miles of trail access. I have a wife and 3 year old boy that love to ride it.

There is one spot I hunt that is a 45 minute trail ride and then an 1 1/2 hour hike to be hunting. I'm not walking 20 miles and my wife could not do it anyway. There are great uses for it, but like others on here its the road hunters and people who abuse them that stinks.

 

[5MilesBack]

Another example of why I hunt wilderness areas.

So do you hike or use horses to get to the wilderness area?

I don't have an ATV, but if I did I'd use it instead of beating my truck up. A few years ago I crumpled both sides of my stabilizer bar mounts on my F-350 getting to the trailhead. And it takes much longer to get there in a truck. But on the plus side, the truck is dry, the truck is warm, and my coffee rides with me. So there are downsides to an ATV as well.

 

[JG358]

I don't have an ATV, but if I did I'd use it instead of beating my truck up. A few years ago I crumpled both sides of my stabilizer bar mounts on my F-350 getting to the trailhead. And it takes much longer to get there in a truck. But on the plus side, the truck is dry, the truck is warm, and my coffee rides with me. So there are downsides to an ATV as well.

Yup, I can think of lots of places I've hunted that I would have liked to have one just to save my truck from the beating it took to get to the trail head. Crew cab diesels arent meant for wheeling.

 

[fencesitter]

I have an 06 Polaris Sportsman with 129 miles on it. I don't use them for hunting. The fumes from an ATV will permeate the camo and can ruin a hunt quicker than anything.Good luck!

 

[5MilesBack]

Yup, I can think of lots of places I've hunted that I would have liked to have one just to save my truck from the beating it took to get to the trail head. Crew cab diesels arent meant for wheeling.

My Toyota doesn't even like some of the places I force it to go.

 

[Bar]

So do you hike or use horses to get to the wilderness area?

I don't have an ATV, but if I did I'd use it instead of beating my truck up. A few years ago I crumpled both sides of my stabilizer bar mounts on my F-350 getting to the trailhead. And it takes much longer to get there in a truck. But on the plus side, the truck is dry, the truck is warm, and my coffee rides with me. So there are downsides to an ATV as well.

I use my Jeep for part of it, and hike the rest of the way. I don't go anywhere near hunting areas with my Jeep. Something I can't say about ATV's. I've never heard a quiet one. Mufflers and all.

 

[mk_v]

I understand what you guys are saying about hating atvs I have had my own experiences with them being where they shouldn't. I tried to explain that the atv would only be used to get to the trails. I don't hunt from vehicles at all and enjoy the hike in, most of the time several miles. I prefer to get away from it all, hunting from a car doesn't accomplish that. I think some of the posters miss read that. I'm only wanting to save the wear and tear on my car. The road to get to where I'm hiking in to hunt took 3.5 hours to drive 33 miles. Granted I baby my car and drive much slower than most. I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth it or not. Again not hunting from it, simply using it to get where I hike in. Also I very conscious of my surroundings and other people, I would use the atv responsibly.

 

[El Gavilan]

I use mine a lot, but I stay on designated roads and trails and ride to my jump off point to start hiking. I never "hunt" off the atv, it is strictly for transportation to where I start hunting. Most of the time I walk right from camp but if the game have moved or I want to hit another area a little further from camp then the atv gets used. Mine does get used a lot for getting elk out after the kill, and that is where it really shines. The forest I hunt allows their use off road to retrieve elk and I usually can find an old logging road to get me close enough. I have a Honda Forman 500 cc and it works great. I do not have a handicapped license even though I have 2 artificial knees, the knees are in pretty good shape and I can hike for miles with no issues, just can't load up a 50+ pound pack and go a long distance. I think the key is to just respect the ATV and off roading laws, as well as other hunters in the area and you are good to go.

Mike

 

[TJ]

Another example of why I hunt wilderness areas.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^this

 

[FreeRange]

I think an ATV is like a rifle, some people just can't restrain themselves and will take it too far. It's the old "just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD." You know you'll use it responsibly but be prepared to be viewed negatively by some other hunters just because they see you on an ATV, it's inevitable.

I grew up using ATV's but for now can hunt enough spots I can get to where I want to start hiking with my stock full size work truck. Granted that's CA and for the most part the state is very restrictive on ATV use in the areas I hunt. Some areas you would be severely limiting yourself for sure not having a jeep or an ATV and the ATV would be the more realistic, cheaper option for me.