My love/Hate relationship with the SxS

[Nickofthewoods]

My old scratched up Jeep will go just about anywhere a side by side can, and has many other advantages. See below.

-Its much quieter.
-I don't have to trailer it everywhere.
-It has heat and AC.
-It has a full windshield with wipers and a sprayer.
-Its much quieter.
-I can roll up the windows when it's raining or snowing or if the roads are dusty.
-I can actually have conversations with my hunting partners while driving because it's much quieter.
-Its much quieter.
-It's highway legal everywhere.
-It has a stereo that I can hear just fine without having to blast it in order to drown out the noise of the engine.
-Its much quieter.
-It has airbags.
-I can lock it.
-Its much quieter.
- It cost me maybe a quarter of the price of what the average side by side costs today.
-Its much quieter.
-I can use it for stuff other than hunting or driving around on forest and blm roads.

It's also much quieter.

 

[packer58]

Dang..........that thing sounds pretty quiet...... Sorry, couldn't help myself....

 

[wind gypsy]

MT Late rifle hunt in 2020 as we were driving by camp after camp with UTVs I was commenting to my buddy that these guys must just like riding in UTVs and not actually hunting as I hadn't had issues getting to desired parking spots with a pickup and it'd be a PITA to haul a trailer around the USFS roads. Shortly after I failed to get to plans A and B as the creeks that were easily crossed with my F150 during bow season now had ice build up that the F150 wasn't able to cross.

Yes they are annoying..

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

My old scratched up Jeep will go just about anywhere a side by side can, and has many other advantages. See below.

-Its much quieter.
-I don't have to trailer it everywhere.
-It has heat and AC.
-It has a full windshield with wipers and a sprayer.
-Its much quieter.
-I can roll up the windows when it's raining or snowing or if the roads are dusty.
-I can actually have conversations with my hunting partners while driving because it's much quieter.
-Its much quieter.
-It's highway legal everywhere.
-It has a stereo that I can hear just fine without having to blast it in order to drown out the noise of the engine.
-Its much quieter.
-It has airbags.
-I can lock it.
-Its much quieter.
- It cost me maybe a quarter of the price of what the average side by side costs today.
-Its much quieter.
-I can use it for stuff other than hunting or driving around on forest and blm roads.

It's also much quieter.

Similar situation but the lower center of gravity of a SXS is nice at times.

 

[IdahoElk]

In the 90's the surge of quad use lead me to hunt areas that motorized transportation was prohibited and have much less stress in my life. I do on occasion use my trail bike to hunt a few spots but expect to see others doing the same thing so it doesn't wreck my day.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

It’s about the same price to buy a used Tacoma or Jeep Wrangler as it is to buy a 4 door SxS. That is where I struggle. I get the suspension is better, but they are so much noisier.

 

[CoStick]

I purposely hunt where motorized vehicles aren’t allowed but that certainly doesn’t stop them. More and more each year with little regard for others or the land.

 

[BRTreedogs]

It’s about the same price to buy a used Tacoma or Jeep Wrangler as it is to buy a 4 door SxS. That is where I struggle. I get the suspension is better, but they are so much noisier.

Until you actually try to go one a long trip with 2 people and archery gear.
The mini yotas fill up quick. And the tank isn't big enough.
Imo way more effective to tow a side by up.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I am just saying I don’t see why you can’t tow a wrangler or a Tacoma. I am seriously considering this. Putting agressive off-road tires on a wrangler, towing it like I would a side by side. The gas tanks on the SxS’s aren’t that big. A wrangler with a winch can go about anywhere a SxS can.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I am just saying I don’t see why you can’t tow a wrangler or a Tacoma. I am seriously considering this. Putting agressive off-road tires on a wrangler, towing it like I would a side by side. The gas tanks on the SxS’s aren’t that big. A wrangler with a winch can go about anywhere a SxS can.

You definitely can, but requires a much larger trailer and tow vehicle.
And its just much easier to carry cans and or have a tank w pump.
I'm not towing a truck with my Tundra.

You have to remove the driveline on a Toyota to flat tow it because the transfer case does not oil unless the input shift is spinning so get a jeep if flat towing.

All I'm saying is I've had diesels, Toyota's and a Tundra and towing a side by behind a half ton on a small trailer is beyond the easiest and less stressful.
Room for gear, gas and some room left for meat if need be.
A small Toyota as a primary rig just didn't cut it for me but apparently I pack to much crap.

If you want a Toyota I have one I've considered posting but im not sure there is another psychopath willing to spend that kinda cash.
I have 20k in this Yota and it just sits in the barn.

 

[WeiserBucks]

A wrangler with a winch can go about anywhere a SxS can.

A winch will drag a Jeep at about 1/10000 mph and you'll need the winch often to go where SXS's go. Winches are for getting out, not getting in. Except for pavement and rockcrawling a SXS will own a Jeep.

I'd pay good money to see someone take a Jeep at 20 mph where SXS's go at 40 mph! Ad in mud, snow and bowling ball sized rocks and the Jeep quickly proves that it's to heavy, to slow and the power to weight ratio is terrible. But it has a heater!

Jeeps are designed for pavement and occasional 4x4 use. SXS's are designed to make off road their bitch.

 

[Mtnboy]

I hate SxS with a passion but it is more to do with the riding areas and trails that they ruin than hunting reasons.

So many trails in the Owhyee area of South Idaho have been ruined by idiots on SxS, it's sad. Only a matter of time until a bunch more of them get shut down.

 

[manitou1]

We have one. We use it for recreation and chores in the summer, and to getback in on two- tracks when hunting. We do hike a lot after dismounting, usually several miles.
That being said, I would gladly give it up and would be elated if they were outlawed on public lands and national forests.

 

[Wrench]

If SxS's are a problem for your September hunt....you're probably doing it wrong.

 

[Bluto]

I’m in the camp that believes if used correctly and in accordance with local laws, ordinances, and their spirit of intent - they’re fine.

I did laugh out loud at the comment of the guy who rode it 1400 miles or so in one two week rifle season and then complained about not seeing elk and blamed NR hunters.

Same story everywhere.

 

[Redwing]

If SxS's are a problem for your September hunt....you're probably doing it wrong.

I must be doing it wrong... I'll tell all the elk they need to walk 200 miles to a wilderness area at tree line.

SxS are loud as hell, and they're MUCH more likely than a pickup to be on closed roads, or off-roads, or in roadless areas. If people follow the law than I'm OK with that, but people don't.

 

[downthepipe]

I find nowadays I am most at peace when I escape to places with little human created noise. This is very hard to do, and ATV/SxS make it worse. I also hate when they are used for entertainment and joy ride around campgrounds. So obnoxious!

 

[cuerro viejo]

My old scratched up Jeep will go just about anywhere a side by side can, and has many other advantages. See below.

-Its much quieter.
-I don't have to trailer it everywhere.
-It has heat and AC.
-It has a full windshield with wipers and a sprayer.
-Its much quieter.
-I can roll up the windows when it's raining or snowing or if the roads are dusty.
-I can actually have conversations with my hunting partners while driving because it's much quieter.
-Its much quieter.
-It's highway legal everywhere.
-It has a stereo that I can hear just fine without having to blast it in order to drown out the noise of the engine.
-Its much quieter.
-It has airbags.
-I can lock it.
-Its much quieter.
- It cost me maybe a quarter of the price of what the average side by side costs today.
-Its much quieter.
-I can use it for stuff other than hunting or driving around on forest and blm roads.

It's also much quieter.

No comparison in ride and ability of a SxS vs Jeep, SxS wins all day every day. Basically Long travel IFS vs solid axle, both have HVAC ability. Only real difference is engine noise, and highway speed.

I have a cabbed Mule Pro and put about 1500 miles a year on it, 99% of those miles are on private(hunting and ranching). Really only public I take it is a few places I hunt Jan Archery Mule deer in NM. Those roads are bad. I’m taking it to glassing spot etc. not really hunting out if it.

Now I do get the disdain. This year In Colorado I was sleeping in back of my truck when some kids came by in Razor Crew’s with whips and all kinds of lights doing spins and all kind of madness. To say I was fighting mad at 12:45am is an understatement. Feel like the blew out the whole drainage

 

[HuntHarder]

Just another amazing tool here in Az. Lots of public land that is reachable with a pickup, but you will be pissing blood by the time you get there. I used to have a Toyota tacoma that I thought was great until i got a SxS. Night and day difference in ride quality, comfort. I use one maybe 75% of my hunting trips.

 

[Wrench]

I have killed elk where I can see and hear the interstate, I've killed elk within a half mile of an active shooting range. Elk will be accustomed to their environment if they have few options.

I personally don't like to hear them, but I hunt the jungle so it's a non issue for me. A mule won't be in my area.....and I'm not talking Kawasaki mule.

As public land users, if we attempt to force other users to comply to our desires, they will do the same to us....and nobody wins.

In eastern Washington there's about 700 acres in the entire Colville national forest (1.5M acres) where you can ride an atv. I'm not pro or anti, but I certainly don't want to polarize any land use groups against what we need.