What hunting rig are you running/how do you use it

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SilentPursuit

SilentPursuit

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 1, 2023
Messages
215
Location
Northeast Colorado
I'll be the oddball here lmao 2011 cummins manual. Takes me everywhere. Weight never an issue. Sure it'll get permastuck in a swamp but I live in wyo lol
My Cummins has never let me down, I just like the size of the 4Runner. Definitely would not have made it up to where I was just scouting in a full size. It got much much worse after that photo but was too busy white knuckling it to take photos 😂
IMG_2691.jpeg
 

COJoe

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 22, 2023
Messages
208
Location
Southern Colorado
My Cummins has never let me down, I just like the size of the 4Runner. Definitely would not have made it up to where I was just scouting in a full size. It got much much worse after that photo but was too busy white knuckling it to take photos 😂
That picture describes why I bought a 4runner to use instead of my truck. Trails start off ok but quickly become narrower and rougher.
 
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SilentPursuit

SilentPursuit

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 1, 2023
Messages
215
Location
Northeast Colorado
That picture describes why I bought a 4runner to use instead of my truck. Trails start off ok but quickly become narrower and rougher.
Exactly, this was the first hard ruff trail I have gotten to take it on and it did amazing. Went up in 2wd low (front manual hubs unlocked) all the way to above 11k. Switchbacks extremely narrow with sheer drop offs. I would put it up against my girls lifted 2015 jku on 37s with e lockers all day long.
 

jmsdad

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 10, 2014
Messages
275
Location
Bay Area, CA
3rd gen 4Runners all the way. Adequate power train, creature comforts and small enough to take on tight overgrown dirt roads. Feels like a go cart after driving a full size truck. Bought the silver one (2001) new off the lot back in Dec 2000. It's been thru two teen drivers and waiting for a third.

I bought the white one 10 years ago for $500 with a bad engine. Originally a 2WD 3.4L V6, I put in the drive train from a 5speed 96 Tacoma 4x4. Front manual hub conversion and factory rear e-locker conversion done at the same time. For 1-2 persons and in-state 2-3 days to a week excursions it's perfect.

For out of state hunts, I take the 2018 Tacoma.
 

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OP
SilentPursuit

SilentPursuit

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 1, 2023
Messages
215
Location
Northeast Colorado
3rd gen 4Runners all the way. Adequate power train, creature comforts and small enough to take on tight overgrown dirt roads. Feels like a go cart after driving a full size truck. Bought the silver one (2001) new off the lot back in Dec 2000. It's been thru two teen drivers and waiting for a third.

I bought the white one 10 years ago for $500 with a bad engine. Originally a 2WD 3.4L V6, I put in the drive train from a 5speed 96 Tacoma 4x4. Front manual hub conversion and factory rear e-locker conversion done at the same time. For 1-2 persons and in-state 2-3 days to a week excursions it's perfect.

For out of state hunts, I take the 2018 Tacoma.
I love the 3.4 swap in my 2nd gen, has lots of power. E locker for the rear would be great though. I just need to find a 3rd gen 3rd member. Tailgate is why I really like the 2nd gen’s
 

Bowtie747

FNG
Joined
Jul 11, 2024
Messages
19
Anyone regret buying a Tacoma over a full sized truck?

I’m single but want a family and don’t want to have to buy another vehicle when I have one.

Wouldn’t mind the access cab for the 6’ bed but wouldn’t mind the double cab for the room in the back

Anyone hate the 5’ bed? Any opinions would be great
 

Wyo_hntr

WKR
Joined
Oct 20, 2023
Messages
1,063
Location
Wy
Anyone regret buying a Tacoma over a full sized truck?

I’m single but want a family and don’t want to have to buy another vehicle when I have one.

Wouldn’t mind the access cab for the 6’ bed but wouldn’t mind the double cab for the room in the back

Anyone hate the 5’ bed? Any opinions would be great
Ive had a toyota tacoma 2001 double cab, 2001 reg cab, 09 reg cab, 10 double cab, 13 double cab.

I now drive a nissan titan xd. Outside of hunting I prefer the titan for everything. But it's huge and heavy. There are trade offs for everything. My 01 and 09 tacoma regular cab would go anywhere. But they had obvious short falls...mainly being space. The 5ft bed was a huge drawback on the double cabs.

I'm now looking for a "hunting specific" vehicle.
 

goodlife

FNG
Joined
Mar 23, 2023
Messages
13
I use the 500cc side by side gets the job done for me since I hunt my own property. Small enough to fit almost anywhere you can get a four wheeler, but also big enough to haul multiple deer back out of the woods. It's also used daily as a farm vehicle so all the game animals ignore it.
 
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
679
Location
Colorado
Anyone regret buying a Tacoma over a full sized truck?

I’m single but want a family and don’t want to have to buy another vehicle when I have one.

Wouldn’t mind the access cab for the 6’ bed but wouldn’t mind the double cab for the room in the back

Anyone hate the 5’ bed? Any opinions would be great

My first truck out of college was a 2013 F150 with the ecoboost. I owned it for about 6 years and my wife and I went down to 1 vehicle, so the truck got sold.

I bought a second gen DCSB TRDOR Tacoma just over a year ago. I really wanted the TRDOR package for the rear locker, ATRAC, and went back and forth on bed-length a ton. If you step up to the 3rd gen Tacoma you can get the TRDOR in the 6 ft bed, but it comes with the worse powertrain in the 3rd gen and a $10k price increase for the newer gen when I was looking.

My wife and I have a 2 yr old and another on the way currently. You 100% will not fit a car seat in the back of an access cab tacoma. Even with the crew cab, anyone close to 6 ft tall will not have fun in the front seat with a car seat behind it. I'm only 5'10 and was able to have the infant car seat behind me but my knees are hitting the dash. Fine for short trips around town but wouldn't want to do a 2+ hour drive that way.

We are in the worst stage now with the bigger convertible carseat rear-facing (most kids it's around 1 yr old to 3 yrs old in this configuration). I have the carseat behind the passenger and it's fine for my wife who is only 5'4" but it would be rough for me to fit.

We do a lot of home improvement projects (have fully gutted and flipped 3 houses) so I do use the truck bed frequently. The 5 ft bed is a pain for longer lumber, but a 6 ft won't be that much better. When we were down to 1 car, I bought a 5x10 utility trailer for $1k that is way handier for big loads of construction materials anyway.

I much prefer the tacoma on trails and driving around town compared to the F150. It's way more nimble and capable offroad. But the F150 have a cavernous backseat and way more powerful. The tacomas are gutless in stock configuration at highway speeds and adding any aftermarket offroad accessories just makes it worse.
 

Naaate

FNG
Joined
Aug 13, 2024
Messages
10
2008 LR3 with the back seats removed, sleeping platform/storage system made out of 80/20 aluminum and frontgate roofrack. 188k miles

was up there on ATV trails scouting elk in eastern KY last weekend on top of the reclaimed coal mines.
 

Wyo_hntr

WKR
Joined
Oct 20, 2023
Messages
1,063
Location
Wy
2008 LR3 with the back seats removed, sleeping platform/storage system made out of 80/20 aluminum and frontgate roofrack. 188k miles

was up there on ATV trails scouting elk in eastern KY last weekend on top of the reclaimed coal mines.
The LR3 is on my radar. They can be had for great prices. Have you deleted the air suspension?
 

Naaate

FNG
Joined
Aug 13, 2024
Messages
10
The LR3 is on my radar. They can be had for great prices. Have you deleted the air suspension?
not yet it's definitely on the radar once current air compressor or air bags start to go out. Shop I go to talked me out of it initially
 

Wyo_hntr

WKR
Joined
Oct 20, 2023
Messages
1,063
Location
Wy
not yet it's definitely on the radar once current air compressor or air bags start to go out. Shop I go to talked me out of it initially
Had any issues with your LR3? In my research they seem much more reliable than the earlier discoverys
 
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