What’s your ideal hunting truck?

[WKB]

I don't know how any outdoors man can suggest an SUV. Have you been in one in July with a cooler full of fluke and sea biscuits? Or had a gutted bear in the back, hell even a deer on a ride home? Carpet gets bloody and muddy from boots and waders. With a truck, throw everything in the back, unpack, park on an angle and hose the bed out.

I have a absorbent cargo liner I throw in the back of the Burb. I have put many deer in the back. No blood on my carpets. I also have rubber floor mats on all the floors that I hose/brush out regularly. Put three pigs, 3 rams, and 2 other unwashed dudes in the back barely a month ago and drove from south Oklahoma to northern Kansas in the hot Great Plains weather. No stinky smells or nasty spills... Drove the Burb to the office today.

 

[Thinkingman]

Great points on running narrow tires.

You can always tell the people that really know snow country driving by the width of their tires.

 

[Ludo]

Everybody has different needs, but I just built my "hunting truck" the end of last year.

I bought this 2012 F150 new and basically wore it out as a work truck... went looking for a new truck and refused to pay $80K for a crew cab diesel.. decided I didn't need deisel.

I had this one rebuilt from the ground up... New EVERYTHING, from the engine to the last bearing and belt... 100% new drive train, added a bumper, 12k winch, decked box, inverter, lights, ...

Tows well enough for what I need.. super happy with it and only have $26K into the rebuild.... way better than a new truck.

Nice! Yeah agreed this is a great way to go. Ideally, I’d keep the 4Runner AND get a used truck, but we just don’t have the space.

 

[WKB]

You can always tell the people that really know snow country driving by the width of their tires.

yup. Everyone running 265, 285 or 305mm wide knobby tires acting like they have the ultimate off road machine just end up spinning and floating in snow. In ice or rainy conditions, its down right dangerous to run a wide, M/T tread pattern.

 

[CobraChicken]

I went from a 2021 ford ranger to a 2011 ram 2500 6spd standard. Less electronics and more space. I'm pretty tough on my vehicles so I don't feel too bad with an older hunting rig.

These new trucks are just way too damn expensive v what they offer imo

 

[sodaksooner]

Currently run a Wrangler Unlimited, Fully locked, and regeared on 37's. Pulled the rear seats last year and built a cargo/sleeping platform with storage underneath. Still pretty small. Great when you get there, but sucks on the way. Definitely have to drive it.




If I had my druthers, next vehicle would be an F150 with powerboost (hybrid but has great onboard generator system). Some type of hardshell. Have been looking at Smartcap shells as they are modular and can carry a load up top. I need some towing capacity, more than the jeep, but also want to get decent mileage. For what we do as long as it's 4wd and has some decent all terrain's I am good with that. Maybe a small lift, winch, some lights and call it good.

 

[CobraChicken]

yup. Everyone running 265, 285 or 305mm wide knobby tires acting like they have the ultimate off road machine just end up spinning and floating in snow. In ice or rainy conditions, its down right dangerous to run a wide, M/T tread pattern.

Bingo. I've made it to places in a standard tire size, at, and chains than someone with a 35 wide mt.

 

[Ludo]

Id get an F150 5.0 and a camper shell.

I think the toyota's are reliable as all hell, but a v6 with v4 power and v8 gas mileage. I think they lie more than the diesel guys about MPG. In this forum alone age a guy says he gets 18-20 all day, but toyota couldnt even get that on MPG test and its rated at 12-17.

I have a 05 cummins with a camper shell and I love it, I dont tow heavy as often as I was planning to, but when I drive gas trucks, it just isnt the same.

I don't know how any outdoors man can suggest an SUV. Have you been in one in July with a cooler full of fluke and sea biscuits? Or had a gutted bear in the back, hell even a deer on a ride home? Carpet gets bloody and muddy from boots and waders. With a truck, throw everything in the back, unpack, park on an angle and hose the bed out.

Agreed on the Toyota MPG. Granted, I didn’t help my mpg adding steel bumpers, aluminum skids, winch, regearing, etc.. the MPG was around 17 when it was stock. 12-13 now that I’ve added all the crap. Yeah, it seems like there isn’t a perfect solution. The 4Runner is extremely capable off-road and can get me most anywhere I need to go. The enclosed cab is nice for security, keeping the dog cool in the summer.. but a modern full size truck would get better MPG, more power, and an external bed…

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I have a absorbent cargo liner I throw in the back of the Burb. I have put many deer in the back. No blood on my carpets. I also have rubber floor mats on all the floors that I hose/brush out regularly. Put three pigs, 3 rams, and 2 other unwashed dudes in the back barely a month ago and drove from south Oklahoma to northern Kansas in the hot Great Plains weather. No stinky smells or nasty spills... Drove the Burb to the office today.

I did all this with my Expedition no issues..the one thing I always found myself doing was scrubbing hoof prints off the head liner...

 

[WKB]

I went from a 2021 ford ranger to a 2011 ram 2500 6spd standard. Less electronics and more space. I'm pretty tough on my vehicles so I don't feel too bad with an older hunting rig.

These new trucks are just way too damn expensive v what they offer imo

Exactly. I had a 2020 Jeep Gladiator and then couldn't work on it with all the electronics and proprietary jeep stuff. the fording depth is also incredibly low, even with a snorkel, due to the location of the PCM. I was always worried about scratching it, or people breaking into it. Sold the Jeep and went with a GMT400 Big block 3/4t Suburban. Waaay easier to work on, parts are cheap, ain't no one stealing a 25 year old Chevy. lots more room and hauling capacity. Plus, I can put all my girlfriends in there at the same time.

 

[Buckshotaz]

There have been several hunting vehicles that have been ideal for me at the time of my life, and where I lived. At 16 years old, it was a 1967 International Scout, it was all I could afford, and took me all over. At 18, it was a '76 Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4, more power, and gas was only $.50 a gallon. In college, I tried a CJ 5, and although it was good in the hills, it sucked as a daily driver, and insurance was very high. After college, I needed a pickup truck again, due to working in the construction field, but also 4x4 for hunting, so I went to a 3/4 ton Ford 4x4 and that worked well until I had children. I couldn't afford a new 4 door pickup, so I added a used 3/4 ton 4x4 Chevy Suburban. This Suburban was the best family hunting rig I ever owned. Now I am retired, and pull a trailer once a month or so, and now have a 2022 F-259 with the big gas motor. The mpg isn't bad, and there is room for kids and grand kids.

 

[sodaksooner]

Bingo. I've made it to places in a standard tire size, at, and chains than someone with a 35 wide mt.

I'd agree. My old toyota corolla did better than my jeep above on the ice. I've always subscribed to the skinnier tire theory but we don't get much weather here in OK. That said once in 4wd, the jeep is just "ok" The wider 37's are more about crawling and ground clearance. If I had a jeep for hunting/overlanding strictly, it'd be a bone stock rubicon.

 

[summs]

I have a absorbent cargo liner I throw in the back of the Burb. I have put many deer in the back. No blood on my carpets. I also have rubber floor mats on all the floors that I hose/brush out regularly. Put three pigs, 3 rams, and 2 other unwashed dudes in the back barely a month ago and drove from south Oklahoma to northern Kansas in the hot Great Plains weather. No stinky smells or nasty spills... Drove the Burb to the office today.

I had a basic tarp for my old ford explorer when I first started driving, the blood was probably 17 year old me being careless, but still stained a lot, the muddy waders I couldn't avoid. But you're a brave man driving with all that smell inside, I had a September buck stink very bad, and a late October buck that was hitting scrapes, tarsal glands rubbed the carpet and stank for a week. Windows down and 2-3 boxes of baking soda to get the smell out.

I very soon switch to a hitch rack, not my favorite especially in the winter as road grime and salt kick up on the hide.

Once I finally could afford a truck, i've never looked back.

 

[Gutshot007]

I Have a 1996 chevy 3/4 ton extended cab long box . Keep is within 50 miles of the house . Mechanically sound . Body rough . Great for hauling wood, hunting and trapping . Gets used as a truck . Long trips west and daily driver found a "cherry" 1998 suburban from arizona from an old guy (would buy 10 more of them) . Goodyear duratracs and chains out west . Its been a great truck. As i read this thread i hear of some guys running beaters and others new high dollar trucks . Do you guys with the high dollar rigs use them hard off road ? Man, im sorry but i could not use a $50,000-100,000 dollar ride like i use mine now?

 

[Beendare]

Can I add one trait for the perfect Hunting Truck?

NOT a metallic paint job

 

[Ludo]

There is a lot to be said for the comfort of a full size truck. I don’t know how guys can be comfortable in the seats of a Tacoma or 4Runner for more than a quick trip around town.

I’m a pretty average 5’9” 190# guy and they feel like toy car seats.

Also, scratches. You will get pinstriping on the truck, no matter the size. White and silver hide them the best.


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I Agree with both of those points. The seats in my 4Runner are horrendous, and my paint is 100% pinstripe now. I don’t even try to avoid brush or branches anymore.

 

[Ludo]

Just curious, why the 34’s on the 4Runner? I’ve got a 21 4Runner and for me it’s pretty much the ideal hunting rig. I hunt by myself, so being able to easily sleep in my rig is a must. A factory non lifted 4Runner with BFG’s or other good all terrain tire, will get me anywhere I need to go off road in pursuit of game, with OK gas mileage. It’s reliable so I’m not worried about it breaking down somewhere outside of Yaak, Montana lol.
If I had a pickup truck, I’d 100% get one of those clamshell campers like the Gofast Camper or AT Overland. You have standing room to get dressed in the mornings, a comfy bed and plenty of storage and it all stows away in just a few seconds. That would be hard to beat for the traveling hunter like me!


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34’s are the sweet spot for 4Runners. 33’s just don’t seem like that much of a jump from stock, and 35’s are too heavy in my opinion to make it worth it. Some lighter weight 34’s with 4.56 gears feels like you’re driving a stock 4Runner (power-wise) with a significant increase in axle clearance.

 

[ianpadron]

My "woods rig" is a '98 4Runner with 303,000 miles on it. 2.5" lift and some good all terrains...it has never and will never leave me stranded. Turning radius of a side by side and narrow enough to wiggle through all kinds of nasty forest service roads. Bone stock with highway tires it went basically anywhere too...

I take my F150 all over the place too, but man the 4Runner is exponentially more nimble, and I can stuff about the same amount of gear in it, still sleep in the back with the seats removed, tow a trailer or dirt bike...

I really think most guys with local hunting opportunities are served best with a mildly tricked out 90s-early 2000s Toyota truck/SUV to beat the shit out of with zero remorse and a nicer rig for out of state hunts and hauling the family, toys, etc.

 

[Hemoglobin_97]

I’m looking at selling my 4Runner (gets roughly 12mpg) and buying a new truck to use daily, but also as a hunting rig. I’m a Ford guy, but open to other brands. I know I want a 6’ bed, 4x4.. but do I go 1/2 ton? 3/4 ton? Diesel/gas? I apply in every western state, so this truck will rack up a LOT of miles. What do you all suggest?
Also, do you guys prefer drawer systems, camper shell, etc? I won’t be towing much in the near future, but those 6.7 Powerstroke F250’s are tempting.
Currently deciding between:
1. Keeping my 2020 4Runner (it’s regeared, on 34’s, winch, Gobi rack, etc).
2. Buying new F150 Powerboost, getting camper shell and decked drawer system.
3. Buying new F250 Powerstroke, getting camper shell and decked drawer system.

Toyota Tacoma is hard to beat!

 

[Yoder]

The rig I currently run is a 2013 Mazda 3 on 16's. This puppy gets 30mpg and is front wheel drive. I have some sweet kayak racks and I'm setup to pull my utility trailer. It doesn't do that well off road but it was $40k cheaper than a new truck.