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Author Topic: I appreciate your help  (Read 812 times)

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Offline Scott T

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I appreciate your help
« on: October 28, 2006, 06:18:14 AM »
I did not really have to ask, there was so much good stuff here for me to look at in making my decision to purchase an ATV.

The place I hunt is near Del Rio, Texas so mudding is not a big issue, but I was tearing up my pickup on 3200 acres of goat trails.  Also, that big F250 will sink to the axles if it does get wet at times.

I thought hard about 2 vs 4wd and I thought hard about getting a big machine.  What I really needed was reliable transportation without a lot of frills and a machine that is easy to manuver.

I bought a Honda Rancher 350 4X2 with manual shift.  Same price as a much smaller Kawasaki Bayou 250, but much more comfortable and not too much heavier.  It also has full floorboards to keep me from snagging my foot under the wheel (I've done that before on a 3 wheeler, no fun!)

Now, I just need to decide on a gun rack and I am set.

Thanks guys. 
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Offline jpsmith1

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Re: I appreciate your help
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2006, 08:30:42 AM »
You will enjoy your Rancher.  I have a 4x4 model with ES.  Have had a few problems with ES, so good for you for passing on that joke.  I've seen a 4x2 Recon go ALMOST anywhere that I can go on my 4x4.  If you're looking for a runabout machine that will take you anywhere, you did very well.

After you get gun racks, look into a winch.  If you are on 3200 acres, you may get stuck in a remote area and a winch would be a life-saver out in the back of beyond.
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Offline SURVEYOR

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Re: I appreciate your help
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2006, 09:20:59 AM »
That's a nice rig you got there Scott! You'll enjoy! It'll make you wonder why you didn't have one before now.

Gorilla Winch

Gorilla Winch Plate

Venom Winch
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I''m A Dirty White Boy and I''m Proud Of It!

Offline markc

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Re: I appreciate your help
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2006, 03:41:03 PM »
Congrats Scott T,  I drove a 2WD  Yamaha ATV for years.  On our old lease in Ozona, I could follow the 4WD quads but had to sue a bit more body englsih at times to get over larger rocks thet the 4X4's just motored over.  So, it can be done, and as has already been posted, a winch can really come in handy for those times you get highcenetered, or stuck.  They are also good at stringing those deer up for skinning without straining yourself.     
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markc

Offline Scott T

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Re: I appreciate your help
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2006, 04:32:41 PM »
Markc,

Not too many places you cannot go with a pickup truck, but it just tears the heck out of a truck.  The roads are so narrow and overgrown that a smaller vehicle just makes sense.  Also, we stuck my F250 down to the axles the other day.  Took us better than half a day to dig that sucker out!

I don't think I would have stuck any 4 wheeler I have ever driven in that spot, but that diesel engine is heavy and it really went down quick.

Bad thing is that I do have a winch for the truck, but it was back home in the barn!

Speaking of winches, what should I look for in an ATV winch?  The Honda doe not weigh near as much as my truck, but a 9000lb winch is needed for that one.  What kind of power will I need for the much lighter ATV?       
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Offline markc

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Re: I appreciate your help
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2006, 03:05:34 AM »
Scott, I have a Warn 2500# on my Rhino and so far I have found it to be ideal.  With your light weight ATV, you should easily be able to get by with a winch around #2000, but a nice #3000 winch always gives a little extra.  Use a snatch block and double the pulling capacity of which ever winch you choose.   Our Ozona lease had areas with lots of large rocks and steep climbs, so a full size truck was simply too wide and long to use.  We did have a guy with a 4WD Nissan pickup truck and I recall him getting it up against a fence since it had no lockign front diff, while climbing out of one canyon.  It was a chore getting him off the fence and back up the hill.   Another guy had a 2WD old postal jeep and that thing went all over the place.  It was amazing.. But the short wheel base and locked rear end helped him quite a bit....
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markc

Offline Scott T

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Re: I appreciate your help
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2006, 04:17:01 AM »
Turns out that the Honda Rancher was almost ideal for our hunting needs.  Big enough to get me in and out and small enough to manuver.  I had it in the back of the pickup for transport, but I bought a trailer this week with a tilt bed which will allow more room in the bed of the pickup for important things like ice chests!

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Offline SURVEYOR

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Re: I appreciate your help
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2006, 07:38:28 AM »
Well Lookie There! Nice! That Honda is paying it's way all ready! ;D
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Offline markc

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Re: I appreciate your help
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2006, 08:11:33 AM »
Nice Aoudad.  You should post that pic on the exotics hunting forum...
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markc
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