Author Topic: poors mans ATV (Read 2632 times)

jamaldog87 · « **on:** October 05, 2010, 01:35:34 PM »

well i was sick at home reading magazines and i saw my old Fur-fish game from 2001 and this story was good.

well they talked about converting a old riding mover into a ATV. they took a old sears 12 horse power riding mover. took off the mover deck,all hard ware, levers, cables and anything associated with the controlling deck or mover blades and they replaced the no-tread turf savers with heavy tread tires.

A heavy duty milk crate was bolted to the hood as a gun rack/ carrier and last camo paint was add. the story said it was good,got the job done, could go most places a real ATV could and game would stop sometime when they saw it.

Lon371 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 05, 2010, 08:18:33 PM »

LOL, there are a couple guys down the road here, they have down that minus the paint. I have to admit, if you dont have the funds then that would be a way to do it. Beats dragging a deer

Lonny

Range Rider · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2010, 08:26:01 PM »

Well what I don't understand is why buy one of those Japanese Quarter Horses to start with? The darn things cost as much as a good used Jeep. I can do a lot more with a Jeep than I can a JQH. And when the temperature drops to -20 the heater in that CJ feels mighty good.

RR

Lon371 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 07, 2010, 09:17:09 AM »

Jeep for less than $100 ? I will take 2. The fellers down the road haul junk. They hang on to mowers and the likes. Tinker with them swap parts to make one work for a while.
I do understand your point, but for what they end up in mowers is probably less than the gas in your jeep

Lonny

no guns here · « **Reply #4 on:** October 07, 2010, 09:31:56 AM »

I think he was talking about the various quad's as Japanese Quarter Horses...

NGH

RON17T · « **Reply #5 on:** October 07, 2010, 02:37:58 PM »

Well when it's-20 I stay home and watch hunting on tv. But 100 bucks says follow my 4 wheeler with a jeep and you'll run out of trail or be stuck long before I will.

Range Rider · « **Reply #6 on:** October 08, 2010, 03:50:10 AM »

Ron I don't know where you live but must be close in. When I cross the desert east of my place its 70 miles of 2 track to the highway. Yes here on the high plains we are out there at all temperatures. Your one hundred dollars would be of little comfort in open country on a JQH. I use a 4x4 to get around not do stunts in some ones hay field.

RR

Lon371 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 09, 2010, 02:02:18 AM »

""I use a 4x4 to get around not do stunts in some ones hay field.""

Not sure what you are referring to. In my neck of the WOODS, your jeep would be parked on the edge of a property. Then you would walk to the hunting area be it a field or WOODS. Some states allow off road vehicles(atv utv) on the road. This is an advantage, since we can also take them in closer to some of the hunting areas. Pretty sure that jeep would not crawl between 2'-4' tree spacing or down a fence line

. Don't get me wrong I like a jeep, but in some areas they are not going places the atv's will take you.

Lonny

Range Rider · « **Reply #8 on:** October 09, 2010, 04:27:04 AM »

Fences, trees, park at property lines. Gees where do live in a prison? Where I live we have miles and miles of public lands. Your little Jap Quarter Horse would only be useful if you could trailer out to a hay field where you play.

RR

Lon371 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 09, 2010, 02:25:39 PM »

I have been to desert and mountain ranges. I have no need for either. I will stay in the country of farm lands and forest. I like having to get close to critters, instead of artillery to shoot them cross country so I don't have to get close

If you go back and read, we are allowed to drive atv's utv's on the road. Why trailer it?

Lonny

Range Rider · « **Reply #10 on:** October 10, 2010, 03:48:56 AM »

Yes many flatlanders have a fear of big country. They just can't handle any thing not surounded by things and people. That was why many stayed home in the early days of the west. The saying holds true today. The cowards didn't start west and the weak died on the trail. Hold on to your comforts and corn fields and ride your motorized wheel chair up and down the public roads. That at least will keep the thing from scaring away all the game.

RR

bilmac · « **Reply #11 on:** October 10, 2010, 04:49:38 AM »

I saw a couple guys riding a lawnmower crossing a lake to ice fish once. Took me a long time to figure out what I was looking at. They are really slow, you can almost walk as fast as slow ones, so they are not really transportation unless you have trouble walking. They would probably be a big help dragging a deer on fairly smooth terrain, but wouldn't have anywhere near the pulling power of an ATV.

mechanic · « **Reply #12 on:** October 10, 2010, 04:59:56 AM »

Range Rider, obviously you live in the open country. You would be much like my San Diego son - in - law when he first came to my part of Ga....he called the woods, "jungle". He had never been where there were so many trees and foliage.

Unlike many here though, I don't own an ATV. I walk where my truck won't go, and if I have to move a deer very far, I quarter it and carry it out.....unless I can get my Brother to bring his ATV........

Ben

Lon371 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 10, 2010, 05:14:46 AM »

Dodge Cummins, Jeep both owned by Chrysler owned by the Government. Yep that is what I want in my drive.

I can use them to tote me to the government hunting areas.

Lonny

Range Rider · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2010, 08:00:25 PM »

Mechanic, you have the right take on this. These fellows that have to have a motorized wheel chair to go hunting is a joke. They cut up the land and make a hell of lot of noise. It seems with many of the younger men they have to drive right up to everything. I think its the McDonald generation thats now too big for the 6th grade desk.

Yes, I hunted turkey with an old college pal in Alabama. During my years working as an engineer I was in North Carolina often. I have hunted deer in Ky and Tenn. Bird hunted in Indiana. I do know about the eastern states. Thx for your post.

RR

RON17T · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2010, 03:41:34 PM »

Range rider if I lived where you live I would probably have a jeep too.But since one of my favorite hunting spots is 4 miles back in the woods I'm sticking with the 4 wheeler. Some of my hunting spots are just too wooded to get in with anything except a 4 wheeler.

Ron 1 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 12, 2010, 04:05:22 AM »

one of my favorite hunting spots is at least a 60 min. walk and being that we only have a half hour after sun
set to be out of the woods with the gun walking from that spot is not a option.
that is were my j.q.h. comes in to play not to mention dragging one out.
i do have a jeep and i know there is no way you could get to with in a mile of this place with out the lil j.q.h.
it is just to thick and over grown. that is where i have found most of the mature deer to be.
so with that said there is my reasons for having and using the lil. j.q.h.

rw

and in some places i can not even get the j.q.h. in and it has a winch

eye shot · « **Reply #17 on:** October 23, 2010, 11:24:49 AM »

The only thing I noticed while out in Arizona visiting my brother was a smell in the air. My brother said it was cattle but we didn't see any and being farm boys from Ohio we new what cattle smell like. Well it must be the cactus and if your there long enough maybe you can get used to it. I'll say one thing they have the best public shooting ranges I ever shot at! I'll just stay at home to deer hunt. Park the truck along side the road, walk in just far enough to be legal and can see the truck from the tree stand. Pop and a short drag to the truck. Good luck wherever you hunt and what ever you drive!

KeepTryin · « **Reply #18 on:** October 23, 2010, 11:49:49 AM »

Jamaldog, do you happen to know the issue of FFG that was in? Be fun to read that, a friend of mine has a pile of 'em. Sounds like the sort of article they'd have in 'Backwoodsman', another good magazine...

Because of how and where I deer hunt, I don't have a lot of use for an ATV, be nice to have one though. Someday perhaps. I'd probably end up using it to run to the store in town most of the time as most folks around here seem to do.

As far as riding mower/yard tractors go, I have a 1964 Bolens 800 with a locking rear differential. I have pulled some shockingly big things around my yard with that little machine, including an 8'x8' wooden shed (on temporary skids). It just did it... I don't think it would have a lot of trouble dragging a deer around. Probably tippier than an atv tho.

KT

FourBee · « **Reply #19 on:** October 23, 2010, 12:45:47 PM »

One drawback with the converted lawn tractor would be speed. Then there's the environment to consider. Jeeps have their place, but an ATV is just that. It's an All TERRAIN vehicle.
I use one on my ranch. In most instances it replaces the horse. I don't have to go catch it to ride it. Generally, it won't stray off while I'm fixin fence (it's an automatic, and sometimes it likes to creep). When rounding up cattle, it'll cross some mity awesome gulches, and won't balk like many horses. It may run out of gas, but I don't worry about overworking it. They are really a time saver on the ranch. A jeep, 4 wheel drive truck, or horse, cannot compete covering rough terrain as quickly and in comfort as an ATV with full suspension. I've even roped calves off of it, although I don't recommend it. Finally, unlike my horse, when it needs doctorin, all I'm concerned about it the repair bill.

30-30man · « **Reply #20 on:** October 23, 2010, 04:29:11 PM »

You can adjust the speed with a pulley change out. That is what the lawnmower racers do. I've seen an old Craftsman that would do 35mph with jsut a pulley change out. It didn't have much torque but it would go. I think the noise would be the biggest problem. B&S engines and the like are noisy. I'd rather have an old goffcart. I have an 86 ezgo that you just can't kill. The only reason it's parked is because I refuse to buy batteries for it. It's just not worth $500 in batteries.

Dee · « **Reply #21 on:** October 24, 2010, 04:07:52 AM »

I believe I read an article in Backwoodsman Magazine a few years ago concerning the conversion of a riding lawnmower into a hunting rig. Although it may seem redneck to some, it was an article for folks that enjoy recycling, and are "interested in using", "rather than discarding". A few year ago, I gave an old Murry rider to my son in east Texas. The mower deck on the 42" cut went bad, and was useless. The B&S engine, and transmission, tires, ect were in excellent condition. With a small trailer he used it to go to the river back behind his property, after removing the mower deck. He could move a lot of stuff back and forth, save carrying and walking. His 3 kids loved piling the fishing gear, and themselves into the trailer, and going thru the woods in it. Some folks would never understand this, and that's ok. I personally don't understand why anyone demeans how other folks do things, and the country they live in.

nodlenor · « **Reply #22 on:** October 25, 2010, 04:22:04 AM »

Dee, I agree with you. I think the reason people like to demean others is either they are jealous or aren't smart enough to come up with some original ideas themselves. Some ought to have to live within there means for a while and maybe that would help them understand the reason some of us less fortunate ones do the things we do.

KeepTryin · « **Reply #23 on:** October 25, 2010, 08:25:41 AM »

Dee and nodlenor are right. Some folks have a real chip... I live within my means and have gotten more than a bit of scorn for it from people. I've learned that pointing out Conserve being the root of Conservative is not a way to win friends. Oh well, let 'em all go bankrupt I guess.

KT

bilmac · « **Reply #24 on:** October 25, 2010, 11:27:03 AM »

eye shot The smell you noticed in Ariz. was probably creosote bush. Gets pretty strong at times.

eye shot · « **Reply #25 on:** October 25, 2010, 06:10:29 PM »

bilmac
Thanks, I'll have to tell my brother that lives there now.

jcn59 · « **Reply #26 on:** December 11, 2010, 06:28:58 PM »

I was thinking lawn tractor before I decided on an atv. I had an old 12.5 hp Craftsman but didn't think I could get the traction I needed. I added chains and weight at the rear which helped. Part of the problem was here, in order to use the trails you need an atv. 'Course if you had to venture off the trails to pull out your deer, that is illegal, too.

I finally bought an old atv to use for deer hauling, later replacing it with a new one now ten years old.

In the end, the heart attack cost $50K and now, if I need to motor out a deer from the way-back, I'm prepared and willing to pay the fine.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #27 on:** December 11, 2010, 07:00:50 PM »

And I bet it is legal to drive on roads here in MN, when an atv is not!

BUGEYE · « **Reply #28 on:** December 12, 2010, 03:28:23 AM »

being only interested in small game and waterfowl, I'll take the midwest and south anytime. the west is pretty to look at but it's too far between squirrels.

bilmac · « **Reply #29 on:** December 12, 2010, 05:55:55 AM »

I think the reason some folks think tractors can pull and others don't is the difference in suspension. An ATV can keep on pulling when there is rocks and logs to cross. A tractor might be fine on fairly flat clear ground, but won't go where an ATV will. I kind of envy folks who have nice easy terrain, none of that around where I kill animals. Last year the wife shot a deer in a patch where a bunch of junipers had been thinned. They had been limbed so they were laying flat, but the trunks were still there . I didn't have my ATV just a game hauler. Boy was that fun.