According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, about 100 million Americans – roughly 40 percent of the population over the age of 16 – participate in hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching activities. That’s a lot of people… who need a lot of vehicles. Unless you live next to a forest or river, you’re going to need a vehicle to take you to the animals – and to take the animals back. A good hunting/fishing vehicle requires torque, cargo space and towing capabilities. Here are a few tips on how to find one with these requirements.
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Four-Wheel Drive/All-Wheel Drive
A hunting/fishing vehicle needs plenty of torque to get out of the water, sand, mud and other topographic annoyances that will threaten to ruin your trips. With a four-wheel-drive or all-wheel drive vehicle, you will not have to worry about getting stuck (for the most part), because its drivetrain supplies torque to all wheels simultaneously. Choice vehicles with 4WD or AWD include the Land Rover Range Rover, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Honda Ridgeline.
Truck, SUV Or Jeep
As anyone can see, SUVs, jeeps and trucks are ideal vehicles for outdoors adventuring. It’s no coincidence, then, that they’re popular with hunters and fishermen. Along with possessing 4WD/AWD, these vehicle types generally contain excess cargo space for hauling hunting and fishing equipment and spoils. While some sedans and coupes have AWD and lots of cargo space, SUVs, jeeps and trucks are reliable sources for both necessities. However, trucks provide an additional service that most of the others vehicles do not: towing. Typically associated with strength and power, pickup trucks like the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado can tow thousands of pounds of cargo with ease – plus there’s a 4WD option.
Comes With A Hitch
A vehicle that comes with a hitch is essential for fishermen who use a boat and hunters who use a trailer. Most trucks have a hitch, as do some jeeps and SUVs. Vehicles that have 4WD/AWD, cargo space and a hitch – and are thus perfect for hunting and fishing – include the 2020 Ford F-150 and 2020 Honda Ridgeline. If the hunting vehicle of your dreams doesn’t have a hitch, a towing package may be available for purchase.
Hunting and fishing entails unpredictable terrain and lots of work. For these reasons, hunters and fishermen need a vehicle with four-wheel-drive, extra cargo space and towing capabilities: choosing a suitable vehicle will make all the difference to your next hunting trip.
Too many possibilities? Here are other aspects to consider when choosing your vehicle for hunting or fishing!
We all want a break from the tumultuous life in the city. Some of us love, for instance, the challenges that hunting and fishing bring. Apart from the equipment, the clothing, footwear, and all the other things you need for either activity, you also need a reliable car to withstand long distances and challenging roads. Since the market gives you so many options, we recommend you study as many details as necessary before settling on a model.
The basic requirements for off-road driving
Many models of cars are reliable to use for hunting or fishing. Suvs stand out with their mobility and high power, but that doesn’t mean that all models make for a reliable fit for hunting and fishing.
Soft roaders
For example, we don’t recommend you opt for soft-roaders as they don’t do well on the tricky sections of roads. Here’s why:
- They lack the frame which helps a car work in the low gears
- They have dependent suspension, which makes the vehicle tricky to control on challenging sections of roads
- They are front or rear-wheel drive; you need a four-wheel-drive for hunting.
Universal SUVs
Many hunters commonly use versatile SUVs, even though they don’t protect the engine against the water hammer. The engine could also be relatively modest in terms of power. If you drive off-road, the universal SUVs are dependable and comfortable to drive.
Professional SUVs
Look for professional SUVs if hunting or fishing is life. The professional SUVs stand out with steering trapeze and powerful engines. You will enjoy the impressive benefits of a professional SUV off-road and in the wildest forest areas.
Which one to pick?
All in all, soft-roaders and universal SUVs are more affordable than professional SUVs. If you don’t plan to go in the wildest lands, a soft-roader or a universal SUV will be a dependable choice. Even so, you should make sure that your vehicle is made for off-road driving.
What aspects should you examine?
Don’t rush into buying your vehicle for hunting and/or fishing. Spend some time thinking about the following aspects as well:
Reliability
You don’t want to have a car that stops in the middle of the swap. You want its engine to be powerful enough to overcome the tricky sections, such as riding on the water.
Functionality
When hunting or fishing, you need to carry cumbersome gear, such as firewood or a tent. Since we assume you don’t want to come back home empty-handed, you probably want to have space to carry your game as well. You want the trunk to be spacious and the vehicle to take the overall weight of your load.
Affordable maintenance
Are you going to use the vehicle exclusively for hunting/fishing or your day-to-day activities as well? If so, we advise you to pay the high dollar for a vehicle that will be reliable both off-road and in town. If you don’t have a generous budget, buying a used professional SUV is worth buying. If it’s not more than ten years old, it can still be dependable on the most challenging roads.
Price
You know how much money you want to spend on your car. Don’t forget that it will smell like fish, fires, game animals and become soiled. Regardless of the price, make sure that the vehicle meets your needs and preferences.
Technical specifications
Along with the basic requirements for your hunting/fishing vehicle, you should also check out the most crucial technical characteristics:
Capacity
The larger the car, the better it is for hunting/fishing. The generous space is the fundamental reason for buying a big vehicle (you need the space to carry the trophies, rifles, equipment, etc.). However, a large car has excellent stability on the road and it’s easier to handle on the road than a smaller model.
It should be a four-wheel
You don’t need to be a car enthusiast to see that the SUV is a lot more than a nicely-tuned passenger car. Getting out of mud will be impossible when you have front or rear-wheel drive. You don’t want to call heavy equipment to get you out of the mud. Pick a car with four-wheel drive so that you can have peace of mind when getting stuck.
Air conditioning
Many hunters and anglers don’t care much about comfort when driving. However, why feel miserably hot or cold in your car? Air conditioning makes driving more enjoyable; hunting and fishing are challenging, so anything that can help is good. Plus, you don’t want your game to spoil on your way back home.
Reliable design
You might not realize it, but you can damage the plastic bumpers from the first moment you’ve exited the flat road. Don’t get fooled by cars with bells and whistles. Opt for a vehicle with a dependable and straightforward design instead. For instance, you don’t want the wiring to fail during the hunting trip.
Efficient shock absorbers
You have to pick efficient shock absorbers for the SUV. Look for soft models; otherwise, you will feel every single bump when you’re off-road. Many car professionals say that the shock absorbers on the SUVs are just as important as the engine.
Before you go away: here are four more questions to ask yourself
We encourage you also to ask and answer yourself the following questions:
What kind of terrain will you hunt?
Will you travel well-maintained roads when hunting/fishing? If the trails are nasty and narrow, a UTV or a quad will be the best options. If you stay on fire roads, any highway vehicle will do.
Will you sleep in it?
If you want to sleep in the vehicle, your best options are the 4 Runner and the pickup. You will put a camper on the pickup and use a sleeping pad/mattress for sleeping.
What gear will you haul?
Look for a vehicle that can haul all of your gear. You probably know which equipment is helpful for your hunting/fishing, but even so, you still need plenty of room. Pickup vehicles represent an excellent choice for this reason alone.
How will you haul your game?
Should you travel a long distance to hunt/fish, you have to know how to haul your game. Will you bone it out and put it in the cooler? Will you bag the game while and process it when you get home? If you want to haul the game, we recommend you opt for a pickup.