ATV, do you ride?

[Kaw Trooper]

I see so many hunters carrying around ATV's on their trailers or in the back of their pickup trucks.

Do you ride an ATV on a Black Powder hunt?

 

[rabjr]

Yep :thumbsup:

 

[shmrck1]

Kaw Trooper,
Don't own one myself and don't hunt with folks
that do, but it sure nice when one shows up and offers
to get your harvest back to camp :imo:
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[3 stinky dogs]

And miss all the fun of dragging your kill for miles and miles ?I knew a guy thea would say that if you cant dragit you dont deserve to hunt.This from a guy who is a been field hunter type guy who shoot's from way out and drives his truck to his animal!But for me if I had one I would use it when I could.

 

[donk]

the area I hunt you would have to drag a deer 1 to 3 miles to get to it with a 4 wheeler so I figure I might as well drag it back to camp while I'm at it.

 

[stinger]

I use a ATV every time out :winking:. Besides hauling me around I use it to stash some extra stuff that I don't want to carry but my want available if needed. i.e. cell phone (limited to a couple areas but better than no contact), food, tree stand(climber),coffee, basic first aid kit, snacks, extra gloves.....small stuff. Did I mention something to eat?

 

[adkmountainken]

an atv just dosen't seem to fit right with me while carring my flintlock. i enjoy walking be it 2 miles or 10 to get to my spots. if i can't drag out what i shoot i guess i shouldn't be doing what i do. i don't condem those who use atv's they just are not for me.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Nope. I drive to where I hunt but leave my vehicle on the edge of the road (or in the farmer's driveway). That way I can hike in a mile and get set an hour before light so some clod can drive up five minutes before sunrise and park his ATV 20 feet from me and walk 50 yards to where he wants to sit.

I just love that.

I suppose those hunters that hunt many, many miles from the land owner's gate have a need for them. Provided they have permission. If you're packing in for an extended camp then they're just a modern mule, so I suppose no different from what has been done for centuries. If you're dropping then every morning for a quick hunt from a truck or trailer I think it's just laziness. If I want to hunt "deeper" I get up earlier or camp nearby. I see many on state lands where motorized vehicles are forbidden and the temptation to set 100# leader wire "trail markers" across paths is immense.

Draggin a deer for two hours is just part of the respect you pay their spirit for the taking of their life. I'd rather die now doing that than be living off tubes when I'm 90. I realize that many folks are not well enough to pull a 200# carcass through woodlots and across creeks, but I will while I'm able. When I can't I'll probably stop hunting. Like my 98 year old neighbor had to . . . two years ago! Last one he took of the back hill was when he was at age 95; though, he did walk back and fetch up his lawn tractor to drag the deer down once he got it to the passable "main" trail on the back hill (near the 50 yd clearing where I shoot my m/l). :hatsoff:

If you're carrying so much gear that you need a vehicle to haul it back and forth you should ask yourself if you are participating in "fair chase" or are just buying a victory.

 

[oomcurt]

Yup, I agree with what you said. Every word of it. Now...maybe, I could see using one of those damm things to set up camp...but I doubt it. If you can't walk a mile or so to get to where you want to go..sheesh. Now, there may be an exception...say someone is an invalid..they can stand, walk a very short distance..etc. Then I can see someone taking that person and dropping them off at some point or area..but that is about all. Personally, I can't even stand the sight of one of those dang machines.. As for carrying stuff you might need...baloney, IMO.

 

[Deadeye]

I'm with Oomcurt, wouldn't be caught dead on one.

 

[Kaw Trooper]

Guess I'll tell you my reasons for this thread.

I feel that American's might be getting too soft. With the lack of exercise you might not have the strength to pull back your hammer. You'll have to come up with a tool, like the cross bows have to cock their weapon.

Good hunt'n areas should be deemed "wilderness areas", feet and hoofs only.

 

[Dave K]

I can honestly say I would like one, but I just wouldn't get enough use out of it to justify the maintenace. I would use it to put up and take down tree stands and other than that it would be to drag a deer out. So it would get used about 7-8 times tops.

 

[JeffinNZ]

The folk who coined the phrase 'all terrain vehicle" have obviously never hunted the area I chase wallabies in! I've seen sure footed mules come unstuck......... :blah: :kid:

 

[Catof9tails]

Not this Cat. I own an ATV and can access hunting areas if I choose, however, I do not use an ATV for hunting with ML or modern guns. I've seen too many road hunters in my time and don't prefer the method. This Old Cat would rather hike and hunt. I venture places that most hunters do not go. I like to get off the beatened path and hike into places not seen by many folks or if any. Guess I'm guilty of being a bushwhacker, but ya see more of the country that way than on rubber tires. It don't bother me if a person stays within the OHV regulations. But on the other hand, I'll take the walk and the drag on foot. For this Old Cat, I'll just stick to the hike and drag. Besides, less disturbance and smells for the critters.
:m2c:

Cat9

 

[cduncan]

Well thank God for atv's because if it wasnt for mine i would have to give up hunting.I have a serious heart condition that may require a heart transplant and I am only 36 yrs old.So while some you may feel bullet proof right now that can change over night you need to get down your knees and thank God that you can still walk to your stand and drag deer out I would give anything to be able to do that.But I cant so as long as I can afford gas for my atv I will be useing it and I dont care who approves of it I still have 3 kids to pass this great sport on to and i will use what ever means i have to. Thats just my 2 cents worth.P.S when i cant walk to my atv is when i will give up hunting. :front:

 

[Hoyt]

I'd have to have a lot of extra money to want to spend what it cost to buy a 4wheeler to haul around in the back of my 4wheeler.
If needed I will use the big 4wheeler. I've found it will go over a lot of the trees it doesnt have room to go between. That's why I got 4 wheel drive to put in the woods not tool around town in. I use when needed for hunting. Most of the time I just use my ATV 2wheeler..it's much quieter and legal where I hunt.
I've never had to hunt around them because I hunt public land where they aren't allowed.
I can understand when people need them due to health..my heart is giving me problems again too and I was trying to make it through hunting season before doing something about it..but it got too bad and I have to go in hosptial in the morning for hopefully just a tune-up..but may be more and might be season ending before it starts good.

 

[Bearbait2]

Mr. Hoyt,
Wishing you the best of luck and a speedy recovery!
Best Wishes :front:

 

[AdirondakDD]

I own an ATV and am active in a club in the Adirondaks. We ride all year except hunting season. We leave them in peace and quite, heck they have guns.
When I hunt my own private land I have used it to drag a deer back. If I had a horse or mule I would do the same.

 

[Runner]

I have been on both sides. The farm that just sold was 1600 acres and it was two miles from the house to my field/area. There were 16 miles of trails or road. We used them or trucks a lot. I hunt a 180 acre farm now, and drag the deer to where I can get a truck to them. I have scars from one that ran into a multiflora thicket there. One place we used to hunt had large fields that were often harvested and disked up for season. You have to drag one across a mile of disked or plowed muddy field just once! These days I tend to walk everywhere, but if I drop a nice deer a mile from the house, I am coming for the tractor or the 4 wheeler! Call me lazy all you want.

 

[Stumpkiller]

that can change over night you need to get down your knees and thank God that you can still walk to your stand and drag deer out I would give anything to be able to do that.

I do. Every successful shot. Every successful drag.

When you expect no special favors you're thankful for everything. My birth certificate doesn't say anything about a guarantee or warranty.

Tree stand? Not this child. Too scary. :shocking:

God gave me flat feets for the ground, not wings or claws for the trees.

God's Plan called for Great-to-the-63,000th-power-GrandPappy Stumpy to climb out of the trees and it would be an insult for me to throw back. ::