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Enclosed Trailer Conversion

Do you have the extra 6'' of height for a UTV? Ours was just the stock height and was very tight getting it in and out.
 
Awesome trailer! We built a very similar set up years ago and love it. [video=youtube_share;IT_9f2OC4Wk]https://youtu.be/IT_9f2OC4Wk[/video]

Great video, I watched it when before I started this conversion (and copied some of your ideas).
 
I went for it and pulled a 7’ x 14’ enclosed out for my first elk hunt ever. Tandem axel is the way to go on the rutted up mountain roads. I took my sweet time pulling it up the mountain to not tear off a fender or cut a sidewall. (ATTACH]87005[/ATTACH]x
 

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I’m exploring the idea of having a hard sided shelter for late(r) season hunts. I’ve mostly been researching various fish house models.

What are the pros and cons of converting an enclosed trailer vs using an Ice Castle or similar fish house?
 
Thinking about doing something like that myself. Curious what it does to your gas mileage?
 
Thinking about doing something like that myself. Curious what it does to your gas mileage?


I have a 14” v nose conversion. My F150 goes from 17 mpg to 10.5 average.

I use it locally but won’t be pulling it back to MT anytime soon. Or until I get a diesel truck.
 
I have a 14” v nose conversion. My F150 goes from 17 mpg to 10.5 average.

I use it locally but won’t be pulling it back to MT anytime soon. Or until I get a diesel truck.
Ouch, it is a long drive from Texas to Montana so I may have to to go to plan B.
 
Ouch, it is a long drive from Texas to Montana so I may have to to go to plan B.

I bought a Kodiak Flex bow tent on Craigslist and it worked out pretty well. We just had to have a separate tent set up for cooking. The money we saved in fuel paid for the tent and hotel rooms half way thru the trip.
 
Curious how long it takes to set those up and if they work if you have a bed cover. It is a 3 day drive for me and I want to be able to pull over and sleep when I get tired. Other option of course is a hard shell topper.
 
A couple things that are big positives for the enclosed that i’ve learned over the last couple seasons: no setup time for sleeping on the out of state long trips (vegas-MT); add a Big buddy heater and single digit/sub zero temps are no problem; add a generator and it feels like glamping tv, microwave, freezer, fridge, etc; customizable to your liking (maybe a negative, i’m constantly adding stuff or tweaking mine).

The tent / jumping jack type trailers would be nice for ease of manuevering in tight mountain roads.
 
I'm almost done with my remodel on my 7' x 14' enclosed trailer, So I redid the sleeping arrangements and can now sleep 5, installed a WFCO power converter so now I have both 12 volt and 120 volt systems, and can use my generator to power it. I put a window in the door and added more storage along with a upper shelf to use for the microwave and food storage. Need to either paint or stain the cabinet, and would like to put some flooring in and maybe do something with the walls.
 

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Awesome trailer! We built a very similar set up years ago and love it. [video=youtube_share;IT_9f2OC4Wk]

I have a 7’ x 16’ x 7’ tall V-nose trailer that I converted to a hunting trail last year and I watched your video before I did it. Thank you for sharing it.

I had the trailer made somewhat custom for me when I bought it. It has an extra 1’ height, upgraded axles to 5,200 pound each, larger tires, and (2) layers of 3/4” plywood on the floor. It’s for work, so it hauls a lot, but it’s heavy and tall.

I installed 1” insulation on the walls and ceiling, 12 volt LED lights and a deep cell battery, short port for electrical or propane, sliding window in the side door, keyed latch lock in the door, fixed window on the drivers side, shelves across the front, 6” deep shelves along both sides about 6’ above the floor, e-track on both side for two bunks. I can put my Yamaha Wolverine side-by-side in it, remove it when I get to camp, and set up two bunks and a cot inside to sleep three comfortably. I heat with a generator and electric heater, or a Mr. Buddy with a 20 pound propane tank outside.

It’s not a hunting lodge, but it’s waaay nicer than a tent.65585102-ADBB-4484-8162-CAE36BADF38C.jpeg3ACF4E25-2CED-4738-A056-42F9664A7BFF.jpegC5028ABD-04C4-4853-91BB-8BEE5F8C825F.jpegA0685E4D-3189-415E-98FA-C0853D0E76E1.jpeg
 
I got 7.5 miles per gallon last year towing it to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and back for deer season w/ a 2017 Ram 2500 w/ a 6.4 HEMI in it. It’s very thirsty.

I just upgraded to a 2017 RAM 2500 w/ a Cummins diesel for future trips. It has a crew cab and 8’ box. It’s looong, but rides great on the highway and can haul a lot!

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I bought a 6 1/2 wide by 16 long v front, 6 1/2 foot tall and made it into a hunting trailer also. I had a Ice castle fish house, but after talking to the ice castle dealer....they are not made to be pulled that far he said. I insulated with 1" in the walls and ceiling and put 2 layers of carpet I had on the floor. Insulated the back door, full size. Then added a 12 volt lp furnace made for a ice castle fish house. Put two large batteries for powering it, have a generator also for recharging the batteries. Some 12 volt led lights. Put in a rear bed that is split in the middle so I can run in a atv/utv and a side fold up bed. I pull it with a ford f150 with a 3.5 ecoboost engine 355 rear end. I get from 9-11 mpg. Not the best but I don't need to stay in a motel on the way out and back so that saves a couple hundred bucks. Set my boots by the furnace and always dried out in morning. Will be my second season and 4th trip. Its nice but make sure about the roads you are going on. If nothing else, unhook it and check it out first. Forgot so edited... I put a crank UP window in the roof, and a small window in a side wall. On a antelope hunt this fall it was welcome as it was warm out. Trailer is black and will heat up inside very quick in the sun.
 
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Yeah those black trailers can get pretty warm. Great for the cold wether months, but not so much in summer/early fall when the sun is out.
 

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