What is your hunting rig?

Toyota Hilux 2.5 Diesel. 2006 model, very reliable truck.



I might struggle with an Elk if we had them here but reds no problem.


Cheers

Richard
 
W/ roof rack and 10k rated tow hitch of course... right? Oh, maybe a nice warn winch? Or maybe straight el-classico, straight stock? Need pics.
It's an upgrade from the 1980 model (in photo). It's tough to beat a hatchback though maybe a mini van could top it.
 

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Jeep Wrangler on 33's takes me anywhere I want to be, but I take truck on some hunts so I have enough room to put everything.
 
15' Ram 3500 Cummins with 6-speed manual and I love it! Goes anywhere and it doesn't notice my loaded stock trailer or any other trailer behind it. Also have a 94' 2500 Cummins with a manual, but I put a round bale feeder on it so she doesn't leave the farm much anymore.

However, I've gotta say that my favorite hunting rig ever is my 00' shire - thoroughbred cross mare that I bred and trained back in high school. She comes from the factory with a size 4 foot and a motor that never stops! She leads my packstring like a dream and has always gotten me home in one piece. I can't begin to guess how many miles I've put on her in the mountains and chasing cows over the years, and it kills me to think about having to replace her down the road.

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I have two rigs. My 2014 3/4 ton Chevy 4x4 Duramax for my western hunts and my 1984 Toyota 4X4 that has to stay a little closer to home. My Dad bought the Toyota new and I learned how to drive in it. It means more to me than the Chevy.
 

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Well joining in, I use my ole reliable 86 Toyota Xtra cab 22RE engine with 359,924 miles (original engine). Have an extra fuel tank (total 31 gallons), Warn winch, lights, 235 15" tires and always have double cross link V-bar chains for all four wheels. It's not a beauty body wise as it's displaying plenty of rust!
Best part though it's a real work horse and has got me home safely through some deep snow combined with some really rugged wagon trails here in the high country of Western Colorado.

Decided to show my ole hunting rig which has a "Pinto" paint job with the black rust inhibiting paint covering the rust areas.


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I have one like it, an '85 SR5 Xtra cab w/277K miles (original engine), and a Meyers 2 meter plow. Starts fast and runs perfectly. The 1985 was the first year for EFI and the last year for front leaf springs, which is good for a plow rig.




It's fun to see all the older Toyota trucks used as hunting rigs in this thread. The Toyota HiLux diesel would be a big seller if available in the U.S. They're very popular in the mountains of Costa Rica where diesel is much cheaper than gasoline. Devon, is yours a 4wd?
 
2006 Dodge 2500 w/ the 5.9L Cummins. Up to 22 MPG when unloaded and 17 MPG with the Lance on top of it. The shoes for the beast are costing me a pair of Swaro's. Jerk shoes.
 
I have one like it, an '85 SR5 Xtra cab w/277K miles (original engine), and a Meyers 2 meter plow. Starts fast and runs perfectly. The 1985 was the first year for EFI and the last year for front leaf springs, which is good for a plow rig.

My 84 model shown above has a carburetor and it can be a pain. I wish mine was EFI. I do like the straight front axle. Mine only has 135,000 original miles on it.
 
My 84 model shown above has a carburetor and it can be a pain. I wish mine was EFI. I do like the straight front axle. Mine only has 135,000 original miles on it.


135,000 original miles, that's sweet! And the body work looks like new, not the typical rear fender/bed rust like mine has. Definitely a keeper. I'll bet you could find an EFI intake system at a salvage yard; might be worthwhile.

I had a 1980 SR5 long bed 4WD that wore the snow plow for a number of years. It had a topper too, and I used it for hunting and commercial snowplowing.


A pic from the cabin a couple weeks ago:

 
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135,000 original miles, that's sweet! And the body work looks like new, not the typical rear fender/bed rust like mine has. Definitely a keeper. I'll bet you could find an EFI intake system at a salvage yard; might be worthwhile.

I had a 1980 SR5 long bed 4WD that wore the snow plow for a number of years. It had a topper too, and I used it for hunting and commercial snowplowing.


A pic from the cabin a couple weeks ago:

It doesn't have any rust because it has spent its entire life in Mississippi.

That moose pic is cool!
 
The Toyota HiLux diesel would be a big seller if available in the U.S. They're very popular in the mountains of Costa Rica where diesel is much cheaper than gasoline. Devon, is yours a 4wd?
Yes, 4wd, 2.5 Diesel, never been stuck....yet!
Cheers
Richard
 
Sweet moose pic above. Those suckers are huge!

Here's my daily driver / hunting truck.

Chains fit on all 4 tires and it has 2" hitch receivers on front and rear so it can be winched either direction (once I buy the winch). It's a blast to drive and cost me less than a new ATV... tough to beat that.

sporttrac1.jpg
 
For average offroading and hunting I use my 2014 F150 Raptor Crew Cab. For when things get bad, or really narrow, my 1948 CJ2A.
 
Grizzly did you do lift or a leveling kit of some sort on the Sport trac? Thinking about a new hunting rig and really like the idea of one of these. Plus I work at a ford dealer so big plus on buying one and parts for if needed.
 
A '97 dodge 1500 4x4 with 3 inch lift, 33 inch bfg mudders, auburn locker in rear, chains for all 4 wheels.
It has just over 200,000 miles on it now but still runs great.

Finally got some pics of my hunting rig.DSCN0365.jpgDSCN0357.jpg
 
Grizzly did you do lift or a leveling kit of some sort on the Sport trac? Thinking about a new hunting rig and really like the idea of one of these. Plus I work at a ford dealer so big plus on buying one and parts for if needed.

Its got a Performance Accessories 3" Body Lift (PA70023, $300). While you're doing it, change out the body mount bushings since the foam starts to decompose after 15 years (about $100). This will improve ride and its easy to do while you're doing the lift.

The lift/bushings make a huge difference on the vehicle for a relatively small amount of money. To level the front end, just do a torsion twist of an inch or so.

There is a great forum (explorerforum) that will give you tons of info on what parts to use and how to do it. Just make sure you get a 2001-2005 model since after that they switched to a unibody style and went away from a body-on-frame truck.

The nice thing about the Sport Trac is they share parts with pre-2001 Explorer's, so parts are cheap and easy to come by. Here's an older pic after a wash, I think she turned out pretty sweet.

st2_.jpg
 
PEAX Trekking Poles

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