# Hunting Rigs / Trucks, Crates, Toppers & Trailers



## Coach K (Mar 27, 2016)

Let's see what everyone has to haul their hunting partners around in.  Here is a topper that I have to customize!  I have to convert it to an 8 or 10 hole.   Plus, I'm still looking for that "perfect" Dodge truck (Cummins Diesel, long bed, 4x4, manual transmission) to haul it on!

After all my "Little Rig" has 546,000 miles on it.


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## mlandrum (Mar 27, 2016)

Coach, i just keep it simple for an ole man Simply a little Toyota and a Kennel with a rain and cold cover BUT I'll probably be expanding a little more as Drake and I cover more territory in the future Here's my rig!!!


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## Coach K (Mar 28, 2016)

*"Little Rig"*



mlandrum said:


> Coach, i just keep it simple for an ole man Simply a little Toyota and a Kennel with a rain and cold cover BUT I'll probably be expanding a little more as Drake and I cover more territory in the future Here's my rig!!!



You have what you need.  My "Little Rig" ('98 Chevy Cavalier 4 dr) is what I use most of the time!  Fuel efficient, 33-40mpg depending on how aggressive I drive and it can haul up to 5 dogs w/ everything I need for upland bird hunting for weeks.  If I'm close to an outlet, I hook up a little space heater (I keep tucked under the seat), place it on the dash, set the thermostat, recline my driver's seat and we're all nice and cozy no matter how cold it gets outside!  Over the years, I've developed a spot for everything.  I'll try to find a photo to down load.  It's only got 545,000 miles on it & let me tell you there's a lot of dirt road two track miles there, too!  **5 dogs comfortably**  "Like a Rock"   

Update:  Found the truck I'd been looking for to haul my topper and pull a small camper/trailer when needed.
Here's the specs: Dodge 3500 4x4 Turbo Cummins - 6 spd Manual Transmission w/ heavy duty dual disc clutch - edge programmer (for fuel efficiency) - back up camera - currently 23 mpg commuting to work.  I'll paint in the bed liner & put a diamond plate tail gate protector on it & it'll be ready for the topper to be fitted onto it.  168K miles.  There's a deep cycle battery mounted under one of the rear fenders and the brush guard will have a formidable winch mounted on it one day.  . Here's one photo I have:

**I also had the hooks welded on to pull people out that think they never get stuck!!**


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## GLS (Mar 29, 2016)

Coach, my hats off to you in having a half million miles on your car.  Original engine and transmission?  I had a '96 Cavalier that some jokers stole and wrecked.  The idiots can steal but not drive a car.  These were the cars that a screw driver could start.  I have a 2003 Sequoia with 181,000 miles and I plan to keep it.  My dogs sit in a crate in the back.  I plan on doing what it takes to keep it rolling.  4x4 with a 8000S Warn Winch that fits my trailer hitch receiver.


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## Jetjockey (Mar 30, 2016)

I'm with Mlandrum on this one.  A crate with a quality cover works for me.  What's more important is the vehicle the crate is traveling in.   This picture was taken in SD pheasant/sharptail hunting 10 miles from any paved road, and 3 miles from anything that could be considered a road at all.   A couple guys on the trip made fun of my brother (1 ton GMC with 6" lift and 35's) and me (Tundra with 4 1/2" lift and 35's) for having lifted pickups.  That was until we had to drive through 2-3' snowdrifts to get to where we wanted to hunt.  The stock 4 wheel drive truck kept getting high centered and we had to pull him out twice before we threw in the towel and loaded everyone up in our trucks.


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## Killinstuff (Mar 30, 2016)

I just like a cap on my truck but this one doesn't work anymore. 2/9/2016. Have a new truck but the cap is on it's way.  I place a 1/4" piece of plywood down and a carpet on top of that. The Titan has a GFI outlet in the bed where I can plug in a heated blanket for the cold days (or make coffee). Windows slide open for the hot days.  Dogs can move around a bit more than in a crate and they tell me thanks for that.  Plus I've slept the back of that truck a lot.


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## maker4life (Mar 30, 2016)

Eight dogs and one little dog handler.


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## Coach K (Apr 5, 2016)

GLS said:


> Coach, my hats off to you in having a half million miles on your car.  Original engine and transmission?  I had a '96 Cavalier that some jokers stole and wrecked.  The idiots can steal but not drive a car.  These were the cars that a screw driver could start.  I have a 2003 Sequoia with 181,000 miles and I plan to keep it.  My dogs sit in a crate in the back.  I plan on doing what it takes to keep it rolling.  4x4 with a 8000S Warn Winch that fits my trailer hitch receiver.



Engine is original - oil change w/ filter every 5k miles.  Slave cylinder & master cylinder replaced on clutch at 475,000 miles.  Kept the pressure plate as very little wear.


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## Coach K (Apr 5, 2016)

Killinstuff said:


> I just like a cap on my truck but this one doesn't work anymore. 2/9/2016. Have a new truck but the cap is on it's way.  I place a 1/4" piece of plywood down and a carpet on top of that. The Titan has a GFI outlet in the bed where I can plug in a heated blanket for the cold days (or make coffee). Windows slide open for the hot days.  Dogs can move around a bit more than in a crate and they tell me thanks for that.  Plus I've slept the back of that truck a lot.



Thank goodness you're okay!  Been in too many mishaps myself.  Trying to slow down and take it easy now.


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## 28gage (Apr 14, 2016)




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## mlandrum (Apr 14, 2016)

Now that there is TOP SHELF, what will she do on the highway


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## Jetjockey (Apr 15, 2016)

28gage said:


>



That's a summer camp prairie rig if I've ever seen one.


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## 28gage (Apr 18, 2016)

mlandrum said:


> Now that there is TOP SHELF, what will she do on the highway



Has a governor and will top out at 25MPH, but sailing across a pasture after a renegade I can fly.


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## mlandrum (Apr 18, 2016)

28gage said:


> Has a governor and will top out at 25MPH, but sailing across a pasture after a renegade I can fly.


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## mecicon (May 1, 2016)

*Ford Excursion 4WD 7.3 L diesel Upland Bird Hunter Edition*

I remember reading an article a few years back (probably in PDJ) that as we get into this sport we start to customize/modify vehicles or have designated vehicles for this sport.

In 2013 we bought a Ford Excursion for hunting/towing/dog purposes only...best vehicle ever.

We added a travel trailer to the collection about six years ago and upgraded this past November.

Everything behind the front row is dog territory, if necessary I can push them back behind the second row.



First travel trailer, I towed it to SD twice, NH and FL for hunting.


The Excursion on the Ft. Pierre National Grasslands


A portion of the clan in SD










Linoleum cut to fit


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## mlandrum (May 1, 2016)

and I thought I'd seen it all!!!!


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## Coach K (May 1, 2016)

You know that it's funny you posted the camper.  I just started looking for one myself so that I can go to TX, OK, NM & AZ and just crash in the camper after hunting!  I'm looking for a 15'-20' air streamer, but am open to anything that will hold up!  There are even a few decent deals on some of the older models.  Love that a lot of them have some nice features: showers, toilet, etc.  They truly are land yachts.


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## mecicon (May 2, 2016)

Coach K said:


> You know that it's funny you posted the camper.  I just started looking for one myself so that I can go to TX, OK, NM & AZ and just crash in the camper after hunting!  I'm looking for a 15'-20' air streamer, but am open to anything that will hold up!  There are even a few decent deals on some of the older models.  Love that a lot of them have some nice features: showers, toilet, etc.  They truly are land yachts.



Flat screen TV, hot water, A/C, refrigerator, stove, oven.

When I am out I can have breakfast in the AM, eat dinner at home and not have to worry about the dogs barking at others in the hotel. No pet fees either.

My wife (mother of all my dogs) would not let me get a pickup truck..."the dogs must be in the same passenger compartment as you." I started with one dog and a Honda CRV, then a Honda Pilot (more dogs) which pulled the smaller trailer. We usually keep our vehicles 8-10 years when it was time for the Pilot to go I found the Excursion converted it to towing/hunting purposes only and bought a pickup for my daily driver/work vehicle.

Having a travel trailer actually saves me time and money.


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## Coach K (May 2, 2016)

*Campers*



mecicon said:


> Flat screen TV, hot water, A/C, refrigerator, stove, oven.
> 
> When I am out I can have breakfast in the AM, eat dinner at home and not have to worry about the dogs barking at others in the hotel. No pet fees either.
> 
> ...



Hope I can find a good one.  I can't leave pups in vehicle when it's too warm, so this topper will be cool when it's hot & warm when it's freezing.  I just have to customize it so it'll hold 10 dogs.  That way I will be able to accommodate clients dogs that I'm guiding or training.  

I hope they have another great year out west.  I'm really anxious to get out there and hunt the other varieties of quail.


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## Jetjockey (May 2, 2016)

There's a difference between a camper, a motorhome, and a trailer.  Campers fit in the bed of trucks, motorhomes drive themselves, and trailers are self explanatory.  The biggest problem is finding what works perfect for every situation.  The problem is nothing works good for every situation.  When we get to CO I'm planing on getting a dually, like Coaches, with a triple slide camper. I can hook up a dog trailer, boat, horse trailer, etc and go anywhere I want too with accommodations wherever I want to go.  The problem is duallys suck in the mud and snow.  My Tundra is great in the mud and snow, but isn't heavy duty enough to throw a camper in the back.  It's all a trade off.  I'm not sure what the perfect hunting rig is, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist.


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## mecicon (May 2, 2016)

Jetjockey said:


> There's a difference between a camper, a motorhome, and a trailer.  Campers fit in the bed of trucks, motorhomes drive themselves, and trailers are self explanatory.  The biggest problem is finding what works perfect for every situation.  The problem is nothing works good for every situation.  When we get to CO I'm planing on getting a dually, like Coaches, with a triple slide camper. I can hook up a dog trailer, boat, horse trailer, etc and go anywhere I want too with accommodations wherever I want to go.  The problem is duallys suck in the mud and snow.  My Tundra is great in the mud and snow, but isn't heavy duty enough to throw a camper in the back.  It's all a trade off.  I'm not sure what the perfect hunting rig is, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist.



Yeah, that is life...everything is a trade off.


BRILLIANT.


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## B Man (May 2, 2016)

We travel ALOT about 5 month's out of the year hunting & trialing so we needed something for everything.  Three horse, with mid tack & living quarters.  Other than that I just throw a few crates I'm the back of the truck & go.


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## 28gage (May 3, 2016)

B Man said:


> We travel ALOT about 5 month's out of the year hunting & trialing so we needed something for everything.  Three horse, with mid tack & living quarters.  Other than that I just throw a few crates I'm the back of the truck & go.



Nice rig..............


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## mecicon (May 3, 2016)

B Man said:


> We travel ALOT about 5 month's out of the year hunting & trialing so we needed something for everything.  Three horse, with mid tack & living quarters.  Other than that I just throw a few crates I'm the back of the truck & go.



Yup, nice rig with the 6.7.


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## Coach K (May 4, 2016)

*Rigs to Suit Needs*



B Man said:


> We travel ALOT about 5 month's out of the year hunting & trialing so we needed something for everything.  Three horse, with mid tack & living quarters.  Other than that I just throw a few crates I'm the back of the truck & go.



Way too high maintenance to be hauling all that for me.  I fully understand, though, how the serious trialers need all that equipment.  

 Just working dogs, for me, though,  I want a pull behind camper for out west, so I can disengage & go, or if roads are good just pull in right to good territory and camp right there.  Dogs will always ride in topper, since I'll need capacity for my 4-5 dogs, plus 5-6 other clients' trainees.  For that reason I'll never have a slide in.  

After almost 40 some years of messin' with bird dogs since my first setter in grade school, it will be fun to be working dogs full time now, and to host clients and their dogs for hunting the birds their charges will be training on - all wild.  (Of course, if they have no experience, they'll learn to stay steady to flush on pigeons initially)
Up north I'll have a place, but out in the south west a pull behind camper will suffice.  After sleeping for many years of hunting trips in the "little rig" it will be like a palace!


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## B Man (May 5, 2016)

28gage said:


> Nice rig..............





mecicon said:


> Yup, nice rig with the 6.7.



Thanks guys, I blame it in my wife for getting it but I'll be honest I don't want to be without now.

Yep, had a 6.4l before, loved the truck but I couldn't trust it.  So far I don't regret stepping into the 6.7l.


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