# Size of 4x4 ATV to drive flooded fields?



## HuntDawg (Oct 9, 2015)

What size traditional 4x4 ATV would you guys say is the minimum to drive in Flooded soybean and rice fields carrying an additional rider?


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## BROWNING7WSM (Oct 9, 2015)

*minimum size...*

400


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## g0nef1sshn (Oct 9, 2015)

I have had a 2 wheel drive honda rancher with mud tires and went through deep holes and mud the same as four wheel drives with regular tires or better. it was a Honda 350 Rancher. Shoulda never sold it. you just have to know how deep you might be getting and if you would need a snorkel or not. or no what to do if you flood the engine to get it started again.


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## g0nef1sshn (Oct 9, 2015)

and that was riding with two people


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## HuntDawg (Oct 11, 2015)

Thanks. I have a 420 Rancher 2 wheel drive and been told not to waste my time with an additional rider. 

Flooded Rice and Soybean fields. This is Mississippi. I have only hunted LA and Arkansas, so I am not sure how the mud is in Mississippi.


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## flatsmaster (Oct 11, 2015)

It depends on ur access ... I've seen 4x4 ATV's stuck


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## mizzippi jb (Oct 11, 2015)

HuntDawg said:


> Thanks. I have a 420 Rancher 2 wheel drive and been told not to waste my time with an additional rider.
> 
> Flooded Rice and Soybean fields. This is Mississippi. I have only hunted LA and Arkansas, so I am not sure how the mud is in Mississippi.



If the buckshot gumbo is sticky it will gum up on the tires real bad.  Most fields have big tractor ruts in them, and a 2 wd will definitely get stuck.  I drive my Honda rubicon 500 in fields in 2wd but if you hit one of those ruts plan on getting pulled out if you don't have 4wd


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## BROWNING7WSM (Oct 11, 2015)

Yeah, wouldn't want to attempt in a 2wd atv


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## Water Swat (Oct 11, 2015)

mizzippi jb said:


> If the buckshot gumbo is sticky it will gum up on the tires real bad.  Most fields have big tractor ruts in them, and a 2 wd will definitely get stuck.  I drive my Honda rubicon 500 in fields in 2wd but if you hit one of those ruts plan on getting pulled out if you don't have 4wd



Nothing a front wheel drive Chevy impala couldn't make it through.


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## mizzippi jb (Oct 11, 2015)

Well there's that


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## Town2Small (Oct 12, 2015)

I think tires and four wheel drive are more important than the actual size of the four wheeler.


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## Town2Small (Oct 12, 2015)

But you got to take into consideration how much junk you are carrying into the field with you. 6 dozen decoys 4 shotguns, 4 blind bags.  Then your essentials. . 2 dozen mojos, space heater, George Forman grill. Haha . Seriously though. Get something that can carry a load and get through the mess


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## MudDucker (Oct 12, 2015)

I would not even start with a 2 wheel drive.  The tires need to be twice as tall as the mud is deep to prevent the pan from dragging.


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## g0nef1sshn (Oct 12, 2015)

I didnt think of the different types of mud. I used mine in river ranch FL. So it was fl sugar sand/wood muck/mud. Still did fine with two people. But them plowed fields of mud and saturated ground would probably benefit more with the 4WD and nice treaded tires. Only one way to find out.


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## mizzippi jb (Oct 12, 2015)

NThere ain't no mud in the world like Mississippi delta gumbo.   I left a Ranger out there for a week one time so the mud would  dry caked to the tires and fenders.    Then I had to beat it out with a hammer like concrete after it dried


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## HuntDawg (Oct 12, 2015)

I am good now. I have a very good friend who does the 4x4 ATV thing. He told me he would sell me one of his 700 cc 4x4 with a snorkel. Said he would take snorkel off if I wanted. Going to put new brakes on it as well.
He said he will tune it up, change oil, the whole 9 yards.

He is a mechanic for UPS where I retired from. Known him for about 10 years. I told myself I would not buy a snorkel unit, but the two issues below makes me feel comfortable.

1. He told me to take it with me to Mississippi and if I do not like it, don't buy it. No money exchanges hands until I get back and want it.

2. Here is the trustworthiness of this friend, and should be numbered number 1 instead of number 2.  10 months ago he gave one of his Kidney's to a coworker of ours 15 year old son. People asked why did he do it, and he said he had lived 40 hears healthy and this kid needed a shot at life. He said it needed doing.

Needless to say, I am pretty sure I can trust him. Just kidding, trust is not even a question.


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## injun joe (Oct 13, 2015)

I used to hunt in Natchez wit some boys who used 2wd atvs. They would cut a piece of train track and weld it to the back. Then they would deflate basketballs and wedge them under the front ends between the shocks and the frame and refill them with air.
When they hit the swamp, the rear end would sink while the front end floated. Then they would adjust their seating position and wheelie where ever they needed to go on the back tires. It sounds funky but it worked great.


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## g0nef1sshn (Oct 13, 2015)

That sounds neat. But i see that workin in some deep flooded stuff. Not just some thick sticky mud. Just gotta hit that stuff fast and dont let off the throttle m


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