# ATV vs. 4WD Truck



## jcannon46609

I just joined a hunting club in north Georgia that has some pretty steep gravel roads and ruts that my 2WD Tacoma is having a hard time getting up and around. After a couple days it already feels like my truck is out of alignment. Looking at ATVs as most of the club members are using, but wondering if upgrading to a 4WD truck would be a good solution. Thanks for your input!


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## thumper523

*Utv*

Get a UTV, ie Mule, Rhino or Ranger.
I have a Mule 610XC and it's great. I even pull cars and trucks from ditches with it on muddy roads at club.
Keep that 2wd and get a trailer to haul it.
4WD trucks are OK, but think how much a repair is after you beat it up in the mountains. And 2WD gets WAAAY better gas mileage, especially if it's your everyday vehicle.


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## biker13

Get a Honda Rancher,all you will ever need.


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## Burton

Depends on what you want to spend.  I have a Kawasaki 300 Lakota (2wd) that will take me wherever I want to go, haul a deer, no problems since 1997, it may be worth $1,200.  If I were you, I would just buy an ATV that fits in the back up the Tacoma.


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## M77 Ruger

biker13 said:


> Get a Honda Rancher,all you will ever need.



Agreed. I have one and it goes anywhere


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## j_seph

An old Jeep or old toyota 4x4 IMO.
You drive it there, you do not have to unload anything but your gear. You may not can get into the woods to drag a deer in places (depending on how beat up the Jeep/Yota is lol)
Benefits, you do not have to haul anything and unload load up drag ramps drop trailer gates, no extra berarings on trailer to go out, you have if you get a decent one A/C and heater, don't get wet driving


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## NCHillbilly

There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.


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## PappyHoel

NCHillbilly said:


> There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.



This... I'm speaking from hunting in the early 80s with my dad.  On more than one occasion I hunted while he cussed and got someone to pull the truck out of the mud.  I remember at 15 years old saying dad, "I've learned from you and I will never buy a 2wd truck".  

To the op,  because my 4wd truck is expensive and I could never replace it for the price of a new truck I bought a Honda rancher 420, 4wd.  Gets me all over and it saves my truck for when I do need it. Honda atv will start every time.


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## pine floor

NCHillbilly said:


> There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.





This


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## Atlanta Dawg

I have a Honda Rincon 680 and it is a Hog !  Take you to places you shouldn't even go !!!  

On the other hand---a 4 wheel drive Jeep or small 4 wheel drive pickup is really nice when it is cold and or raining or both !  Each has its own application !


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## Burton

NCHillbilly said:


> There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.



I agree.  I drove a 2wd Colorado for 10 years, put 270,000 miles on it, pulled a boat with it all over, loaded the bed with 1,200 pounds of gravel at one time and countless times with a yard of mulch, averaged 24 mpg on the highway, drove in every single snow we had for 10 years, used it in combo with my atv for hunting - never got stuck, spent a total of $800 in repairs over the 10 years.

It was pretty useless for me.


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## 660griz

4x4 truck and an ATV/SxS.


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## The mtn man

NCHillbilly said:


> There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.



Agreed!!!!


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## DYI hunting

Honda Rancher is great. Put a $100 winch on the front and your set to load your own deer on the rack or lift one up on a pole to skin them.

I sold the ATV and opted for a Jeep Wrangler now.  Goes anywhere and with a hitch haul I can carry anything I kill without blood in the cargo area.  No more worrying about hauling a trailer or having $2000+ invested in an ATV I only use during hunting season.


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## mattech

NCHillbilly said:


> There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.



I've never had a 4wd truck, but my current truck I've had for 12 years. I've done told myself if/when I ever get truck I'll never have another 2wd. Yes you can haul mulch/boats, gravel whatever. But first time you get deep on some of the south GA WMA roads, that 4wd will be worth every penny you've invested.


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## mattech

I also have a Honda rancher 4wd with a winch. I can take that thing anywhere.


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## Darkhorse

I will add this from years of experience; "There is nothing more useless than a 4WD truck with street tires and no winch."
Today I drive a 4WD truck with no winch. I have just pulled a set of mud tires and replaced then with fairly mild All Terrains. Much smoother riding and better gas mileage.
All my rough driving today is done with my ATV, a Polaris 600 Twin with winch and mud tires.
No matter what options you add to a truck you still cannot go places the ATV will if it's set up right.
Of course you could build a truck that will just blast it's way in and destroy everything in it's path, but landowners tend to frown on that practice.
To me an ATV is indispensable for retrieving game and hauling in deer stands etc.
If I had the funds I would get one of those new UTV's a side by side with mudders and winch.


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## Burton

mattech said:


> I've never had a 4wd truck, but my current truck I've had for 12 years. I've done told myself if/when I ever get truck I'll never have another 2wd. Yes you can haul mulch/boats, gravel whatever. But first time you get deep on some of the south GA WMA roads, that 4wd will be worth every penny you've invested.



Just a note, he didn't say he was hunting WMA.  It's a club.  ATVs are allowed.  Why buy a 4X4 truck to beat up.  Extra fuel, extra insurance, extra maintenance, extra cost.  Financial sense says keep the tacoma and add an ATV.  But if money isn't an issue.....then go buy a 4x4 truck, trailer, and a utv.


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## swamp hunter

An extra 4x4 Truck sitting In the yard waiting for Season still costs $600 a year insurance and Tags ect.
An ATV is..like free.
I have all 3, a Polaris 450 , A Polaris Ranger and an 84 CJ 7.
I like the Jeep best but it never leaves the Lease. 
Coffee cup holders , wipers , heater , windshield , removable doors, big tires.
No Tags or insurance.


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## northgeorgiasportsman

How does a hunter NOT own a 4x4 truck???  That just ain't natural.  That's like a bull rider not owning a cowboy hat....sure he can wear a ball cap instead, but everybody knows it ain't right.

Maybe I'm spoiled, but I've been fortunate enough to spend a good portion of my life OFF the paved road.  2wd trucks are pretty useless around here.


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## tree cutter 08

4x4 is a must in the mountains. Unless you like frustrations.


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## Miguel Cervantes

Got some friends over in Bama that buy used Suzuki Samurai's and use them around camp. They're about as small as some of the bigger ATV's and they are weather proof and have heat. Will go about anywhere an atv will. Plus a used Samurai is about $4k cheaper than a new ATV.


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## bfriendly

While I too laughed about a hunter not having a 4x4 truck, I would definitely go with an atv/golf cart of some kind..............if your truck works for you and you frequently wash it, keep it. You might not want to be beating the heck out of your truck, even if it is a 4x4.


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## leoparddog

An old Toyota 4Runner, old jeep or other older 4WD that has heat is a wonderful thing. Not to mention I stay dry driving through mud and puddles.  If you can keep it at your club and not pay for the tag and insurance, it can be cheaper than an ATV/UTV, easier to work on yourself and find parts for.

We have a big club and trailering or hauling an ATV out there and then changing vehicles and then loading back up seems like a lot more work than just driving where I want to go.  I may buy an ATV one day....maybe.

They say you can measure the complexity and frustration in a man's life by how many internal combustion engines he owns.  One good but slightly older 4WD works for me.


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## sweatequity

*maybe consider*

scouting some spots that are more accessible and buying a cart to haul your deer?

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/hawk-crawler-deer-cart.html

I bought this a few weeks ago and used it this week to haul out a doe. It was amazing! Rolls over logs.

As mentioned, you could be a cheap samurai and just leave it at the club. ATVS are nice but that sound carries forever in the woods. I came close to buying one but I could only use it at the club since I live in a subdivision.

One day I will have some land...


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## blood on the ground

NCHillbilly said:


> There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.



amen! 

I love my old 4x4 truck and old 4x4 atv!


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## NCHillbilly

swamp hunter said:


> An extra 4x4 Truck sitting In the yard waiting for Season still costs $600 a year insurance and Tags ect.
> An ATV is..like free.
> I have all 3, a Polaris 450 , A Polaris Ranger and an 84 CJ 7.
> I like the Jeep best but it never leaves the Lease.
> Coffee cup holders , wipers , heater , windshield , removable doors, big tires.
> No Tags or insurance.



I drive my 4wd truck 80 miles a day every day, it doesn't sit in the yard. Don't want anything else. Around here you need 4wd on the highway nearly half the year, too, unless you like sliding all over the place and doing unintentional donuts and not being able to get up hills.


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## Firepuppy89

You come down south and run some hounds with a 2wd and u may spend most your day in the ditch waiting till the race is over. mine gets used religiously during deer season


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## JohnK

Last couple of clubs I've been in you would be hunting less than 30% the land if you only had a truck. I don't care if it's a 4wd truck or not it's too wide to get down the trails. If there is no trail you can usually ride down enough stuff to make one. I've had new 4wd drive trucks and I never used it much, I use the atv 4wd all the time but then again I'm some where you can't get with a truck anyway. I might as well add that you can get a atv 4wd stuck pretty quick too if you ain't careful.


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## GunnSmokeer

A lot of guys have "an old beater" 4x4 for hunting trips.

I used to.  But that was when my hunting spot was 45 minutes from where I lived.  I don't mind taking that short of a drive in an ugly beater with no A/C and a radio that plays more static than music.

If I had to drive  150 miles to my hunting club, I don't think I'd be making that long of a trip in a 20+ year old  4x4 with a lot of miles on its drivetrain, and putting up with the low gas mileage and lack of creature comforts on the ride to and from the woods.

For that long trip, I'd rather have a nice vehicle, 2WD, modern, in good running shape, towing a trailer with an ATV.   

P.S.  Car insurance rates in Georgia are among the highest in the USA. And the "multi-car" discount with State Farm isn't worth much. It's crazy expensive to have a second registered and insured motor vehicle that you hardly ever use.


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## 280bst

Matter of opinion I guess had 2wheel when younger got a 4 wheel drive and swore never would go back. Got a f-350 dually 4 wheel a 97 Jeep Wrangler 4wh and a Yamaha Big Bear 4wh and I use all of them every week the Jeep is used almost daily and takes me in the woods the 4 Yamaha takes me deep in the woods and hauls critters out to the Jeep and used around the house the dually hauls my tractor and stuff around. I think your best option is get a 4wheeler put it in the bed of truck and go with it


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## NugeForPres

In my opinion, an ATV is hard to beat-if one is allowed where you hunt.


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## telsonman

I would just get a four wheeler and be done with it. If you shoot a deer back in the woods it may be too thick to maneuver your truck back there but a four wheeler usually won't have a problem


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## bloodiarrow68

*Both*

I like the idea of having both.


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## jcannon46609

Little late, but thanks for everybody's opinions! Ended up going with both a 4WD truck and Honda Rancher. Too broke for anything but hunting after that!


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## model88_308

Good on you! You only go around once, might as well enjoy the ride(s)!!


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## snookdoctor

A truck/jeep is worthless for dragging a deer out of the deep woods. A small to mid size 4 wheeler will go through almost anything, vegetation wise. Larger wheelers can be more difficult to maneuver in the woods, but still beat a truck.


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## Son

Our club has gone to golf carts with lift kits and large tires. Amazing where these things will go.  True, four wheelers will go places a cart can't, we have a couple for those chores. Electric carts are quiet and can haul heavy loads.


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## Son

Our hunting area is mostly swamp, as long as the cart motor doesn't go underwater, we're good.


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## GA native

Son said:


> Our hunting area is mostly swamp, as long as the cart motor doesn't go underwater, we're good.



That is very cool.


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## Artfuldodger

I like the electric golf cart idea but do most clubs have electricity for charging?


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## Artfuldodger

Miguel Cervantes said:


> Got some friends over in Bama that buy used Suzuki Samurai's and use them around camp. They're about as small as some of the bigger ATV's and they are weather proof and have heat. Will go about anywhere an atv will. Plus a used Samurai is about $4k cheaper than a new ATV.



I was wondering if anyone was going to mention those things. I think most hunters just leave them at the hunt club instead of buying a tag and insurance as you suggested. 

Some of those Samurai's are expensive with all of the mods. They make rock climber our of them too.

I just saw one of those Samurai's at the store. It was made into a hunting off road buggy. It was one of those with the half removable top. It was camouflaged,  had big knobby tires, a nice winch, and a roll cage. It had a piece of pipe welded to the front bumper to from an angled extension. I guess for someone else to pull it out if it gets stuck. It had nice seats in it.
The seats, winch, and tires looked like they were worth more than the vehicle.


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## drenalin08

biker13 said:


> Get a Honda Rancher,all you will ever need.


What he said


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## transfixer

Son said:


> Our club has gone to golf carts with lift kits and large tires. Amazing where these things will go.  True, four wheelers will go places a cart can't, we have a couple for those chores. Electric carts are quiet and can haul heavy loads.



I just bought a 48volt cart a couple weeks ago,  with new batteries fully charged the cart should have plenty of power for a two to three day weekend of hunting, unless you do a lot of joyriding.  I'm loving the one I bought,  its going to be my " stealth " hunting vehicle ,,, lol


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## GLS

Darkhorse said:


> I will add this from years of experience; "There is nothing more useless than a 4WD truck with street tires and no winch."
> 
> Amen.  A 4x4 without a winch will get one stuck farther away from asphalt than a 2WD without a winch.  I learned this the hard way.  I now have a Warn winch on the  Warn hitch  cradle kit, 10K lbs. capacity, 100' of Spyderwire rope and a 4x4 Sequoia wired for front and back 2" receivers.
> I don't have aggressive mud tires, but with the winch, I get along without them.  Gil


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## Dub

Back when I was in hunting clubs and leases I spent the money on utility trailers and ATV's.

Simplified things.

Public land and buddy's spots.  Trailer and ATV were sold off years ago and I have room in my garage once again for other other stuff.

That being said....I'll always have a 4WD truck.

Drove home this morning from work.

12 miles of rolling hill interstate and 10 more miles of stop & go stoplights and neighborhoods to reach my house.

Not too shabby for a 4x4 that is my daily driver:


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## GunnSmokeer

*Trailer ATV*

I vote for the ATV and a trailer, to be towed behind your 2WD daily driving truck.

A 4x4 ATV is easier to drive though woods, narrow paths and fire breaks, and won’t get stuck in mud as easily as a 3500-lb. truck or SUV.

If you need to carry a lot of gear, consider one of those 4 -WD off road vehicles like the Gator that have a cargo bed.

Using a 4WD as your daily driving vehicle will cost you several hundred dollars in wasted gas, if you drive a lot. Long term repair costs are higher too.


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## NE GA Pappy

late 90's Cherokee jeeps are cheap, keep you warm and will go most anywhere you want to go.  and that 4.0 inline 6 is doggone near bulletproof


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## Son

I've hunted using swamp buggies, 3/4 ton 4/4's, ATV's and Mid size 4 x 4's. If you don't have deep water, a lifted golf cart will do most anything you want. I've added thin plywood front and back to help protect me from rain, and to help hide me if i want to wrap the cart with camo and use it for a blind. Comfortable, room for all your gear. For a small ice chest for food and drinks and had a roof over your head.


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## weagle

Miguel Cervantes said:


> Got some friends over in Bama that buy used Suzuki Samurai's and use them around camp. They're about as small as some of the bigger ATV's and they are weather proof and have heat. Will go about anywhere an atv will. Plus a used Samurai is about $4k cheaper than a new ATV.



I've used, Jeep cj7, 4x4 pickups, modified golf carts, 4 wheelers, 3 wheelers, and side x sides.   I've got an old Suziki Samurai now and it beats them all.  

$4000 will buy a nice one and they are dang near bullet proof.  Also believe it or not, if you need a part they are cheap, readily available and the thing is as easy to work on as a lawn mower.   

I leave mine at my cabin, but I drive it town often.


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## SlowMotion

Nice Samurai Weagle. They are cool little vehicles.


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## ryanh487

As someone who has owned a jeep wrangler for 8 years and also driven around electric golf carts, four wheelers, and UTV's on the same rutted up muddy roads at our hunt camp, I can tell you the following:

-For up front cost and practicality, a jeep is a great buy
-For comfort, convenience, and ease of maintenance a UTV is worth the cash

I'm currently saving to buy a new truck, sell my jeep, and buy a UTV.  When it's really muddy out and the roads are too slick to slow down appropriately when passing over/around deep ruts, the jeep will beat you half to death.  The UTV goes around it with no problem.  The UTV will also fit on a single bushhog pass wide trail without issue, and when you do have to run over something rough the independent front and rear suspension is a major spine savor.


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## buckmanmike

I have several tracts of land spread out up to 10 miles apart. I use my daily driver 4x4 f150 to get to properties and electric cart to cruise around. Need the 4x4 truck on the dirt roads after heavy rains.
  Golf carts need lift kits, at tires and high amp controllers to do the job.


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## Darkhorse

Son said:


> I've hunted using swamp buggies, 3/4 ton 4/4's, ATV's and Mid size 4 x 4's. If you don't have deep water, a lifted golf cart will do most anything you want. I've added thin plywood front and back to help protect me from rain, and to help hide me if i want to wrap the cart with camo and use it for a blind. Comfortable, room for all your gear. For a small ice chest for food and drinks and had a roof over your head.



Nice looking carbine in the front seat. I assume it's a Ruger .44 Auto? Don't see many of those anymore.
I've got one with a Aimpoint SC1000 in .44 Mag. And a matching Ruger .22 also.
That little .44 makes a good rifle for a lot of the thick Georgia woods. Nice and light.


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