Hunter ATV

ATV: A Hunter’s Best Friend

Hunter ATVYour trail cam is up, you’ve got your tag for the season, the gun is cleaned and your camouflage is waiting in the closet. It’s hunting season, boys and girls! With so much to prepare in anticipation of cold mornings hot on the trail of a trophy deer, elk, or whatever other animal fills your tag, don’t forget to gear up your ATV, too.

While quads are an undeniably addictive form of recreation on their own, taking advantage of their utilitarian capabilities for the hunting season can make your other favorite hobby that much more enjoyable. Since the on-set of vast ATV popularity in the 1980’s, accessories manufacturers have begun to produce an ever-increasing number of utilities to customize quads, and now UTV’s, or side by sides as their commonly known, for the hobby hunter.

With or without accessories, off highway vehicles allow hunters to scout without an exorbitant amount of walking and access rough terrain that may pose difficulty for traipsing through loaded with gear. Speaking of gear, ATV’s also offer a reliable way to get gear to and from stands or camps that are off the beaten path. However, if you’re looking to trick out your trail ride as the ultimate hunter, here’s a look at some of the best accessories for the job:

Silencing Mufflers

A few different companies produce ATV mufflers that drastically reduce the noise emitted from quad exhaust; which if you’re not trying to scare away the animals, is a nice feature. Specialized mufflers for most ATV models will set you back about $160.

Camouflage Plastics

Because a large red/green/blue lump looks a little suspicious to wild land critters that are keen to hunters, camouflage plastics help your ride blend in to the surroundings. The easiest, and most inexpensive, accessory to transform the body of your off highway vehicle is a graphics wrap that simply adheres over the body panels. Available in multiple designs, these kits produce stellar results for their $150 – $250 price tag.

Gun Racks

Having a secure place to store your firearms while riding to or from your favorite hunting site is a must if you don’t want to pull a “Dick Cheney.” ATV gun racks are available in a wide variety of configurations, including full hard case mounts, or racks that hold your firearms in or out of the case. Prices vary from as little as $50, all the way up to $200.

ATV Trailers

Utility trailers are a great asset for hunters for a number of reasons. Not only can they be used to haul gear, but assuming that you’re successful and bag a buck, bull or boar, they can be utilized to help transport your animal back to the truck. Depending on what you buy, killer deals can be found online, and outdoorsmen and women that are handy with a welding torch often build their own.

With the right accessories, your ATV might be just the tool you need to finally get that trophy mount up on the wall…Without breaking your back in the process.