EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

So I haven't even really gotten into the hunting aspect yet, but I'm trying to plan on how my fat ass is going to get around while hunting.  At least until I shed some weight running after dogs, and can run like the wind :).

So question is, as a general rule of thumb, can someone get away with using say a beat up old 4x4 suv with say a wench/decent tires or is most hunting terrain in Texas going to require a true atv.

Asking because I am trying to get going and don't have ton's of money to spend on a $5000+ ATV.  However, there are tons of beat up old 4x4 suv's/trucks on craigslist for under $2000. 

I do see some used ATV's that could be used for hunting under $2K, but not many.

Thanks folks. 

It all depends on the places and region you hunt in. Like West Texas lots of big open spaces and ranch roads, East Texas lots of piney woods. I think what your budget will allow is what you should do, there is gonna be places you cant get either to.

Find u an old honda 300 fourtrax. Put a set of 25" mudders on it and go. U can do this for 2k or so. Had a buddy that was 6'7" and over 600 pounds that rode one for years. I'm talking rode it hard. It will do all u need and won't get u kicked off a place after a rain when the truck starts cutting ruts.


Shotgun
Arkansas

Shotgun, you have a buddy that weighs over 600 pounds? Wow, that is insane

I cant speak for all area's of Texas but in the southeast portion theres no way a truck will do near as much for you as a 4wheeler or side by side.

I guess ideally it would be nice to have both. Right now i'm n the same boat, gotta get creative. Right now i have a broke down 4wd expedition n my yard that needs to go. If i can make a deal with the owner, fix the truck and either sale/ trade it for an atv and a trailer.  Got a co-workers with a nissan truck broke down n his yard, same deal. Use ur wits u can make it happen.

Pblenis, what part of tx r u lookin at hunting in? Like others have said, terrain will dictate the type of machine u should get.

He did. He is smaller now but he is still bigun. He rode his 300 honda fourtrax across a truck scale at the gin one day and I looked at the readout. Him and the bike went over 1200 pounds. He is a big ol boy. Couldn't just stand around a lot but he was very active riding wheelers and just acting a fool. Joker could put down some beer. Me and him put down 92 cans of Budweiser one night. Lol


Shotgun
Arkansas

  well me an my ol hunting buddy ran all over under and through the ranch in east texas in one of them little Suzuki samurai's . he bought it for around 1500.00 . but they ain't much bigger than them side by's . the little Toyota's work good . dang boys ya gotta get out and walk every now and then   lol  .

The samurai is def. the exception to the rule, badass little buggies and i honestly believe i could get by in a sami myself.......maybe someday, it sure would be nice to buy a 2000$ buggy with heat and windows lol.

Hunted with a guy once that had a samurai. It sat on 35" mudders. That dude would walk.


Shotgun
Arkansas

I live 20 miles north of Austin in Hutto.  Smack dab in the middle of tx.  Not sure where I'll be hunting. Still working on finding folks to go with and finding places to hunt.  Of course the 'public' place near me, the Granger Wildlife area, is stock full of hogs and you can't hunt with dogs :).  I see hogs crossing the river or spot where they've been wallering in the mud almost every time I go fishing :).

The variety of terrain is what I was worried about.  We all know texas has it all. 

Im an hr north of u in temple. A guy i hunt with uses his sami n i use a wheeler. Other folks around here use side by sides, samis or wheelers. If u dont mind gettin wet if its raining, cold if its cold n so forth, start out with an atv, asses ur hunting style n either stay with a wherler or save up n build or buy what would work better in the future. U could build a tubular atv with a sami power train and sheetmetal cover the cab n other sensitive areas n spend less than buying a new wheeler

  I hunt from Hutto to Gatesville. You will need a wheeler. You will not hunt a farmers place twice with a truck or suv.

Man I have a buddy on here that's like that too, just not quite as tall...    ;D

I am in the process of building a buggy now. I will post some more pics when i get her done. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/30/3esy4egy.jpg)(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/30/2apuza8a.jpg)

Son of a gun, Travis. I was just telling a buddy about how I wanted to cut the back off a four runner. Keep us updated on the work. I want a buggy to hunt hogs out of and then use it for exotics(and deer) hunters in the winter.

Wow that's gonna be awesome Travis ! Can't wait to see that when it's done.



(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb366/CHRISHEARNE1982/140111%20hog%20hunt%20cypress/3a33e17c353db8f582eeacf53e43c2fe_zps26d9a24e.jpg)

This isnt mine but was used on a hunt I got invited on not to long ago . I was really impressed with it

I really like my Honda foreman
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb366/CHRISHEARNE1982/130928%20hog%20hunt%20with%20mike%20and%20Travis/27c2128b36ba9eab08e0be6a43f948db_zps666c0080.jpg)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb366/CHRISHEARNE1982/130610%20bird%20dog%20gsp%20mark%20Howard%20lease/ae6685577c1bc7358cff80cd388d0b29_zpse227cc4a.jpg)
One on the right ^  sorry for the bad pictures
I wanna say I paid 3,500 for it off of cregslist maybe 5 years ago .. and I've built that rack and added those stiffer yellow springs in the back.

Good luck on whatever you choose

Boy, i wish I'd bought every cheap Sami i ran across when u could get em cheap. You gonna pay a price for a Sami now, dang, they've gone crazy !

Cool thread


Sonny

Lmao that's funny

Dont antagonize him josh! :()

Lol that was sposed to be a grin, dunno what happened