Hunting Truck Accessories

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Glock4ever

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I just picked up a brand new Ford F-150 truck and I was wondering what typical accessories for hunting you guys have gotten that are actually worthwhile. I just picked up Garmin GPS with media centre for the nav/music duties (the high end lariat/FX4 luxury stereo was a little rich for my blood). I am now looking at one of these hatchie gun slings for the seats:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_104491____SearchResults

I am looking for a cargo solution for the bed. I am tempted to pick up the ford bed divider but I didn't know if I was going to use it. I am also looking at maybe 2x 20L Jerry Cans, I have an emergency kit and First Aid Kit but I was wondering if there were anything other suggestions like winch (saw a nice one at Costco for 79.99), towing/hauling accessories, etc that I should look at.
 
The best christmas gift I got from my lovely wife last year, was a portable winch kit from costco. 2500 lb, I picked up some scrap steel tube and built a frame to fit into the front stake pockets, nearest the cab. With that little winch, I slid 2 deer at once into my truck ( using a sheet of plywood.). Also works great for winching my sled into the back of my truck as well. I hunt solo most of the time, so I don't have the help to get animals into the truck.
 
I've hunted with hunting buddies' stock 4x2 trucks and improved 4x4s. Mobility and fuel economy aside, the one thing that made all the difference in game handling was a trailer receiver hitch mounted crane. Snag the rear tendons with a gambrel, hang it upside down, clean it, skin it, wrap it and swing it in under cover.
 
If I get the winch, how do I mount it to the truck? I am not a mechanic/body shop dude so I can do basic maintenance but when it comes to mounting to hard points I am at a loss. The one from Costco was rated to 2000 or 2500lbs (can't remember which) and was really cheap. I imagine it would be good for the bed but wouldn't I need a ramp to drag the animal into the bed? I almost never hunt big game solo so I am skeptical if I need it but at 79.99 it really isn't too expensive it is just the mounting question that I am concerned with - makes no sense to pay 79.99 for a winch and pay 4-500 bucks to mount it to the truck, I also have a hard folding tonneau cover if that matters (it may affect mounting)

Cummins: I hear you on the truck, my best friend has a 3500 Cummins diesel which we went hunting the past 3 years with. I was tempted to go Dodge but the fact that they went bankrupt and future uncertainty turned me away - I heard Ram is its own separate line away from Dodge now. Ford with all their rebates (Costco/Manufacturer/Accessories Bonus) made it an easy sell to go with and out of the big 3 seems to be the company best rebounding from the crash. F-150 also has great gas mileage (I commute 100km/day for work) so when I got an additional chunk of change off from the dealership it was easy to justify.

That being said he did pick up a come along because he got stuck up to the door in some backwater spot scouting. He was pretty choked about the 500 bones to have it towed out and having to hike 25km out looking for a hitch to the closest town...

The shovel makes sense - I may have to pick one up. What's the jackall and tire chains for? I am pretty conservative to offroading (don't want to get stuck like my bud) so I tend to avoid the areas where I can't see the ground...
 
A crane may be a bridge too far... we usually clean animals in the garage on a gambrel hooked to a joist. It would be better to start the initial processing in the field (could leave the head, skin, and hooves in the field (that is a PITA to clean up in his garage). If I had a winch could I not just get a pulley and hook the pulley to a tree? If this is the case, getting a winch is starting to make more sense...
 
Chains for backcountry in the ice and snow. Amazing where you can go when chained up. Nice to have along if your in somewhere and it snows a bunch. Jackall can be used as a comealong and to lift up a wheel to stick stuff under it. Also you will hate trying to change a tire in the muck with the stock jack, get the bumper attachment for it as well.
 
If you are planning any amount of waterfowling the best investment other then the GPS you already picked up (spotting) is a good set of floor mats (I prefer Husky Liners) and good seat covers (my preference Marathon).
 
1. Get rid of that factory rubber
2. GPS with ToPo
3. Tow rope / strap
4. Behind the seat rifle rack from these guys http://w ww.hatchiebottom.com/v2007/TruckAccessories.html
5. SEAT COVERS!!!
6. Quality booster cables, the longer the better
6. Cell phone adapter / county map / phone book so can call for permission
7. Upgrade your bulbs in your headlights. The OEM stuff is lame by comparison
8. Floor mats - the bigger, the better/
9. A pimped Quad with all the required racking and ramps
10. Baby on board sign
 
1. seems a bit premature to change the tires. I may once the factory are worn...
2. Etrex Legend - older but still works has top, it is my dismounted GPS.
3. Check - I will look into a set
4. I mentioned that in the first post. I think I will order a set from Bass Pro it is only 20 bucks there.
5. Seat covers? my bud and I have never used these before...
6 (a). I have a set of booster cables but I may look for a longer set as this was a cheapo emergency kit but I may just get one of those portably battery jobbies, most places where I hunt is pretty isolated with nobody passing by.
6(b) Check got this
7. Probably have to go with factory on this as I have pretty decent bulbs right now..
8. I have rubber floor mats that came with the truck, they don't seem need to be upgraded now. I will have to wait and shoot on this one.
9. Can't afford a quad right now the wifey just got a Ford Escape and I got an F-150 so she will cut my throat if I buy another vehicle.
10. Good deception plan, may have to consider this one....
 
Cummins, with your user name, I think your avatar should show a REAL Cummins 4x4!
How about this one?
P1020256-1.jpg
 
10. Baby on board sign
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I interpret those signs as "idiot on board".If the vehicle is in a serious accident,the rescue personnel may expose themselves to extra risk to find a baby that may have been thrown clear in the accident.If there was no baby in the vehicle,they are wasting their time and exposing themselves to risk for nothing.
 
I have not used chains on my 4x4 to date but I have been with guys who did and I am given to understand that you need to chain up all 4 wheels on a 4x4 or you can do damage to the truck. Makes sense to me anyway. Just to let you know - there may be a risk. I am thinking of getting chains myself. One of the limitations is that by the time you get in too deep it is generally too late to put chains on.
I think a winch is the single best idea but also long recovery straps, farm jack, chain saw and shovels.
For myself, (older and ever-wiser) nowadays I try to use 4x4 to correct for minor error rather than to crash the gates of hell. I have a quad and snowmobile for that.
 
I also have a 2010 FX4. I just picked up a DU-HA for under the backseat. Had one in my previous F150 as well. I consider them mandatory equipment now. They have come with gun rack attachments should you choose to use it for that.

I keep jumper cables, a portable air compressor, first aid kit, tow strap and shackles, rags, rope, knife, garbage bags... all kinds of crap really in the DU-HA.

I also just got dark tints, because they look good. And I like no one being able to see my shotgun carelessly thrown on the backseat uncased ;-)

I'm in the same boat as you, I'd like to upgrade my factory rubber but I've only got 1300km on the truck and can't really justify spending $1200 on something like that yet.

Spray in Line-X bedliner. It's my first spray in, always been a plastic tub guy. But it's time to get with the times. So I did it. Time will tell if it's really as tough as 1,000,000 people on the internet say it is.

Accessories for a new Ford? Man, I'll talk all day on this...

Cheers.
 
If you buy a champion winch, you'll get what ya pay for.
Also, winches, like everything else REQUIRE MAINTENANCE.
I'll say that again.
WINCHES NEED MAINTENANCE!
Take the body off, grease all the gears with marine grade grease, use the best gasket maker you can find when you re-assemble.
For the price of a champ 10 000, you can pick up a used Warn 8274, which is a waaaayyyy better winch.
Reciever mount it, and strap 'er down in the bed.
Uhaul will put a 2" reciever front and rear for ya.
Get soem better rubber on it.
Some skidplates.
 
stubblejumper said:
I interpret those signs as "idiot on board".If the vehicle is in a serious accident,the rescue personnel may expose themselves to extra risk to find a baby that may have been thrown clear in the accident.If there was no baby in the vehicle,they are wasting their time and exposing themselves to risk for nothing.
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Relax. It was tongue is cheek:p. I can't have a child seat in my truck, cause that's where the dog sits.:)

Lex said:
For myself, (older and ever-wiser) nowadays I try to use 4x4 to correct for minor error rather than to crash the gates of hell. I have a quad and snowmobile for that.
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You are officially my mentor:cheers:. FYI, where were you last December when I really could of used this little tip, rather than shelling out $5700 (yes, you read that right) in autobody repairs - right after Xmas :redface::bangHead:

Glock4ever said:
9. Can't afford a quad right now the wifey just got a Ford Escape and I got an F-150 so she will cut my throat if I buy another vehicle.
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Neither could I. Still have the scar.
 
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