ATV for hunting

[Jmcc]

Now this I agree with

you don't need a machine that will go +70Km/h for hunting

my 420 has a govnor for 79 km/h. The older 400's don't have govnor's and will do almost 90km but they get wobbly and generally unsafe

Since it is light and has EFI i can keep with just about everything but +800CC can-am.

In the twisty bits my power steering keeps me right in the pack (if i want to)

 

[Jmcc]

The one add on id recommend to everyone (regardless of what brand ATV you ride) is a good skid plate.

Mine was about $300, every part that it protects would cost more than $300 to replace.

on at least every 2nd ride I hear a "ting" from when that plate hits a rock. i cant imagine how much it has saved me over the years

 

[DVXDUDE]

I also use a 1998 king quad 300 for hunting. Great quads, I tow my 14ft deep haul boat/trailer loaded with about a ton of gear down and up a rocky hill. Super low 1st gear in 4x4 diff lok it just crawls up and down the hill doesnt spin a tire. I have to straddle the ruts from all the big quads that just spin their way up. My bike only has 1600km on it, But they are hard hunting miles as I've never taken it trail/joy riding.

 

[9.3 Hunter]

older model Polaris Sportsman 450 or 500 (2005 - 2009 models) used one for years moose hunting in BC

2014 Kawasaki 750s (loads and loads of power, great 2 up, fits in my truck box, my go to)

2016 Arctic Cat Prowler 700cc Side by Sides (good power, still fits in a 6ft box..)

 

[sherlockbonez]

my 420 has a govnor for 79 km/h. The older 400's don't have govnor's and will do almost 90km but they get wobbly and generally unsafe

Since it is light and has EFI i can keep with just about everything but +800CC can-am.

In the twisty bits my power steering keeps me right in the pack (if i want to)

Mine is stuck at 89.

 

[Butcherbill]

Most guys are over CC'd and over powered in the bikes they buy for hunting. If you are smart and know how to use one properly, pulling out moose is easily doable with something in the 300-350cc range. I'm not saying that big CC is a bad thing, but it's not needed in an ATV that was bought for hunting. I'v owned up to a 700CC fuelie in a Yamaha Rhino and while it was a great machine, my Honda 420 will go everywhere the Rhino went and do it with half the fuel. Some guy just want to have the biggest #*%k on the block.

Agreed, I’ve got an older Yamaha 400 kodiak. I hunt, do farm chores and plow snow with it. I’ve never felt it was under powered, I was using it a bit last year at work as we were short on quads and it climbed some pretty steep rough terrain. In low gear it crawls like a tractor in second and third gear uphill, if it had irs it would be great for work but the solid rear axle isn’t ideal for the rough stuff or steep side hills.

The nice thing with a smaller cc machine is their size and weight, my 400 fits in the bed of my Toyota with the tailgate closed and I can drag the front or rear end around if I need to. It plies snow like a champ.

 

[rifleman338]

Agreed, I’ve got an older Yamaha 400 kodiak. I hunt, do farm chores and plow snow with it. I’ve never felt it was under powered, I was using it a bit last year at work as we were short on quads and it climbed some pretty steep rough terrain. In low gear it crawls like a tractor in second and third gear uphill, if it had irs it would be great for work but the solid rear axle isn’t ideal for the rough stuff or steep side hills.

The nice thing with a smaller cc machine is their size and weight, my 400 fits in the bed of my Toyota with the tailgate closed and I can drag the front or rear end around if I need to. It plies snow like a champ.

Another nice thing about the smaller quads is that when the hang up you can usually muscle them out unlike one of the large CC ones where you had better have a winch or a buddy with you.

Like was said in a previous post, I think a good skid plate or a full set of belly pans is a must and really is cheap insurance. I went with the full front to back kit including front and rear control arms plates. They are the 3/16" thick aluminum Russian made ones from R-O-Y-A-L dist. Half the price of the name brand Ricochet but just as good. I've beat the hell out of them a few times an am able to knock out the dings in a few minutes with a few swings of a hammer on an anvil.

 

[Butcherbill]

Another nice thing about the smaller quads is that when the hang up you can usually muscle them out unlike one of the large CC ones where you had better have a winch or a buddy with you.

Like was said in a previous post, I think a good skid plate or a full set of belly pans is a must and really is cheap insurance. I went with the full front to back kit including front and rear control arms plates. They are the 3/16" thick aluminum Russian made ones from R-O-Y-A-L dist. Half the price of the name brand Ricochet but just as good. I've beat the hell out of them a few times an am able to knock out the dings in a few minutes with a few swings of a hammer on an anvil.

Oh yeah a full set of skid plates is a must, my kodiak has them as well as cv boot shields up front.