Antelope hunting vehicle

[midwesthunter]

Will be going to WY this year. Was wondering if we can get buy with a car or if truck is needed. Nit sure unit yet. But looking at 74,73,48. Just trying to save some money on fuel since will be planning on 2800 mi round trip

 

[Broz]

There is no shame in hunting on foot for sure. But I would recommend a good day pack and equipment to de-bone the goat in the field. Then get the meat on ice asap. Wyoming that time of year and in antelope terrain can go from a smooth two track to a washed out drainage that even in a good 4x4 will be challenge to cross. It could snow or rain and the soil an go from dry to gumbo quickly. If you bring a car, make room for coolers for the meat and research areas that you can hunt from a decent road by walking in.

Hope this helps

Jeff

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I would strongly suggest that you take a truck for your hunt. If you get any moisture out there during the time you're out there you will not be doing much hunting out of a car. Other than a few main blacktop highways and an occasional gravel road out there, there are a lot of roads where just a little moisture means having a high profile vehicle, preferably a 4x4, to get around. It would not pay to take a car out there and then not be able to get around during the limited time you will have for your hunt. However, you will find your better animals if you park the vehicle and get off the beaten path to do spot and stalk hunting if you're looking for a good buck.

 

[FURMAN]

While antelope hunting I drive many places cars just will not go. I would not even think about taking a car.

 

[bigngreen]

You can get a car into some backwoods places, if you don't care about it and know when to get the heck out I wonder if a guy could find a rental truck, it may be cheaper than the gas for driving one all the way!!

 

[royinidaho]

The closest thing to a car I would consider would be a Suzuki Sidekick with the biggest tires you can fit on it + a good spare. Hopefully only two people on board, and small folks to boot and don't pack anymore than you can get into the little sucker.

Next best would be something like a Tacoma or so. Better would be a full size p/u w/a back seat and a camper shell of some sort.

I'm from back east and the open county and distances one can get away from services of any kind causes great anxiousness. And I've been out here for more than 40 years.

When the guys mention gumbo they mean real slick, slippery and gooey stuff that without mudders or chains you're pretty much screwed.

I don't know about your hunt areas but our corner of Idaho has plenty lava rock. If so, top notch tires are a confidence builder.

Good luck.

 

[midwesthunter]

Well the car would be a rental so I would beat the **** out of it. We might even rent a smaller SUV like a ford escape. My F150 would only average 15-16 mpg, But we will see If we get a third person to go from over here we will take the truck, or rent a bigger suv, thanks guys.

 

[Nimrod]

I take my 4wd F150 and just suck it up at the pump. I have mud terrain tires and even at that last fall there was a large chunk of the unit I had to stay out of for a day. Most of the county roads I have been down could be pretty hard on a car if you were not extremely careful. I didn't check mileage this past year but drove a bit over 3000 miles and the gas cost was around $600.00. Who knows where prices will be next fall. I would recommend a set of chains too.

Bob

 

[Topgun 30-06]

We always use a 4x4 PU out there and we even needed chains on all four wheels a couple times last year. If you have never been off the main roads out there, and there aren't that many when you're hunting, you can't believe how bad it can get with just a little bit of moisture on them.

 

[midwesthunter]

Thanks guys, sounds like will be taking my truck, hopefully gas prices will go down by this fall

 

[Nimrod]

hopefully gas prices will go down by this fall

I sure hope so!

 

[Topgun 30-06]

You never know what will happen. Prices here is sw MI went steadily down until they were at $3 a gallon for a week or two and then all of a sudden two weeks ago there were two big jumps and it's back to almost $3.70 now. That does not bode well for the summer vacation folks or us hunters next Fall.

 

[mt Al]

Depends where you're hunting. I've hunted out of a Subaru (lez-baru!) for antelope for years with no problems. 25/29 mpg is nice. However, I foot hunt on public land where there are no roads, so I just park next to the fence and jump over and I'm free of crowds. if I was taking two tracks and dirt roads all the time I'd keep your pickup. A car would be a disaster.

My suby looks funny with a few antelope strapped to the roof rack but I don't give a crap. I even took my wife's Toyota Camry with a few freezers in the trunk and bone out the 'lopes and threw the meat in with some ice. Over 30 mpg, Good to go.

If the weather sucks I take the GMC and eat sack lunches for a few weeks to make up the bucks.

 

[midwesthunter]

You should have seen the looks I got with a treestand and two deer heads on top of my suzuki car driving through chicago.