ATVs are a popular tool for modern hunters. Part pack mule, part truck, part tractor – ATVs have so many uses that many hunters won’t go afield without one. Outfitting one to fit your needs is part of the fun. Just make sure that you’re getting everything you need.
1. One of the main things you need to concern yourself with is recovery, both of the machine and yourself. A winch, like a Warn VRX 25-S Winch or Champion Power Equipment winch kit
, or Provantage winch is an essential piece of hardware. Whether pulling your machine out of the muck or pulling that big buck up a steep hill, a good winch will prove to be worth its weight in gold. Make sure you get a big enough one for your machine.
You’ll want 3,500lbs to 4,500lbs for a UTV and at least 2,000lbs for an ATV. They also make loading your ATV on a truck or trailer a snap.
2. You also need to make sure you get back as well. Never go for a ride, even on your own land, without a first-aid kit. Have a decent supply of bandages, gauze, and other first aid essentials. Also make sure you have fire starting materials as well as a lighter or waterproof matches. In a survival situation, you’ll be glad you have them.
3. Always have a basic tool kit for in-the-field repairs as well as a small air compressor and tire patch kit for flats. You also need to wear a helmet, as essential for safety as the seatbelts in your truck.
Tip: Fix everyday flats on your ATV, UTV, lawn tractor, and more by yourself with the Slime Power Sport Tire 22-Piece ATV Tire Repair Kit.
4. ATVs and UTVs offer an amazing amount of cargo capacity, and when you’re headed back to deer camp that can come in handy. There are a lot of options for rack extensions and rack bags available to turn your ride into an all-terrain suitcase on wheels. Hard case ATV cargo boxes have the advantage of being more water-resistant and better for fragile gear.
Soft bags allow flexibility and work very well for resting against during a long ride. I’ve seen more than a few guys using them as pillows while catching a few trail-side ZZZ’s. It’s all a matter of personal taste and what fits your situation.
Kolpin ATV Gun Boot IV5. Carrying your bow, crossbow or firearm afield on your ATV or UTV is pretty easy with the amount of options available. Depending on local regulations, you can get all sorts of gun racks or cases.
I am a big fan of the Kolpin Gun Boot
. Where I live, it is law that all firearms, bows and crossbows must be cased while in transport. The Gun Boot not only is a great case, it slides into a bracket on my ATV for secure carrying.
6. There are a lot of accessories on the market that make life easier when it comes time to ride off into the field come hunting season. Big on my list is lighting. While the lighting system on the TRACKER 700 EPS ATV is great, I can use a few extra watts of light. That’s where the Blazer International Hybrid LED light-bar comes into play. Whether flooding a trail with light while headed out after dark to setting decoys for a morning goose hunt, extra light is not only helpful but also safer.
Bad Dawg Accessories GroundHog Max7.
I do a lot of food plots around my property and have come to swear by the Bad Dawg ATV/UTV GroundHog Max disc plow. It is compact, inexpensive compared to other plows, and it works really well.
8. Other things you need are good ramps for loading and unloading your machine and a good set of tie downs to secure it to your truck or trailer. I value my money and the money I spent on my ATV. They’re not cheap, so good tie downs are a sound investment.
Tip: Shop ATV accessories for ramps here
Above all, be safe and enjoy your time in the field aboard your ATV. They are great tools to get the most out of this hunting season and all the ones down the trail.
Having your ATV properly set up for hunting can make the hunt easier, safer, and much more enjoyable.
Different types of hunting require different types of gear. This post lists various accessories to consider when modifying your ATV to your ideal hunting rig.
ATV exhausts are typically quite loud. Luckily, there are ways to make them quieter, like installing a muffler silencer. Popular alternatives are the Kolpin Stealth or the ones from Silent Rider. Note that the latter is not universal but model-specific.
But, even with an extra muffler, the animal will still hear you coming from afar. It may allow you to drive closer to wildlife without scaring them away, leaving less disturbance on the hunting grounds. But they will still hear and smell you coming.
Related: How to Quiet ATV Exhaust Noise – Your 12 Best Options
You need a place to safely store your rifle or bow. Some prefer gun racks; others prefer closed boots. Here are a few pros and cons of both types.
Pros:
Cons:
My personal favorite is the Kolpin Stronghold because of the way it easily opens up in the back. Another great alternative is the case from Black Boar, which also features a padded inner lining.
Pros:
Cons:
No need to go fancy when it comes to gun grips. Pack Racks from All Rite Products offer robust, affordable grips and fit most ATVs.
Installing a GPS on your ATV may provide more uses than you think.
Having a GPS will make navigating and familiarizing new hunting grounds easier without getting lost.
You wouldn’t be the first to suddenly find yourself lost in a forest that you think you know as well as your backyard. One wrong turn, and suddenly, you don’t recognize where you are. Having a GPS in such situations can be a lifesaver, literally speaking.
You can plan routes by plotting them into the GPS before you head out. Or even better, you may go into the woods off-season to plan out what routes you will use.
By recording them onto the GPS, they are ready for when hunting season comes.
It’s nice to keep track of important waypoints and other points of interest. Let’s say you must head back to camp to fetch a trailer to haul your game. By plotting the position, you don’t need to worry about finding the animal when you return.
Choose any GPS from Garmin, and you can’t go wrong. I especially like the Garmin GPSMAP 64ST TOPO because of its great cost/value ratio.
Most stock ATV tires offer only mediocre off-road performance. Upgrading to a better set of tires is the number one tip for improving your ATV’s off-road capabilities.
Choose proven all-terrain tires like the ITP Mud Lite, one size bigger than the stock ones.
This will give you:
For really soft and wet conditions, your best option will be replacing your tires altogether and getting a set of tracks instead.
If you’re hunting with others, you need a way of communicating to share with them your location, organize the hunt, and locate the game.
Also, you’ll need a way of communicating with the outside world in case of an emergency. Cell phones are great, but you cannot count on always having cellular service when heading deep into the woods.
Here are some options to consider:
Most people use this option to communicate between the team or group. It’s a cost-efficient, flexible and reliable solution that will fit most needs. Midland offers a great pair with their GTX1050VP4. Get a proper handlebar mount, and you are set.
Some riders prefer having a fixed CB radio installed on their ATVs in addition to the walkie-talkie. With an external antenna, you can communicate over ranges up to 20-25 miles or more under ideal conditions.
Cobra and Uniden are well-known brands that offer a range of popular units, like this budget-friendly Amazon bestseller from Uniden.
The radio unit itself should be installed somewhere it’s protected against dust and water.
Add a waterproof external speaker that can better handle the elements. This one, also from Uniden, gets great reviews.
If you want to save space by keeping the number of units down, I recommend looking into the Garmin Rino 750.
It features the ability to show the location of other Rhino users in your group and a built-in two-way radio. Both of which make it great for hunting.
Satellite communication with the outside worldCommunication by satellite is the most reliable option for always reaching out, regardless of cellular service. Satellite phones are great but expensive.
A cheaper option is solutions like the Garmin In-Reach, which enables you to send SMS or e-mail and an SOS signal via satellite.
The Garmin Explorer + features both satellite communication and topo-map GPS navigation.
You’ll be able to haul a decent amount of gear on the ATV cargo racks. You can even carry a small game if you don’t mind the mess.
That said, adding a proper trailer to your rig opens many possibilities. Our elk-hunting team uses ATV trailers to haul building materials to build permanent tree stands and collect game back to camp.
Not the biggest elk, but it sure was nice not having to pull it by hand to the nearest road, several kilometers away!If your ATV does not come with a winch, you should definitely get one. It is by far the most useful accessory any ATV can have. When hunting, you can use it to:
Hunters always tend to get wet, whether from snow and rain or sweat in the blistering sun.
So you’ll need a place to store dry clothes, as well as your spare ammo, non-waterproof electronics, and other nick-nacks.
There are countless options available. This one from Black widow is a user favorite.
Some riders prefer soft cargo packs because they are generally cheaper, easy to install, and relatively durable while still providing plenty of storage capacity. Make sure you find a robust and waterproof solution like this one from ATV Tek.
Tank bags are great for storing items that you need quick access to in the field, such as
Caution: The bags may get hot if placed over the engine or exhaust.
Stock ATV lights have limited reach and are fixed to where the bike is facing. Some ATVs have handlebar lights that move according to the position of the handlebar. But hunting requires more flexibility and power than the stock bike lights can provide.
By installing a movable searchlight, either manual or motorized, you’re able to:
You could use a flashlight, but with a light that connects to the ATVs cigarette lighter power output, you never have to worry about charging the battery.
Just make sure no one thinks you are using the light to spotlight and hunt game at night. This type of hunting is illegal in most places and carries serious consequences such as large fines and losing your hunting license.
The ideal ATV searchlight should be:
I have not found the perfect light yet, but this is the one I use right now.
I like how it turns by remote. The quality seems about average, but it holds up fine and provides a decent amount of light.
Here is a cheaper manual alternative.
If you prefer a handheld light, there are loads of good options to choose from, like this HID light from Goodsmann.
You will love having heated grips and thumb throttle when hunting in colder climates. I’ve been running this kit from Heat Demon for a couple of years now, and I love it. The Quad zone version can control additional zones for a heated seat, vest, or insole heaters.
If you want to take it one step further, consider getting an aftermarket seat heater. It’s amazing how effective this type of heat is for keeping your whole body warm.
This alternative from Heat Deamon has to be installed under the seat cover, while this one is placed on top of the seat without having to disassemble the seat cover. For an inexpensive, easy-to-mount alternative with no power draw, consider a pair of Kemimoto handlebar mitts.
Deer and boar hunters that don’t want to bring a trailer should look into a mechanical game-loading system like the Tilt-N-Tote Game Loader or the popular Power Loader.
The animal does not always fall somewhere easily accessible. A wounded animal tends to seek vegetation where it can hide. This means you may have to ride across sticks, rocks, and other vegetation to collect your game.
Broken axles from damaged CV bots after running into sticks are one of the most common ATV repairs. A ripped boot allows grease to run out and dirt and water to get in, causing the joints to fail. A set of proper armor plates may prevent this from happening.
With a proper cargo basket, you’re able to carry your gear that doesn’t require weather protection, such as:
Both front and rear options are available. If you need additional cargo space, consider a rear drop-down basket like this one from Kolpin.
A way of camouflaging your ATV allows you to park it closer to your stand without scaring away animals. Here are a few options:
Camouflage patterned ATV cover, like this one from Black Boar.
Installing camp wrap. Most ATV brands offer camo-wrapped models. If you already own an ATV, consider wrapping it up with vinyl camo wrapping.
If you prefer hunting from your ATV, consider getting an ATV Hunting blind. Please note that hunting from a vehicle is not allowed in many places.
If you plan on skinning and processing the animal in-field, consider getting a game hoist kit that attaches to your ATV. This one from HME Products attaches to the two-inch receiver and gets great user reviews.
If you want to save money or don’t find the products you need in the stores, you can always build the gear you need.
With some effort, you can create an amazing rig, as this guy:
In the video, he displays his:
In order for the ATV to work like a clock, the rider needs to regularly carry out a complete maintenance of the equipment. And a key element of maintenance is ATV carburetor adjustment. Over time, the system starts to work incorrectly, which increases fuel consumption, worsens dynamics and other problems appear. So how do you adjust an ATV carburetor? nine0003
The operation and life of the engine directly depends on the quality of the fuel mixture.
The carburetor is responsible for the preparation of the composition, but after prolonged use of the equipment, the settings “go astray”. This results in:
nine0010 Many riders who decide to buy an inexpensive ATV simply do not spare the technique and ignore this procedure. But even if you plan to change your device in 1.5-2 years, adjustment is needed. The reason for this is increased fuel consumption. A quad with an untuned carburetor "eats" 30-40% more gasoline, and these are tangible costs.
So how do you adjust the carburetor on a Chinese ATV? For this you need:
However, it is important to remember that all adjustments are made only with a "clean" carburettor. This means that the rider needs to remove all the dirt from the node and flush the system to remove condensation and sediment from it.
Note: Just before adjusting, the engine must be warmed up to operating temperature.
To set the carburetor idle speed, the float chamber must first be cleared of fuel. To do this, start the ATV, close the fuel cock and wait until the machine stalls (5-10 minutes). To speed up the process, you can take a little ride on the quadric. Of course, gasoline can be drained, but in any case you will have to warm up the device, so the first method of "removing" gasoline is more effective. nine0003
Then:
Read the manual before adjusting the carburetor on a 125cc ATV to be sure. Remember that the location of the bolts is different in different devices, so read the documentation in advance. nine0003
To evaluate the quality of the fuel composition, make a test run. After that, unscrew the candle, and evaluate its condition. If it is:
Also look out for these “symptoms”: damaged tip (electrode failure), oil deposits (damage to rings and caps), chips and inclusions (sign of motor failure).
To adjust the mixture you need to twist the needle cover and pull it out. To get the needle, pull out the cable. After that, move the ring in the required direction (lower - more air, but less fuel and vice versa). Then start the engine and make sure it doesn't stall. nine0003
The last step in adjusting the 125cc ATV carburetor is adjusting the petrol level.
To do this, you need:
Note: Adjust as carefully as possible as system components are very fragile. Ideally, carburetor tuning should be done by a specialist.
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How to adjust the carburetor on an ATV? What to pay attention to? What are the signs of misuse of the device? About this today in our article. Using the proposed instructions, you will be able to set up the carburetor step by step without the help of specialists. nine0003
For stable operation of the ATV, it is necessary that the engine receives the optimal amount of combustible mixture corresponding to its rev range.
Otherwise, the following problems may occur:
What needs to be applied in this case:
Important! Carry out tuning only when the carburetor is cleaned outside and inside, as well as when the engine is warmed up to operating temperature.
Note. The location of the bolts on each carburetor model may vary, so read the instructions that came with your machine. nine0003
1. Start the ATV and test ride. Wait until the engine has completely cooled down.
2. Check the condition of the spark plug. To do this, unscrew the cap and inspect the candle.
What to look for:
3. Unscrew the needle cover at the top of the carburetor. Pull the needle. This is the main element that regulates the supply of fuel to the combustion chamber, since the needle is connected to the gas trigger. When the trigger is pressed, the needle rises, slightly opening the hole for supplying the fuel mixture.
This directly affects the growth of power and speed of the ATV. nine0003
4. Remove the cable, then press the needle to pull it out. The needle has 5 grooves and a retaining ring. By default, it is set to medium. The lower the retaining ring is located, the higher the needle is raised, which means that a lot of gasoline and little air is supplied. Accordingly, the higher the ring - the less gasoline and more air.
5. Reposition the circlip in the desired direction to optimize carburetor performance. Insert the needle into place. nine0003
6. Start the engine and press the throttle trigger. With proper adjustment, the engine should not stall from a sharp pressure.
And remember, you should resort to adjusting the needle only as a last resort, when adjusting the quality and quantity screw does not bring results.
The performance of a four-wheeler depends on the correct level of gasoline in the carburetor.
