# Bird Hunting Rig - Lets See Yours!



## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

I stole this topic from Fieldwalker, he posted it over on UJ.

Lets see your hunting rig, year, make, model, pro's, cons!


2000 Chevy S10 Ext. Cab, 3rd Door. 100k

Pros:

- Goes anywhere
- Good ground clearance
- Reliable (so far)
- Nice compact size, but plenty of room
- I beat on it, and it still works
- Great Suspension
- Very affordable as a used Vehicle and to repair, compared to the Toyota's ext.....
- Dog smell stays in Back not in cab like an SUV. 

Cons:

- Gas (anywhere but the high way)
- Only big enough for 2 adults and 3 dogs
- Chevy "rattles" everything from the AC, to the cup holder.
- Not the best pick up speed
- Tail Gate straps (broke)


I have the truck outfitted with a home made truck vault, it carry's guns, and supplies in the fall, and fly rods and fishing equipment in the spring. Really helps with storage, two dog kennels go on top, a medium Kennel goes in and out very easily if you need to add three dogs. I wish the windows on my topper were shop windows rather than slides. 

Over all this is a great truck for the hard core bird hunter with one partner and a couple three dogs. It has not given me a lick of trouble outside of basic maint. I have the fluids and good oil changed consistently, did the rear breaks myself. All the basic stuff. I hope to get 175k out of it, before it starts to nickel and dime me.
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## lowavenger96 (Dec 8, 2004)

2005 f-150 4X4 

PROS Newer truck 
Never had anything major happen yet 
traidding it in on a 07 this week
It fits my doggy condo good 









CONS
Lease do I need to say more 
Affraid of scraches due to lease 
4x4 will just get you more stuck


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## Hammerin' Hank (Nov 1, 2005)

Who's afraid of high gas prices  ?
Hank's riding in style again, although you can barely see him.









Traded in the the 2004 F150 FX4 for a new 2006. Gun dog sticker extra









They now come with the longer bed, about time. Now I have to start customizing it for hunting season.









Sean


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## BarryPatch (Jul 21, 2004)

Nice truck hank! A little too clean though.  I drive the same but dark red with a Vizsla colored interior. Plenty of room for dogs and guns inside and all the dirty stuff out back. 

999 - I'll have to make the next one a good one!


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## pporonto (Oct 8, 2003)

If it is gas prices you are afraid of, look at this baby... I seen it at an all setter field trial!!!











Personally, I do not have a nice rig yet, but I do have a jeep that will go where I need it to go... some of you guys have great rigs...


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## Hammerin' Hank (Nov 1, 2005)

BarryPatch said:


> Nice truck hank! A little too clean though.


Just picked it up last week, haven't had time to give it a proper Mud Baptism:lol: . I debated whether to put a on a cap like SHF's nice set-up, but decided against it. I know I'll regret when Hank meets his first skunk but an insulated kennel should do the trick, along with always keeping the ingredients for skunk wash handy. Designing a backseat box similar to SHF's truck bed box to keep valuables secure. Anyone have something like that?

Sean


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## Tecumseh (Aug 13, 2004)

Hammerin' Hank said:


> Designing a backseat box similar to SHF's truck bed box to keep valuables secure. Anyone have something like that?Sean/quote]
> 
> There are quite a few people that have boxes. Here is mine.


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

Hank,
If you are looking for a custom bed box there is a guy on Upland Journal selling one for $350 I think, and its sweet!

My rig is a '06 Chevy crew cab 4x4. Nicest truck I've ever owned.

*Pros*
Its ultra quiet on the highway
Rides very smooth
Been getting 19+ mpg on the highway windows up, air on, 3.42 rearend.
Tons of space for all my upland paraphanelia.


*Cons*
Its a big sumbeetch, tough to turn around in the woods.
Been stuck once already, it's heavy.
Only fits in my garage if I back in.
Tough to park in metro Detroit mall parking structures.


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## Duece22 (Mar 30, 2004)

Rig:2004 Chevrolet Colorado-Crew Cab Z71 off road

Pros-Goes anywhere I need to take it and more
Good ground clearance
Good gas mileage
Lots of room
Smell of dogs stays in bed
tough


Cons- Not much in my eyes, could have a bigger bed, but at this time suits me perfectly.

I love my truck, I have beaten the hell out of it off roading on hunting trails and silver lake. It gets great gas mileage, fits me and three buddys with 3-4 dogs. Idealy for a trip will fit three people and four dogs. It is a smooth ride with plenty of pick up for a truck. I have a custom built vault in the back as well that holds all my guns and supplies and fits the kennels on top. As I said I love my truck, it has no upgrades except for tires and some good floor mats so Steelheadfred doesnt ruin my carpet.


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## Hevi (May 18, 2004)

lowavenger96 said:


> 4x4 will just get you more stuck


Or...if you use your head in the first place, it KEEPS you from GETTING stuck.

I don't have any pics of my rig on hand. 

*2004 Grand Cherokee...*first thing I did was put BF Goodrich All Terrains on it, just like every other vehicle I own.

Pros:
-Good mileage
-Folding back seats, makes for plenty of room for guns, dog boxes, water jugs, and gear...
-Manueverable in the woods
-Dependable...and dependable 4X4
-Nothing super fancy...just a nice rig.

Cons:
-It's an SUV

This is my 2nd GC and I love them. I keep it clean, so I don't have the problem of a dog smell when they aren't in it, but I worry about the bout with a skunk eventually.

Fritz...during hunting season, the cab of your truck smells worse than my dog crates. :lol:


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## Tecumseh (Aug 13, 2004)

Duece22 said:


> Rig:2004 Chevrolet Colorado-Crew Cab Z71 off road /quote]
> 
> One of these days I'll probably get a Colorado like yours. Seems to be just the right size and enough ability to get in and get back home.


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## festeraeb (Sep 4, 2005)

Steelheadfred said:


> I stole this topic from Fieldwalker, he posted it over on UJ.
> 
> Lets see your hunting rig, year, make, model, pro's, cons!
> 
> ...


If you have an E85 station near you I believe the 2000 was already set up to burn E85........ Most S-10's even though they didnt advertise it were ready for E85 from the factory from 1999 - 2002

I have a 2003 s-10 that I built a dog box for. However both the truck and the topper has a slidder has anyone seen any fans that will fit in those windows. I was thinking for hot days being able to move air back there. 

Pros
Good on gas 
Holds dogs in the back
3rd door extended cab still leaves me room for tent guns ect.
more ground clearence than a car

Cons
2wd
having guns and ammo in the cab (can be remidied)
No Climate control for dogs on really hot or cold days


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## SteelSearchin (Apr 8, 2004)

Here are my two favorite grouse rigs. The first is the vehicle that I learned to drive on when I was eleven. Its a 1954 red Willys Jeep. It has proven over and over that it will go anywhere. If you do manage to get it stuck, theres a winch to get you out (or pull large fallen trees off the road). It has carried a few grouse and deer down two tracks over the last 52 years, and still *does it all on the original tires*! 










This second rig is my car. (2000 Subaru Outback) For two guys and a dog or two, this vehicle is ideal. It gets decent gas mileage, has room for more gear than you would think, and goes everywhere I ask it to. When I bought it, it was almost three years old with 21K miles on it. Over the last four years, Ive bumped that number to 133K and its still going strong (although this one is on its third set of skins). With a little luck Ill get another 100K on it, and it will hopefully put my old man and me into a few more grouse this fall.


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

Hevi said:


> Or...if you use your head in the first place, it KEEPS you from GETTING stuck.
> 
> I don't have any pics of my rig on hand.
> 
> ...



I think your Grand Cherokee is the nicest SUV I've been in, plenty of room, quiet, smooth ride, can go anywhere. I'll second the smell of Fred's truck cab, pretty gamey.....

Forton, that Willys Jeep is a pretty dam cool ride!


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## HarleyP (Mar 4, 2004)

I can't help but think of that Colorado commercial with all the guys packed in it and one of them singing Shania Twain when I see them going down the road. Such a happy truck.


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## Duece22 (Mar 30, 2004)

Hevi said:


> Fritz...during hunting season, the cab of your truck smells worse than my dog crates. :lol:



Very true, not sure it matters that he has a truck bed for the dogs. And then when he gets in trucks of people who care about keeping it clean and smelling nice, he thinks it is his and trashes it


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## Hammerin' Hank (Nov 1, 2005)

That is one sweet ride Steelsearchin. We've been looking for something like that for years. We're now looking for an old double cab Ranger or S10 which we'll cut off the roof and B & C pillars. Won't have the nostalgia factor though.

Sean


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## Drifter Saver (Sep 13, 2005)

I have shown this before, but I have now had time to truly see its benefits (and negatives):










For big trips and lots of dogs it is absoutely awesome. It has four dog holes, is fully insulated, 20 gallon pressurized water tank, temp. controlled fan, and my quad fits in perfectly. I can sleep in it (and have) also. My cot fits just right!

The only negative is its size. It is a little big to go into the backwoods, but as long as I have the truck with the cap on it, I can fit a couple of kennels in the back to go further in.

I will be hauling it to Iowa and Colorado this year, and I imagine that It will work great for those trips. I didn't want to spend that much, but I can always sell it if I had to. When this rig pulls into the bird lands, the feathered friends best be getting ready for a whooping :evil: :evil: :evil: ...


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## midwestfisherman (Apr 19, 2001)

Nice rig Drifter!


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## Hevi (May 18, 2004)

Duece22 said:


> Very true, not sure it matters that he has a truck bed for the dogs. And then when he gets in trucks of people who care about keeping it clean and smelling nice, he thinks it is his and trashes it


I empty out the passenger side everytime he rides in it.......


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

Hevi said:


> I empty out the passenger side everytime he rides in it.......


Dorito bag? Empty 20 ounce Mountain Dew? Otherwise known as "Contraband"?


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## Lucky Dog (Jul 4, 2004)

Not mine, but this is the ride that takes me quail hunting every year.










It is a sixtys Jeepster with a few mods.

Pro's:
Goes any where
Gun rack on hood
Cooler mounted on upper deck
v-6 engine
automatic transmission
Holds six dogs (if he owned short tailed dogs he wouldn't need that many  )
Carry's 10 gallons of water
carry's up to five gunners
new for 06, bimini top for upper deck riders

Cons:
Not street legal
Carries long tailed dogs


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## Duece22 (Mar 30, 2004)

GVSUKUSH said:


> Dorito bag? Empty 20 ounce Mountain Dew? Otherwise known as "Contraband"?


Dont forget the chew spitter, sometimes it is combined with the Mt. Dew bottle and can be hard to notice.


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