ATV advice

[Brad Jerman]

This is the first year I will be hunting with the use of an ATV.

What tips can you provide on where to park in relation to your stand, transporting deer, etc?

[eschatts]

I usually leave atv at truck and walk back and get it when I need it. Don't like to ride in and make alot of noise. I guess it depends on how far you have to go.

Ed

[Jimmy]

Where I hunt in Noble County, I go about 500 yards in on a logging road and take the key with me.

The locals know me and that that is my 4 wheeler......so I'm never concerned about someone stealing it. But ya never know.

What kind of wheeler ya got, Brad?

[Buckmaster]

At my place in SE Ohio we have between a 1/2-3/4 walk into strip mine country. Lots of high walls and steep grades, etc. We typically ride the bikes within a couple hundred yards, park them, and walk to the stands. The ATVs do a great job of dragging them out with the ATV cart behind it. Everyone rides ATVs down there so the wildlife is basically used to the noise. In hunting NE Ohio the tracts are much smaller so I elect to walk in and walk out. If successful I'll travel home to get some help or pickup my ATV.

[Thunderflight]

How do you keep the smell of exhaust and oil off you?

[Brad Jerman]

Originally posted by Thunderflight
How do you keep the smell of exhaust and oil off you?

Ride fast!

Don't know, that one just one issue I am wondering about.

Walking is not really feasible. It is a large property 1200 acres, and I'll be hunting the opposite side from the entrance.

I bought a 1997 Yamaha Big Bear 350. So far it been a great vehicle. Lots of fun too.

[Jimmy]

Originally posted by Thunderflight
How do you keep the smell of exhaust and oil off you?

Drive naked and change when you get there.:D

[10Gauge]

Brad,

Depending on where I hunt I'll either hike in and use my ATV strictly for retrieval or I'll park several hundred yards from my stand (or blind) and hoof it!

On 2 different occasions I had deer spot my ATV (about 100 yds away) and bolt! I know other guys who ride them right up to their blinds or stands and have had deer simply pay no attention to them?!?!?

[sycamoreredneck]

Hey Jimmy,
If some one steals your bike while your huntin in Noble County just get Landon T. Smith, county sherrif at large. He will track down the theives!!!! He's my uncle!!!

[Jimmy]

NOTED!!!

Thanks for the info, redneck!!!!

[tuffshot]

redneck,

Wish you Uncle would come down here our sherriffs department does little if anything to find all of the stolen 4 wheelers down here. And believe me there have been alot. And mine was one of them..:mad:

So I just use my Jeep Wrangler to do most of my off roading and hunting recovery..:)

[Jimmy]

Originally posted by tuffshot
redneck,

Wish you Uncle would come down here our sherriffs department does little if anything to find all of the stolen 4 wheelers down here. And believe me there have been alot. And mine was one of them..:mad:

So I just use my Jeep Wrangler to do most of my off roading and hunting recovery..:)

Do they do anything about JEEP recovery? :D

Sorry..... that might not have been funny.

[countyroad]

Brad,
Do you find it easier to get permission to hunt certain woods now that you've taken that wall hanger?

I have a Honda Rancher, but I've never taken it with my hunting. I just drive up to the field when I get a deer and drag it out. I would never think of driving it in either. I like to be as quiet as possible.

[tuffshot]

It's Ok Jimmy

Probably not, I bought the Jeep instead of another 4 wheeler as the thefts in our area were rampant at the time. Also built a garage with steel rods running thru the floor to chain anything down I didn't want stolen. 4 wheelers are still one of the top items stolen and Hondas are at the top of the list...

I have even heard of a couple being stolen right off of the owners truck while hunting:eek: :eek: :eek:

[Trumbull Archer]

Hey Brad. I bought a Suzuki Vinson this summer,and will also be using one for the 1st time.Already used it to move stands early on,and it sure carries the corn and feed for my feeder a whole lot easier then I have in the past.. But I think for the hunting season I'll just keep it on the trailor while I'm hunting,cause at this point, being new I might get tempted to ride more then hunt:)
T.A.

[OHBOW76]

Good question posed to Brad Jerman countryroad......I was wondering the same thing.

[Tufelhundin]

Originally posted by Thunderflight
How do you keep the smell of exhaust and oil off you?



I use good ole military issue gortex top and bootoms......once I get there I take it off and lay it across the 4man, atthe end of the hunt I hang the gortex out to "air out"...not perfect but as good as I can get.

during the hot part of the season if its dry I'll take my truck to within a 1/2 to 1/4 mile, I have to kill two does before I can take a buck so I usually hunt easily accessable places and tend to try and not get into the woods until my two does are taken. By then it has cooled alittle and the gortex is not too hot.

[Thunderflight]

I'd love to have an ATV to recover deer with. We always used by friends neigbors quad to haul deer out of the woods behind his house.

Aside from that I just can't see using one. Alot of this is ignorance on my part because I've never had an ATV or lived in a place were I could use it enough to justify having one. We can't use them on base and there's no place to ride on at my house.

Seems to me that if your sneaking into your hunting area you would want to be as stealthy as possible. I'd be afraid of noise and getting oil or gas on my boots. I guess you could always change, but then that's just that much more crap you have to hawl.

1200 acres is alot of walking though and it would save you alot of time and sweat though.

We used to hunt a base in Maryland that was 1600 acres. I had several friends that would ride mountain bikes back to their hunting areas.

[Brad Jerman]

Originally posted by countyroad
Brad,
Do you find it easier to get permission to hunt certain woods now that you've taken that wall hanger?

Truthfully, I have not spent much time asking for permission this year. I also have not used it as a leverage point.

My thinking is that I am primarily a meat hunter and a family man, and that is what I most want to publicize.

Most people I know believe "trophy" hunters spend too much time away from the family and are selfish egomaniacs...

Do you guys think I should mention it as part of my sales pitch?

[eschatts]

Do you guys think I should mention it as part of my sales pitch?

I don't think you should mention it. At least I wouldn't do it. I am sure you do what you think is right.

Ed

[countyroad]

I wouldn't mention it. I actually didn't expect that you would mention it either Brad. I didn't know if maybe someone recognized you from your "magazine spread" and allowed you to hunt because of your notoriety.


P.S. I'm not being bitter about "magazine spread." I'm actually just making a funny. Never thought you'd be a "centerfold" did you? LOL

[Buckmaster]

Brad, a Centerfold? Let's not go there :)

[Brad Jerman]

I thought that that was such a long time ago that no one would remember... I guess I was wrong. :eek:

[10Gauge]

TF,

I did that mountain bike thing one spring for turkey season....it nearly killed me!!!

I considered leaving the bike at one point and hiking out!

One must be in really good (Marine Corp) shape to go the mountain bike route.....I've seen Brad and I'm not sure he can even ride a bike!:D

Better stick to the ATV, Brad! LOL, but I would love seeing you drag a deer with that mountain bike!

[Airwave(OH)]

Brad I have a Suzuki Vinson and for some reason I always feel I have to hunt the furthest place away from camp. I use the quad to get to my stand and back. I don't drive right to it though, I park 100yds away from where I enter. I usually make sure I go plenty early so as to let them get over it. If you've ever been in the woods and had someone on a quad approach, it's surprising how close they are before you really hear them, also how soon you lose them once they pass. I have drove right up to deer and had them just look and stare IF I'm outside the woods. Inside is a different. I 'm seriously thinking about adding the "Stealth Muffler" to it to make it even more quite. I'd give it a try, I think you'll be fine. I don't know where everyone is getting all this smoke and gas from. They must be riding 2 strokes. Mine don't smoke and don't leak gas.

[dsump]

I took a doe in Oct . I had my atv parked 20ft from my stand along a tree line and arrowed the doe in the woods. The atv was at my back. Its bright red by the way. I did spray it down with some home brew scent eliminator. Cheaper that way.

[SP Scout]

Went hunting with a friend last winter. We rode his atv to the spot. He dropped me off on it, I sat on a log, 5 minutes later 3 doe come by followed by a buck and the buck was no more. Shot him from the ground from about 4 yards. Play the wind right and if they are rutting you dont have to worry about the scent at all.