Quad hunting tips please

[Junmity]

Looking for some advice on how to effectively hunt from a quad

do you use it to get into an area then walk far away from it?
do you ride road side looking for game on the road? if so how fast do you go and would you typically see animals walking dow the road? crossing? or feeding in the ditch?

leave the motor once you spot?

having a hard time fining advice on this topic.

thanks!!!

[hawk-i]

I use my quad for scouting and to get me into an area, also for packing the animal back to the truck when I can. The sound of a quad running at low rpm doesn't really seem to bother game all that much (at least in the areas I hunt). The best use for a quad is covering a lot of area looking for fresh sign and your next hunting spot....have fun!

[Mishka]

I generally use it to get into areas and then walk from there. - Saves on abusing the truck. Last year I was riding out of an area and a 3x4 buck crossed the trail ahead of me. I managed to get him on the hillside. He didn't seem too concerned about the quad as he was more interested in the doe he was following. I lucked out on that one.

[guest]

Go as fast as ya can but safely ........ loaded clip in pocket ........ while scanning surroundings for critters ........... practice disembarking .................. and loading quickly

Remember...........

Safety Never Takes a Holiday .........

Watch out for Flat Nosed Log Haulers ...........

CT

[Junmity]

What speed would you recomend when scouting? I often see vehicles driving slowly looking into the woods..... heaps at Pennask Lake 3-12 this past weekend.

[Junmity]

leave the motor on or turn it off when animal spotted?

[BearStump]

1.make sure that you dont run those big knobby mudders. They make a rough ride and hard to shoot acurately while still rolling.
2.dont use a Kolpin gun boot. Takes too long to get your rifle out while seated on your quad.
3.get an exhaust silencer. its the difference between a deer hearing you at 100 yds instead of 1000 yds.
4.use a handlebar rifle mount. dont do up the rubber straps cuz you'll have to stop the quad to undo them and get the rifle off.
5.roadhunt at about 25km/h instead of 10 km/h. then you come up on em quicker and they dont have as much time to process your presence and spook.
6.look at deer through your scope, not your bino's. Cant shoot 'em with bino's.
7.They say not to load your gun while riding but really........who cares. you cant shoot a deer without a bullet in your gun right?

[Mishka]

Speed depends on the terrain. I have to tell myself to keep focused on the rough road/trail as I've bucked myself a few times hitting rocks and dips while not paying attention. Recipe for disaster. I turned the quad off when I spotted the deer because I didn't know where he would take me and I didn't want to worry about a running quad back at the trail. As it turned out I wasn't far from the quad, but you never know.

[HarryToolips]

1.make sure that you dont run those big knobby mudders. They make a rough ride and hard to shoot acurately while still rolling.
2.dont use a Kolpin gun boot. Takes too long to get your rifle out while seated on your quad.
3.get an exhaust silencer. its the difference between a deer hearing you at 100 yds instead of 1000 yds.
4.use a handlebar rifle mount. dont do up the rubber straps cuz you'll have to stop the quad to undo them and get the rifle off.
5.roadhunt at about 25km/h instead of 10 km/h. then you come up on em quicker and they dont have as much time to process your presence and spook.
6.look at deer through your scope, not your bino's. Cant shoot 'em with bino's.
7.They say not to load your gun while riding but really........who cares. you cant shoot a deer without a bullet in your gun right?
LOL I know your jokin dude but just so you know Junmity the huntin regs clearly state you must identify the animal first and not with your scope, and ya any kind of transportation from a quad to a bike to a horse you can't have anythin in the chamber or the mag loaded..

[Mishka]

Don't keep your rifle loaded on the quad and don't shoot from a moving vehicle! I didn't even register how long it took me to load a bullet, - it was that quick.

[hawk-i]

1.make sure that you dont run those big knobby mudders. They make a rough ride and hard to shoot acurately while still rolling.
2.dont use a Kolpin gun boot. Takes too long to get your rifle out while seated on your quad.
3.get an exhaust silencer. its the difference between a deer hearing you at 100 yds instead of 1000 yds.
4.use a handlebar rifle mount. dont do up the rubber straps cuz you'll have to stop the quad to undo them and get the rifle off.
5.roadhunt at about 25km/h instead of 10 km/h. then you come up on em quicker and they dont have as much time to process your presence and spook.
6.look at deer through your scope, not your bino's. Cant shoot 'em with bino's.
7.They say not to load your gun while riding but really........who cares. you cant shoot a deer without a bullet in your gun right?

LOL, you forgot to mention cutting a shooting rest in the middle of the windshield and bungie strapping the rifle to the rest...why waste time having to removed the rifle from a mount when it can be mounted ready to use....semi's work best with this approach. Oh,and I think the 5 round rule was really only more a suggestion on mag capacity than actual law.
if you go fast enough to can also prolly catch dem dare bush chickens wit yor hands too! no wasting boolits dat wayz.

[Ambush]

Becoming a real quad/road hunter takes discipline.

You must develop the ability to stay seated, dead weight, on the quad's seat, at all times. The only exception is when you stand and gaze sideways to give an approaching vehicle the impression that you are actually looking for something [ therefore hunting].

You never get off the quad. You must learn how to pee, twisting and thrusting your hips forward. Get used to the smell on your boot and step.

Get hand warmers. Get beverage holders.

[Big Buck Killer]

Hey! I usually use the quad to get to my destination, then walk from there or to scout new area. I used to keep a .22 in the scabbard in case of grouse, but found that the scope gets jarred too much and I have to sight it in again. Now, I keep a 410 bungeed on the front rack. When/if I spot game, I pull of to the side right away and shut off the quad, placing my key in my pocket, just in case you decide to go for a little stroll right away. That way other hunters/ users of the trail/road have a way to get by and wont have an easy time taking the quad away from you if you go for a hike.

[Buckmeister]

Speed depends on the terrain and your familiarity with that terrain. Sometimes you can travel 5 km/hr (good for unfamiliar territory) or 25 km/hr and spot game. I've spotted game at fast speed before and will do it again. One technique I use that I call "stealth mode" has worked for me quite well in the past is this, when going downhill, if the road is steep enough, I get the bike up to a certain speed then shift it into neutral and then shut off the motor and coast. I've rounded corners and surprised many a mule deer, sometimes rolling right by them at about 10 feet without them spooking, bucks and does. One time I was rushing to get to a certain area before dark so I was at a quick pace and came around this corner and saw a 4x4 white tail just off the road. I hit the binders and slid to a stop just 15 feet from him. We watched each other for about 3 minutes or so. It was the rut and he was preoccupied with a doe that was hidden behind some trees. In general, the put put put of a quiet quad won't spook game that are used to seeing quads. For those that are not used to quads, some will stick around to see what it is, and others will high tail it out of there PDQ. I've spotted mule deer, white tail, moose, and elk on a quad and not have them bolt away, sometimes very close and sometimes far away, and others you will only see their hind ends hoping into thick cover if your lucky.

But if I spot game on a quad and they have seen me, once I get off the machine and start walking, that is when they get super spooked, so I tend to just get off the machine and stand beside it if I'm going to shoot them.

[BearStump]

Yes, totally joking.
But on a little more serious note. I didn't realize how loud quads were untill you follow one behind. they are bloody loud even at an idle. I'm sure that an exhaust silencer would help. I've come up on animals right on the fsr and surprised them while in a ford ranger. quiet as heck. but that doesnt happen on my quad.
I noticed the noise difference just the other day, I was sitting quietly on the edge of a marsh inside a large patch of trees. about 500 yds from the nearest fsr. It was quite a difference between a quad and a truck with the noise and how far I could hear them coming from.
Not bashing quad hunting at all, I do alot of it. but recently I've been thinking that my next quad will be smaller, like a 350 or 400cc. and have a silencer too. my buddy has a new can-am 650 and its got a ton of power but you can hear that v-twin at an idle from a long ways away.

[IronNoggin]

Yes, totally joking.
But on a little more serious note. I didn't realize how loud quads were untill you follow one behind. they are bloody loud even at an idle.

LOL! I actually don't mind the quad hunters... WHEN they stick to roads and trails and do NOT tear up the habitat creating "new roads". The damage I have seen first hand in the latter situation is why I say this...

As for the "noise" aspect, that is exactly why I don't really mind them... at times.
I am first and foremost a Still Hunter, vastly preferring my boots and ears to all other forms of hunting. Second nature is the Ambush, usually preceded by an investigation or two by the former method.

A simple example here:

Last season my Bowhunting Partner and I were carefully working an area, when I heard one, then a second quad approaching (at more than a little distance). At that moment, I was studying a group of deer, about 50 to 60 yards distance. ALL of them went on Red Alert before I heard anything. It was they who informed me something was approaching. As the quads closed, they quickly moved away from the trail and hid rather well behind several screens of bush. I studied their reaction as the quads went by, as in turn they studied the passing vehicles. Once the quads had passed, they resumed their feeding back into the open rather nonchalantly.

Within 15 minutes, one of the does picked up her ears. Something else coming? This time a smaller truck of some sort. The herd's reaction this time was MUCH less dramatic, and in fact they did not melt back into the timber until that vehicle was almost upon them.

Surprising difference IMHO, and a bit of a Learning Curve for me.

This situation occurred immediately after rifle season had ended, so perhaps these animals were educated as to what a quad coming into their territory represented. Or perhaps they have been educated to that fact by a series of years of the same in their area... What it did say to me is that those quads can sometimes be rather useful in pushing the critters right back into where I am Ghosting...

One thing for sure, they did NOT recognize the soft, well placed step of one who gets off a machine to conduct his business out there :twisted:

Cheers,
Nog

[Wade]

What speed would you recomend when scouting? I often see vehicles driving slowly looking into the woods..... heaps at Pennask Lake 3-12 this past weekend.
How fast do you think tou should go????........remember.... You're looking for animals

[haber]

Quads are a great way to get to hard to get areas...especially if the mountain is full of jacked up trucks cruising the roads. I use mine all the time to get into old overgrown roads that they can't access. If you're hunting from the quad 10-15 kph is a good speed. If you do spot game I wouldn't recommend shutting the engine off. They've heard you coming from a long ways away and haven't spooked. Going from all that noise to silent seems to put them on edge. I've had does at 50 yards walk towards me trying to figure out what I was.

[Mishka]

Do those silencers have any effect on performance? How well do they work?

[haber]

Do those silencers have any effect on performance? How well do they work?
ive never tried one or seen one used in 13 years of hunting.... I would say save your money

[Cookie1965]

Quad hunting? Should be easy, I see those things all over the place. When are they open?

[ru rancher]

Quad hunting? Should be easy, I see those things all over the place. When are they open?
hahahaha actually made me burst out laphing love it cooks

[IronNoggin]

hahahaha actually made me burst out laughing love it cooks

X TWO! http://forum.flybc.ca/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif

[*bcgold*]

Quad hunting? Should be easy, I see those things all over the place. When are they open? sept.1st to dec.1st, LoL made my night.
1st) on your key tie about a half foot 100 mile orange tape (easy to find dropped key)
2nd) don't leave any valuables with your quad when you leave it on a hike
3rd) put a hitch on your quad so you can...http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad339/ronb_2010/moosetrailer_zpsc7204c7c.jpg (http://s949.photobucket.com/user/ronb_2010/media/moosetrailer_zpsc7204c7c.jpg.html)

[Duidery]

Here are some of my thought and tips about ATV hunting:

I'm not sure what you're hunting but I prefer hunting moose from the ATV, other than when they are rutting and I can call them in. For elk and deer, the ATV only gets me into the spots, where I can then hunt on foot. I have found that I see more moose and they often don't spook as quickly when I am on the ATV. I find that once they see or hear me while I'm walking, they are usually gone ASAP but often on the ATV, they will stand and look at me longer. I have hunted on foot and on ATV a lot over the years, and I have shot more moose while hunting from the ATV than I have walking. I have also "tested" areas by walking and ATVing the same areas. More often than not, I see more moose when on the ATV.

As for speed, I usually go quite quickly, as much as the trail allows. Once again, this is just for moose hunting where I try to cover as much ground as possible. A moose is pretty easy to spot in a lot of areas so the quick travel speed doesn't really hinder your spotting ability. With quick speeds, I try to get on them ASAP so they don't have as much time to react and escape. I have found that putting along gives them more time to react before you actually approach them.

I almost always stand while hunting from the ATV. I have often seen moose while standing up where I wouldn't have seen them while sitting. With all the rolling hills and undergrowth, I have found that the extra height allows you to see much more game than if you were sitting.

Another tip I have is to leave the ATV key hidden somewhere near where the ATV is parked, like under a log or rock. My thinking is that as long as I remember where I hid the key, there is no chance I can lose the key while away from the ATV. Too many times in the past I have found that ATV keys can easily fall out of pockets or back packs. This year, my dad and I went on stroll after ATVing into an area. We got back to the ATVs and he couldn't find the key because of a hole in his pocket. Luckily the key stuck in the bottom of his pant leg.

As for scouting or hunting with an ATV be careful. Don't ever ATV into one of your "secret spots" if you want it to remain secret. Its amazing how many people will follow a set of ATV tracks and your spot that was once free of ATVs, can soon become an ATV highway. ATV as close as you can, then walk in the rest of the way.

[allan]

LOL! I actually don't mind the quad hunters... WHEN they stick to roads and trails and do NOT tear up the habitat creating "new roads". The damage I have seen first hand in the latter situation is why I say this...

As for the "noise" aspect, that is exactly why I don't really mind them... at times.
I am first and foremost a Still Hunter, vastly preferring my boots and ears to all other forms of hunting. Second nature is the Ambush, usually preceded by an investigation or two by the former method.

A simple example here:

Last season my Bowhunting Partner and I were carefully working an area, when I heard one, then a second quad approaching (at more than a little distance). At that moment, I was studying a group of deer, about 50 to 60 yards distance. ALL of them went on Red Alert before I heard anything. It was they who informed me something was approaching. As the quads closed, they quickly moved away from the trail and hid rather well behind several screens of bush. I studied their reaction as the quads went by, as in turn they studied the passing vehicles. Once the quads had passed, they resumed their feeding back into the open rather nonchalantly.

Within 15 minutes, one of the does picked up her ears. Something else coming? This time a smaller truck of some sort. The herd's reaction this time was MUCH less dramatic, and in fact they did not melt back into the timber until that vehicle was almost upon them.

Surprising difference IMHO, and a bit of a Learning Curve for me.

This situation occurred immediately after rifle season had ended, so perhaps these animals were educated as to what a quad coming into their territory represented. Or perhaps they have been educated to that fact by a series of years of the same in their area... What it did say to me is that those quads can sometimes be rather useful in pushing the critters right back into where I am Ghosting...

One thing for sure, they did NOT recognize the soft, well placed step of one who gets off a machine to conduct his business out there :twisted:

Cheers,
Nog
Ive been bowhunting and seen the same thing, but with bears.

[Quantafer]

You definitely do not want to have a loaded rifle on your vehicle. I came across a CO today on a quad dressed as a hunter, luckily I carry my clip in my pocket. He was a nice guy, but I'm not so sure he would be if my rifle was loaded :\

[Spy]

LOL I know your jokin dude but just so you know Junmity the huntin regs clearly state you must identify the animal first and not with your scope, and ya any kind of transportation from a quad to a bike to a horse you can't have anythin in the chamber or the mag loaded..If you are hunting grouse from a quad its always best to keep one in the chamber. Its pretty hard to load and steer, not impossible though;-). Shooting them on the wing while still rolling is considered sporting. Good luck & be safe. ;-)

[savagecanuck]

I used to hunt mainly walking miles into the bush.That was when I was younger.I am now 53 and have been mostly hunting on a quad for the last 6 yrs.Quads plain and simple are killing machines that can drive right up to your kill and do most of the work .I can get way closer to game on my ATV than walking as they are almost never afraid of it.When I spot something I leave it running and slowly dismount when the game is not looking,load a round and fire.I also like the fact I am not abusing my 70K diesel truck in the bush.I usually travel at about 12km/h but when I go thru a lot of water bars I run in low range at 6kmh.When I shoot a deer I remove my front gun rack and tie it on front rack with legs going down both sides fastened to rear racks with tie downs.\you usually have to tie up the head by the rack or it hits the tires.I then sling my rifle around my neck and proceed back to camp or truck.I usually leave it on quad if day tripping as its easier to sling up in garage from front of quad.I also carry a liver bag.tie downs,wet wipes etc ready for the kill plus a chainsaw to cut my way in if I have to get to game.Another tip is check your CV boots often when going thru broken branch debrie.

[Buckmeister]

Actually, I've had many people say to me they are surprised at how quiet my quad is compared to other machines. It is a Honda.

I can also cover a lot more terrain in one hunting foray with a quad then with a truck, even when I get off the machine for a hike.

[RINO]

1.make sure that you dont run those big knobby mudders. They make a rough ride and hard to shoot acurately while still rolling.
2.dont use a Kolpin gun boot. Takes too long to get your rifle out while seated on your quad.
3.get an exhaust silencer. its the difference between a deer hearing you at 100 yds instead of 1000 yds.
4.use a handlebar rifle mount. dont do up the rubber straps cuz you'll have to stop the quad to undo them and get the rifle off.
5.roadhunt at about 25km/h instead of 10 km/h. then you come up on em quicker and they dont have as much time to process your presence and spook.
6.look at deer through your scope, not your bino's. Cant shoot 'em with bino's.
7.They say not to load your gun while riding but really........who cares. you cant shoot a deer without a bullet in your gun right?

Must be a Newbie...
I see no mention of a cooler strapped on to hold a minimum of 12 beer for the morning hunt.. You never know when a party might break out on the trail!!

[BiG Boar]

Heres a tip. Spend more time off the quad than on it. IMO quads get me to places I hunt. If I happen to see an animal while riding though. It is getting shot. Don't be one of those guys who just drives around all day. The reason you see them driving around so much is because they rarely get an animal and have to keep going. Sure it seems like you cover more ground. But animals have ears, and will likely spook, long before you see them.

[Ferenc]

We just use em for game retrieval...sure does help getting the animal back to camp..still run a 1995 yamaha big bear....had a look at some of the big bores out there with power steering looks like a nice option...maybe down the road I can get collector plates for mine ha ha ha !

[hare_assassin]

We just use em for game retrieval...sure does help getting the animal back to camp..still run a 1995 yamaha big bear....had a look at some of the big bores out there with power steering looks like a nice option...maybe down the road I can get collector plates for mine ha ha ha !

Don't forget some glowing neon crap for under the chassis. ;)

[Phil]

If you are hunting grouse from a quad its always best to keep one in the chamber. Its pretty hard to load and steer, not impossible though;-). Shooting them on the wing while still rolling is considered sporting. Good luck & be safe. ;-)

I have found that If I sit in the rear passenger seat and steer the quad with my feet I can keep my hands free to load and shoot. I have a fish net at arms reach to scoop up the grouse as I pass by. The whole arrangment makes it easier to drink beer an smoke too.

[Singleshotneeded]

[QUOTE=Junmity;1400734]Looking for some advice on how to effectively hunt from a quad

do you use it to get into an area then walk far away from it?
do you ride road side looking for game on the road? if so how fast do you go and would you typically see animals walking dow the road? crossing? or feeding in the ditch?

leave the motor once you spot?

having a hard time fining advice on this topic.

Animals hear trucks and cars all the time on FSRs during the summer camping season, and have grown somewhat used to them. If you're going to road hunt, make sure you have quiet stock type mufflers on your truck and patrol the FSRs, glassing the cut blocks.
A quad's engine noise scares most game, I think it's due to the animals not hearing them that often like they do trucks, and maybe because when they have heard them they were running hard and loud. A quad gives you the advantage of being able to go down trails and deactivated roads where a truck can't go, so you can find some good openings where you see a decent amount of sign(walking pace on your quad-search the trail, and walk around the openings and look for tracks and crap), and then go back there before dawn or late afternoon and hunker down in the tree line with your camo on. Often these spots are far enough away from the FSR that a hunter on foot can't or won't put out the effort to get into them, so you'll have a much better chance of not being disturbed. Park the quad a bit down the trail beside a tree, cable it there, and walk the rest of the way to your stand on foot. If you're going to road hunt, do it from your truck...40kph or so in closed areas, 25kph in open areas, stopping to glass each open area in a grid pattern so you don't miss anything. Hope this helps! :-) Lol, I've heard stories about super talented veteran hunters that sit back on their quads with a beer and a smoke in their left hand, slurping and sucking, steering with their feet, and alternating a loaded semi auto shotgun or rifle in their right hand, blasting grouse and deer as they motor along...but I've managed to avoid them up to now! :-D

[rohall77]

One other thing to consider is learning how to stop the animal with an appropriate call. For deer sometimes a short grunt will stop them long enough to get loaded and get a shot off.

[Wade]

I'll let you in on my número uno secret. It works every time ok, I travel in 3rd gear and I rev the quad up so high that the valves start floating ( deer,moose and elk love that sound) and before you know it the animals come running right up onto the road and towards the quad. It works every time, the animals come within 25yrds

[rides bike to work]

I think all vehicles scare game I see way more out in cut blocks that I walk up to instead of drive. And the nice thing is they don't see me.

Quads have there place for sure like up north and other areas where roads and trails are so bad a truck can't get through.

i hunted with two other guys both had quads and I drove my truck. I saw twice as much game everyday and drove back in a nice warm truck while they came back frozen and bit hen that there's no game in the area at the end of 4 days I bagged two deer and six grouse they go nothin.

If you can drive the roads with a truck it's ware and quiter if the road is to rough for a truck it's probably a good one to walk.

my wife let me buy a quad though so this is how Ive reasoned to myself;)

[keithb7]

My 450 cc single cylinder Honda sure burns a heck of a lot less gas than my 5700 cc 8 cylinder Hemi. The truck gets me to the end of the pavement. The quad gets me everywhere else I want to go then I walk. I'd much rather be out bashing up my quad than my truck. Mud holes, creeks crossings, deactivation ditches, hill climbs, bog, and so much more in any weather on my quad. If I get too cold or wet my truck is there when I get back.

[Hunterguy]

i cannot believe the response to this thread, forum has lost all credidility as far as im concerned, i mean really is this what hunting and discussions have come to lol, wow.

[E.V.B.H.]

i cannot believe the response to this thread, forum has lost all credidility as far as im concerned, i mean really is this what hunting and discussions have come to lol, wow.


I got got a kick out if some of the responses. Let's be honest, it was kind of a silly question.

[Wade]

I got got a kick out if some of the responses. Let's be honest, it was kind of a silly question.
Holy cow there's guys on here that think like I do.

[Junmity]

Thank you all for the responses.

Sorry if it was a silly question EVBH but I'm brand new and I'm just looking to get better. I have a quad and I wanted to know the most productive way to use it.... I've been riding, hiking, spotting, sitting and open to trying anything that helps me get game but in the end, I'd rather look dumb asking silly questions than spend years pretending I know what im doing cause I was afraid to ask.

[E.V.B.H.]

Thank you all for the responses.

Sorry if it was a silly question EVBH but I'm brand new and I'm just looking to get better. I have a quad and I wanted to know the most productive way to use it.... I've been riding, hiking, spotting, sitting and open to trying anything that helps me get game but in the end, I'd rather look dumb asking silly questions than spend years pretending I know what im doing cause I was afraid to ask.


Dont take it it the wrong way, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask! But the truth is there aren't any secret tips to quads. You either drive around looking, or drive somewhere to walk.

[Islandeer]

lol,

there is funny stuff everywhere in life!!

Case in point here...

you could also mount a wind activated deer bleat on yer quad and giver.

[bugleboy]

Quad hunting is not an easy endeavor and can take yearsto master. Patience, perseverance and persistence are of the essence as you'llgo years (more likely decades) without seeing any game. I've experienced dozensof elk bugling sessions that have been royally fudged up by quad hunterstrolling for elk. The routine generally goes something like this; we have thebull bugling and then he stops for no apparent reason. Several minutes later wehear the quad when it comes into human ear shot (depending on the terrain, thiscan be as far away as several km. and across wide drainages). We sit and waitfor 10-15 minutes hoping quad guy doesn't get overzealous with his buglingattempts (sometimes he even shuts the quad off and dismounts and then buglesafter catching his breath). Dismounting typically occurs within the firstseveral weeks of the season because after that, hunter and quad become one andremain as such until surgically removed from one another. I digress. Quad guycarries on and sometimes the elk start bugling again but sometimes not.

Another key to successful quad hunting is surgical tubing or better yet, areinforced exercise band. Simply attach one end to the seat of your quad andthe other to a waist strap safety harness worn by the hunter. This will serveas a safety mechanism giving the hunter a sense of freedom andindependence from his quad without putting him in danger of beingseparated from it. Personally I would start with about a 5-6 ft. length andwork my way up to a maximum of 12 ft. that has an elasticity maximum of 20 ft.Anything beyond that can be dangerous and result in the hunter sufferingfrom quad reactive attachment disorder.

I also concur with numerous other posts which place a premium on speed, beingfully loaded at all times and being able to shoot while in motion.

Happy hunting.......

PS - Let's hope a common sense regional biologist, who has the chutzpah toinvoke more strategic road closures and curb the back country motor mania,arrives sooner than later!

[Mauser98]

I've found this well-written periodical to be invaluable when looking into the finer points of road/quad huning.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v403/Tiagra885/Road_Hunter.jpg

[J_T]

I owned a quad for two years. Loaned it to a friend once and tried using it to access difficult ground once. It sat on the trailer most of the time and I decided to sell it. Fact is, I realized, I didn't 'hunt' off of it. I only explored. My hunting started, when I shut it off and walked away from it.

I think the hardest thing with quad hunting is understanding how much you will probably piss some other hunter who feels he's working harder than you because he's walking. That and clothing, I could never quite match up the colour of the quad. Do I go with a bright red/black outfit, or a green/black? Comes down to the type of unit you drive I guess.

[325]

I love road hunters. They don't compete with me at all, as I'm almost never on the road.

[swampthing]

When I am road hunting and I see an animal I don't stop. I either back up or pass by, depending on which way I need to go for the wind advantage. I drive to a safe distance so the animal thinks I left and then I very quietly sneak back, looking for the animal.

[swampthing]

I was once coyote hunting on my dirtbike. I spotted one at 75 yards. I laid my bike over on its side, laying behind it. I slid the rifle over the bike as I chambered a round and got a kill shot at a very confused looking coyote. I then picked up my bike quickly as all the fuel was running out the carb overflow. Good times.

[M.Dean]

Becoming a real quad/road hunter takes discipline.

You must develop the ability to stay seated, dead weight, on the quad's seat, at all times. The only exception is when you stand and gaze sideways to give an approaching vehicle the impression that you are actually looking for something [ therefore hunting].

You never get off the quad. You must learn how to pee, twisting and thrusting your hips forward. Get used to the smell on your boot and step.

Get hand warmers. Get beverage holders. You Sir, have just described how I've had to hunt for about 3 or 4 years now!!! I do get off the Quad every now and again to pee, maybe walk all the ways around the Quad to check the tires and stretch my leg's, but then I have to unplug my Electric Vest which keeps me toasty warm even in the nastiest of weather, so I'd sooner just take a wizz well standing on the running boards!!! I also have a Electric Coffee Mug, got a HBC sticker on the side, you can see that bad ass thing steaming even in 25 below zero!!! Keeps Hot Rum good and hot in cold weather too! I couldn't live with out my hand warmers and thumb warmer, seen on some web site they make a seat warmer now too!!! Be nice to have the Olde Tushie toasty warm while hunt'in rutt'in bucks in early December!!! But, on a more serious note, I have to hunt from my Quad because of medical issues, I can't walk more than 12 feet with out falling down! And no, I don't shoot from my bike, nor do I EVER have a loaded weapon on it, and nor will you if ever your hunting with me! Used properly, the Quad can be your leg's, as mine is. The last thing you want to do is go speeding past some poor, under privileged hunter who has no Quad and you find him back packing 8 miles up a trail in the backwoods! Slow down, give him a nod and maybe tell him you'll let him know if there's any big Bulls or record Sheep at the end of the trail, now thats being real polite, of sorts! But really, use you Quad to get your ass into places that you think there's game, then park the Quad and do some hiking around! As far as how fast or slow do you go while hunting, if your riding where you can't see shit 20 feet into the brush, drive! But, when you come to some good looking ground, slow the bike down!!! 9 times out of 10, I shut the bike off the second I stop when there critters in view, use the BINO'S that you keep at all times around your NECK, not in your pack or the rear box, find a nice legal animal, and knock'em down, Dead!!! Enjoy your Quad, I couldn't live without mine! Good Luck this season!

[Ltbullken]

1.make sure that you dont run those big knobby mudders. They make a rough ride and hard to shoot acurately while still rolling.
2.dont use a Kolpin gun boot. Takes too long to get your rifle out while seated on your quad.
3.get an exhaust silencer. its the difference between a deer hearing you at 100 yds instead of 1000 yds.
4.use a handlebar rifle mount. dont do up the rubber straps cuz you'll have to stop the quad to undo them and get the rifle off.
5.roadhunt at about 25km/h instead of 10 km/h. then you come up on em quicker and they dont have as much time to process your presence and spook.
6.look at deer through your scope, not your bino's. Cant shoot 'em with bino's.
7.They say not to load your gun while riding but really........who cares. you cant shoot a deer without a bullet in your gun right?

Your forgot to include never leave your safety on when hunting with a loaded rifle...

[Ltbullken]

I use the quad to get around and save wear and tear on my truck. Find good habitat then park quad far off, walk in like hunting with a vehicle. Always be thinking about how you would use your quad to drag a critter out to a road to get your truck to it. Carry strong rope and a swede saw or chain saw on your quad - BIG help in getting around and brushing out a path when a critter is down. Winch super helpful but I've never had to use mine! A pintle ring on your hitch is good for attaching a rope for dragging. Some will drag by hind legs, some by head, your call. If by head, try to get the head/antlers/shoulders a bit off the ground, but not too much or you can make the quad do a wheelie, as it makes dragging easier. Same laws and rules apply as if hunting in a vehicle, ie. - no clip/rounds in rifle, must be off quad to shoot, etc.

[Ltbullken]

Heres a tip. Spend more time off the quad than on it. IMO quads get me to places I hunt. If I happen to see an animal while riding though. It is getting shot. Don't be one of those guys who just drives around all day. The reason you see them driving around so much is because they rarely get an animal and have to keep going. Sure it seems like you cover more ground. But animals have ears, and will likely spook, long before you see them.

Especially if they assocaited quads with being shot at.