Vehicles
for Hunting
Today hunting is inseparable from modern scientific and
technical achievements. While hunting we use helicopters, rough-terrain
vehicles (a
motley collection of “jeeps”, “Argo” type half-track all-terrain vehicles,
snowmobiles), radio communications equipment (radio sets, cellular phones),
dog radio beacons, GPS navigators, computer-based mapping equipment… what don’t we use?!
What’s the best vehicle for hunting?
That’s right, a horse!
But where to keep it in a city apartment? How to transport? Feeding it is
easier, but how to get rid of the manure? It’s a problem! You want to hunt on
horseback?
Go to
Belgium (in the picture). Thanks to Chris, her husband and the magnificent
East-Siberian laika stud for a wonderful photo.
If you are out of luck with horses, you can try to put together a
“country-swamp-runner” by yourself:
Has Europe or America seen anything like this? And
how it runs! Did you think that Kulibins and Lefties have
disappeared from Russia? In your dreams!
Now, if you have money to burn, here is the next
level:
This is «Argo». Manufactured in Canada, with an American engine, extra wide rubber tracks reinforced with capron, 8x8 drive, reinforced detachable hitch, bumper guard (a necessary device for felling birches up to 15 cm in diameter), front winch with the capacity of 700 kg, windshield (4 mm custom plexiglass, stock triplex glass
is a driver killer), full stock of motor oil, cooling fluid, and spare
parts, tow ropes, and skis (for getting out of the forest on foot). The
track system is remodelled, i.e. detachable joints have been installed and guide horns attachment system has been selected and retooled independently (the
stock one is a piece of shit). The middle wheels on each side have been
turned backwards, otherwise chain
tensioners last only around 20 km... then the chains break... then the
wheels fall off.... then it’s a f...ing disaster, that is, it’s time to get
the skis out.
It’s a very comfortable and useful vehicle. We load two elk (almost entirely), 7 people, 3 dogs and various junk (a terrible overload, but what can you do)… and go straight
through the forest… wherever
it is just too hard, everybody
goes on foot (except
the elk and the driver).
It is
not worth the trouble to go to the forest without tracks both in the winter
and in the summer (you can take the girls to the beach without the tracks), you will be stuck
dead on the logs or in the mud for hours. The fuel consumption is around 30 L/100 km in the summer, and around 60 L/100 km in the winter (due to skidding on
ice and snow). The fuel tank holds enough for a day, but I always have with me two 5 or 10 liter
plastic canisters with gas. The light is good and sufficient. The handling is excellent, any clutz will get the hang of it in 5 minutes, this is very convenient while hunting, the most important is to leave the keys in the
ignition. It floats, and this is very useful on swamps, lakes and rivers,
but it’s important to know the limits, the insolence is punishable:
Around three hours of heroic struggle, collective dipping and diving in February, and the vehicle is on land, next day a bulldozer from a nearby farm, then an tow truck, engine cleaning and drying, replacement
of the fan and spark plugs and other “amusements” …
And back
to hunting:
This set of wheels is quite a debatable thing, but I think, they have not designed a more comfortable
one so far.
Drawbacks:
1.
Poor half-axles. One or two wheels fall off easily (overload, stumps, holes etc.). The track comes off right away, that’s
why the wheel and the track go to the cargo space and...let’s on what’s left,
and it keeps going! Although the cargo and the passengers have to travel on foot as best they
can.
- Chains
stretch very quickly and break sometimes, the tensioners fail … I already wrote that I turned the
middle wheels backwards, so far so good!
- Does not
like the heat, although it is water-cooled. I drive
with the open hood in July.
4.
The right headlight falls out all the
time, I’m getting tired of catching
it (the opening is too large).
5.
Poor fastening of handrails and backs.
I have already redone everything, they
are holding so far.
6.
Guide horns of the tracks are a piece
of shit, everything I have redone is holding up, and we adapt to everything
else in the field.
7.
Category “E”
driver’s license is necessary to operate this vehicle – 25000 rubles through
the good connections.
8.
It flops
about in water on wheels, but on track...
no comments, but it’s
possible to float.
Advantages:
1.
Runs everywhere (where others fail) Swamps, forest, windbreak, open water.
- Carries
and tows everything.
- Doesn’t take much space, it’s not a tractor-trailer for sure.
4.
Can be towed (doesn’t
have to be transported
on the trailer).
5.
Drives on two wheels (hadn’t tried
it on one).
6.
Runs even when almost all the chains
are broken (with only one driving front wheel). At that, it doesn’t matter
how many tracks are left, even if none.
In a word, a good vehicle, if you tinker with it... hunting, drinking,
repairing ...and so on.
There is
also another vehicle:
But this marvel needs wide roads. It’s warm, light, there is a table and snacks... but there isn’t a
track of that gauge, it has to be cut. It might be all right in the tundra,
but in the forest it becomes a problem.
