The 'Old Guys in 1969' thread got me thinking way back to when I started hunting. What was the first hunting vehicle you owned and what is your current hunting vehicle? (Stories allowed/encouraged)
First: 1967 Pontiac LeMans - Yellow / 2 door / 3 on the tree / not near enough ground clearance
Current: 2011 Jeep Liberty - Silver / 6 Cylinder / Automatic / goes wherever I need it to
First - 1970 Chevy K5 Blazer w 350 and Holley 4 barrel (same as the one in G Fred's book)
Current - 2018 F250 Super Duty
Mine was at the end of my legs.
I was fortunate to have a very large area behind our house that I could hunt.
I now have a 2018 F150 4x4.
Well first vehicle not including my bike or quads (legs) was a 1985 F150 1/2 ton now I got a new to me 2008 Tundra I purchased from father in-law great truck. Spent allot of days on my mountain bike when I was a kid. I'll be 40 this year and the mountains and my knees didn't get along well last year haha. Would love to rebuild a old Scout for a close to home rig.
My first was a VW Rabbit. Had 3 bucks strapped to the top of it on one trip. That got some looks on the Interstate! Also used it to haul a small trailer loaded with bear bait on runs to northern wisconsin.
Good memories, but my current Chev 2500 diesel pickup is a bit more functional.
Mine was a 10 speed bike. When Dad, uncle and me went it was a F150 Econo-line van. Now I.m rocking a 2001 F150 Extend cab.
First was a 90 cc Bridgestone motorcycle, nice low center of balance, I could run on snow, used it year round for three years. Got a car when i turned 16, heaters are even nicer than motorcycles with a low center of balance. Now, a new Subaru Outback. Next year maybe a four wheel drive Ford van with the Eco boost package, one with a leather fold out bench seat in the back and screens on the windows, midday naps are almost as nice as heaters.
I had a 1977 Ford 150 jacked up with gumbo mudder tires on it. Went a lot of places I probably shouldn't have with that truck. Now I have a 2018 F 150.
First was a AMC Gremlin, and present is a Tacoma. A 1975 Chevy pickup brings in the most memories though, went more places with it, also the hardest to get unstuck as it I kept the big lug tires on it. To old for them days now, holding your breath under mud/water while working the jack. What was I thinking?, I'm either smarter or too cheap nowadays.
Sure am diggin' all the sweet stories about the early hunting vehicles. Keep 'em coming. Thinking that most of us, even the elders among us, are building fresh memories with our new rides. The new memories will probably be a tad more sane than some of the insane things we did in our youth. One thing is certain ... I pledge to never own a vehicle that is too pretty to take hunting. Forever I want to be prepared to answer the 'call of the woods'.
:thumbsup:
1974 International Scout 2, 4x4 hi/lo, 345 v8, 4sp, with limited slip. It would go anywhere you pointed it. I actually was the only 4x4 that could drive thru a swamps. It was a tank. Many great years off-roading with it. Five other 4x4 I have owned and my current one is a 2016 Tacoma TRD Off Road. :biglaugh:
A dark green Corvair Monza, 2+2. Took that thing everywhere.
Now I mainly just go out the back door and use a Mule 610 UTV.
What year Corvair? I always fancied those for some reason . . . never did figure out the reason . . . probably why I never bought one. I still stop and look when I see a nice one to this day.
1953 Chevy 2x2 pickup, I took that thing everywhere. Current 2003 Toyota Tacoma lifted with the tires needed to go most places.
First was a 1964 Mercury Comet 4 door with 289 CID engine and automatic transmission.
Current vehicle is 2013 Toyota Tacoma with 6cyl. engine and 4WD.
First was a 1976 F250 4 x 4, 4 speed with 411 rear end.
351 modified, put a 400 crank in it and bored it out to a 408.
Put Cleveland 4 barrel heads on it and a bunch of other add on engine parts.
Would pass everything except a gas station.
That truck got me in so much trouble and almost killed me a few times.
Mine was a 74 plain jane Jeep I bought new, with big 16" lugged tires you couldn't stop it unless it bottomed out on the skid plate. A few years later someone stole my jeep, it was never to be seen again.
First jeep, first archery kill;
First was a 1983 Dodge 150 4X4 short bed pick up with topper and CB radio. 1st gear was LOW. Was a great truck and easy to work on. Something like this but tan with the ram's head hood ornament.[attachment=1]
Current vehicle for hunting is 2016 Jeep Wrangler JKU.
Most of ya'll should know what that looks like....
First one was a 1960 VW. Great for sandy roads around the Florida groves. Favorite was my 86 Toyota. Bought it new and had it 18 yrs. SHoulda keep it anyway when I got my 05 Tacoma. Tuff little truck. After some rust issues I gave it a custom camo job. Elders at the Kingdom Hall didn't care for it, but they didn't hunt either. Hauled a lot of animals in it.
Keepm' coming.
First
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About all I ever had when I was a kid. Played ball in this years pair and did everything else in last years, if they still fit.
Last
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'79 K1500 Custom Deluxe. That's me and my son after his first duck hunt.
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The car I owned when I got into hunting (about 13-14 years ago), was a 1990 Toyota Corolla. It didn't have much clearance, and was only 2wd, but it was front-wheel drive and I took it a ton of places that it was never designed to go... it never let me down.
Now days I drive a '03 Jeep Wrangler "X" (TJ), with a 2" lift, 4.0L straight 6 engine, 5-speed manual transmission, and a few other minor mods/extras. I absolutely LOVE it. I can't see me ever giving it up, or getting away from Jeeps at all, but if I did, I'd be looking at a Toyota. The little car impressed me, so I can only imagine how well the vehicles that are actually DESIGNED to go off-road, perform. Here's some pics of the Jeep & one from inside while up to antics in Louisiana with other Tradgangers.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190505/2a9dc8bf707b7ca93dadbbe814ffb756.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190505/6b0a0727b98d43361444b5f0ea91b8f2.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190505/cb9345151c7dfea9a796732a72401ef2.jpg)
I don't remember my first but now I am using a 1999Jeep WJ.
Quote from: Roy from Pa on May 05, 2019, 09:29:22 AM
First was a 1976 F250 4 x 4, 4 speed with 411 rear end.
351 modified, put a 400 crank in it and bored it out to a 408.
Put Cleveland 4 barrel heads on it and a bunch of other add on engine parts.
Would pass everything except a gas station.
That truck got me in so much trouble and almost killed me a few times.
Bet you could stealthily sneak up on the PA deer in that thing Roy!?!?!?!
As a kid I needed only go out the front door and cross the two lane road and I was there. No snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse or pine squirrel was safe when I was prowling. Later, after I was sorta an adult and started hunting public access land in Texas a 1985 F150 was all i had.
Now I drive a Tacoma but at the lease I have a lithium powered cart. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190505/a82ea3c7349ba1f176321012845dd305.jpg)
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My very first was a 1973 chevrolet vega hatchback. With the back seat folded down and the use of the hatchback, you could get a lot of gear in it.
Once out of college I upgraded to this 1976 GMC High Sierra, what a vehicle! I could now get to some new territories.
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Now a days I drive a 2017 tacoma and pull my gator (Ali). Ali-Gator :biglaugh:
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First was a 1970's Chevy c1500 Scott Paper woodlands company vehicle. I could use it on my own time for fuel cost only. Nice benefit.
Today it's a 2013 Tacoma 4WD. Best was a 1996 Tacoma that went more places that it should have.
Well, truth be known, Roy from PA (a TOYota Boy) and I (a JEEP Man) have been kidding each other about our rides for months. I've let him know that those who can't man-up and buy a JEEP, settle for a TOYota. I say I've WON every fun, insult-flinging verbal war we've had . . . Roy would probably lie and tell ya different. ANYWAY . . . so far, current rides are as follows:
JEEP - 4
Ford - 4
Chevy - 2
Subaru - 1
ORV - 1
TOYota - 10
As my buddy Forrest Gump says, "That's all I've got to say about that." (FOR NOW) I'll keep tearing up the woods in The American Legend!
Welll first vehicle for me I put a critter in that was mine was a Toyota Corolla and it was a turkey! Think it was a '96. I've moved up a few years and have a 2000 f150 now. I need some new stickers on it though. Just got it last year. One before was an '01 Silverado that had 374,000 miles on it when I sold it.
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My 1st was a 74....current is a 72...
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1985 Toyota p/u and a 2014 Toyota Tacoma
First was a 1967 Ford 250 camper special. Those days the Camper special was basically a one ton with 250 badges. The four speed had the granny low and it would idle about anywhere you pointed it with great ground clearance. Current is 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 4 wheeler when away from home and a Kawasaki 610 mule anywhere with in a 5 mile radius of home.
A bicycle was the first. I'm in a Toyota Tacoma now.
My first was a black 92 Jeep Comanche. You couldn't ask for much more as a teenager. That thing would go anywhere. I sure wish that I could have it back. My current rig is an 09, black 4 door sierra. Good truck so far.
My first hunting vehicle was my first vehicle, a 1968 Kaiser Willys Jeep, 225 v6. My current is a 2004 Silverado 2500 HD, Duramax. The Silverado was my first brand new vehicle.
We had a 1950 Willy's pickup on the farm that was the ugliest thing you ever saw. It was geared so low that the top highway speed was about 45 mph but it would go anywhere off road. I started "borrowing" :biglaugh: it when I was around 12 and it hauled my first deer.
Now, I walk behind the house to hunt and haul deer out with my quad. I have a 2010 Nissan Frontier that's been a good little truck.
My first was a Dodge Dakota truck. It was not very reliable but I did carry a lot of deer around with it. Now I have a Chevy Silverado and its very reliable but I don't carry many deer around in it. :dunno:
First was a 1971 Ford Torino aka "Tree Frog" . It was cat s@#t green. I drive a 2013 Chevy Z71 now.
My first hunting Vehicle was a 63 Ford Falcon, That little car went anywhere. My uncle set it up with a trunk lid bow/gun holder, and I drove it till the floor boards fell out. Now I drive a 2005 ford F250 Super Duty, not near as warm a feeling as when I think of that old Falcon.
Terry, that Toyota Land Cruiser really brings back some memories for me. I had one, too, and selling it was a really, really dumb move on my part. It would go anywhere, and I miss it every hunting season.
Over here it was an 84 VW Vanagon. Now, 4wd 05 Ford Escape with trailer.
First was my first vehicle...a single cab F150 rear wheel drive
Current is my current vehicle...an FJ Cruiser
growing up in the bush in South Africa- all we had was "shanks pony" ( yer feet!!! :))
now we live off the NW of Canada on an island archipelago of about 500 islands- so this is what we use now
Nice sailboat and cool photo. I'll bet your naps are lots more comfortable than mine in the JEEP.
First was my dad's 1972 (I think) Jeep Commando. I did a lot of bad things to that ride, and had fun doing it.
Current is a 2006 Chevy Suburban that looks like it has been beat all over with a tire iron.
My first and my current hunting vehicle are my feet. :thumbsup:
Quote from: Pat B on May 08, 2019, 01:41:28 PM
My first and my current hunting vehicle are my feet. :thumbsup:
Maybe I should've asked what brand of boots y'all wear. Appears lots of guys are fortunate enough to hunt withing walking distance of home. Must be nice!
when i am on foot i like to wear my muck boots- as they are pretty tall for all the winter creek crossings, they dont give the support of a proper hiking boot, but the model i have seems a lot better than some of the others.
and yes the sail boat is pretty comfy- here on the islands- everyone has a boat- and in fact i know many folk that have boats and dont have a vehicle-so boats are kinda the norm here- many folks have a lot nicer and fancier boats than mine.
great thread- something we dont think about very often.
First for me was a 1985 1/2 Ford escort 4 speed. Mostly hauled small game. My dad would bring his truck for deer.
Learned to drive in the '69 Bronco at age 13, was my first car when I was 16, brought home my first ever deer kill, and later my first archery kill. Me and Dad have been hunting out of this old truck since I was 6 years old. I'll be 32 this year.
One evening in October I was nearly a mile from my truck, and had been dragging a small buck for 3/4 of a mile already through a standing cotton field, it was cold and raining and I was exhausted. Then to my surprise, I fell down and laughed out loud when I saw two old sealed beam headlights straining through the rain and heard a familiar lopey exhaust note and squeaky rear window creeping towards me. I had told my dad I killed a deer as soon as I found him about an hour earlier, and he knew I would be a long ways from the truck, as I always seemed to be. For whatever reason, he must have thought I would be needing some help. Just seemed right to throw that deer and a longbow with a quiver full of wood arrows in the back of that old warhorse of a truck.
(https://i.imgur.com/6ExFYqBl.jpg)
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Pops is getting older now, and it's harder for him to get around so things are a little different now on our hunting trips. But come opening day of squirrel season, an hour before daylight, we will both climb in the old Bronco, pull the choke, fire her up and head for our favorite patch of squirrel woods like we have done since I was 6 years old. Only nowadays I'm the one in the driver's seat and picking out the good spots, like he's did for me since I was old enough to hold a bow or gun.
Here's my daily driver and current main hunting rig:
1985 SR5 4Runner
(https://i.imgur.com/QQzqHc4l.jpg)
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Dang that's a great looking Bronco. Those were/are some great off road vehicles. Great paint job too! Thanks for sharing the stories and I wish you many more years of hunting with your Father.
I helped my father shoot his one and only turkey on his first turkey hunt at age 80. He turns 90 in September and his turkey fan I made for him still hangs in his bedroom in the assisted living home he's in. He thinks turkey hunting is a one day event and doesn't understand why it takes me so long to get my bird each year. He can't walk in the woods these days, but insists I come show him my success stories each and every time I fill a tag. Love ya Dad. Thanks for investing so much in me. :notworthy:
First: '79 VW Scirocco.
Current: '06 Ford Explorer
So after 1 full week of enjoying your hunting vehicle posts, here is the update stats:
JEEP - 5
Ford - 7
Chevy - 6
Subaru - 1
ORV - 1
Dodge - 1
Nissan -1
TOYota - 15
Been a JEEP man most of my adult life, but I may have to take a ride in a TOYota to see if I'm missing anything. NOT!!!! Hunt On Archers!
Been trying to tell ya that...
Must be something in the water out there in Michigan...
:laughing:
That's Pure Water from Pure Michigan - it's the best - just like JEEPs are the best. Never heard a JEEP hunter say. "Think I'll look into buying me a TOYota'. NEVER!
It will be a long, cold, snowy day Hawaii before I start listening to you Roy . . . :scared:
:wavey:
First was my '66 Chevelle with the bright yellow Earl Scheib paint job.
(https://i.imgur.com/bdPImMC.jpg)
Current is a 2007 F150 4x4. Here it is on a pig hunting trip to SC. Terry knows the place.
(https://i.imgur.com/5YFKUQ6.jpg)
First a ford ranger, newest a 2019 F150. Longest lasting Toyota Tacoma 10 years 300k miles.