Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives 4Runner hunting rig?

Was wondering if anyone is running a 4Runner as a hunting rig or off-road type vehicle? I've been looking for a 1st gen tundra or a early 4 door Tacoma to use as a full time hunting rig and haven't been able to find the right one at a decent price. I have to have 4 doors to accommodate 2 or three hunters. I've found a 02 gen 3? 4Runner at a good price. I'm thinking suspension lift and a couple of racks, roof and hitch, and I think it might be usable. Anyone have any builds or thoughts wether it would be a viable option?

I own a 1998 (3rd Gen) 4runner and it will do everything a hunting rig needs to do except have room for lot of gear. You did not say what game you will be hunting but with the seats up there is little room for gear no less a animal.

You say you are going to install a hitch so I assume you will have a trailer available and that solves the issue of transporting a animal.

As far as capable off road it is as good as any and better than most.

I've been the SUV route with an old Blazer, 2 Wagoneers, and a Surburban. No more. I want a truck. I'm tired of cleaning the mess out of back of the car, blood on the carpet, etc.

This would be a vehicle that I guide out of. I hunt everything up to elk. I have a '13 Tundra, which I would probly still use for elk due to the headache rack winch. I'm just tired of tearing up expensive pickups every 5 years. No trailer, was just thinking of a hitch rack and maybe some kind of rack up front. I keep going back to the plan of a little pickup too, but this is a pretty good deal.

NM,

It is going to be fairly full inside a 3rd Gen 4runner with 3 people and all of the gear, that is the only reason I would hesitate on it. I love my 4runner but I use my truck for the same reason Rock Chuck noted above. I use my Crew Cab Ford truck for all of my hunting needs, especially when taking others with me.

Now if you spend a few hundred bucks on a small utility trailer you can haul deer and quartered elk out without loading it into the SUV with all of your other gear and could most likely make that work.

I think my 4runner is the very best vehicle I have ever owned, much better than my ford, but like Rock Chuck I like a truck to hunt out of.

My 99 V6 5-spd with home-built hitch basket and 32" mud tires is a great hunting machine. That's what it was bought for and we love it. Nearly 200k on it now. Runs great. Could use some stiffer springs out back when loaded, but that's easy.

I like the 3rd gens the best but my 2nd gen with the 3.slow motor gets the job done. The rocket box adds space for summer/fall and I can stick the skis/snowboard in it in the winter. I've been without a truck since kids and I've gotten by just fine with a hitch basket for hauling dead stuff. For getting around the tight back roads the little toyotas have got me there and back.

My vote is to keep searching for a 4 door taco or older tundra... I've had first gen (85) and a 99 4-runner and much prefer the pickups for hunting and room.... Good luck in your search..

I too would suggest looking for a 4 dr 'Taco truck...

resale prices are high for a reason...they are good units...

I have a '98 Taco V6 ext cab...use the hell outta it..

wife has an '05 Tacoma 4 dr....auto....but she won't let me have it

I went from a 2013 4Runner Trail Edition to an 06 DC Tundra. Keep looking for a tundra. The bed space is just invaluable and the drivetrain for the 05 and 06 Tundra is bulletproof

Don't get me wrong, the 4Runners are great, I just prefer the truck

Go to the online forum at Expedition Portal as they have all sorts of truck builds over there

What game do you usually hunt and how long do you hunt for? Is going to be mostly day trips, or multi day trips?

The 4Runners are good vehicles and can make a fine hunting vehicle but as with any such vehicle it will be a compromise and it's important to get that compromise right for your particular circumstances/situation...

It'll work, but I've concluded a 4 door truck with a cap on it is the best combo. I've tried to make hunting rigs out of various SUV's but the truck keeps winning. I had an 02 Ford Supercrew for a while and am currently driving an 07 4 door Tacoma. It is the best rig I've ever owned.

If you don't need more than "good" off road ability, I think a 4 door Pick-up (with or without a cap) is just about the ideal
all rounder..

This is especially the case since SUV's went more "yuppified" and less practical/ "workman-like"

Sadly, Pick-ups are going the same way over here simply as many are bought as "life style" vehicles and never really see any work..

They are also "bloating" and getting bigger with most now being at least Tundra size while offering no real/practical increase in passenger or cargo space..

The older Hilux were about perfect for hunting in the UK, but they too are approaching Tundra size/weight which means they are getting les off-road capable..

I have always favored a truck with cap over an SUV, and I have had several of both. I don't guide or anything like that, buy my experience has been the trucks are:

1. Cheaper that the equivalent SUV, even after adding cap
2. More durable, and sprung better for loads and towing
3. More adaptable to multiple uses
4. Retain a higher resale value

I had a Grand Cherokee for a while that I used as my hunting/camping vehicle which is similar in size. I am primarily a small game/waterfowl hunter; big game hunting is secondary for me so hauling out game was not the primary issue. With 2 guys and our waterfowl equipment (couple dozen decoys, guns, waders, etc) it was pretty loaded. With 3 guys we could barely fit all of our equipment. I now drive a Nissan Frontier CC SB with a topper. Even with the small box, getting 4 guys and all of our equipment has never been an issue.

On more than 1 occasion I've thought of going back because an SUV is a little more family oriented and comfortable to drive daily, but the overall capability of a truck just can't be beat.

I hear you guys. Hell, half the time I run out of room with a full size pickup. I'll keep the hunt going for tundra or a 4 dr Tacoma! Thanks for that link Drum, there are a lot of ideas for good builds on there!!

I could spend hours on that site looking at what some of those guys do to their trucks

It is pretty awesome

I put an Old Man Emu kit on my 06 Tundra and it rides like a dream

Drummond

Good to know about the OME, that's what I'm planning on running.

Just watching the Huntin Fool Bighorn show, Lo and behold, two first gen tundras!! I think I may have found one. Trying to figure out how to check it out, 8 hrs away!

I had an 06 and it was a great truck. It was not the most powerful, but it was adequate. the only thing I replaced in the 100k miles I had it were tires, breaks, and air filters.

I'm not sure how far you're willing to travel to get one but this seems like a reasonable price for a great truck.

First Gen Tundra