I'm doing a 1st season elk hunt that took the better part of two decades to draw. I had been planning on scouting three days before season, so I planned on being at camp evening of the 12th. The place I've been seeing elk is 20 miles into where I park from the trail head. Latst Friday my old 07 Sportman 500 took a dump on me after my last scouting trip, and I can't get it out of the shop in time to have it running for my hunt.
I would rather rent and have a call out to the local rental place in my hunt area to see if an ATV is available for my dates. It'll run me $2100 to rent for the duration of my hunt and scout days if there is a machine available. It is over $4000 if I have to rent the cheapest SXS for the same dates.
So I spent the weekend looking at new and used ATVs. I've not found many on the used market, and the ones I didn't think were scams had already been sold. I'm also not finding much available new in a price I'm willing to spend. So far my best used option is an 07 Yamaha Grizzly 450 with 56 hrs and under 700 miles, it's over priced by about $1000 that's why it's still available I'm wanting to hear back from the owner. The new that are in stock and I can pick up same day are a Yamaha Kodiak 450 EPS $7000 or Polaris Sportsman 570 for $7500.
My wife has given the okay either way I go, and I'm able to write off the purchase as a farm expense.
There are bigger machines available for more money, and I could spend as much as $10K, . I'd prefer to buy a used one a couple years old, but options are very limited in the used market. I load these mainly in a truck bed (6.5' short bed) and rarely trailer since my smallest trailer is a 16' stock trailer. I also like the how nimble the smaller machines are compared to the 700cc and larger ATV options I've ridden. I'm willing to give up payload capacity for better handling off road and being able to close the tailgate.
