Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Atv 2x4 vs 4x4

I only need one smartass for my education, not half the damn membership.

Sorry Bob, it's a redneck thing. Always blame the ground for being too high...your vehicle can never be too low.

Yall must not have real mud in Tx., steep enough hills to have to winch up or down, or creeks to cross with steep banks.

if you can go with 4 wheel drive and a winch of at least 2500 pound rating. Power steering is also a safety feature that might save you a few medical bills. My wife's new grizzly has the power steering and it is the cats meow. My old Big bear is not worn out yet but when I replace it I will have power steering.

Side-by-sides are great, until you have to go into the woods.

Wait and find a good used 4x4 (I prefer Honda, I have an old Foreman and a newer Rincon 680) but many other good machines out there as well�When it's in the budget change out the tires for slightly taller, more aggressive thread pattern�I have ITP Mathems and Mudlites on my two quads (makes a huge positive difference in what you can traverse) and bolt on a quality winch�.Tow strap, couple of slings, ax, bow saw, shovel and you are good to go. Might sound like overkill but in the country where the hunting camp is located there are all types of terrain�only part of it is flat and I have used the above tools many times to get out of a "Situation".

My two cents

My offspring. Takes after his mom's side of the family...

2x4 is not going to cut on my hunt club. terrain is just to steep.
4x4 in the 500 range is the way to go. heavy enough to push snow. get a good winch. warn,not those north tool or harbor freight junk winches. they won't last long. take your pick as far as brand. if buying a new one i'd look at power steering. on a heavy machine it makes a big differents if you ride all day. i'd also buy fuel injection. no more choking it and hard cold starting.hit the switch and it idles even in 0deg weather. side-by-sides are popular here to but i couldn't use one on my hunt because it won't fit on any of our trails. some are narrow enough for most trails but to tall . the 4ft utv's are dangerous as hell. they are to top heavy.

where i hunt we carry 200ft of rope with us all the time. if a deer goes off a steep mountain we just pull them up with the rope and atv. if you are going to push snow you need at least a 500.

4x4 unless you want a toy for the sand.

I have a 2006 Arctic Cat 650 TRV. Best four wheeler I've ever used. For where I'm at, I cannot imagine a more useless machine than a two wheel drive ATV, except maybe a Rocon. I guess I can see them in some of the dryer climates but even there why handicap yourself?

A four wheel drive ATV with good tires, a winch loaded with synthetic cable, 100 feet of extra rope and a folding boat anchor and you can go about anywhere or get out of about anywhere.

I have always been a Honda guy but had an opera unity to buy a yamaha big bear really cheap that some kids ha trashed. After fixing it up some with new plastic and front wheel bearings it is back in shape. It's been a really good machine. I also picked up a suzuki. And really like it better than any I have riden.
May as well get a 4x4.....I rarely ust the feature but when you need it you need it...

i know everyone says buy a honda but we have had nothing but problems with every honda we've had in our riding group. engines and transmissions both sucked on the ones friends have had.i had a 1996 yamaha kodiak 400 that was one tough ass atv. i rode it for 10
over 10 years. then i had back problems and went for a smoother ride. i bought a new 2007 polaris 500x2. been a great bike so far.just tripped 2000miles.

Get the 4x4 with a wrench. Then you have no problems or regrets.

I've owned both versions, 2wd and 4wd Honda's. I've been a lot of places I probably shouldn't have with the 2wd due to it being lightweight and having good tires. I went to a 4wd version several years afterwards and will never buy another 2wd wheeler again.

I've owned 3 Honda's and have never had any issues other than a few wheel bearings on my 04 Foreman only because I ride in so much mud.

The one thing my Hondas never had was diff lock but Honda has finally stepped up and added it to their machines. IMO, they are worth the money if you ever have to ride in any kind of deep mud or do any climbing.

Man it sure looks cold up there.

But, it looks like they are riding on a road or lake, definitely not in the woods.

My Rhino will go anywhere my Foreman will go. I actually use the Rhino more now for my hunting than I use the Foreman, it carries all my gear in and I can get a whole cut up moose in it and back to my truck. Most other side by sides are too wide but the Rhino is one of the narrowest of the bunch.

you are right the narrow side-by-sides will go where most 4x4 atv's will but i've seen to many people hurt in the narrow utv's . they turn over very easily with them being so top heavy . i had 2 buddies that had polaris rzr's they both flipped them a few times. 2 friends bought those new honda sbs that are 4ft wide . one of them has been on its side 3 times that i know of.