ATV Hunting Tips

Your ATV can be a big add-value for your next hunting trip! Four wheelers can traverse terrain that would either take forever on foot, be incredibly difficult on foot, or both! Use your ATV to get to ideal locations that others can't reach, set up shop, and wait for your game. We gathered up the top tips for ATV hunting below. For all your ATV needs, visit Interstate Cycles. You'll find us in Lake City, Florida.

Scout Your Location

Your ATV hunting success is largely due to the location you set up in. You can't hope to get any animals by choosing a place where they never visit, after all! Spending some time scouting your location will make a big difference when your hunting trip day comes.

Think about where your intended game will be. Large prey (such as elk, deer, and moose) gravitate towards areas with their favorite vegetation. Look for paths of movement on deer paths and trails. Try to find a spot with a perch where the wind will blow in your face, which helps you stay downwind of prey. If they can't smell you, it'll be much harder for them to notice you. Four wheelers make it easy to traverse long distances in a short period of time, so it'll be easy to find the perfect spot.

Get Your Gear

You need your ATV and your weapon of course. But there are other items you'll want to consider bringing along. A rifle scabbard will protect your rife and its scope from poor weather and during transportation. A winch can help you pull your trophy to flat land, which will make it easier to dress. A GPS helps you navigate the backwoods with ease. You can also save certain spots if you discover that your spot is highly trafficked by your game. That way, you can return to it next year!

Give Yourself Enough Daylight

It's tempting to stay as long as possible when you haven't gotten anything all day. But four wheelers are meant to be ridden in the daylight. Staying until dark can be a safety issue. If you do get an animal, you will lack the proper lighting to break it down. It'll also make it harder to drive your ATV safely. You may struggle to navigate in the dark and can end up hitting obstacles (such as potholes). You can suffer damage to your ATV (or worse, yourself) that would have been easily preventable if you just went home before dark. Figure out what time the sun starts to set and use that to determine when you'll pack up and go home.

Keep Quiet

This is one of the toughest challenges of hunting with four wheelers: noise. Sounds alert animals to your presence, which encourages them to flee or hide. Your ATV inevitably will make noise. So what do you do?

Try to limit noise as much as possible. Remove or strap down loose metal. Add in soundproofing material, such as rubber. If you notice odd noises, take your vehicle in for a service. You can't be fully silent as you hunt, but you can reduce the cacophony of your travels. 

For everything related to four wheelers, visit Interstate Cycles. We offer a range of new and used four wheelers for sale. It's easy to find the perfect one for your budget and riding lifestyle. We also operate a parts replacement and service department, which can get your ATV running like new in no time. We proudly serve those in Lake City, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Valdosta, and Sanderson, Florida. Stop by today!