I'm getting old and I am starting to think about a "4-wheeler" for hunting. I hunt places that are hilly but not rugged, can be muddy but not swampy, usually a mile or less from the truck but may want to scout all day and I'm trying to decide between a traditional gas fed 4X4 UTV or a modified golf cart style electric. What do you guys think? Looking for real world experiences with both...specifically interested in the typical range/time you can get between charges on the golf cart type...probability of getting stranded, etc.
If it were me I would go with a gas utv. You can do way more things with a utv. With a box on the back you can carry feed to feeders if you have them. Get equipment to pull behind it for food plots, etc. Plus, I just think a gas engine would have more longevity, reliability. The only positive to an electric golf cart would be the noise factor. Thats just my opinion though.
i have a polaris ranger EV, I'll never own another gas UTV for hunting. It's got more than enough power to do whatever you want it to do. It has a 50 mile charge radius, I can get a solid 9 miles with it on High mode running full speed. There's no way you'll run down the batteries in a days time unless you are doing some extreme climbing for several miles at a time. It will tow my 16ft trailer with 24" mesh sides around the yard no problem. I've pulled my 10ft trailer several miles with food plotting equipment behind it. This year I bought a 15 gal sprayer and sprayed 5 acres of plots with no issues with battery. The best part is I can flip it to turf mode and work around my yard and garden and never leave a mark in the yard. We had a lifted golf cart, it's no comparison but neither is the price.
My back and hips will no longer allow me to make mile hikes up and down the ridges the way they did 20 years ago. I bought a used 2006 electric club car golf cart and modified it for my hunting buggy. It has no lift, but I added ATV tires to it. You would be amazed at the places it will go. Only had $2200 in it by the time I finished it. It will do around 15 miles total travel before it needs charged. I can get two days hunting out of it before it needs fed!
Gas versions are noisy but no concerns about charges. Bad boy's suck eggs. Heard great things about the Ranger EV's also.
I got a Kawasaki Mule last year, and I absolutely love it. It will go anywhere I want to go and haul anything I care to carry around. It is not fast, probably one of the slowest UTV’s out but it is fast enough for what I like to do. It is tough and built solid. I live in FL so no hills but I have plenty of muddy swamp land and it has no issues with that. It has a small gas tank but gets great millage. I would go with a UTV over a 4 wheeler if you can, they are much more versatile.
