Quad bike questions

[4616Oxon]

Interested to know people thoughts on some of the below: I have permissions on a large farm and an estate. Both a large area to cover. One is very waterlogged all winter. the other you can’t drive on fields. Southern England. Mostly fallow and some roe. Try to get out 2-3 times a month work dependent - currently have a Freelander which is great (surprising how good it has been in mud) but don’t want to push it too far, but can’t go too far from tracked area over winter. Probably taken 20 animals since October.

Is it worth considering a quad and trailer or is this a ridiculous luxury and another excuse to spend money on stalking related equipment.

How often do people use their quads if they have them?

Everyone says Honda any other suggestions to make it cheaper?

Think long carcass extraction and covering ground will de easier.

 

[Pete6.5]

I couldn't do what I do with out a quad.

 

[BenBhoy]

One is very waterlogged all winter. the other you can’t drive on fields

When the ground is really wet (aka the last 5 months!) a quad makes hell of a mess of fields too.

 

[Mickeydredd]

I just bought a 2nd hand Honda 420 quad, best thing I ever did. Used it last weekend along with the farm trailer to extract 3 Reds from the moor....piece of cake compared to what would have been 3 long drags!!

As Ben highlights, I wouldnt use it in any grass field unless on the farmers quad tracks when the ground is wet.

 

[sikamalc]

A quad bike is essential if you are moving larger deer, especially Fallow. Over the years I have always used a Honda quad bike. The Foreman 450 has been a machine I have had, until quite recently for in excess of 20 years. It has been up at 2500ft in Scotland, and on wet ground in Dorset and on farmland in West Sussex. You would not believe the amount of deer it has extracted over the years.

If your going to get a quad, make it a Honda.

 

[john.g]

what malc says

 

[75]

Essential? Not really but nor are they a luxury either. I use mine pretty much every time I shoot reds - even if it's just a couple of fields away from the truck it saves so much time and effort over dragging 2 or 3 reds back. Plus it keeps them cleaner than dragging through muddy fields (chuck a sheet over them in the trailer though as quad will chuck some mud up behind it if it's wet. I also find it easier then to load into the truck. I use a sheet of ply as a ramp from trailer to tailgate of pick up and slide them up; on their own or in a plasterers bath - I've had a 145kg red in on my own without that much effort!

Some good threads on farming forum on quads and reliability etc from folk who use them intensively every day. Honda and Suzuki seem to be best at the minute.

 

[4616Oxon]

When the ground is really wet (aka the last 5 months!) a quad makes hell of a mess of fields too.

All fields have good boundaries on at least, some have been left fallow as was too wet.

 

[4616Oxon]

Thanks all very useful. Just another large expense. A time saver is a big bonus.

 

[JH83]

On some of my ground a quad is essential. As soon as I took it on I realised this, and forked out for an old but clean big red and trailer. The most productive place to ambush reds is a hard quad ride, do-able in the hilux but likely to cause damage long term, and also impossible to get right up to beasts. Dragging 90kg stags, and 55kg hinds through heather and tussocks gets old, fast !

The difference to your cull when you have the right extraction equipment is night and day. I frequently take several beasts at a time, on one occasion completing my cull (on that particular bit) inside 3 minutes. It’d of been suicide without the quad. I think a lot of folks take on ground, don’t invest properly and just take the ‘odd one’ or a calf, each time educating the herd. It’s a numbers game ultimately.

Only you know if it’s essential for your ground, but a second hand quality quad, and trailer will always resale well provided you get the right deal.

 

[waggy 1]

I wouldn’t be without my Quad! It’s a work horse, had this Yamaha 400 for nearly 30 years and it has been TOTALLY 100% reliable , Also run a Yamaha700 Grizzly

 

[NickJ]

As others have said if you are shooting larger species they are a very worthy investment, we bought a Honda Foreman 420 four years ago for £2,400 and it’s paid for itself many times over

The Hondas seem to go on forever so you can go for an old one to keep costs down. All the advice I had from keepers and stalkers was go for Honda (unless the estate buys you a new CanAm!)

If you are on flat ground you can load the racks up but it massively increases the risk of tipping the quad over, we have done three seasons with this sled/trailer hybrid from @Stirlinggundogs and it’s never missed a beat Glade Deer Management

 

[4616Oxon]

Thanks all, very useful points. I guess you only use your once or twice a month as well. It will
Make covering the ground a lot quicker. My ground isn’t as hard work as Scottish highlands but I still don’t fancy dragging a 30kg fallow - lazy! I am not old.

 

[4616Oxon]

It is also not just the quad, I would have to get a trailer as well. Probs not cheap either!

 

[C&K Suffolk]

Interested to know people thoughts on some of the below: I have permissions on a large farm and an estate. Both a large area to cover. One is very waterlogged all winter. the other you can’t drive on fields. Southern England. Mostly fallow and some roe. Try to get out 2-3 times a month work dependent - currently have a Freelander which is great (surprising how good it has been in mud) but don’t want to push it too far, but can’t go too far from tracked area over winter. Probably taken 20 animals since October.

Is it worth considering a quad and trailer or is this a ridiculous luxury and another excuse to spend money on stalking related equipment.

How often do people use their quads if they have them?

Everyone says Honda any other suggestions to make it cheaper?

Think long carcass extraction and covering ground will de easier.

My quad to feed up the feeders and get to places my truck won’t is invaluable

 

[4616Oxon]

how many hours is low hours on a quad under 2000?

 

[finnbear270]

how many hours is low hours on a quad under 2000?

Also dependant on how hard those hours have been ................. Golf course, Farm or Hill.

 

[75]

I still don’t fancy dragging a 30kg fallow - lazy! I am not old.

Maybe stalking isn't for you?? 30kg isn't a big deer, but as @JH83 says, having a quad means you don't worry about taking multiple animals - which is necessary when fallow are present in big numbers.

It is also not just the quad, I would have to get a trailer as well. Probs not cheap either!

My quad is transported to the ground on a small Ifor Williams trailer which I then tow behind the quad if I need to extract anything. Much easier to drag bigger deer onto the trailer than trying to get them onto the racks. But yes, you're right, it all adds up cost-wise so it depends on how far your budget will stretch and how seriously you're taking the deer management.

 

[75]

With regards to secondhand, the picture may have changed more recently but I started looking for a secondhand Honda about 2 years ago. General advice is dealer or known contact - lots of nicked ones about so be very careful. There are a few threads on here with advice.

The dealers had nowt in as new supply was so intermittent that no one was changing bikes. £5k was getting you a rough old bike with lots of miles on it so I ended up going on the waiting list and buying new. It'll last me a long time (I hope) but is a big outlay. I'm registered for VAT though so that helped a little.

 

[4616Oxon]

Maybe stalking isn't for you?? 30kg isn't a big deer, but as @JH83 says, having a quad means you don't worry about taking multiple animals - which is necessary when fallow are present in big numbers.

My quad is transported to the ground on a small Ifor Williams trailer which I then tow behind the quad if I need to extract anything. Much easier to drag bigger deer onto the trailer than trying to get them onto the racks. But yes, you're right, it all adds up cost-wise so it depends on how far your budget will stretch and how seriously you're taking the deer management.

lol yes I am
Happy to drag but if I have a couple of hours only it would speed up recovery and ground cover