Quad accessories and set up

[75]

New quad is eventually arriving in the next couple of weeks. I’d welcome any suggestions for accessories that folk have found useful from a stalking perspective.

Current plan:

- gun rack on the front (any specific recommendations- needs to take rifle in slip as well as out of?)
- front box of some sort - in front of gun rack and probably wooden / homemade
- rear rack left clear in case i need to transport carcass on there (but in most circumstances I’ll use the trailer I transport the quad on)
- logic fleece line hand protectors / warmers

Thoughts, recommendations and photos of your set ups very welcome.

 

[wytonpjs]

Look at Wydale plastics boxes - they are bombproof! I have 2 of the ATV Rear boxes which is a bit of a misnomer as they fit the front too! The rear one only goes on for fallow/reds as roe/muntjac go into the box which has a cooler fitted to stop temp build up in summer. Heated seat and grips is blissful in winter but don’t scrimp on not buying one that has a separate throttle heater - ask me how I know. With the winch control, heated grip control, phone holder, watch, Garmin dog tracker and a USB/voltmeter unit, I ran out of space on the handlebars so added a carbon fibre “accessory“ rail. Moose hand protectors are good and on the left leg I have 2 Moose panniers with recovery shackles, snatch block and other useful bits.

 

[Gm81]

I've bought a Polaris sportsman and I'm looking for a box on the rear. Do the wydale ones work on them? They don't have bars like normal quad racks.

 

[User00040]

Less is more, front winch and a few rachet straps for the front and rear.

Most of these box/rifle rest setups on the front and rear make the quad even more hazardous when tackling uneven and/or steep terrain.

 

[wytonpjs]

Less is more, front winch and a few rachet straps for the front and rear.

Most of these box/rifle rest setups on the front and rear make the quad even more hazardous when tackling uneven and/or steep terrain.

We are all entitled to our views @caberslash I have not found any issue with my arrangement in the 5 years I have been running it and evolving its outfit. In my use, I have to be sensitive to not offending the general public with dead deer hanging exposed on the racks on the roads. I cover a lot of uneven ground with mine and the dogs appreciate the security of the front box as it provides a restraint to brace themselves against when negotiating steep slopes - they can also "bale out" quickly and easily if needed. The rear deer box has an integral cooler which means in the height of Summer, I can still stalk with the carcass in the back and it provides a great benchrest for bipod shooting off the back too! I can be out on the quad for up to 6 hours at a time covering a lot of ground with some unusual terrain including bomb holes, tank tracks, etc. Mine works well for me as it is, bar the front rest, which I have now changed courtesty of the late Alantoo and the rifle is less exposed on a better mount.

Oddly enough, the only time I have rolled it was whilst negotiating a shallow stream on a friend's land down in Cornwall. It was a very slo-mo roll with no injury or damage - I learnt from that that Honda's have tilt switches which isolate the battery so I could not use the winch to right it and extract it - I now carry a 2-ton lorry ratchet strap for just that scenario if it were to ever happen again. I'd add one of those to your list @75

 

[75]

Yep, I definitely need a bit of discretion. I have a couple of bits of ground on the doorstep (mainly foxes / rabbits) so will be on the road now and then so a front box / gun rack will be important. Most of my deer ground is a little drive away so for that it'll be quad in the trailer and then I can use the trailer behind the quad to recover deer (reds so easier to drag them into the trailer than lift onto quad racks) and then transfer them into the back of the pickup for the drive home.

 

[wytonpjs]

If you are intending to drag antlerted reds some distance, FLS make use of a tree drag shroud to ease its path through the undergrowth whilst protecting the head. I have seen them on a German website and I suspect that they are not cheap but you might be able to pick one up North

 

[sikasako]

If you are intending to drag antlerted reds some distance, FLS make use of a tree drag shroud to ease its path through the undergrowth whilst protecting the head. I have seen them on a German website and I suspect that they are not cheap but you might be able to pick one up North

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The portable winch company who does the PCW 3000 and 5000 capstan winches sells accessories including the nose cone you mention.

 

[75]

A decent sized gorilla tub would also work - great idea!

 

[wytonpjs]

A decent sized gorilla tub would also work - great idea!

Not sure that those will take the damage that I've seen the tree shrouds take - they are bombproof

 

[75]

Not sure that those will take the damage that I've seen the tree shrouds take - they are bombproof

Have you seen how some of the lads on site look after gorilla tubs But yeah, i'm sure you've got a point but for the occasional "stag-drag" I'll do it'll prob be fine and sometimes handy to have a "gut bucket" handy for disposing of the gralloch too (although not idea if the gorilla tub has a hole through the bottom for drag rope!