Ultimate scouting rig

[MugEye]

Let’s have a little bit of fun. What would be the ultimate scouting rig to handle highway gravel off road. Something like the Mercedes Benz G class but not 150k . This is the criteria . Most be ;
Road legal
4x4
4 passenger
8 plus hr hwy drives before off road starts
Great suspension for high speeds on washboard gravel
handle off-road and non-gravel oil field roads
Good fuel mileage
Storage for 4 packs and 4 weapons
Would prefer to units 10 years and older

This Will illuminate pretty much all half ton and heavier trucks because there to ruff and slow.

And go !

[MugEye]

1990’s land cruisers would be nice

[marky_mark]

Tacoma with a long travel suspension

[Positrac]

A vehicle that meets all of your criteria doesn’t exist.

Vehicles are like women...it’s all about the compromises. Well, except for my wife.

[Smoky buck]

Sounds like you need to find hunting spots closer to home and cut back on the number hunting partners pack in the vehicle lol

Being more serious you are not going to find anything perfect and only way you are going to get close is to modify the vehicle. Sounds like you need to pick a vehicle with enough cab space, A decent engine, and 4x4 then build from there

Pick your favorite brand and build

[MugEye]

Don’t take it so serious . It’s just for fun to see what your imagination will give us. It was meant to think outside the box. And it’s not for hunting it’s for scouting The wonderful province of Alberta with all of it beautiful smooth lol roads and it’s not for me it’s just theoretical .

Mitsubishi pajero , volkswagen vanagon, H1
Anybody out there modify a Subaru or anything like that please share

And go

[urban rednek]

Lots of room and plenty of shooting lanes; don't forget the pool noodles.

[MugEye]

Originally Posted by urban rednek

Lots of room and plenty of shooting lanes; don't forget the pool noodles.

Now that’s thinking outside of the box. I love it thanks for sharing

[GMX]

80's Toyota 4x4 with flat deck

[rugerfan]

Care to explain why a 4x4 pickup is too slow?

[Stinky Buffalo]

Mid-2000's Jeep Liberty is awesome. Put on a bit of a lift and some big tires, it's pretty great. Can tow a small trailer for your quad etc. The Renegade came stock with roof lights as well.



Note: The pic is not mine! Mine is stock and is essentially a grocery-getter.

[Redneck 7]

Originally Posted by MugEye

Don’t take it so serious . It’s just for fun to see what your imagination will give us. It was meant to think outside the box. And it’s not for hunting it’s for scouting The wonderful province of Alberta with all of it beautiful smooth lol roads and it’s not for me it’s just theoretical .

Mitsubishi pajero , volkswagen vanagon, H1
Anybody out there modify a Subaru or anything like that please share

And go

If it’s for scouting and not hunting you don’t need room for weapons.

I’d say my f150, it’s not 4 door but I don’t hunt with a lot of people anyways. My wife or my dad usually. It’s great on fuel, 4x4 and capable in lots of back bush roads that Alberta has to offer. Lots of room for packs and extra gear for hiking, glassing and hanging cameras.

[MugEye]

Originally Posted by Redneck 7

If it’s for scouting and not hunting you don’t need room for weapons.

I’d say my f150, it’s not 4 door but I don’t hunt with a lot of people anyways. My wife or my dad usually. It’s great on fuel, 4x4 and capable in lots of back bush roads that Alberta has to offer. Lots of room for packs and extra gear for hiking, glassing and hanging cameras.

Yes about the weapons. I’m a firm believer in practising and training with all my respective gear before season to work out any kinks in my gear list. So I hike with my bow .

[Redneck 7]

Originally Posted by MugEye

Yes about the weapons. I’m a firm believer in practising and training with all my respective gear before season to work out any kinks in my gear list. So I hike with my bow .

That’s fair, lots of people don’t try out there gear before hunting trips. Then they are surprised when it breaks or something happens. Or they don’t like it or wish they did something different.

[straight]

Originally Posted by MugEye

Let’s have a little bit of fun. What would be the ultimate scouting rig to handle highway gravel off road. Something like the Mercedes Benz G class but not 150k . This is the criteria . Most be ;
Road legal
4x4
4 passenger
8 plus hr hwy drives before off road starts
Great suspension for high speeds on washboard gravel
handle off-road and non-gravel oil field roads
Good fuel mileage
Storage for 4 packs and 4 weapons
Would prefer to units 10 years and older

This Will illuminate pretty much all half ton and heavier trucks because there to ruff and slow.

And go !

I've just sold a vehicle of your dream - Land Cruiser HZJ78.
Still own HZJ73 (140K on odometer). I'm planning to keep it.

[MugEye]

Originally Posted by straight

I've just sold a vehicle of your dream - Land Cruiser HZJ78.
Still own HZJ73 (140K on odometer). I'm planning to keep it.

Post some pics

[wbl170]

82 BJ42 Landcruiser.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Best scouting rig I ever owned was International SCOUT. It had short wheel base , built like a tank and 8,000 lb PTO winch that operated in all the gears from transfer case. Not many cutlines in Alberta that it has not traveled down.
Though had to really wind it up to pass anyone on highway with elk in the back.

[straight]

Originally Posted by MugEye

Post some pics

I don't know how to post pics here

[MugEye]

Also not so exotic as allot of the pipe dream vehicles listed here,

. I cant see any amount of money, spent on some fool machine, actually making for more effective scouting.[/QUOTE]


I think you and a small few other are slightly missing the point . When I say scouting vehicle , I should have said scouting trip vehicle. I’m my mind the “vehicle “ get you from home to your desired hunting grounds. Then you do your walking, and so on .

Not all roads and trails are conducive for a stock vehicle . Ps. With what’s going on in the world right now it’s a A lot nicer to think about “pipe dreams” . Day dreaming is free !

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by MugEye

Also not so exotic as allot of the pipe dream vehicles listed here,

. I cant see any amount of money, spent on some fool machine, actually making for more effective scouting.

I think you and a small few other are slightly missing the point . When I say scouting vehicle , I should have said scouting trip vehicle. I’m my mind the “vehicle “ get you from home to your desired hunting grounds. Then you do your walking, and so on .

Not all roads and trails are conducive for a stock vehicle . Ps. With what’s going on in the world right now it’s a A lot nicer to think about “pipe dreams” . Day dreaming is free ![/QUOTE]

I think that some of us were confused in thinking that you actually wanted sound advice about scouting vehicles, where as it seems like you are more shooting for a silly chat to kill some boredom, and I intend that in the most light hearted sense possible, not trying to be mean.

Might I suggest the Christian Bale era Batmobile?

[graybeard]

This is my baby and daily driver;

1999 Toyota Tacoma 4x4

5 speed standard
4 cylinders
150,000 miles
6' box
topper
easily carries an elk
Never been through a creek
No rust, no damage, no repairs
New General Grabber A/T tires from Tire Bob

I looked steady for over 4 years when I found it.....

It is not for sale, but it sure piques the interest at the pumps. It is the perfect truck for me.

The link looks like my truck...
http://www.2040-cars.com/Toyota/Taco...topper-566189/

[Coiloil37]

The answer to this problem has been around since the 40’s but became more evident in 2007 when they built the unlimited. You guys drive past them every day and don’t see it because most never get used in the dirt. I hated jeeps until I used one and saw what they’re capable of being built like.
My tj was a weapon and went anywhere a quad would plus down the hwy with a windshield, heater, air conditioning and radio. Two passengers no problem, dead elk in the back many times. Four passengers was a hindrance. The swampers howled on the hwy but the performance was worth it. 4:88 gears, lockers in both axles and a winch on each end, I called it a shotgun. Just point and shoot, couldn’t miss.




The jku had to replace it for a hunting rig due to a growing family and I never built it the way I wanted because we left the country. If I ever move back I’ll build it with a GM V8, one ton axles and put it on coilovers, 42’s, flat fenders 2.5-3” lift and add a winch on the caboose. Even stock it got around just fine and what a joy on the hwy compared to the tj.







On a 1.5” lift and 35’s it did better although I don’t have many action shots on my phone.








Here’s overnight gear, a calf sled, two kids in car seats and a dead moose in her.






I have some 35” maxxis bias ply tires for it too but they’re in the sea can waiting with the Jeep for whenever I visit the motherland again.



The ultimate hunting rig is a built Jeep and your imagination and budget is the only limitation.

[Stinky Coyote]

Originally Posted by Coiloil37

The answer to this problem has been around since the 40’s but became more evident in 2007 when they built the unlimited. You guys drive past them every day and don’t see it because most never get used in the dirt. I hated jeeps until I used one and saw what they’re capable of being built like.
My tj was a weapon and went anywhere a quad would plus down the hwy with a windshield, heater, air conditioning and radio. Two passengers no problem, dead elk in the back many times. Four passengers was a hindrance. The swampers howled on the hwy but the performance was worth it. 4:88 gears, lockers in both axles and a winch on each end, I called it a shotgun. Just point and shoot, couldn’t miss.




The jku had to replace it for a hunting rig due to a growing family and I never built it the way I wanted because we left the country. If I ever move back I’ll build it with a GM V8, one ton axles and put it on coilovers, 42’s, flat fenders 2.5-3” lift and add a winch on the caboose. Even stock it got around just fine and what a joy on the hwy compared to the tj.







On a 1.5” lift and 35’s it did better although I don’t have many action shots on my phone.








Here’s overnight gear, a calf sled, two kids in car seats and a dead moose in her.






I have some 35” maxxis bias ply tires for it too but they’re in the sea can waiting with the Jeep for whenever I visit the motherland again.



The ultimate hunting rig is a built Jeep and your imagination and budget is the only limitation.

I agree, love shotgun, great build!

Also the JK’s are great platform, great resale, super robust, get the pentastar versions which start in 2012 I believe. Not super great highway rides but 100-110 km/h pretty livable. For 10 year olds options tough to beat and the older Cherokee 4.0 liter are pretty sought after (XJ’s) by off-road crowds. I’m not a fan of Toyota but those old four runners seem popular like the Cherokees.

[Coiloil37]

Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote

I agree, love shotgun, great build!

Also the JK’s are great platform, great resale, super robust, get the pentastar versions which start in 2012 I believe. Not super great highway rides but 100-110 km/h pretty livable. For 10 year olds options tough to beat and the older Cherokee 4.0 liter are pretty sought after (XJ’s) by off-road crowds. I’m not a fan of Toyota but those old four runners seem popular like the Cherokees.

Mines a 12 with the 3.6 and the six speed. It was more then comfortable on the hwy at any speed for any duration with pretty decent fuel mileage. Any that aren’t comfortable on the hwy probably suffer from a poor lift/geometry. I would of preferred a regear to 4:88 but the 4:10 was tolerable on light 35’s with that idrive chip to speed up the throttle response.
If I ever move back and build it I’ll put 5:38 gears in it with a V8 and auto transmission on 42’s.

I had a 92 hilux and 01 4Runner and now being in Oz the hilux, prado, land cruisers and cruiser utes and they can’t/don’t hold a candle to what a jeeps capable of.

[Flyingfisher]

Another worthy consideration would be the new Land Rover Defender.

[AirHole]

I’ve got an 08 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Looks like a mom wagon before the 4” lift and 33’s. It has the 3.0 Mercedes diesel, drives great on hwy, good mileage and has never let me down off road.

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by Flyingfisher

Another worthy consideration would be the new Land Rover Defender.

These look pretty good