yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Thanks for those thoughts and insights. At this point, I'm going to see what Polaris unveils in Dec.
UTV Opinions/Advice Solicited
- Thread starter yoderjac
- Start date
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Well, I was finally able to get my ATV into the shop on Friday. I had to take the F150 out on the farm to take a kid hunting for youth day yesterday. (He got a shot, but we did not recover the deer). Our archery opener starts on Saturday. Hopefully he will have it running well by then. As long as he is able to get it running dependably in the next couple weeks, I'll wait for the December release of the new Polaris redesign and evaluate it. The deeper I dig into EV UTV's, the more I'm convinced I want to go the LI route. I'm hoping the partnership with Zero motorcycles really improves the redesign. My biggest reservation so far is the undisclosed cost.
Gravel Road
5 year old buck +
I'm really not much of a Polaris fan but I sure hope the electric one is a success. The electric version should be fairly trouble free with Zero's involvement. Hopefully it has a nice range of 75 miles or so. The only concern is weight. If it gets too heavy it might damage pasture, etc.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I don't think I'm too worried about weight. LI batteries have a greater power density which should make it considerably lighter than the same structure with wet cell lead acid batteries. As I've been reading up, folks with older Ranger EVs have been converting them to LI after the batteries die. They have been getting about a 400 lb weight reduction.
For my planned use, range is not a big concern. The existing Ranger EVs have plenty for my use. The problem I see is the maintenance required for wet cell lead acid. If you don't keep them charged, they discharge over time just sitting. If a let acid battery sits at a low charge for a while it sulfinates and the life span is significantly reduced. If you keep them on the charger, then you have the issue of gas-off and you have to monitor closely and add distilled water pretty frequently. It is a lot to mess with given all I have to do at the farm. On top of that, reading the Ranger EV forums, I see a lot of electrical problems with the system. I'm hoping Zero's electrical and LI experience will resolve that in the new design.
From the information released so far, it seems they plan to offer it in full size only at this point. I was hoping they would offer it on the smaller Ranger format.
Thanks,
Jack
TreeDaddy
5 year old buck +
Kawasaki Mule
For noise reduction, I just turn the volume down on speaker system
thanks,
bill
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
Has anyone noticed if EV UTVs spook deer/game any more or less than standard engines? Seems like deer get accustomed to the gas engine and can hear it coming from far away. With the EV's, I would imagine you could sneak up on them and startle them more, no? I don't mean to hijack the thread, but it seems somewhat relevant worth discussing if you are considering an EV over standard combustion.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
During my dive into EVs I wondered about this question. There are no real studies that I could find, but some individuals have done some ad hoc tests. Nothing conclusive with hard data. They have done things like having someone pick them up from a stand using a gas UTV on some nights and and EV UTV on others. In all cases, the deer left the field when the vehicle approached. They had game cameras on the field that recorded the time when the deer reentered the field after the pickup. They were convinced the deer came back quicker with the EV pickup.
That was about all I could find that was even close to a study.
However, my thought is something different than "spooking". It is along the lines of patterning. We pattern deer, but they also pattern us. We tend to drive and park at similar locations, and even walk the same trails, when we hunt particular stands. ATV noise can be heard from quite a distance even when puttering along. Does this help deer pattern us? Does it affect their movements? Will less noise from an EV make it harder to pattern us?
I don't know the answers, but I tend to think a quiet UTV is an advantage for deer as it at least draws less attention from a given distance. If the LI technology and electrical becomes solid, maintenance becomes much less than gas. No air filters, oil changes, and such to deal with. I also like the quiet transport simply for creating less disturbance. It is much easier to sneak up on trespassers. And, it is not only what the game hears, but what I can hear. I will never hear a turkey gobble when driving a gas powered UTV. I may be able to hear that in an EV. Even other. less related to game sounds are nice to hear when I'm transporting to the field.
As we talk about how game relate to sound, I've learned a lot about spring gobbler hunting. Often guys will get on high ground and listen in the pre-dawn and then try to sneak within 100 yards of a roosted gobbler and setup to call him in. I've have done this and had it work on occasion. But, far more often, the gobbler will go another direction. I find this true when the gobbler is roosted alone or with hens. Why? I have come to the conclusion, over many years of spring gobbler hunting, that it is comfort. I think even deer walking through the woods before light can change a turkey's comfort level in terms of moving in a particular direction after fly-down. There are sounds, natural or manmade that make turkey more comfortable or more warry of moving in a particular direction. A bird hearing soft feeding clucks and purrs in one direction may make that direction feel safer. A bird hearing aggressive cutting from a direction where hens don't normally roost my be concerned. A bird that heard something moving around in a particular direction before light may feel less safe moving that direction after fly-down.
I think there is a similarity in "feeling safe" that makes deer more alert or calm. It comes from many more factors than sound, and in fact sound may even be one of the less important factors for deer. However, I generally feel better about quieter movement in the field.
Right now, I can't convince myself that any sound advantage is worth the other issues with todays wet cell lead acid EVs. I'm hoping that the scale will tip the other direction with the new Polaris Electric UTV partnership with Zero. Cost may still tip the balance in favor of traditional gas. Time will tell.
Thanks,
Jack
That was about all I could find that was even close to a study.
However, my thought is something different than "spooking". It is along the lines of patterning. We pattern deer, but they also pattern us. We tend to drive and park at similar locations, and even walk the same trails, when we hunt particular stands. ATV noise can be heard from quite a distance even when puttering along. Does this help deer pattern us? Does it affect their movements? Will less noise from an EV make it harder to pattern us?
I don't know the answers, but I tend to think a quiet UTV is an advantage for deer as it at least draws less attention from a given distance. If the LI technology and electrical becomes solid, maintenance becomes much less than gas. No air filters, oil changes, and such to deal with. I also like the quiet transport simply for creating less disturbance. It is much easier to sneak up on trespassers. And, it is not only what the game hears, but what I can hear. I will never hear a turkey gobble when driving a gas powered UTV. I may be able to hear that in an EV. Even other. less related to game sounds are nice to hear when I'm transporting to the field.
As we talk about how game relate to sound, I've learned a lot about spring gobbler hunting. Often guys will get on high ground and listen in the pre-dawn and then try to sneak within 100 yards of a roosted gobbler and setup to call him in. I've have done this and had it work on occasion. But, far more often, the gobbler will go another direction. I find this true when the gobbler is roosted alone or with hens. Why? I have come to the conclusion, over many years of spring gobbler hunting, that it is comfort. I think even deer walking through the woods before light can change a turkey's comfort level in terms of moving in a particular direction after fly-down. There are sounds, natural or manmade that make turkey more comfortable or more warry of moving in a particular direction. A bird hearing soft feeding clucks and purrs in one direction may make that direction feel safer. A bird hearing aggressive cutting from a direction where hens don't normally roost my be concerned. A bird that heard something moving around in a particular direction before light may feel less safe moving that direction after fly-down.
I think there is a similarity in "feeling safe" that makes deer more alert or calm. It comes from many more factors than sound, and in fact sound may even be one of the less important factors for deer. However, I generally feel better about quieter movement in the field.
Right now, I can't convince myself that any sound advantage is worth the other issues with todays wet cell lead acid EVs. I'm hoping that the scale will tip the other direction with the new Polaris Electric UTV partnership with Zero. Cost may still tip the balance in favor of traditional gas. Time will tell.
Thanks,
Jack
I just had a "brilliant" idea involving an RC car
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
I think I've had similar thoughts to these at one time or another. I've honestly never used an electric UTV and have been considering getting one eventually. I know that I have seen times where deer have let us drive up in a gasoline powered UTV and have not busted out until we were within 20 or 30 yards. I am definitely in favor of the lower maintenance and with a solar setup, we could use "free" power. Regardless, I look forward to hearing reviews on the EV's and hope I get more time before I have to make a decision.
Bszweda
5 year old buck +
I thought about using an rc car or a drone with a rope on it and dipping it in doe etrus and driving / flying it by my stand.
I have a ev dirt bike ( sur Ron x) I've noticed I am practically on top of them before they bust. It scares em more because they don't expect it more of a startled reaction. I was bush hogging this year and a doe just casually stood eating as I drove by it at like 20 yards.
I think the biggest disadvantage ev would be lack of power to use it planting food plots.
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yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I think a deer's reaction can range widely based on conditions. Deer in big woods will spook and run for the hills at the sight of a dog. In the suburbs, I bowhunted on small lots and watched deer feed within 30 yards of a barking dog. When we first bought the pine farm, it was over populated with deer and was a food desert. I can remember mowing one of the first acres of clover we plated. It was a long rectangular field about 60 yards wide. When I was as one end of the field with the tractor mowing, deer would feed in the other. When I got about 30 yards or so from them they would reluctantly go back into the pines until I looped around that end of the field. By the time I was at the other end they were back out feeding. There was a training facility owned by a company just outside our suburbs. The game department kept doing necropsy studies telling the company they needed to open the place to hunting it was so over populated. There was a huge 6' browse line. Turned out that branch of the company reported to a guy who was also a volunteer for PETA. Deer were so starved, they would eat ice cream cones out of the hands of trainees. They finally sold the land to a developer who engaged our bowhunting group to get a handle on the deer. Our safety regulations required we hunt from tree stands. For the first two weeks, bowhunting deer was like shooting fish in a barrel. After that, it became much more difficult. You could walk within 20 yards of a deer and it would ignore you, but the minute you climbed in a tree, it was out of there. They walked around looking up in the trees. They had learned that humans on the ground were not a threat, but they were in a tree.
Food, pressure, and acclimation can make deer react very differently depending on conditions. In general, though, I think in my setting less noise will be a positive thing.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I'm not sure yet. My demands on performance are fairly low. I have a few hundred acres with rolling terrain. I don't go over about 10 mph now. I transport tools for work projects and probably would not travel more than a few miles in a day. If it wasn't for the maintenance and other issues with today's lead acid EVs they would probably suffice. Having seen the previews of the new Polaris Electric, it looks like it will be competitive with similar gas UTVs in the same class. Of course, this is all teasing and hype on Polaris's part so far. It won't be until we see the details that we will really know. It seems like we are on a performance tipping point, but we don't know for sure yet and we don't know if the price will be practical.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
GOOD NEWS!....I think. I just got a call from the shop. My ATV is running fine. They just replaced the plugs and adjusted the mix slightly leaner. I can't figure out how the plugs got fouled that quickly since they changed them out last time I was in the shop. I'll pick it up Thursday. Presuming it runs reliably this season, I'm not forced into a quick replacement decision. That will let me wait for the new Polaris Electric to come out and see if it has issues or not.
Thanks,
Jack
Thanks,
Jack
jsasker007
5 year old buck +
What a difference a day makes.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
This is just an anecdotal observation that might be relevant: The other day I was hunting the pine farm. One of the other owners was hunting as well. We coordinate so I knew where he was hunting. His stand was about a half mile from mine. I saw nothing that night, but about sunset, I heard a faint engine in his direction. I thought that either he shot something and was headed back or we had a trespasser, so I paid attention. It quickly became clear it was an ATV headed in my direction. It was loud when I first saw it about 250 yards and it got very loud when he passed at 150 yards. I realized I could track that ATV for a long distance on sound. When it stopped, I knew where it stopped. His ATV is not particularly loud and he just putters along under 10 mph.
Tonight, I was hunting my little 16 acre retirement property. I had not seen anything but I thought I heard something moving my way, but I wasn't sure. It wasn't until just before I saw it through the underbrush. It was the neighbor boy in golf cart. He stopped about 45 yards from me, got out, and did something. I couldn't see quite what through the underbrush. He got back in and drove down the trail. He did not get very far, before I could not hear the cart any more. I could only track him by sound for about 75 yards total.
Now, my hearing is not great. Not close to a deer. But I have to think that a motorized ATV/UTV has to give deer more information to pattern us than and electric one.
Again, just an observation, not proof of anything...
Thanks,
Jack
River-X
5 year old buck +
With the cost of these new UTVs going through the roof, I’m seriously considering one of those Japanese mini-trucks! Haha, I know, not really the same but for something used with air conditioning and a heater, with a power dump box…I might be tempted to see if I can get my 6’3” frame into it. I’ve looked em up, and they aren’t crazy expensive either.
Make sure you check into your state's rules/licensures regarding UTV/ATV/ORVs before going that route.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
This is just an anecdotal observation that might be relevant: The other day I was hunting the pine farm. One of the other owners was hunting as well. We coordinate so I knew where he was hunting. His stand was about a half mile from mine. I saw nothing that night, but about sunset, I heard a faint engine in his direction. I thought that either he shot something and was headed back or we had a trespasser, so I paid attention. It quickly became clear it was an ATV headed in my direction. It was loud when I first saw it about 250 yards and it got very loud when he passed at 150 yards. I realized I could track that ATV for a long distance on sound. When it stopped, I knew where it stopped. His ATV is not particularly loud and he just putters along under 10 mph.
Tonight, I was hunting my little 16 acre retirement property. I had not seen anything but I thought I heard something moving my way, but I wasn't sure. It wasn't until just before I saw it through the underbrush. It was the neighbor boy in golf cart. He stopped about 45 yards from me, got out, and did something. I couldn't see quite what through the underbrush. He got back in and drove down the trail. He did not get very far, before I could not hear the cart any more. I could only track him by sound for about 75 yards total.
Now, my hearing is not great. Not close to a deer. But I have to think that a motorized ATV/UTV has to give deer more information to pattern us than and electric one.
Again, just an observation, not proof of anything...
Thanks,
Jack
