Best Snowmobile for Lion hunting?

[George Streepy]

It is possible to get it stuck, but it is really easy to get it out. I put a winch on the front but have never used it for getting myself unstuck, just for other rigs. It does work really good and I have had it in over 8 feet of snow (no BS). The speedo doesn't work with the gear reduction of the tracks but according to the GPS it can do about 50 mph. I usually cruise along at about 30 mph. In deep wet snow it takes a little more power and it moves along at about 20 mph. Not as fast as a snow mobile but faster than a snow cat. For checking tracks it works real good. I have some older snow mobiles and an aluminum sled to go behind them. We will use the snow mobiles for high speed checking of tracks in new snow but on older crusty snow every one wants to ride in the Landcruiser and nobody ever wants to pull the sled any more. It made it possible to take my young kids with me. The last picture was a cat my dad took last season with me holding my kid. It is on Adobe so I don't think it is showing up. I am not sure what new sleds are running these days but I have just over $12,000 into the Landcruiser, winch, bumpers and the tracks. It was worth it.

[Yard Dog]

George,
That is a nice setup, the only draw back around here would be getting it from one hunting spot to another. You would have to trailer it on the highways and county roads to get it to the mountain. I know you have to trailer snow machines too, but I think they might be a little easier to deal with.
Do you trailer yours or can you just drive it up from your house?

[George Streepy]

I trailer it. Where I cougar hunt is about 5 hours from my house. I spent some time putting together a 26' trailer with ramps and a 70 gallon refueling tank. I put two snow mobiles on the front of the trailer.

This thing isn't flawless. It has some drawbacks but not nearly as many as snow mobiles in my opinion. You can run them on asphalt. I ran them down about 30 miles of dry highway before. They do not steer great but there are some companies making good steering upgrades. You can still turn around in the same amount of space as tires but it takes a couple more back ups. I usually just do a loop out through the trees if possible. As long as you are rolling they steer like tires. At the end of a dead end road it is easier to turn around then a snowmobile with a dog sled.

We still use snow mobiles some times but the Landcruiser is alot funner. A salesmen from Mattracks called me last year and said their new Model 88 Series tracks should be retailing for about $14,000. You can take them on and off a truck as fast as you can change four tires. If I was a guide I would definitely have them. I put them on the Landcruiser because that rig is built really stout and has alot of space and seating. But you can put them on anything that is a 4x4.

I am saving up to get my next set. I will get the Model 88 Series to put on my Toyota Tacoma some day. This is a photo of the 88's on a Toyota from their website.

Liontracker asked what works the best. These are what I think works the best.

[Nolte]

Those things look pretty sweet. With the way our snow has been in WI, we'd get to use them about once in 5 years. It's been just abysmal for hunting snow the few years.

We've got a couple of tundras and they work good for us flatlanders. If you've got a trail already, a guy can take an old elan in there. You aren't going to push through much snow, but it sure beats walkin.

As for the best snowmobile overall, I'd have to vote for it being your buddy's. It doesn't matter what model, year, etc. As long as you don't own it, it's perfect. I know that really cuts down on the maintenance bill.

[liontracker]

Nolte -Great tip on saving on the maintainence costs!

GS - That Tacoma is exactly what I had originally thought! The only problem I see with these rigs, is that they are too big to get off trail much and do some bushwacking. Maybe a full sized pickup tracked, w/ dogs and a snomobile in the back for when you get to the end of the road?

[tman308]

I have seen those type of tracks for ATV do they work as well on ATV?

[houndnem]

they don't work worth a shit on atvs and rhinos. only on crusty snow, I saw people berry them in powder and have to leave them on the mountain all winter and they had a winch on it. That's why I'm a little skeptical about puting them on a truck, because atv's are alot lighter than a truck and they don't do well. maybe the truck ones do better because they have more surface area. at the end of the day it comes down to weight and pounds per square inch hitting the snow. I did see mattrax advertisement and it looked pretty impressive with a ford excursion tracked up and movin along and the dude steps out and sinks to his shoulders in snow. But every time Ive been out on atvs and side by sides with them it has been a joke!

[liontracker]

Hey Fullcry, what say ye on this one?

[liontracker]

Visted the website and did some calcs.

F350 - .711 sq. inches of track per pound of total vehicle weight

Snomobile w/153" track - 3.44 sq. inches of track per pound of total vehicle weight

The snowmobile has 4.84 times as much flotation.

[George Streepy]

I didn't mean to hijack the post in comparing these. There are alot of different types of tracks for atv and utv's. The problem is no one wants to pay for Mattracks M3 tracks. They are 13" wide instead of 10" or 11" like most of the smaller models or the competitors models. The M3 Tracks do really good on four wheelers and rhinos.

With the tracks that I have it measures out to 1.95 pounds per square inch of track. That is measuring the flat part of the track. One of the good things about the tracks is you can go as slow as you want. You almost never have to gun the throttle to get up things. You don't get stuck nearly as easy as a snowmobile. If you do get stuck it is easy to dig yourself out. I have spent alot more time getting snowmobiles unstuck. We still use snowmobiles, but not that much. I have both and I think of selling snow mobiles all the time. I won't be selling the tracks any time soon. My post was just a suggestion. I have been really impressed with the tracks, so has every one that has gone for a ride. If any one is thinking about these tracks you can give me a call.

The bad thing about the tracks is after driving them, I get in my pick up and get stuck all the time. It looks like very little snow compared to what I have been in. Tires and tracks are definitely worlds apart.

Good Luck,
George
(253)266-2130

[liontracker]

George, a complete comparison of what is out there, is just what I was looking for.
At first I thought a side x side ATV would be what I needed. Then I thought a Toyota w/tracks. Just want to do my research before I drop that kind of money.


Yes, those calcs do equate to 1.4 to 1.9 psi on a vehicle and .29 psi on a snowmobile.

[houndnem]

It did go a little off topic, but it is very intersting to learn about these truck tracks. if they work as good as you say, I think we all can scrap driving around freezing our butts off on snowmobiles. I would love to get you out here this winter with that machine and see what it can do. probably be the warmest track cutting I would ever do. now back to the snowmobiles.

[liontracker]

Snowmobiles? Maybe...maybe not!LOL That's the beauty of this open forum, you never know, something better might pop up.

[George Streepy]

I spent alot of time trying to figure out what to buy. Snow mobiles are very beneficial but I already had 4 of them. I wanted some thing I could take the Old Lady and the kids in. I looked at snowcats, rhinos, and tracks for a truck. The snowcats are cool but super expensive and 15 mph is all you can expect. I almost bought a set of M3 Tracks and put them on a Suzuki Samuri or a Geo Tracker. I guess that works pretty good. Every one that has done that complains that the Samuri doesn't have enough power. But they seem to like the Geo Trackers. Then I stumbled across these tracks used and bought them. They are able to drive on dirt without over heating. They do good in mud and any soft surface. I only use them for snow though.

Liontracker- I did some calculations and a 150lbs tom is about 2.36 psi of ground pressure. So if the lion can walk across that road the tracks can drive down it. And that is all that matters to me! LOL.

Good luck with your decision. Now that I spent all this time bragging about those damn tracks I have a confession to make. That Landcruiser cost me alot of money and just sits 11 1/2 months out of the year. Buy a couple cheap used snowmobiles and enjoy. That would be the most rational choice.

[Majestic Tree Hound]

Tim Take a Good look at the Hoot ETV !! If you put tracks on it it will go anywhere !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4eNqPFN ... re=related

This one shows how it works in the Snow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z30qPBzCXNA