Best Snowmobile for Lion hunting?

[catdogs]

I have been running tracks on Rhinos and Four Wheelers for about 6 years now. I have also had many different sleds. With everything I have tried, I would take an air cooled 550cc long track sled with reverse and a dog sled trailer all on a flat bed truck over anything I have tried so far! My 2 sleds now are a Ski Doo Skandic and a Ski Doo Back-Country.

[tman308]

Catdogs,

when you say long track what is the length? Also how have the ATV and side by sides done for ya?


Thanks

[Kevin D]

The best snowmobile for lion hunting is going to depend on where you live and how you hunt. It's not unlike the question "what is the best caliber for deer hunting," there are just too many varibles to consider that are unique for each area.

For instance, a tracked vehicle like George Streepy's would make no sense where I hunt. The Forest Service and the local county lock nearly every mountain road leaving only a 48 inch gate for snowmobile access. There are groomed snowmobile trails that aren't gated, but then you are limited to only 700 lbs gross vehicle weight. There just isn't any place to take it (though the heater would be nice!).

Utility sleds like the Tundra, Skandic, or Bearcat work well on relatively flat terrain, but they lack the raw horse power to get you over the top when the hills get steep and the snow gets deep. There has been a couple houndsmen around here experiment with them, but after a couple years they are back on powder sleds because they can't get back into some of the better lion canyons after a good snow storm.

Liquid vs fan cooled engines is another area where there is some disagreement among hound doggers. I personally prefer the liquids because they are higher performance engines that can deliver more horse power. The drawback is that they constantly need snow flipping up on the heat exchangers to keep cool, which can be a problem in icy conditions. If most of your hunting is on established roads with mild to moderate grades, an air cooled may be the best choice.

Someone mentioned Arctic Cat Powder Specials, having owned a couple my experience with them has been the clutches are their weakest link. Engines held up well, but pulling dogs around I rarely got 1,200 miles on a clutch before I had to replace or rebuild them. Polaris clutches have held up a lot better for me.

I like the Polaris RMK frames, they are moderately lightweight, easy handling, good in the powder, and can tolerate a lot of abuse. As far as engine size in the RMK's, the 900 cc's are under-achieving lemons. The 800's, while popular, have a history of crank bearing failures. I even had an after market bearing kit installed on the one I owned, as did a buddy, but they both still failed. The best engine Polaris makes, IMO, is the 700 cc Liberty engines. I currently own two, one of which has 3,000 miles on it and the other 6,000 miles and haven't had a problem with either one.

I also love the 151 inch track. I was worried that it would be too tough to get turned around if I got stuck on a narrow trail or be too heavy if it got packed too full of snow. The tunnel, however, is longer and higher off the ground making it easier to get under gives me more leverage to pick it up. It's actually easier to get unstuck than some of the 136" tracks that I've had.

Perhaps the easiest way to figure out the best sled for you, is to look around and see what some of the other longtime houndsmen in your area are using. Start with that and adjust from there.

[George Streepy]

Kevin D threw out some very rational advice. I have had bad luck with clutches on my older Yamahas but my both my Polaris sleds have held up fairly well. I am not the one to ask about sleds though. Mine are usually ridden by guys with no experience and spend most of their time getting thrashed. All in all both the Yamahas and Polaris sleds have held up pretty well for living such a rough life.

I have never heard of the 700 lbs weight limit. The tracks are fairly rare around here. It took some effort but I was able to dual register the Landcruiser as both a passenger vehicle and a snowmobile. When buying tabs I pay my part of grooming fees and the Forest Service haven't given me to much of a hard time. Some of the law enforcement officers were sceptical but when they saw that the tracks do not have a negative effect on groomed runs they told me to have at it. I don't know how laws change from state to state but my tracks are considered forest service approved. Whatever that means. I also do some volunteer recovery and rescue so I know most of the Officers and we get along just fine.

I picked my sleds based on the best deal I could find. Around here they range from complete garbage to top of the line sleds. I have a buddy that brought his hot dog hill climbing sled with the super long track and high gearing, his sled did not do good pulling the dog sled. It is fast as hell but not worth the fuel for hunting.


Good luck

[Bplott]

MY advice is buy something cheap. ride it like you stole it and take a good pair of snowshoes with u incase it breaks down, because they will a leave you walkin sooner then later.

[liontracker]

Ride it like you stole it!LOL

Sure would like to ride around in a machine like George's Toyota. Been thinking of a setup like that in a pickup version for awhile now. However I think I'll ease into that setup. I don't see that many places where I could use it here.

What I found was a pair of Polaris'.
RMK 700 Verticle edge with 400 miles.
Frontier trail 4 stroke 2 seater with 800 miles.
Both sleds have reverse.
Drive on-drive off trailer with new tires and bearings.

Whole package for $2500.00

Is that a good deal?

[Kevin D]

Ride it like you stole it!LOL

Sure would like to ride around in a machine like George's Toyota. Been thinking of a setup like that in a pickup version for awhile now. However I think I'll ease into that setup. I don't see that many places where I could use it here.

What I found was a pair of Polaris'.
RMK 700 Verticle edge with 400 miles.
Frontier trail 4 stroke 2 seater with 800 miles.
Both sleds have reverse.
Drive on-drive off trailer with new tires and bearings.

Whole package for $2500.00

Is that a good deal?

The 700 RMK with reverse means it is at least a 2004, the first year they added the PERC reverse as standard equipment on the Verticle Edge (though there was a limited number of 2003's that had it). This sled alone (assuming a 2004) is worth the $2,500 asking price. I don't pay a whole lot of attention to the 4 stroke market, so I can't help you much there, but a used 2 place drive-on /drive-off trailer in decent condition will add an addtional $1,200 to $1,500 in value.

Tell you what, you buy the package for $2,500, sell me the RMK for $2,500, and you keep the 4 stroke and trailer with nothing out of your pocket! Deal?? Almost sounds too good to be true. You could ride those sleds like you stole them because at that price, you did.

[George Streepy]

Sounds perfect to me Liontracker. Next time I need sleds I could pay you to do the shopping and negotiating, pay to have them shipped up here, and still be money ahead. Sounds like you got a heck of a deal. Now you have to build your boxes/dog sled and your ready to go. You will do just as good if not better with those sleds over a tracked rig. Enjoy.

[catdogs]

Catdogs,

when you say long track what is the length? Also how have the ATV and side by sides done for ya?

The track on my Skandic is a 156. I had the Rhino on tracks, and I thought it was too slow, underpowered and guzzled gas. It all really depends on your country. I cover up to 100 miles a day and here, a sled is the quickest way. I have also used the powder sleds and in my opinion, I can pull dogs better with a Skandic than any powder sled. Once the spring conditions hit where its a mix of dirt and snow, I use a Yamaha Griz on Tatou 4s tracks.

[dandavidson]

Artic Cat,HCR 800cc, super easy to ride, super light, will go anywhere you dare and get you out, dosent wear you out like my ski-doo does(rode ski doos for years) I ride with a box on the back more for winter camping, supplies, but a dog box would be fine.

I am not a houndsman yet, but see lots of nice cat tracks where I go( about 30 miles in). Ran out of snow on the way back on one trip rode the sled for 4 miles on dirt, havent noticed any ill effects from it. Those Skandic's look pretty cool,havent had a chance to ride one.

The four stroke yamahas, the exhaust comes out under the seat and would hurt the dogs, to hot and fumes.

Just my quick opinion.
Dan D

[Cathntr]

(beep) those snowmoblies... A four wheeler tracks is the bestway to go. Can go from snow to dirt. Dont to worry about not enough snow to ride on.

[liontracker]

It seems that snowmachines are a lot like lion hounds, Specialists for vastly different conditions.

This "addiction" is truely a bottomless money pit!LOL

[Mike Leonard]

What a day to be talking about this. LOL! 106 degrees here today and although I didn't get to go today my Amigo south of me a ways has gone the last two days straight on a problem lion. Said the snow machines ran pretty good, but took on a lot of water at each spring. LOL!

Well It's a funny thing here in New Mexico you see snow mobiles and jet ski's on the same trailer. LOL!

[liontracker]

Mike!LOL Hey, can those "snowmachines" go all day in this heat?

[Kevin D]

Well It's a funny thing here in New Mexico you see snow mobiles and jet ski's on the same trailer. LOL!

I don't know if this is the reason or not, but there are a few guys that make a sport out of riding their snowmobiles across open water. I believe they even have a big event every spring after the ice breaks up at Palisades Reservior on the Wyoming/Idaho border near Alpine.

I was out fishing a couple years ago and heard some engine noises around the bend and went to check it out and that is what they were doing, sledding across the shallow end of the lake. They'd find a gentle slope leading into the water and hit it with a full head of steam, buzz around a bit, and not let off the throttle until they hit the other shore. I don't know that I'd try it with a load of dogs however, especially the fat, out-of-shape mutts I've got.........no doubt they'd be fishing me off the bottom!