Explorer going pheasant hunting tomorrow

[Jaegermeister]

My brand new 2003 4x4 Ford Explorer XLS sport (four-door) will be baptized into the world of pheasant hunting in Northwest Iowa on Saturday(Oct. 25).

When looking at SUVs, I wanted something with a lot of cargo room, four-wheel drive, and decent off-road capability to include grassy fields and snowy roads. I found a Mineral Gray explorer.

Mine does not have that silly third-row seat, so I have a perfectly flat cargo area with underneatn storage. It has a Husky black rubber cargo liner and floor mats. Two dog crates will fit in back parallel with the truck so doggies can just jump out the back.

Tomorrow, I will load one dog crate, my male field-bred English springer spaniel and two other people with plenty of room for shotguns, water, extra clothing layers and other gear.


Hopefully, we'll get feathers all over the interior. I'll still use my small utility trailer for hauling deer.

Anyone else here use an SUV for more than getting groceries?

 

[03ExplorerSPT]

That's cool. It sounds likeyour going to have fun. My Explorer isn't used just for groceries like a lot of people use theirs. I don't do off-roading really since it's 2WD but it has hauled it's share of stuff. Everything from my brothers college crap to gardening stuff like 10 bags of bark and plants and stuff. I use my Explorer for what it was meant for not just groceries. A lot of people here use theirs for hauling and going off-road too.

 

[Hokie]

JEALOUS!!!!!

Come the week of thanksgiving i'll be pheasant/quail hunting in Johnson County, Iowa on 10+ year old CRP land! I'll have my O/U back too... I CAN'T WAIT!

Oh and Ex's make great upland rigs. We've used dad's past 97, 99 XLT's and will be using his current 98 Mounty as our hunting vehicle. (We usually drive in from Burlington every morning). The dogs (chocolate, yellow labs and a german short hair) usually ride in the pick up or suburban that's also in the hunting party. (same cage setup like you have).

Anyone else here use an SUV for more than getting groceries?

Shoot, can't find it...

I've got a great sunny snowy December shot from a hunt in Iowa a few years ago... Me, dad, a bunch of birds, 2 dogs all infront of his '99 XLT

 

[terdrocket]

I'll be in Pierre, South Dakota on Nov 7. For a hunt.
Can't wait. Go from warm to COLD!!!

 

[Rob_B]

I LOVE going pheasant hunting. I'd defiantly take my Ex out, but my dad has a 03 F-150 FX4, so we take that all the time.

I gotta get my own dog though, so I can do some real hunting. Now we go to dad's friends hunting safari where pheasents are guaranteed, that isn't real hunting.

 

[dgibson]

I should be going deer hunting whenever I go to AR for new years.

 

[yaman]

moose hunting

of course.....just got back from a week of moose hunting in northern ontario...my ex was put to the test once again and held up ok.....only repair i had to do was replace rear axle seal.......i've got some pics being developed (35mm - no digi yet) i'll try and get 'em scanned so i can post 'em and you can see the ex in the country.....

 

[Hokie]

Originally posted by Rob_B
Now we go to dad's friends hunting safari where pheasents are guaranteed, that isn't real hunting.

Man, that ain't pheasant hunting! Gotta find you some wild CRP game. By the end of the season the birds are so smart and honry that you'll never get em. They learn not to fly and just run, run, run... Gotta get some guys capping that contour strip!