My love/Hate relationship with the SxS

[Wyobohunter]

Let me start off by saying that I wouldn’t tell someone else how they should hunt and it’s not up to me to decide for others how they should have their fun… but…

Seems like the mountain roads are overrun with side by sides. This last bow season I was hiking to a trailhead and a group drove up and bugled down the canyon I was entering, from the running (loud) SxS. It wasn’t my canyon, it’s all of our canyon so it’s not some sort of territorial thing. I was just perplexed. The obnoxious sound of so many loud SxS really gets on my nerves… that’s the “hate”.

I do however love that many of those guys will never venture far from those machines. Before someone chimes in on that, I said most. I actually know some fellas that use a SxS to access trailheads from a base camp but spend more time hiking.
I love the fact that I don’t have to get very far from the “open to motorized” FS roads or pass much more than a mile beyond the gate to see almost no one else. This September there were probably 30 camps/campers within two miles of a trailhead I like. The roads were very heavily patrolled with hopped up golf carts. The only other people I saw in the 12 days I spent hiking and camping beyond the trailhead were either on horses or within one mile of the road. I do love that.

How do you feel about the SxS population explosion? If you are one of the converted, how does your SxS enhance and/or hinder your hunt?

I actually owned a SxS for a couple of years. I decided it wasn’t doing anything for me and my style of hunting that my pickup truck didn’t do quieter, cheaper and with less hassle. I sold it.

 

[OMB]

Love having a side by side but much like normal ATV's: how has the industry not found a way to quiet them down? I remember the hold muffler kits in the Sportsman's Guide 30 years ago, I feel like technology has to have progressed to quiet down 4 stroke engines at this point.

 

[Wyobohunter]

Electric? I kid… I can’t see a reason why not. My griping would just about come to a screeching halt. In case you were interested in pleasing me

 

[Northpark]

SxS used by irresponsible users are extremely damaging to our public lands. As a public land manager I deal with their use daily. Creation of new routes, off road travel and accidents often involving serious injuries or death are daily discussions. On the opposite side of the coin they do get people out enjoying public lands and having family time instead of being glued to a screen.

As far as their use for hunting I can’t really say I have a use for one but I’m more of a backpack hunter these days and my truck gets me to the vast majority of trailheads I want to get to.

My personal opinion is that their use degraded the overall experience for some and betters the experience for others. It’s exactly like why we have some areas closed to snowmobile traffic in the winter so that quiet uses like snowshoeing or cross country skiing can have a positive experience without the noise while those looking to have a positive experience on snowmobiles have a positive experience elsewhere. It doesn’t keep everyone happy but it does keep the peace somewhat.

 

[OregonSteeler]

I'm amazed at how many I see in a hunting season. I've looked into getting one a couple of times but couldn't justify the price vs. benefit for our family.

There are a lot of people who make a lot of money out there as I couldn't find any under $10k.

 

[The_Jim]

SxS used by irresponsible users are extremely damaging to our public lands. As a public land manager I deal with their use daily. Creation of new routes, off road travel and accidents often involving serious injuries or death are daily discussions. On the opposite side of the coin they do get people out enjoying public lands and having family time instead of being glued to a screen.

As far as their use for hunting I can’t really say I have a use for one but I’m more of a backpack hunter these days and my truck gets me to the vast majority of trailheads I want to get to.

My personal opinion is that their use degraded the overall experience for some and betters the experience for others. It’s exactly like why we have some areas closed to snowmobile traffic in the winter so that quiet uses like snowshoeing or cross country skiing can have a positive experience without the noise while those looking to have a positive experience on snowmobiles have a positive experience elsewhere. It doesn’t keep everyone happy but it does keep the peace somewhat.

The ATV community needs a serious etiquette campaign...its pretty bad when I am slightly embarassed to use one because of how other ATV users act and I don't want to be guilty by association.

I do use my SxS to ride from basecamp to where I hunt. Many times I put a lock on the wheel and it will sit for days. Its just nice not to tear up my pickup. I haul my family around in the summer to go fishing, exploring, hiking, etc. and its for the same reason. Its faster to get around in plus I don't tear up my pickup.

 

[swavescatter]

Seems like the mountain roads are overrun with side by sides.

I'm always a bit confused by people surprised to see vehicles on a ROAD. Go figure!

I was driving my Jeep down a Forest road (numbered) when I came across a guy hunting the road. He went on and on about how there are too many SXS's and vehicles running around these days. I politely suggested he stay off the roads to avoid vehicles.

I bought a Jeep to supplement my SXS when it comes to getting to trailheads deep in rough roads. Responsible ownership is key, and staying on posted trails is something I'm a stickler for.

 

[zion zig zag]

My thoughts on side by sides here:
Post in thread 'What is your biggest public land pet-peeve?'
https://www.rokslide.com/forums/thr...est-public-land-pet-peeve.218196/post-2123413

 

[hunt1up]

I hunted a mid-tier Arizona elk unit with a bow two years ago. The amount of recreational side-by-side traffic on the FS roads was mind boggling. All day and much of the night. It would be 2AM and we're trying to sleep and some a-hole goes flying by at 50mph with lights making the forest glow. Loud exhaust, flood lights on every side, radios blaring. It was truly obnoxious being in camp on the weekends. It felt like we were camping in an RV park with a built in race track. I bet hunters were 1% of the traffic in that unit. I know those people have a right to be there too but it really took me by surprise and took away from the experience.

 

[bsnedeker]

I just decided this year if I can't beat 'em, I'll join 'em and got myself a SxS and a toy hauler. Plan is to camp in a nice spot lower on the mountain, get up early, hop in my nice heated cabin and drive to where I want to hunt. It will keep me very mobile and allow me to jump around spots as necessary based on hunting pressure. It will also take a bunch of wear and tear off of my truck.

I also got a set of tracks with mine and I'm planning on putting a serious hurtin on some wolves up here in NW MT once I take my trapping certification this Spring when that is offered again by FWP.

I'm pretty excited about the possibilities!

 

[WeiserBucks]

I do use my SxS to ride from basecamp to where I hunt. Many times I put a lock on the wheel and it will sit for days. Its just nice not to tear up my pickup. I haul my family around in the summer to go fishing, exploring, hiking, etc. and its for the same reason. Its faster to get around in plus I don't tear up my pickup.

I use mine the exact same way. Its nice not beating the piss out of the pickup when doing hunts from a base camp and wanting to access many different areas during a hunt. Some of the spots I want to start hiking from are 20 miles from my base camp and a SXS is a real time saver on the rough roads. I don't road hunt but we all need a road of some sort to access the area we hunt.

 

[Billy Goat]

I like them to save wear and tear on the vehicle when hunting from a vehicle camp. My truck gets used as a 1-ton should most of the year. When hunting it hauls camp in, and will make trips to town. My SxS gets me around the forest roads easier.


I ain't much on the backpack hunting, I like day hunting and coming back to a more comfortable camp. If I still cared to backpack for 3 days I'd limp my vehicle to the trailhead and park it, but the way I hunt anymore, different spots different days, I like what a SxS offers.

 

[FLATHEAD]

There is an off road park near my home town that is
apparently about 90% SXS's. Someone is air lifted out
of there about once a month.
That speaks volumes about mindset.

 

[Wyobohunter]

“I politely suggested he stay off the roads to avoid vehicles.”
True. I do.

“Responsible ownership is key, and staying on posted trails is something I'm a stickler for.”
Thanks for that.

I didn’t even mention the few of them that will “blaze new trails” or drive around FS gates. I haven’t seen that happening right in front of me but I have seen the evidence of it. If I see it happening I’ll do my best to get identifying pictures and turn them in.

 

[Jethro]

SxS/atv just another tool to use. When the rules are followed they pose no problem. 2nd rifle northern CO, tons of camps, none without a SXS or atv. Never saw one that drove where it wasn't allowed. Everybody just drove to their destination and hunted from there. Some days the choice was use the atv or risk getting the 3/4 ton diesel truck stuck in the mud. I'll let you guess what we chose that day.

 

[WCB]

It wasn’t my canyon, it’s all of our canyon so it’s not some sort of territorial thing.

Not directed at you but....the fact that we have to explain this or justify being "perplexed" or pissed when idiots do idiot things regardless of it being public land makes no sense to me.

As to the SxS or ATVs in general....the thing I like most about MOST guys that use them is they will be headed back to camp for lunch and won't be in very deep. I know they MOST likely won't be spending the night in an area.

 

[WeiserBucks]

A guy that I used to work with returned from his annual resident OTC rifle elk hunt and said that he put over 1500 miles on his SXS in 14 days. He was furious about not killing a bull, didn't see a single elk and blamed it all on the NR hunters. I love these kind of guys, we definitely don't have to worry about them over crowding the walk in areas.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Take the complaints about SxS and they apply to Jeeps, trucks, horses, etc. Each pissed off the users of the previous “technology”. Throughout time grumpy old men have complained about noise made by others and how they things were the “right” way and others did it the “wrong” way.

Things have gotten worse since Covid as there are significantly more people out enjoying the outdoors. Lots of times it is like rush hour traffic. But it’s not just the roads. It’s more people on the trails. It’s more people going cross-country and blazing their own trails.

Can gripe all we want but it’s public land.

Yes, using a SXS is nice to save wear and tear on the vehicle as well as save a bit of time going to and from the trail head.

 

[BRTreedogs]

First of if your side by side was more money then your truck your not doing America rite.
Get yourself down to the local dealer and buy an 85k Duramax. Drive it straight to the offroad shop and put some 37s tires on it that stick way out.

Then you can totally justify how a cheap 35k side by is the way to go.

But honestly I love it. It concentrates the animals and gives me more opertunity. This year I hunted places that had less pressure for whatever reason and actually had a harder time finding animals.
Swarms of people all around and I know where to go.

Also hope these hunters get discouraged enough it will start being easier to get tags again.

 

[Vandy321]

I just decided this year if I can't beat 'em, I'll join 'em and got myself a SxS and a toy hauler. Plan is to camp in a nice spot lower on the mountain, get up early, hop in my nice heated cabin and drive to where I want to hunt. It will keep me very mobile and allow me to jump around spots as necessary based on hunting pressure. It will also take a bunch of wear and tear off of my truck.

I also got a set of tracks with mine and I'm planning on putting a serious hurtin on some wolves up here in NW MT once I take my trapping certification this Spring when that is offered again by FWP.

I'm pretty excited about the possibilities!

I'm kinda in the same boat, with the kid getting older I hate leaving the family at home. Thinking of partnering up with a family friend, buying a >16' wall tent and getting a nice SXS to get us up to the same spots I'd normally hike from to camp. I camp roughly 1.5-2 miles off the roads in the majority of my spots.

The SXS looks fun for summer camping as well. It's not that truck can't get me from a base camp toy hike in spot, but if I'm going to do a round-trip daily instead of pack in, the SxS is much fast up the trails than crawling in the truck...less wear and tear on a nice truck too.