How To Prep Your Vehicle for Hunting Season
Keenan Crow 11.27.19
I don’t know about you, but during hunting season my truck begins to take on the appearance of a walk-in closet on wheels. As we get settled into our favorite time of the year, let’s talk vehicle prep to ensure we have everything we need for a successful season.
First things first, let’s get (re)organized. No matter where you are with your hunting season, it never hurts to take a couple hours to get your vehicle situated again. No matter when, where, or what you’re hunting, you want to be prepared to avoid common problems like flat tires, getting lost, your vehicle interior getting trashed, or losing essential gear.
More preparation now means more time hunting later!
Prepping Your Vehicle for Hunting Season
General Maintenance
Take your vehicle in for service BEFORE opening day. Make sure your tires are in good shape, check that you have a good spare, and confirm that your battery, brakes, and suspension are all in working order.
If you know you will be driving on rough terrain, you might want to consider off-road tires, too.
Vehicle Protection
Hunting can really dirty up your vehicle in a hurry. The best thing I ever did was invest in seat covers to protect the interior of my car from whatever I’d been sitting in all morning. Along with seat covers, floor mats are really helpful in dealing with muddy boots.
And if you’re a pickup driver who often stores valuable items in the bed of your truck, a tonneau cover or topper will become your best friend when the weather turns nasty on the way home from hunting!
Weapon Storage
It simply cannot be said enough: whether bow or firearm, it’s important to secure your weapons and ammo in a safe place while traveling to and from your hunting spot.
KNOW THE LAWS — It’s a good idea to refresh yourself each year with laws and regulations for transporting any firearm or ammunition in your vehicle.
Hunting With Dogs
Take any necessary measures to ensure your four-legged friends are safe and comfortable in their kennel. Think ahead to any potential weather you might encounter, and make sure you have everything to keep them hunting! Lining their kennel will help them stay warm when temperatures drop.
Bring extra food and water and an emergency kit in case things get really urgent and you simply need to do some damage control before rushing to the vet.
Hopefully this article is helpful as you begin preparing your truck or SUV for whatever this hunting season throws at you. Happy hunting, and here’s hoping you have to prep your tailgate for a post-hunt trophy photo!
Good luck, y’all!
