How to Outfit your Overland Vehicle for Hunting
How You Can Use and Build Your Overland Vehicle for Your Hunting Trips
Overlanding and hunting may seem like very different hobbies but if you really look at the key aspects of both, you’ll see the similarities and how they can actually go together to elevate both your overlanding or hunting experiences.
Building your overland vehicle to maximize it’s functionality for your hunting needs is a great way to make your hunting seasons a lot better by saving money, maximizing your workflow, keeping your gear organized, and so much more.
If you’re interested in getting into hunting or overlanding, or are already into both of them: Let’s talk about how these two go together and how you can make your overland rig a great hunting tool.
Why to Consider Using Your Overland Rig for Hunting
While you may not think it, overlanding and hunting share some similarities that when combined, make for an awesome outdoor adventure. Using your dedicated overlanding rig for hunting not only adds to the experience but it can also streamline the process, save you some money, and add some extra creature comforts along the way.
When out on hunting trips, especially ones that will last multiple days, the main priority is figuring out where you’re going to sleep. The most common methods are sleeping in a tent or renting a place to stay and driving to your hunting grounds the following day. Using your overlanding rig for this actually makes the process a lot cheaper and more comfortable since you won’t have to pay for a place to sleep and it’s more than likely a lot more comfortable than sleeping on a ground tent.
Another great benefit of using your overlanding rig for hunting trips is the ability to access better hunting grounds by saving time and having the ability to navigate through more difficult terrain. When hunting public lands, a lot of areas are easy to access but there are times where you will have to make a decision to get to a harder to reach area. Having your overland rig on standby can help make sure that both you and your gear can get there without having to trek back and forth between your hunting spot and campsite.
Building Your Overland & Hunting rig
There are many different things to consider when outfitting your overland vehicle for hunting. Some of the most basic things you will need to consider are shelter, storage, and security.
Shelter
Shelter or having somewhere to sleep or set up base camp is important especially if you plan on going on hunting trips that last at least 2 days. For shelter you’ll want to consider something like a tent, camper shell, rooftop tent, or camper. Your shelter should be comfortable as it’s where you will go after a long day. You’ll also want to keep in mind you will want something that can hold up if the weather turns for the worst.
Storage
Keeping all of your hunting gear, camping supplies, clothes, and a free area for any game you catch takes careful planning of your very limited storage capabilities. You will want things like tubs, drawers, a trailer, and other ways to maximize this space so that you are able to find everything you need and still have room to breathe.
Security
Guns, ammunition, bows, camping supplies, and just about everything else in the overlanding and hunting hobbies is pretty expensive. You’ll want to make sure you keep your gear secured from other people, and in some areas, animals such as bears. You can do this by locking your storage containers, using bear proof coolers, and keeping expensive items hidden in your vehicle when you aren’t around.
Useful Hunting Gear & Accessories for your Overland Rig
If you want to start outfitting your vehicle to be capable of both hunting and overlanding, there are a ton of different modifications and accessories that you can add. While everyone has different tastes when it comes to how you build your vehicle, you will always will need to adapt your vehicle to changes in location, terrain, needs, and personal comforts. If you’re looking for some ideas or a baseline here are some good starting points for gear and modifications on gear I have personally used or seen.
Camper Shell
A camper shell allows you to keep the gear and truck bed clean and dry and they turn your truck bed into a secure and weather-tight sleeping area. Personally since I still use my truck for things like carrying large stuff in the bed, I went with a Softopper Camper Shell so that I could easily fold it up when I don’t need it.
Softopper Camper Shell - Check Price
Luno Air Mattress
If you are sleeping in your truck bed you’ll quickly notice that it’s really not that comfortable. I use the Luno Truck Bed Air Mattress since I can take it out of the bed when I’m not using it and it takes less than 5 minutes to inflate again. The custom design fits around the wheel wells so you get the most amount of sleeping room. If you are using an SUV, Luno Life also has air mattresses that have a custom fit to cater to a a wide range of mid and full-size SUVs.
Luno Air Mattress - Check Price
Rooftop Tent
There are a lot of rooftop tents on the market, so do your research in finding one that’s best suited for your needs. If you need help finding the perfect rooftop tent, check out this article.
Pelican Ammo, Bow, and Gun Cases
Pelican cases, especially their Vault Cases, are a great way to keep your gear dry and secured no matter what it is. These are great to store your guns, ammunition, or bow in because they are weather proof, dust proof, and impact resistant to keep your valuables safe even in the toughest conditions.
Pelican Vault Cases - Check Price
Roof Rack
A roof rack isn’t only for aesthetic purposes, they also serve as a great tool to maximize your storage space on your overland vehicle. They give you the ability to mount things like cases, tents, axes, and so much more on the roof to keep the inside of your vehicle organized and less cluttered. I highly recommend checking out a roof rack from Front Runner Outfitters but all roof racks are dependent on what vehicle you drive.
Decked Storage
If you drive a truck as your overland vehicle you know that keeping things organized and secure in such a large space can be a pain. Something like the Decked Drawer System or a D.I.Y Storage system can be a great way to organize all of your gear and still give you space to haul things around or make your bed into a sleeping area too.
Decked Drawer System - Check Price
Portable Camp Shower
Hygiene isn’t something you should ignore while out in the woods. Adding a portable camp shower to your hunting supplies makes for a better feeling and cleaner experience (and you’re buddies will thank you for not smelling so bad)
Bam Beds Truck Bed Platforms
Storage can become a huge problem in your truck bed especially If you are using to store your overlanding equipment, hunting gear, and as a sleeping area. The Bam Beds platforms offer a unique way to increase the space in the bed of your truck by creating separate levels. These can be used to create a sleeping platform and still have space to store your gear underneath or for two separate storage levels.
Bam Beds Platforms - Check Price
Bed Rack
A bed rack adds functionality and storage options to any truck bed. There are a ton of bed rack options out there for just about every truck brand and each has their own unique style and features. Some great options if you choose to go with a bed rack would be a cab height bed rack so that you aren’t restricting your bed space but getting the benefit of being able to mount equipment, a rooftop tent, a large cooler for storing game, and more.
Recovery Equipment
Recovery equipment should be one of the first things you should get for your overlanding and hunting rig. Recovery gear gives you the peace of mind that no matter where you go, you’ll be able to get back home safely. Check out this article for recovery gear essentials and basics.
All-Terrain or Mud Terrain Tires
The thing that probably makes the biggest difference in your vehicles ability to get just about anywhere is in having the right tires for the situation. Typically, the best type of tires for offroading and overlanding would be mud-terrain or all-terrain tires. Mud tires excel in places that are wet and rainy a lot but wear down faster if you plan to be putting on some highway miles. If you want something that is in the middle ground between off-road performance and on-road longevity, you may consider all-terrains. I personally run the Yokohama Geolandar G003 M/T on my Toyota Tacoma and find they perform great while off-roading but also hurt your vehicles on-road mannerisms too much.
Cooler & Portable Fridge
The last basic thing you may want to better outfit your overlanding vehicle for hunting is a cooler or portable fridge. A cooler is a great budget friendly option to keep your food and drinks cool but also, if you buy a large enough one, gives you a secure place to store any game you catch. If you want to step it up a notch and your budget fits, you may look into a portable fridge like the Dometic Portable Fridge and Freezer. While these aren’t very big, they are a game changer for longer trips.
Final Thoughts
While overlanding and hunting may seem like two completely separate hobbies, they actually pair together great if it’s something your into. Building out your overland vehicle to provide security and comfort for your hunting trips is a great option to save yourself money and make your hunting trips a lot more enjoyable in the long run.