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Electric Carts vs 4 Wheeler

S

swamp_possum

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Messages
200
Location
Arkansas
What is the general consensus on electric golf carts for hunting? I’ve been kicking around the idea of ditching the 4wheeler for an electric golf cart and doing a few modifications to it to make it woods ready, but I don’t really know anyone who has gone that route.

The lease that I hunt on has pretty decent roads so I rarely, if ever, take my 4 wheeler places that I feel like a lifted golf cart couldn’t get into. 99% of what I do with my ATV I can do with a cart, and do it silently! My concern is that I will wish I had the extra power of the ATV for the 1 time a year that I run into a mud hole that is a tad softer on the bottom than I thought.

What are yalls thoughts? If you could have one or the other which would you choose, electric cart or 4 wheeler?
 
I hunt mostly public so I don't have the option of using my ATVs for hunting. Don't know if I would even if I could on the way in because I'd be afraid I'd smell like exhaust after using it. I own a few can ams so I am biased but if I decided to use something I would say I'd take a four wheeler any day. I'd rather have the power and capability vs maybe having a bad night. What kind of four wheeler do you have? A lot of manufacturers make quiet core mufflers that really help quiet them down. Or maybe go the golf cart route with a winch?
 
I’ve had both. Lifted a golf cart and put good tires on it and it would go wherever....until the batteries died. Dead batteries suck. I would go gas over electric every time.
 
If I was in the market for one, I would prefer an electric buggy over a gas powered ATV. Around here, ever deer within ear shot flees from the sound of a 4 wheeler. With an electric powered buggy all they can hear is the crunch of the leaves. I own a gas powered 4 wheeler. For comparisons sake, I have some experience with Bad Boy Buggies. The only thing I use an ATV for, here on our place, is bringin in a dead deer, or habitat work. If I kill, I will wait until dark, if possible to retrieve the deer. I try my best to keep from driving the live deer off my property by the sound of a 4wheeler. If it is too hot to leave the deer in the shade til dark I will use a tractor. A tractor around here doesn't skeer the deer nearly as bad as a 4 wheeler. There is no fuel expense (beyond the cost of the electric to keep a charge on a buggy). No odor. Its a lot easier to slip up on trespassers on an electric, as well. Around here, the electric buggy would be better utilized.
 
Electric cart if you don’t need the power and terrain capabilities of a 4 wheeler. I know a club that only allows electric carts on their 3000 acres. Made a big impact on daytime movement and on how skiddish their deer are.
 
Murph4028 said:
I hunt mostly public so I don't have the option of using my ATVs for hunting. Don't know if I would even if I could on the way in because I'd be afraid I'd smell like exhaust after using it. I own a few can ams so I am biased but if I decided to use something I would say I'd take a four wheeler any day. I'd rather have the power and capability vs maybe having a bad night. What kind of four wheeler do you have? A lot of manufacturers make quiet core mufflers that really help quiet them down. Or maybe go the golf cart route with a winch?
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I’ve got a Polaris Sportsman 500. I really like it but I always think I’m not using it to its full potential. I’ve never even had to use the wench in the 8 years I’ve had it.

The main thing I use it for it travel from one end of the lease to the other, hauling a deer back to camp, or driving it to a neighboring deer camp to say hey and hang out. I’ve considered some sort of aftermarket muffler for the atv but Ive watched some YouTube videos and they didn’t quiet it down significantly.
 
The entrance to my property is about 3/4 of a mile from my house, part of the trip is on a gravel driveway and part of it is on a dirt logging road. After witnessing deer flee my property on multiple occasions from the sound of an approaching four wheeler, I purchased an electric golf cart with a utility bed. It made a huge difference on being able to approach my property without alerting deer. A lift and a set of aggressive tires is almost a must, a small skift of snow on wet grass and the slightest hill would cause the stock golf cart to spin out. The only time I use my four wheeler now is in the summer when doing habitat work.
 
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I love reading these posts from different areas. The golf carts were the rage here 10 or so years ago. Had a neighbor getting them at auction. Outfitting them with lift kits ,traction tires and camo paint.sold a few but then word got out that hill roads are different than hill land. They didnt have the power.
The interesting part of these conversation are deer reactions. I spook more deer walking in than driving. Trying to walk in being sneaky is the worst at dark. Deer here are use to people,equipment and even pets. They just stand their ground and watch us walk or drive by. I've walked with in feet of deer and not have them move until I pass. I keep my head down and never change my pace. I use a DR brush mower to clean trails and a leaf blower in the fall. One day I had a 10 or 12 pt, can't recall, step out of the brush in front of me and stroll down the trail as I weed whacked behind him with the DR. roaring maybe ten yrds in front. It's kinda like ppl that see mature buck lounging in suburban yards. These deer out here have to contend sneaky predators all the time, wild dogs, coyotes, bear, and every body and his brother trying to sneak around during season. If I hear a deer in the dark I'll stomp and snort shake branches while still walking along, or get into the leaf litter off a trail and scuff my feet as I continue. I've literally called buck back to me doing this. They sre curious animals.
 
Electric all day. No noise and no smell. I would scare the crap out of guest at my old farm when I snuck up on them after dark in the electric cart to pick them up. Drive right by deer who would just watch me go by as they don't hear you coming so they freeze when you are suddenly there.
 
Gator said:
Electric all day. No noise and no smell. I would scare the crap out of guest at my old farm when I snuck up on them after dark in the electric cart to pick them up. Drive right by deer who would just watch me go by as they don't hear you coming so they freeze when you are suddenly there.
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GCTerpfan said:
The entrance to my 100 acres is about 3/4 of a mile from my house, part of the trip is on a gravel driveway and part of it is on a dirt logging road. After witnessing deer flee my 100 acres on multiple occasions from the sound of an approaching four wheeler, I purchased an electric golf cart with a utility bed. It made a huge difference on being able to approach my property without alerting deer. A lift and a set of aggressive tires is almost a must, a small skift of snow on wet grass and the slightest hill would cause the stock golf cart to spin out. The only time I use my four wheeler now is in the summer when doing habitat work.
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From your experience the electric cart has plenty of power for what you typically use it for?
 
Oldnotdead said:
I love reading these posts from different areas. The golf carts were the rage here 10 or so years ago. Had a neighbor getting them at auction. Outfitting them with lift kits ,traction tires and camo paint.sold a few but then word got out that hill roads are different than hill land. They didnt have the power.
The interesting part of these conversation are deer reactions. I spook more deer walking in than driving. Trying to walk in being sneaky is the worst at dark. Deer here are use to people,equipment and even pets. They just stand their ground and watch us walk or drive by. I've walked with in feet of deer and not have them move until I pass. I keep my head down and never change my pace. I use a DR brush mower to clean trails and a leaf blower in the fall. One day I had a 10 or 12 pt, can't recall, step out of the brush in front of me and stroll down the trail as I weed whacked behind him with the DR. roaring maybe ten yrds in front. It's kinda like ppl that see mature buck lounging in suburban yards. These deer out here have to contend sneaky predators all the time, wild dogs, coyotes, bear, and every body and his brother trying to sneak around during season. If I hear a deer in the dark I'll stomp and snort shake branches while still walking along, or get into the leaf litter off a trail and scuff my feet as I continue. I've literally called buck back to me doing this. They sre curious animals.
Click to expand...
In what situations did you see the carts not have the power? I’ll admit I’ve taken a few of the local municipal golf carts fairly far off the beaten path in search of an arrant tee shot and have been surprised at the power of a stock cart with two guys, two sets of clubs, and a small ice chest. I do relalize they will never have the power of an ATV but the more I talk about it the more I’m leaning toward a cart.
 
I have put many many miles on an electric golf cart and like them a lot (48volt) the only down side is the batteries and charger cost. It hurts a lot to shell out bout $800 for batteries and $400-$800 for charger when time comes. Having to keep the cart in that one spot for charging is not so good but a 48 volt I think would have all the power needed.
 
gumby said:
I have put many many miles on an electric golf cart and like them a lot (48volt) the only down side is the batteries and charger cost. It hurts a lot to shell out bout $800 for batteries and $400-$800 for charger when time comes. Having to keep the cart in that one spot for charging is not so good but a 48 volt I think would have all the power needed.
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How many miles/hours do you get on a full charge?
 
You can get a 4 wheel drive golf cart as well if need be but I never needed it. The cart is light enough and with aggressive tires I never once got stuck, came very close once in a recently worked food plot. My dirt roads weren’t in good shape either.

The gravel road will still be noisy but only from the gravel moving not an engine noise


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Gator said:
You can get a 4 wheel drive golf cart as well if need be but I never needed it. The cart is light enough and with aggressive tires I never once got stuck, came very close once in a recently worked food plot. My dirt roads weren’t in good shape either.

The gravel road will still be noisy but only from the gravel moving not an engine noise


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Pic of mine. Ignore the ugly shirt please

f6358cb2bfcd8f538fab0ffba8a86157.jpg




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swamp_possum said:
From your experience the electric cart has plenty of power for what you typically use it for?
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My cart was 48v and the batteries are far from new but last year it hauled out me, my dad, my two sons, all of our gear and a 150lb deer in one trip. That's over 800 lbs and there are several steep hills on my way out. Power was never a problem.

The only problem with them are the batteries don't last forever and they aren't cheap. But, In my opinion they are worth it, I think people underestimate how many deer they alert when using a 4 wheeler. Especially on small properties.
 
swamp_possum said:
How many miles/hours do you get on a full charge?
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I have played 54 holes a few times or about 18-20 miles in one day. Good batteries will last very well it's just when they start to get weak is the problem. Unless you adjust one it will run 14mph standard.
 
We are in the finger lake hills here in NY. He was selling them locally. Over the years in various forums I've mentioned having to come out on the porch and ask ppl pulling into our drive if they need a fire extinguisher, their engines either were smoking or smelt very hot.Now those were cars. The carts were slow and whined as it were. In the woods you have that with a top layer of shale and or areas of wet and clays. It could have just been his mechanical skills, I was just recounting what I'd seen.
 
swamp_possum said:
What is the general consensus on electric golf carts for hunting? I’ve been kicking around the idea of ditching the 4wheeler for an electric golf cart and doing a few modifications to it to make it woods ready, but I don’t really know anyone who has gone that route.

The lease that I hunt on has pretty decent roads so I rarely, if ever, take my 4 wheeler places that I feel like a lifted golf cart couldn’t get into. 99% of what I do with my ATV I can do with a cart, and do it silently! My concern is that I will wish I had the extra power of the ATV for the 1 time a year that I run into a mud hole that is a tad softer on the bottom than I thought.

What are yalls thoughts? If you could have one or the other which would you choose, electric cart or 4 wheeler?
Click to expand...
Deer absolutely can't stand ATV's I've witnessed deer running for the hills when they hear one
 
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