P500 Shoulder Elk hunt adventures 2016

solrus

solrus

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Good evening,

We just returned home, feels exhausted good :)

Day 1 - Started on Friday morning with my friend, about a mile down the road found running herd of elk bulls.

But just enjoyed them jogging , we were after elk cows. Did not find any. The second pic - find elk pic, I pointed with arrow on the 3rd pic.

Nothing to do at noon, and the cabin had no spare wood to burn I decided to learn how to cut wood with my brand new Stihl 211 chainsaw and pulled some logs with P500.
I was glad I bought 16" blade, was leaning buying top handle arborist saw, but after reading and since its my first saw and I never cut wood with any chainsaw, decided to go more safer route.
It also has quick/no tools chain adjust and detach, so it packed very compact with blade detached.


Day 2 - We hunted all Saturday, were having blast , also at noon (nothing to do :) , installed Kimplex diamond shaped chains on the rear. I decided to buy to try how I like them and it turned out very well , especially this trip since all snow was melting on the top and turned into ice with powder under on frozen dirt. So we went some places where I stuck few weeks ago and we found beautiful scenes.

Started a bit windy in the morning< I've also tried my Fargo trooper hat :) -



Day 3 - Sunday.
On Sat night we returned to a cabin about 7 pm. Next morning , riding to our scouting spots and guess who we found on the road , two "kids" stuck in the snow drift. Upon a question how they got here and why they drove another 200 yards past our truck, and my friend struggled big time in his GMC 1/2 ton with no chains, the reply was "I've got a new truck and we were going coyote hunting". At that moment I thought to myself that its always good to know when to say "stop" and dont be stupid to push forward without rescue gear through 400 yard snow drift.

Apparently they went coyote hunting the night before and stuck around 10 pm, spent a night in the truck, no cell phone reception, did not try to walk back 500 yards up to the hill where there was a cell reception ( the highest point on the road) and they continued to spin wheels hoping that tiny pine tree branches would help them to gain traction. So they buried their truck completely into a snow.

Here is few videos how we started part 1, tried just pulling, but I started to dig myself and I could not move from the center of the road to any sides where the snow was not so much compacted , center was compacted from prior trucks passing with chains. So the third try was very brilliant idea by my buddy , who is farmer boy and he knew that fence posts go about 20-25 inches deep and since the ground was frozen mix of dirt with ice, it imitated concrete block with a metal post in it. Here where I thought it might be good answer for those forum members who asked what winch size they should buy, I think majority got 3500 lbs for their P500, some 2500 or 4500, but I think for off road 3500 is optimal minimum and 4500 lbs max for P500. I thought our next try will pull my rig apart, I imaged a torture scene :), where a guy being pulled apart by opposite direction forces.

This is how we started

No winch

With winch


Well, everything well that ends well, I did not inspect P500 yet, will do after washing it, but we it pulled Ford F150 with combining wheels and winch pull.

I could probably use a pulley and make a T shape pull so I would move straight opposite direction but instead we angled P500 a bit towards fence poll. See the video.

Day was over, we were having a lunch and I saw a herd of mules came to the fence next to the cabin, we started to pack and they just watched us and did not run when I started the engine and passed them by.

Link - Pioneer 500 watching deer

I'm having a hard time to upload all pics will try a bit later. Tired and need to get going unpacking. Was just excited to share a good successful story about what a true amazing machine Pioneer 500 is to me.

2 3 arrows 4
 
Last edited:
joeymt33

joeymt33

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Super cool, thanks for sharing.
 
solrus

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Finally last pic, chains. Today it was very slow upload :(

6
 
O

oldfortyfive

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What kind of chains are those? Happy with them?

I'll be hauling my P500 to Montana this November. Do I need to get any kind of license?
 
Montecresto

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Very awesome, thanks for sharing.
 
JCart

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Thanks for sharing the adventure solrus beautiful country and wicked to see bull population.

jrc
 
solrus

solrus

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What kind of chains are those? Happy with them?

I'll be hauling my P500 to Montana this November. Do I need to get any kind of license?

Kimpex ATV Tire Chains Diamond for 26"x 11 x 12 tires . Could not upload pics bought them cheap for 89$ shipped off ebay. Never tried other chains. But read theat diamond shaped a better and have higher speed rating.

What are you planning to do ? It depends what kind of licence you will need.


Chains1
 
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oldfortyfive

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Kimpex ATV Tire Chains Diamond for 26"x 11 x 12 tires . Could not upload pics bought them cheap for 89$ shipped off ebay. Never tried other chains. But read theat diamond shaped a better and have higher speed rating.

What are you planning to do ? It depends what kind of licence you will need.


View attachment 10047
Thanks for the info. I'll be elk hunting north of Bozeman. Private land for the most part. No hard roads.
 
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solrus

solrus

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I assume its already registered in your state, and you are not moving permanently to Montana, then no licence needed (but if in doubt ,call forest service , . Call me if you need company this year hunting season :)
 
O

oldfortyfive

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I assume its already registered in your state, and you are not moving permanently to Montana, then no licence needed (but if in doubt ,call forest service , . Call me if you need company this year hunting season :)

Illinois doesn't have any ATV/UTV registration unless you run on public trails. I've got a friend that moved out there 30 years ago and I've been hunting with him, and to visit the granddaughter. Finally decided It's time to use wheels getting up the old logging roads. Knees and hips don't get better with age.:cool:
 
solrus

solrus

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same here , I registered mine since I drive in city or country roads occasionally, to make it street legal.
 
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oldfortyfive

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There isn't any street legal option here in communist Illinois :mad:
 
solrus

solrus

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I just realized after first real wash , that I have terra 45 with steel cable not 35 :) (I think it stuck in my mind at some point). Will correct in my build post.
 
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