Subaru Outback for Hunting - Crazy Idea?????

[sns2]

Hey Subaru. I am seriously thinking about replacing my pickup with a Subaru Outback. I am a city slicker who waterfowl hunts heavily in the fall, and will hunt deer a few times also. Waterfowl hunting would see me hooking up a small, lightweight trailer for decoys and layout blinds. Not a ton of weight at all. I would then be driving in farmer's fields which can sometimes be soft depending on the season. Deer hunting would see me once again driving in fields, but obviously with some snow.

Part of me feels that having a half ton as my daily driver is overkill, costly on fuel, and a pain in the rear driving a big beast all over. I know lots of guys wouldn't think of being without a pickup, but I don't tow or haul much of anything. I am torn.

Am I out to lunch on this kind of thinking? Your opinions and anecdotal stories will go a long way in helping me make up my mind.

Thanks in advance!

[Dean2]

I hunted out of 2 door Toyota Landcruisers for a long time. Subaru has at least as much room as the cruiser and you can always tow an enclosed trailer if you want on site storage, quad hauler etc.. If it were me, a four door Jeep Wrangler would be m preference over a Subarus. The Subs don't have a great record for reliability and the gas mileage is not much better than a newer Jeep.

How did you make out with your over heating in -40 Ford, that why you are thinking of changing?

[Husty]

Get a midsize Tacoma, Colorado, new Ranger, or a Frontier if you want a box for utility.. My old hunting buddy used to hunt in a 2000s blazer, just strap a deer to the roof.

[elkhunter11]

I towed a trailer around behind a smaller vehicle for a couple of years, and that was enough to convince me that I preferred a pickup. A trailer was a pain to turn around on tight bush roads or deeper snow, and I felt better taking a truck on some of the rough roads than an AWD car. Yes a pickup is harder on fuel, and not as friendly in cramped parking spots, but I would not do without a pickup again. Then again, my pickup has been totally reliable for 12 years.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Dean2

I hunted out of 2 door Toyota Landcruisers for a long time. Subaru has at least as much room as the cruiser and you can always tow an enclosed trailer if you want on site storage, quad hauler etc..

How did you make out with your over heating in -40 Ford, that why you are thinking of changing?

Water Pump. Covered under warranty.

I have been thinking about this for a long time, especially after reading all the great reviews of these Subarus.

I would love to be able to afford to have a truck and a car, but that is not a reality for me, and likely never will be.

[urban rednek]

Coming from a Jeep owner: Subaru makes good vehicles.
If it is comfortable to drive, you can make it work for you. Sounds like you already have a small utility trailer, get a decent tarp to line the back when necessary and you're good.
They are lighter than a full size pickup, so you will cause less ground disturbance in marginally soft soil. The biggest downside is lower ground clearance in deep snow and brush; your rocker panels will take a beating.
Somewhat important: check the fit of your largest gun case in the vehicle. This will make sense when you are trying to fit the jigsaw puzzle of equipment in the back.

[pinelakeperch]

I paid $3,500.00 for an '04 Sierra for the purpose of using it as a fishing and camping truck, and it's been bulletproof thus far (knock on wood). I insure it for about $30/month. If you have the room, it may not hurt to buy a dedicated beater truck for your hunting ventures.

[pepper0067]

I use my 2002 jeep tj for hunting, not a lot of room or storage for hunting with two guys, but it does fit deer in the back with the seat removed. not the easiest to do if you are by yourself though. on the plus side it has good ground clearance and 4x4..... more or less its side by side with a good heater lol

[artie]

Subaru seems to have good ratings on consumer reports. Many people who have them seem to like them. There always is a but and my but is that I once got a flat tire on my Dodge 2500 cummins in southern Alberta. The jack that was supplied with the truck would not lift the truck. I had to call a tow truck and he showed up with a floor jack and we did the tire. He already had a Subaru loaded on the back of his tow truck and said one of the vehicles he picks up the most is the Subaru. That alone is a red flag for me.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by artie

Subaru seems to have good ratings on consumer reports. Many people who have them seem to like them. There always is a but and my but is that I once got a flat tire on my Dodge 2500 cummins in southern Alberta. The jack that was supplied with the truck would not lift the truck. I had to call a tow truck and he showed up with a floor jack and we did the tire. He already had a Subaru loaded on the back of his tow truck and said one of the vehicles he picks up the most is the Subaru. That alone is a red flag for me.

Despite the extremely loyal following they seem to have, the latest reviews are not as glowing as they once were.

[lmtada]

Had mine for 10 years. Was good little 4x4. The studded winter tires were the bomb. However the four banger engine burned more oil than I expected, average on fuel economy. Burning 1-2L oil every 5000km. The Subaru tech, said this is normal for horizontally opposed engine? I don’t buy what service tech stated. Overall decent machine, excellent for winter. Hunting, likely throw a deer in back. Good luck.

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Despite the extremely loyal following they seem to have, the latest reviews are not as glowing as they once were.

I take reviews with a grain of salt.

I don't know many people that leave good reviews, as in, when people are happy, they generally don't go online to rave about a product. Whereas it's the complete opposite for bad reviews.

Subaru will be just as reliable as any other vehicle. There are good ones and bad ones. I haven't owned one "Bad" one, and I'm not easy on vehicles. I've owned 6 with varying mileage/usage from family hauler to pro-rallycar racing. If you maintain them properly, they can easily go 300,000+kms.

FTR subaru sales numbers have been constantly climbing for at least a decade. And I suspect with the introduction of the 2019 Ascent, they will get an even larger market share. That says ALOT, especially when Honda and ford market share's are dropping.

Subaru's are a love it or hate it thing. Go drive one and you'll know right away if you like it.

With the right tires & driving style you can get yourself pretty far into the bush with one. Winter driving/light offroad, well, they're AWD system is second to none. Most people are disappointed by the "utilitarian" feel of the interior or the lack of tech (usually the stereo/bluetooth ability) compared to other brands.

IMHO, an outback with all terrain tires, and proper skidplates (aluminum) would be a great vehicle for your needs.

[bobtodrick]

I've seen a couple of reviews that are saying a very good alternative to the Outback is the VW Alltrack. It does seem the Subaru's reliability has fallen off in the last couple of years, but if you delve deeper it's mostly electronics related.
And everytime there is thread here complaining about Ford/Dodge/Chev (take your pick) quality issues...it often is due to electronics.

[urban rednek]

Originally Posted by JB_AOL

I take reviews with a grain of salt.

I don't know many people that leave good reviews, as in, when people are happy, they generally don't go online to rave about a product. Whereas it's the complete opposite for bad reviews.

X2
These days, it is important to differentiate the reviews left by inexperienced owners versus legitimate reviews about problem vehicles.
I have run across a few of these in the last few years: "I bought a new Jeep! It can go anywhere! What do you mean I broke it?"

I expect there are a fair number of new Subaru owners: "I bought a new Subaru! It's a pro-rally car, dontchaknow? What do you mean I broke it?"

[IL Bar]

Originally Posted by sns2

Hey Subaru. I am seriously thinking about replacing my pickup with a Subaru Outback. I am a city slicker who waterfowl hunts heavily in the fall, and will hunt deer a few times also. Waterfowl hunting would see me hooking up a small, lightweight trailer for decoys and layout blinds. Not a ton of weight at all. I would then be driving in farmer's fields which can sometimes be soft depending on the season. Deer hunting would see me once again driving in fields, but obviously with some snow.

Part of me feels that having a half ton as my daily driver is overkill, costly on fuel, and a pain in the rear driving a big beast all over. I know lots of guys wouldn't think of being without a pickup, but I don't tow or haul much of anything. I am torn.

Am I out to lunch on this kind of thinking? Your opinions and anecdotal stories will go a long way in helping me make up my mind.

Thanks in advance!

You can call me crazy but if your truck is in good shape and not costing you huge repair bills I would just keep driving it. Many people don’t realize that the cheapest vehicle on fuel is the one they already own. Throw payments in and your new good on gas car isn’t that cheap to own. I may be biased tho as all we drive here is pickups.

[Kenmore]

I run a 99 Tracker for alot of my hunting needs. Love that little thing. It by no means is a power house...but man...will it ever go thru some crazy snow in 4x4

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by IL Bar

You can call me crazy but if your truck is in good shape and not costing you huge repair bills I would just keep driving it. Many people don’t realize that the cheapest vehicle on fuel is the one they already own. Throw payments in and your new good on gas car isn’t that cheap to own. I may be biased tho as all we drive here is pickups.

^^^ this ^^^^

On the other hand if you are really stuck on moving to a smaller vehicle , my son bought the Subaru Crosstrek last year and he loves it , he had it out hunting this year and was very happy with it's capability . Don't expect to tow much with them though.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by IL Bar

You can call me crazy but if your truck is in good shape and not costing you huge repair bills I would just keep driving it. Many people don’t realize that the cheapest vehicle on fuel is the one they already own. Throw payments in and your new good on gas car isn’t that cheap to own. I may be biased tho as all we drive here is pickups.

Spot on point. If you go from 20 mpg to 30 mpg you will save $20,000 in 300,000 miles or 500,000 Kilometers. The new vehicle won't last long enough to save the 20 grand let alone have gas mileage improvement pay for the cost of a new vehicle. I still drive a 1996 V10 Dodge that only averages 14 MPG because even getting 25 mpg I would never pay for the differential in price for a new truck. Cost of gas is probably the cheapest part of owning a vehicle.

[saskbooknut]

Driving 2016 Subaru Forester for hunting - pulls Aliner trailer for hunting camp. Hauls my Whitetail home just fine. 50 shelldecoys plus windsocks fit in Goose season.
Less than half the gas of my old Ford 4x4.
Not sure there could be anything better for this old retired guy.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

^^^ this ^^^^

On the other hand if you are really stuck on moving to a smaller vehicle , my son bought the Subaru Crosstrek last year and he loves it , he had it out hunting this year and was very happy with it's capability . Don't expect to tow much with them though.

This x2
We picked up a crosstrek and have been very happy with it. A utility trailer behind it and you would be good to go for most situations.

[Deer Hunter]

A friend of mine referred to the Subaru wagons as "lesbian pickups".
This thread reminded me of that.
Sorry if any lesbians are offended.

[Bull's eye]

I own a 2011 Outback with 2.5 engine, I have owned a Tacoma,4 Runner, Cherokee, the reason for switching to the Outback was mainly I wanted it something that was good on gas, I get 40 mpg on the highway ( Edmonton to Kelowna ) on a single tank of gas at 120 Kph, plus, it had to be 4 wheel drive or AWD, Subaru is the best AWD, had to be big enough to be able to sleep inside the Outback if I wanted to, it fits the bill perfectly.

I am a bowhunter I mainly hunt Elk and Moose, I tow a 4'x 8' trailer with a quad in it, if I down a animal I just put it on the trailer like I have done many times before , this setup is serving me extremely well. I personally don't need a pick up truck.

I would say go for it, my Outback has been trouble free, totally awesome vehicle, it got close to 200,000kms still running strong.

Cheers

[timsesink]

I think our obsession with pickups in Alberta is a bit ridiculous at times. If you're accessing difficult areas and often up to your doors in snow or tow a big trailer then yes go the pickup route. However, I truly believe most guys would be far better served by a little SUV with a hitch mounted cargo rack. Works absolutely great for when you harvest an animal and gas, maintenance, parking and the like are all cheaper and easier.

[Redneck 7]

I’d just settle for a newer used or so f150. Extended cab 6’ box. I’ve had a few rangers and honestly I still love them but yet extra size of the f150 helps in every way possible and more capable. A 4 door Jeep is another good suggestion, lots of after market parts and better towing capabilities over a Subaru. Keeps don’t have very good mileage but a decent stock tire size would be better then getting into the 33-35’s.

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by timsesink

I think our obsession with pickups in Alberta is a bit ridiculous at times. If you're accessing difficult areas and often up to your doors in snow or tow a big trailer then yes go the pickup route. However, I truly believe most guys would be far better served by a little SUV with a hitch mounted cargo rack. Works absolutely great for when you harvest an animal and gas, maintenance, parking and the like are all cheaper and easier.

^^this. But you'll never convince them.. bunch of F350 driving hillbillies, sorry I mean caveman. Whoops wrong thread.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Bull's eye

I own a 2011 Outback with 2.5 engine, I have owned a Tacoma,4 Runner, Cherokee, the reason for switching to the Outback was mainly I wanted it something that was good on gas, I get 40 mpg on the highway ( Edmonton to Kelowna ) on a single tank of gas at 120 Kph, plus, it had to be 4 wheel drive or AWD, Subaru is the best AWD, had to be big enough to be able to sleep inside the Outback if I wanted to, it fits the bill perfectly.

Cheers

You are claiming 40 MPG out of your Forester Outback. What are these other 4000 people doing wrong cause their reported gas mileage is way off 40 mpg. The 2011 average is 22 mpg. The newer ones are showing average 24.

To be honest I find this pretty typical of people that drive small cars. Take one super highway mileage and call it that for overall. Sort of like the wallet target a lot of guys carry around to prove their gun shoots a half inch.

Full size F-150 according to the same site, pickup will average 16-19 mpg, I don't see this as a big improvement.

[IMG][/IMG]

[bitterrootfly]

Maybe I can address this from some one who owns both types. I’ve got a 218 F-150 and a 2017 four door wrangler, when I’m hunting birds, deer, turkeys... any of the smaller stuff I’ll use my Jeep, lots of room for gear and pretty good on gas. But I’ll be damned if I ever try to cram a moose or elk in there again, or several guys stuff. I also love being able to carry my long ice sled in my truck which I can’t do in the Jeep. TBH the truck is almost as good on gas as the Jeep, newer vehicles are getting more and more efficient. IMO, why fix what isn’t broken... keep the truck, one day you will be thankful you have the extra room.

[pikergolf]

Makes you wonder how people managed before there was a 4X4 pickup in every drive way. Hell my dad hunted out of a beetle. Alberta's love affair with 4X4 trucks is laughable.

[DRE75]

I started hunting with my little AWD Toyota Matrix before I got my FJ (off this here site). Great AWD system and good tires and I had no issues in the fields where I had permission, even threw a whitetail in the back once, it was awesome. Wife didn't think so, butttt hunting.

Lots of good info on here, main thing is ground clearance, cargo/weight capabilities and towing capacity, but there is no reason you can't use a car for hunting, so long as you're not trying to do more that it can do.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Makes you wonder how people managed before there was a 4X4 pickup in every drive way. Hell my dad hunted out of a beetle. Alberta's love affair with 4X4 trucks is laughable.

My dad used to farm with a single bottom plow and a team of horses. Alberta's love affair with 4x4 John Deere Tractors is laughable.