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ATV'S

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longjohn

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east colorado
I like to use my horses but I'm thinking that maybe it's time to get an ATV to check some remote pastures .
What is your experience with different models, sizes, etc?
What is the life expectancie of these units?
Please dont let this get around, I've made so much fun of guys around here for trying to "cowboy" on of these machines that I'm really going to get a lot of flack when they see one on my pickup.
 
We finish cattle so I'm not a "cowgirl" but we wouldn't do without one. We have a Polaris (I think 550). We have had a few times where a couple of head have escaped and we have had great luck rounding them up with the 4-wheeler. Before we had to hope and pray they would stick close by and wander back so we could pen them up again. It can go where pickups can't. We also use it in the yards to round up cattle for working or selling cattle. It has made my life much easier. The cattle respect the 4-wheeler more than they do me standing in the yard trying to act like I'm not scared of those big critters!! Been rolled to many times by cows, they must see my fear in my eyes. Good luck!!!
 
I can see where a 4 wheeler would come in handy - - - most of my neighbors have them. From what I have seen most of them are good and reliable. My son has a Honda 4X4 ( a 450 I think) he swears by.

I still use my old Honda 125cc dirt bike. I can go places where he cannot go on his 4 wheeler. But when running fence he can carry much more than I can ( I have been know to borrow his 4 wheeler )

I see them as another tool and each tool has its place. Up close work with the cattle I still feel there is nothing that will replace a good horse but if you are moving cattle in large areas I can't wear out a good bike.
 
I worked on a ranch that used both horses and ATVs. We ran cattle and also was a santirary(sp) for about 1800 unadoptable mustangs.

We had to use 4-Wheelers to move the mustangs cause you'd ruin too many good saddle horses running them. Mustangs don't go 50 feet with out being on a high lope. We used the saddle horses for handling them up close.

It was the best of both worlds but like all tools you needed to use them right.

One morning I was jingling the saddle horses in on a 4-wheeler.... mind you that the main reason I don't tend to use them is I have a tendency to go too fast. When I get astraddle one of those dang things my brain falls out my butt......Any way I found a real neat muley shed and pick it up. As I was just about getting the horses in they done a whorley on me and in trying to head them off I rolled the ATV. As I was in mid air I was wondering where that deer antler was. And before I hit the ground I had visions of me being impaled by a deer horn.

When the dust settled I continued jingling ( at a much slower speed ) and left that deer shed lay. :roll:
 
I put off buying one bout long as I could,but finally broke down and bought one a couple weeks ago,like the rest of the replies here said they are just another tool,never take the place of a good horse..............good luck
 
We had one for about 6 months. Spent more time in the shop with electricial problems than not. Finally got it running and it was stolen out of the barn during hunting season. Guess the good Lord didn't want my horses to get barn sour. :roll:
I'm not too fond of the mechanical horses anyhow. Actually maybe a tad scared of them on these hills.
 
It's still not too late to save yourself, longjohn. :wink: You know how the Devil works. He gets you to stick your big toe into hot water and pretty soon your whole body is soaking in the tub. :shock: :? :???: :) :)
 
Soapweed said:
It's still not too late to save yourself, longjohn. :wink: You know how the Devil works. He gets you to stick your big toe into hot water and pretty soon your whole body is soaking in the tub. :shock: :? :???: :) :)
Click to expand...
:nod: :nod: :lol2: :lol2:
 
There are 1,000's of ATV's up here-(not on my place mind you-sorry kids lol). Outfitting is prbably the toughest test you can put those bikes through between mud,ice,big loads, stumps etc. I'd say under those conditions Yamaha quads stand up the best and are the best all around. Hondas aren't too bad but are not as smooth and tend to have lots of minor breakdowns. Polaris and Arcxtic Cat ride the best but don't stand up as well to real hard use-just my observations-the worst part of giding is the miles on those bikes.
 
Northern Rancher said:
There are 1,000's of ATV's up here-(not on my place mind you-sorry kids lol). Outfitting is prbably the toughest test you can put those bikes through between mud,ice,big loads, stumps etc. I'd say under those conditions Yamaha quads stand up the best and are the best all around. Hondas aren't too bad but are not as smooth and tend to have lots of minor breakdowns. Polaris and Arcxtic Cat ride the best but don't stand up as well to real hard use-just my observations-the worst part of giding is the miles on those bikes.
Click to expand...

I beg to differ. We have had polaris all of our lives, and the quads we have first gotten are still kickin, but not here. we sold most of them, except for our 98 335 sportsman. it can carry 3 big men comfortably, and guns and meat, and all of that stuff. it is relied on lots here. we might be getting a pair of horses this coming spring. hust so we can tag new calves in the pasturewith out having too many guys chasing them.
 
the problem with them is the throttle is on the right.I rope right handed also there's no place to dally off.Even if you did tie a cow to them the cow can run off with the machine been there done that..
 
I always preferred a horse to working, checking or doctoring cattle. Didn't like gathering or moving cattle when somebody was there with one cause they were noisy and I thought they kind of spoiled the atmosphere. But Soapweeds right about sticking your toe in the water then pretty quick you're in the bathtub.

Had a horse fall with me in 2002 and broke my leg. I was alone and wasn't done calving. Needed to be able to get around so I bought me a japanese quarter horse (Honda 4whlr). Cows got used to it pretty quick and it was kind of handy but went way to fast and I didn't have much luck trying to rope off of it. Helped me do what needed to be done though. I'm gettin pretty deaf so the noise doesn't seem to bother me as much as it used to either. Went to several brandings that spring but didn't take it with me. If someone would help me on a horse I could rope and drag calves and drink beer but that was all I was able to do. :)

One of my friends called and asked if I would bring it to his branding and help corral his cattle. His cows had gotten pretty sour about comeing in to the corrals at his place so I did. My leg was still in a cast but it took eveyone he could round up to get them corraled. It was pretty noisy and we were having to push them pretty hard. One of the riders kept looking at me and hollering something but I couldn't hear what he was saying so I rode over real close and asked what he was saying. He said "Don't ride that @/%*&@#@ thing anywhere near him". :lol: So I told him if he didn't like it to go ride his horse somewhere else. Neither one of us paid any attention to each other but just kept on with what we were doing and got them corraled. Got along fine the rest of the day too. :) Borrowed a horse, had a little help getting on then spent the rest of the time roping calves and drinking beer :)
 
Couldnt get one through the mesquite we work in, and bad cattle would hear it a mile off and be in the next county, I will stick to my horses and dogs, thank you.
 
There's a place for both horses and quads around here; for moving and sorting, doctoring etc. the horse cannot be beat! That being said a quad is fast and efficient at checking large and rough pastures and is one of the handiest tools for fencing you can get. You will be amazed at the uses you can find for these machines. Pick a make that has a "good" local dealer,make sure it's 4x4 and has a good suspension system. We use Arctic Cats (good local dealer) and have got along OK, but the downfall of quads is that they are sold as a recreation machine and parts and service are expensive. As well there have been some spectacular wrecks around when guys try to get "TOO WESTERN" with these machines;just like when using a horse common sense has to prevail !
 
Our ATV is a 1979 Subaru wagon, which also doubled as our kids' school car. A first grade kid can just fit in the drivers' seat, to wheel down the road five miles to meet the bus.

Once I thought I could get out of saddling a horse and tried to get a heifer in to pull her calf by cowboying her with this car. She tried to dart past me, so I drove fast up to the fence to head her off. She jumped over the front of the car, left her footprints on the hood, and escaped with a grin on her face. I had to saddle a horse after all. :cry: :oops: :)
 
We have used Honda 4x4 4 wheelers for 20 yrs. Now we have a 2001 and 2003 Rubicon- one has right at 10,000 miles and the other 8500 miles. No you can not replace a horse But we use these to check cattle and to me it is a lot faster sometimes. When calving and have to night check-well I can jump on the 4 wheeler real quick and go.
We had a yamaha in between and would not have one again. Maybe just got a bad one,but all we have done to these 2 is change oil ect. and the 2001 had to have some minor deal with the starter.
WE were in Kearney last winter and stopped at a Honda 4 wheeler dealer and he had used ones with way more miles that ours have and telling us about one in Broken Bow area that had 23,000 miles and beside being a bit beat up had not had much done to it.
 
I will add that for getting to the far back with 6 rolls of barbed wire and some fenceing tools they are hard to beat,bench seat aint all bad either..............good luck
 
hehe my lil toyota will go just almost anywhere an atv will go.....and the heater in it works REAL good.
We do have a couple 4 wheelers, but they are mostly just used for runnin down to the shop, or kids usin em to run to granny's.
We went out once to check cows on the 4wheeler......mr lilly drivin, I was passengering......thought I's gonna hafta start whoopin on him. he was lolly gaggin around lookin and one ole cow took a notion that she didnt like the 4 wheeler....she was comin up on me fast....blowin and goin on.....I kept tellin him, GO!! GO!! GO!! Hot cow breath on yer backside is not a good thang.
 

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