As far as I’m concerned, when it comes to vehicles, the bigger the better. I’m sick and tired of all this SUV and big-truck bashing I’ve been hearing.
Sure, they slurp more gas than smaller vehicles, and I do wish they’d find a way to make them more economical. But they can also carry more people. You use a heck of a lot less fuel taking four hunters into the hills in a Ford Expedition than you would if all of them drove their own vehicles. Even if those vehicles were silly little ultra-economical Honda Civics or Toyota Camrys.
Of course, I don’t know many hunters who drive Civics or Camrys. Not that driving one of these cars would keep a dedicated hunter out of the field. If a hunter drives an economy car, he’ll find a way to get himself and all his gear to the duck blind or the elk camp.
My favorite criticism from the anti-SUV people is, “What could you possibly need a vehicle that big for?”
I’ll tell you what I need a vehicle that big for. I need it to haul my horses. To tote my duck and goose decoys to and from the field. To carry my john boat. If I ever happen to be in the right place at the right time with the right equipment, I’ll need it to bring my elk or deer home from the mountains.
There are countless reasons I need a big vehicle, and I’m not alone. All hunters need big trucks and SUVs. Nobody pulls a horse trailer with a Prius. A Ford Focus won’t fit nearly enough decoys to lure in a flock of geese. You can’t strap a boat to the roof of a Suzuki Swift. And a Kia Rio won’t be very useful for carting big game carcasses.
They may make parking seem like you’re trying to berth the QE-II, and their thirst for fuel might put a dent in your checking account. But it’s better to have a giant vehicle when you need it than to need it and not have one. We may not need them all the time, but so what? That’s our business.
But be careful about justifying your vehicle if people ask why you need such a big SUV. Hunters already have a lot of enemies, and we don’t need any more. Don’t tell them you need it because you’re a hunter. Just look them square in the eye and say, “Because I can’t fit the bodies in the trunk of my Civic.”
