Which ATV for hunting, forestry, farming and winter service?

Which ATV is right for hunting, forestry, farming and winter service?

Not every ATV is automatically just as good as a work vehicle. Hunting and gamekeeping call for different qualities than heavy trailer work on the farm or regular winter service (snow clearing and gritting).

What matters most is four-wheel drive, engine size, towing capacity, tyres, ground clearance and whether the accessories you need can be fitted.

Which ATV for hunting and gamekeeping?

For hunting and gamekeeping you usually don't need a 1000 cc ATV. For many hunting grounds, a manoeuvrable ATV from the mid-range power class is the more sensible choice.

Particularly important are:

• Four-wheel drive
• good off-road capability
• sufficient ground clearance
• luggage rack or transport box
• Towing capability
• Winch
• dimensions as compact as possible

If you mainly do rounds of your hunting ground and carry equipment, you are well served by mid-range models, for example. Depending on the equipment you want, these include vehicles such as the CFMOTO CForce 625, Can-Am Outlander 700 or Polaris Sportsman 570.

If you also move heavy trailers often or deliberately want more power in reserve, you can choose a larger engine accordingly.

Electric ATVs can also be particularly interesting here because, unlike combustion engines, they make no loud engine noise while driving.

Which ATV for forestry?

For forestry work I would focus more on robustness, four-wheel drive, traction and trailer use.

Here the ATV should have the following:

• Four-wheel drive
• low range
• suitable off-road tyres
• Winch
• Towing capability
• sufficient ground clearance

as a minimum.

For lighter forestry work, the mid-range can already be enough. If you regularly move heavy loads, drive up steep gradients or often work with a trailer, you should rather go for a larger ATV with the corresponding power reserves.

Interesting options here include the Can-Am Outlander 700 and 850, CFMOTO CForce 850 or Polaris Sportsman. For particularly demanding work, the respective 1000 cc classes are also worth considering.

Which ATV for farming?

On the farm, the right size depends heavily on which jobs the ATV is meant to do.

For inspection rounds, pastures, smaller transport jobs and light trailers, a mid-range ATV is often enough. If, on the other hand, the vehicle is to move heavy trailers regularly or take on demanding work, larger models make more sense.

Particularly important are:

• Four-wheel drive
• towing option and sufficient registered towing capacity
• luggage racks
• robust tyres
• Winch
• good availability of spare parts and accessories

Versatile work vehicles to consider include the Can-Am Outlander, Polaris Sportsman and CFMOTO CForce. Choose the engine size according to the loads that will actually be moved and how demanding the terrain is.

Which ATV for winter service?

For regular winter service I would not go for the smallest ATV. The snow plough blade, the snow and poor ground conditions put the vehicle under considerably more strain.

What makes sense:

• Four-wheel drive
• sufficient engine power and torque
• suitable winter or off-road tyres
• winch or another suitable system for operating the snow plough blade
• option to fit a snow plough blade
• a spreader if needed

For smaller private areas, a mid-range ATV can already be enough. If you want to clear larger yards or commercial areas regularly, you should rather go for a stronger ATV from the upper mid-range or top class.

Models such as the Can-Am Outlander 700/850/1000, CFMOTO CForce 850/1000 or suitably equipped Polaris Sportsman are all generally suitable for this.

So which size is the right one?

As a rough guide:

Hunting and gamekeeping: the mid-range is often completely sufficient. What matters is manoeuvrability, four-wheel drive and room to carry things.

Forestry: mid-range to top class, depending on terrain, trailer use and workload.

Farming: mid-range for lighter work, a larger engine for regular heavy use.

Winter service: mid-range for smaller areas, a more powerful ATV for regular and more demanding clearing.

Conclusion

For hunting and light work, it doesn't automatically have to be a 1000 cc model. A good mid-range ATV can even be the more sensible choice here.

If, on the other hand, you regularly move heavy trailers, tackle demanding terrain or use the vehicle intensively for forestry, farming and winter service, you will benefit from a larger engine and extra power reserves.

So the job comes first and the vehicle second, not the other way round.

Not sure which vehicle suits you? Go to the buying guide