Enclosed Trailer Ideas
Equipment
Have been wondering if it would be worth turning an enclosed trailer into a hunting camp and if anyone out there has done this before?
Have been wondering if it would be worth turning an enclosed trailer into a hunting camp and if anyone out there has done this before?
Been living in mine during the season now for thre years and love it.
Scrappy,
Nice looking rig. What size trailer? Is that just a ventilation screen on the roof? Anything you would change...bigger, smaller, no v front, etc.??
Love the V nose, I put my table in that space, the roof vent has the vent that opens and closes as well. I think it really helps with vetalation. I think it's a 5 or 6 by 12. Perfect for one man or you could get two people all right with bunk beds but would be a real tight squeeze. It real basic but right now I don't think I need anything else.
I like mine, a CargoMate 6' W x 12'Lx 6'-6"H (6" over-height for RZR to clear rear door and head room for me), single axle we spec'd and ordered in 2014. I bought it to carry the Polaris RZR or one quad, then camp in it. Ordered it with insulation in the walls, a fold-up jack so there is no truck tailgate interference, rear stabilizing jacks to prevent tipping back when unhitched, a 3' wide RV style man-way door with screen door you can lock from the inside and two 30" x 30" sliding windows with screens located over the wheel wells. I also the Dexter axle model that has more ground clearance than the typical trailer (no additional charge).....it matches the F350 stock clearance perfectly. It came standard with a screened roof hatch that helps with ventilation.
Anyway, it makes a great cargo trailer to haul bulky items.....I made 3 or 4 trips moving household goods and taxidermy from CO to BC with it. Also a great storage shed for the RZR or a quad around the house.
When I camp in it, I use a folding steel frame "Swedish" cot with pad I bought years ago (LL Beane?) to sleep on, a small folding shooting bench for a table, a one burner Coleman stove, cooler, folding chair, etc. I did add 25 large cup hooks all over the walls to hang up clothes, towels, etc. Stock LED lighting inside only works if hooked to the truck and the ignition is turned on. I usually just use a small flat LED flashlight ($5 at Canadian Tire) with a magnet base stuck to a ceiling screw over the table. Water is in a 2-1/2 gallon container, with a second 1 gallon container on the table. I added a paper towel holder from the Dollar Store right over the table too.
The trailer works very works very well and get a lot of spring bear hunting usage (nice to have a hard side in bear country, plus you are set up in minutes, as soon as the RZR is out and the table and cot are unfolded. Other miscellaneous usage......served as the office when we were building the house, etc. Wouldn't want to be without it. Good luck with your choice!
When I say basic I really mean basic. This is my kitchen sink. I also did a real basic wiring job to run off a deep cycle battery for lights and phone charger.
See my link for some ideas.
Matt, check out the one cnelk put together. Similar to Kurt's concept but not quite as elaborate.
Jim Treeman (JTreeman) has a nice setup with the CAM bunk beds. Works like a charm.
Good luck on this, Matt. I was looking hard at doing this a year or so ago before our second kid. Daycare got my trailer money.
I have been thinking of going the $1,100.00 route and putting a rooftop tent on my lil 5 x 8 x 6 trlr that tows behind my Retirement gift to myself Jeep.
Like anything else, it will have it's good and bad involved.
Good luck, Robb
lots of youtube videos about enclosed trailer to camper conversions. I was going to convert one myself last year...but never did
Thanks for the input! There are some pretty pimped out rigs on Youtube, and I am a minimalist on stuff like this. Thinking a simple trailer is the way I am headed.
Thinking of: -a 6x12 trailer, with insulation and the triangle front -Cabela's Cot -Good Bag -Wire a deep cycle or two for power -Led Lights -Heater-something similar to what comes in a camper -Coolers -Camping table or Two -AM/FM Radio to listen to football -Water Jugs -Camp Stove
I went with a fixed loft and fold out bunks. I can fit 4 wheeler in and loft allowS storage while in use or transit. Also have fold out futon and deep freezer. Installed trailer hitch recever at front for hitch-haul mounted generator. ...for the price if a yeti I can generate ice as I drive down the road.
I have a 12' V nose with a 12 volt battery for interior lights, a camper door latch so you can exit the trailer when you're inside, a sliding window on each side, and I went with a heavier axle which provides a larger wheel and tire. 4 D loops in the floor provide tie downs for an ATV. It works the enclosed trailer concept is awesome and I think the best feature is that you can begin packing it months in advance! Inside I use Coleman brand cots which fold up and out of the way for transport. I used plastic shelving for a pantry. I see Scrappy used the same plastic dresser drawer that I did (very handy). We stacked two 65qt coolers on top of each other in the V and covered with a sleeping bag (fit perfect). Hopefully attached are pictures of it in action during my Arizona elk hunt.
Last summer we had a pretty bad storm go through and as I was driving around I notice a big (about as big around as a basket ball - BIG) oak tree branch laying on top of a 6 x 6 x 15 trailer- caved it in a bit and punched couple holes in it. I know the guy so I asked him if he was interested in selling it?
He said $1,000.00, told him I would take a closer look at the damage and get back to him.
Next day he called me and said if I cleaned up the mess I could have it for free. Picked it up right then. Took me almost a full day to cut and stack the wood for him, raked and reseeded the entire area. Also cleaned up other debris that was laying around.
Some tin, roof vent to cover one of the holes, different latch on the side door, 2 new tires and wheels (wanted 2 spares), some fiberglass work, some new wiring and some new LED lighting - I have about $450.00 into it - NOT counting the hours and hours of labor .
Just FYI, if I was to purchase one I would make sure it was 7' x 7' x at least 15' with dual axle and "V" front.
But, the price was right and I enjoyed the project.
We have made quite a few for clients. Some want super nice, some have wanted bare bones. All of them got their battery vented to the outside if it was stored inside the trailer, granted most wanted the battery on the tongue of the trailer.
If you use an AGM battery you don't have to vent according to google that is. That plus you don't have to worry about it freezing, wont work froze but wont hurt it is the two reasons I went with it.
Wiring for lighting can easily be circumvented by using LED lights ( flashlight - headlight) with rechargeable 18650 lithium ion cell
I have a 6x10 I used for a long bear hunt in Ontario. I just loaded stuff into it and went. I brought my atv so that took up some floor space for the transit. I used a fold up cot. The one thing I contented with was when it got cold (low 20's) at night condensation built up inside and would get some stuff damp. It was nice being enclosed in bear country. I did have some wolves come up to the trailer one night while sleeping. Seen their tracks in the muddy road about 30' behind the trailer where they walked toward the trailer before turning around. If I was going to set it up for a camper vs a utility hauler, I'd get a solar panel, control panel, deep cycle 12v battery and some LED lights to brighten things up.
