Electric Golf Cart
Equipment
Reading the other threads on E assist devices caused me to ponder my own situation. I basically hunt our 120 acre farm in MO. Now that I am a little older, 61, and the property is hilly, the sometimes .5 mile trek from our cabin to where I want to hang a stand can cause me to sweat, possibly ruining my hunt.
I am considering an electric golf cart purchase as I have a lead on a used one on the cheap. I could put my XOP stand, sticks, back pack and bow on this and QUIETLY traverse to my desired location with minimal environmental impact.
What are your thoughts? Should I camo paint it or will the deer get used to it. I was thinking of making a big plywood cutout cow for each side to fool the deer into thinking a neighbor's cattle was wandering the property. Would this work?
They do run from my pickup and ATV so based on what I read elsewhere I thought this might be a viable idea.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
I have been considering this option myself lately... just parted with my diesel side by side, a cheap electric cart seems viable to me. Helps in dragging out your deer from .5 mile in... I am 62 now and dragging sure takes the wind out of me, unless I have my six foot nephew hunting along with me.
Good luck, scentman
Frank,
I don't do a ton of golfing, but all the golf carts I've ridden in weren't exactly silent. They have a distinct whining sound to them. They certainly aren't as loud as an ATV or pickup, but they do make noise. Whether or not that noise would be less alarming to the deer, I can't say.
I think it's more about what the deer get conditioned to. Around my place, the deer are used to rancher pickups and other vehicles driving by all the time, so they often pay them little attention. But, if they see you on foot, they go on high alert.
Matt
On a 120 acre property, a golf cart should fit your needs well. I have a lot of friends who use the same vehicle on smaller properties. If you hunt larger properties, not so much as you could run out of "charge" on your batteries. Personally, I don't think it necessary to paint it or put "decoys" on the side of it unless you are just looking for a project to do. Many times these golf carts have enabled hunters to get a lot closer to the animals before they spook. Just my opinion. Good luck.
I used to play a lot of golf and in high school spent all summer on our local country club. Let just the country club in Hugo OK is not the Grande Oaks Country Club. When not golfing or in the pool we were "mud dogging in our golf carts. Boy our dads would be pissed if they caught us! Point being if you buy a golf cart that has tires for a golf course they are not made for muddy conditions but will shoot a hell of rooster tail of mud! I think one would great for what you are wanting it for but you will need to add some tires with some tread to them.
I have and electric one and really like it. Be sure and get one that is “lifted” and has ATV tires with gel inside. Mine is pretty dang quiet except for rattles on it. Or you can do those things yourself. I sneak up on hogs with it frequently. I doubt the cow camo idea would work but never heard of anyone who tried it so....
Mine seats 4 people. The rear seat folds down to give you a “bed” to do haul stuff
I am 71 years old and have 50 acres in SE Ohio that is mostly rolling hills with trails thru the woods and about 15 acres of food plots/kill plots. I have a Kawasaki gas powered Mule to do general maintenance on the property, but my "GO TO" hunting vehicle is an electric Club Car Golf Cart, and I would not be without it. It is almost like cheating. I can QUIETLY get up and down slopes and hilly terrain and the deer have no clue. There are three keys to having a workable unit ... 1) make sure it is a 48 volt cart and NOT a 36 volt cart. Do not waste your time or money on a 36 volt unit as it is not powerful enough to do the job... 2) replace the tires with oversize knobby tread tires (it is not necessary to add wider wheels or wheel spacers) however ....3 ) you must add a front Lift Kit to keep from bottoming out on steep up or downhill terrain. Mine has a do-it-yourself camo paint job per instructions found on you tube, and for the $15 to $20 cost for camo spray paint, it is well worth the investment in time and money. You are much more stealthy when on the move in a camo unit as opposed to a golf course tan or white unit. Keep the batteries full of distilled water and charge it after every use. Disconnect the reverse warning buzzer as nothing scares deer more than that sound. Finally, try to keep the smile off your face when you take your friends out for a ride...it's just good form and you won't be accused of blatantly showing off !!! BOWSHOT
I agree about the 48V. If you need to climb hills you need max power. Really steep hills you might have a problem with anyway.
I paid less than $3000 for mine as is. BBB can be triple that :-)
Love my 48v Yamaha. I did add a lift, bigger tires, and camo wrap, quiet as can be going through the woods. Literally scared the neighbor lady as I drove past her while she was walking down our two track. Figured she had to hear me coming, nope- got right next to her as I was passing her and she jumped, no idea I was going by her.
I'll just give you a piggyback ride to your stand then I'll go hunt your other stands.
I know a man who tends and feeds his cows with his left hand on the steering wheel of his white electric golf cart. His right hand is on his rifle.
Before he got the golf cart, he did the same thing off of a John Deere tractor.
The deer get accustomed to the vehicle and it does not bother them. He has killed several nice deer working his cows.
A golf cart has worked for me for ten years or so. My current one has five years on the batts, probably have to replace them after this season. I used to have it on a 217 acre place that had a couple steep, but not too tall hills on it and we could pretty well go all over the place 2-3 times before charging. I trapped out of it, and we hunted hogs out of it at night very successfully. It was very nice to drive it close to the stand in early season,because it’s never cold here until middle of November and sweat soaked bodies ain’t conducive to good hunring. I sold that place, but I still use it here at home on my 80. I can be in my stand in ten minutes from my back door, silently....
Edit: I saw Bad Boy Buggy mentioned above. I had one, the only advantage was 4x4. The brakes sucked, it took an acre to turn it around in, but in all fairness it wasn’t one of the newer models. I’ve never stuck my cart to where you couldn’t get out of it, use a stick to work the accelerator, and push it out. They are so light, they only get stuck on top unless it’s deep mud, but you just don’t go there. :-)
Hi Frank,
I have a lifted electric cart that I purchased for my 76 yo dad. It’s extremely quiet and can zip just about anywhere except for wet steep hills. The lack of 4 wheel drive can be an issue when it gets muddy so it’s strictly a path vehicle and only goes in the fields when it hasn’t rained. My dad drives the cart to 125 yards of the stand and walks in quietly. The deer pay it no attn and walk by it all the time. We painted it flat black so it blends well to the terrain. I’ve had it three seasons now and the batteries are at least ten years old from a previous owner and still hold a great charge. I only paid $1000 for it and it’s well worth the money.
These are all the old recommendations, are there any new electric hunting golf carts in the market in 2022?
intimadator electric side by side 4 wheel drive probably be my next purchase have two friends that own them and they love them they are made in Arkansas I’m hoping they will be making them with lithium batteries good luck Lewis
I do not own an electric ATV so I have no personal experience. I did look into them a few years back and one troublesome issue was performance in cold weather. If you will be using one in very cold weather you need to carefully look into how well they perform in the cold.
I have a 400 Honda Foreman ATV, 2000 model. I have a silencer for the muffler, and add on that works well. In the hill country of SW Wis, at 72 I do use it. Going slow and steady, deer are not bothered.......
I also have used a golf cart. Very nice, but not enough power, for what I climb. Depends on where you live, how flat, etc, do you have trails or not etc
They are a useful tool...........................
Go for it Habitat. My dad & I have the electric 72v 4x4 stealth night hawk. Its been great for us. Its quiet and we spook alot less deer than with a 4wheeler. Literally all you can hear is the leaves crunch on a dry day and nothing in a wet day. We have .5mile treks as well and it really helps. The only down side is replacement batteries but we had close to 10years with out first set.
i have an electric Ranger. i have put 600hrs+ on it. its been a great machine. keep water in the batteries, the electrical connections clean and tight and they will doo great!
