The Hunting Rig

Over at Field and Stream, Bourjaily talks about his hunting rig, a 2004 Jeep Liberty.  It's a nice ride, I'm sure, but not something I'd use as a hunting vehicle.  I don't know where Mr. Bourjaily hunts or how much money he's got to dedicate to hunting, but around here, a hunting vehicle has to wear many hats.

If you look at the vehicles in the driveways around these parts, you're liable to see a nice car, depending on family size, it might be a sedan, it might be a crossover, it might be a van.  That's the wife's car, the family ride, the vehicle everyone gets in when they're going to church, or the grocers.  Then there's the pickup.  Generally, Dad drives the pickup.  It will be several years older than Momma's ride, mainly because Dad wants Mom in the newest ride for dependability, and Dad can't stand more than one car note.  It's hell being poor-folks, even when you've gotten past that part of your life.

The pickup truck is ubiquitous in these parts.  Nearly everybody owns one.  Those that don't own one can call their Dad to borrow his.  Here's mine.

It's a standard F150, but it wears many hats.  Everyday work truck, trailer hauler, hunting rig, chore vehicle, it's got well over 150,000 miles and still going strong.  It'll haul a refrigerator, tow a trailer, carry firewood to the lease, it'll do all  manner of things that need to be done.  Gas mileage?  If you're worried about gas mileage you've got no business driving a pickup truck, although the newer ones get much better mileage than the ones my dad drove.

I can't imagine being without a pickup truck.