Planning a hunting trip, regardless of the season or your intended quarry, requires a lot of preparation. You need hunting licenses, weapons and ammunition.
You’ll need to stock up on your gear, and make sure you have enough food and water for your trip and enough space to bring home your kills if your hunt proves successful. If you’re planning to spend the weekend hunting, you’ll also need somewhere to sleep and enough space to store your equipment.
If you excelled at Tetris as a child, you might be able to squeeze everything you need into your daily driver, but it won’t be nearly as comfortable as an RV. If you’re planning an RV hunting trip, here are some tips and tricks to help make your journey better.
1. Don’t Go Too Big
RVs come in all shapes and sizes, from small conversions designs you can tow with your vehicle to massive models larger than a rock and roll tour bus. More space might seem like the best option, but bigger isn’t always better if you’ve never driven an RV before. RVs come in four classifications, depending on their size and weight.
Class A: 21-45ft, and 13,000 to 30,000 lbs
Class B: 17-19ft and 4,000 to 9,000 lbs
Class B+: 20-30ft and 7,000 to 12,000 lbs
Class C: 20-31ft and 10,000 to 13,000 lbs.
In most cases, you don’t need a commercial driving license (CDL) to operate an RV. The exception is for large Class A RVs that exceed 26,000 pounds.
In this case, you’ll want to check with your local DMV. If you’re planning on financing and buying your RV, talk to your sales representative. They’ll have a better idea of the kind of driver’s license you need for the size RV you hope to bring home.
2. Look for Campgrounds Close to Hunting Grounds
One option for RV hunting is to look for an RV-friendly campsite near your hunting ground. If you’re towing your car behind the RV or bringing another driver along, this campground can become your base of operations for the whole trip. Look for full hookup options so you can enjoy water and power between hunting sessions.
3. Consider Boondocking
If your ideal hunting grounds are too far from a campsite, consider boondocking — camping outside designated campsites. The rules will vary from state to state, but as long as you can find a place to park your RV safely, you can set it up as your base of operations.
If you’re not on a campsite, make sure you have an alternative power source, such as a generator or solar panels, to keep your freezer running since you won’t have the option to plug in.
4. Make The Most of Your Available Storage
You already know the equipment you’ll need for a successful hunt. The amount of gear you’ll haul will depend on the number of people participating in the hunt. Take the time to make the most of your available storage. Space is limited, especially if you have a bunch of people crammed into an RV like fish in a can.
5. Be Ready For Meat Storage
The end goal of most hunts is to bring home meat or trophies from the animals you kill. For the former, you’ll want plenty of space to store it. Consider adding an extra freezer to your RV as a place to store everything you catch.
The size of this appliance will vary depending on power availability and the amount of meat you’re planning to bring home. Still, something as simple as a deep freeze can make your life infinitely easier.
Stay Safe Out There
Whether you need somewhere to warm up while hunting deer in the winter or a place to shower and dry off after a rainy summer hunt, bringing an RV can make your life easier and more comfortable. Make sure you know how to drive your RV.
You can drive most classes of RV without a CDL, so don’t opt for the biggest one on the market unless you’re planning on taking the time for a commercial driving class. Setting up your base of operations in an RV can be a more cost-effective way to make the most of your hunting trips.