Loadout · hunting
Hunting-trip ATV loadout (transport only)
How to carry hunters, camp and game by ATV: gun boots and quarter bags, with the Utah transport rules, and nothing about firearm operation.
Quick answer
Use the ATV only to move people, camp and legally harvested game. In Utah you may not use an ATV, OHV or other motorized vehicle to take big game, and you may not carry a loaded rifle or shotgun in or on a vehicle. Plan the load for the way out: quarters are heavy.
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Weight and rack limits
Goal: leave rack capacity for meat on the exit trip. A quartered animal can add a lot of weight; split it across trips or machines instead of overloading racks.
Rack ratings are per rack and are a limit for the rack, not a target. Add up everything on each rack, including the box or bag itself, and keep it well under the rating; weigh your loaded kit with a bathroom scale and use the running total on the printable checklists.
| Class in our database | Models | Front rack rating (lb) | Rear rack rating (lb) | Towing rating (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (<500cc) | 9 | 66-90 lb | 133-180 lb | 802-1350 lb |
| Mid (500-649cc) | 15 | 75-121 lb | 100-242 lb | 661-1830 lb |
| Mid-large (650-899cc) | 14 | 88-120 lb | 176-240 lb | 848-1830 lb |
| Big bore (900cc+) | 10 | 120-200 lb | 240-300 lb | 1500-1830 lb |
| 2-up touring | 23 | 44-121 lb | 77-242 lb | 772-1830 lb |
Ranges across the models in our database for each class; blank cells in a source are skipped, and some front ratings are not published. Your own machine's rating is on its model page and in the owner's manual and is the number that counts.
Every loadout starts here
- Helmet and eye protection (a helmet is mandatory under 18 in Utah, and wear one regardless): Bell MX-9 MIPS helmet, Oakley Airbrake MX goggles
- Gloves: Mechanix Wear M-Pact leather work gloves
- Satellite messenger or beacon for anywhere with no cell service: Garmin inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator, ZOLEO satellite communicator, ACR ResQLink 400 personal locator beacon
- First-aid kit: Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Hiker first aid kit
- Tire repair and air: Slime 20503 tire plug kit (40 piece) plus a 12 V compressor such as VIAIR 88P portable air compressor or Kensun 12V compressor for ATV tires, and a low-pressure gauge such as JACO Elite 0-15 psi tire gauge
- Multi-tool and a small socket/wrench set: Leatherman Wave+ multi-tool, TEKTON 45-piece socket set (SKT95301)
- Water, food, headlamp, paper map or offline map, tell someone your route and return time.
Carrying hunting equipment (no firearm operation content here)
- Padded carry for the unloaded firearm per your manufacturer and the rules below: Kolpin Gun Boot 4.3 with bracket (20053) or Kolpin Stronghold gun boot (20740).
- Optics case and pack: Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 binoculars for glassing; keep it in a padded bag, not loose on a rack.
Game care and hauling
- Quarter bags: Caribou Gear Wapiti quarter bags, Caribou Gear single quarter bag or Alaska Game Bags quarter bags; cooler YETI Tundra 35 cooler or Pelican Elite 35 qt cooler for camp.
- Tie-downs: Rhino USA ratchet straps 15 ft (4-pack), ROK Straps 10025 stretch tie-downs (60 in).
Camp and range
- Use the overnight or multi-day camp kit; fuel RotopaX 1.75 gal gasoline pack (RX-1.75G); lighting Nilight 3 in LED pod lights (20 W, 2 pack).
Safety
- North American Rescue C-A-T Gen 7 tourniquet and Adventure Medical Kits Trauma Pak with QuikClot for bleeding emergencies; messenger Garmin inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator. Hunting seasons are crowded and cold; wear orange where required.
Utah rules to know (transport only)
- Utah Big Game Field Regulations (2026): you may not carry a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle unless you own the vehicle or have the owner's permission, the firearm is a handgun and you are 18 or older. A pistol, revolver, rifle or shotgun is loaded when an unexpended cartridge, shell or projectile is in the firing position. [1]
- Same guidebook: you may not discharge a firearm from a vehicle, and you may not use a motorized terrestrial vehicle, including recreational vehicles, to take protected wildlife including big game, or take game being pursued or moved by one. [1]
- Whether an ATV counts as a "vehicle" for every rule, and what the land manager allows for retrieving game, is something to confirm with Utah DWR and the land manager before the hunt. This page is general information, not legal advice. [1]
Printable checklists and roundups
- ATV hunting checklist
- ATV camping checklist
- Safety & first-aid checklist
- Best ATV cargo boxes, rack bags & dry bags
- ATV camp setup: tent, sleep system, stove & water gear
Guides
Trails this suits
- Paunsaugunt ATV Trail & Powell Ranger District
- Arapeen OHV Trail System
- Ashley NF: Outlaw & Yellowstone ATV trails
Sources
Product links are affiliate links; we have not tested these products and show no prices. Rules and closures change; confirm with the land manager. Researched Oct 27, 2026.