MS to MT or Bust!! Covered Trailer or Topper

[apick]

Myself and two of my life long buddies all were drawn for MT general deer tags (fingers crossed on upcoming Antelope draw!) for the first time ever. We'll be driving up from south Mississippi in my Ram 2500 4x4 crew cab for the season opener and staying seven days. It would be a stretch for me to purchase a truck topper between now and then, so we are considering hauling a 6x8 covered trailer that I already have with all of our gear. Figuring the fuel mileage hauling a trailer (plus the hassle of dragging a trailer 4K miles round trip) has me leaning back to purchasing a topper. Just curious if anyone else here has made that long of a trip with three guys for a week with gear/coolers/firearms and only a topper and NOT have to pull a trailer? I have serious concerns if we can fit everything in a topper without it being a nightmare to get to what I need at any given time. Just trying to weigh the options.

Thanks!

 

[riv3rbanks]

Should be plenty of room in that rig. All you need are your packs, rifles, and coolers to take your hard earned meat home. One Yeti 75 or similar should handle a whole deer boned out.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

^Yep, did a 7 day hunt in MT for deer and pronghorn in my Corolla and had room enough that 2 people could have ridden with me. Topper might be nice just so you don't have to stuff your coolers and rifle cases in the cab when your out and about.

 

[Boarmaster]

Do you have any need for the topper in the future? If not pull the trailer if its a good trailer.
If your going to use the topper in the future but not going to use it more than a week or two a year and you have a place to store it then get the topper. It might matter as well if its a $1500 topper or a $4000 topper.

 

[freerange]

I'd do everything I could to avoid pulling a trailer that far and then having to deal with it while on your hunt. Look for a used topper maybe, even if the color doesn't match you can try it out and sell it when you get back and wait to buy the one you really want if you liked the topper. For me a topper is the way to go with a piece of plywood to divide things. Coolers and totes underneath, rifles above the wheel wells on a second plywood shelf and packs and bags on top, super simple and mobile. The cooler space required for 3 deer is such that fitting it all in a truck will be super easy.

 

[MT.PERCHMAN]

Topper hands down !!
Sounds like a heck of a Hunt !!

 

[Don K]

Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or Ebay. You can find good used toppers real cheap. Doesnt have to match your truck for just hunting. I picked one up about 10 years ago for 100 bucks, used a paint roller on it to get paint looking decent with my trucks paint and I still have that topper today. Just us it for hunting season and it improves my gas mileage and storage for a hunt.

 

[flyingvmt]

Same as everyone above. No way in hell I'd haul a trailer that damn far. I pulled one from MT to NM two years ago and it stressed me tf out. I have a topper now and swear by it. Covered, lockable storage and a place to sleep if need be. I found mine on CL for $500 that the guy had paid $3000 for a year before to have it painted to match. Turns out I had the exact same pickup model and color he did. Lucky, but if you look long and hard enough there is usually a rabbit to be pulled out of a hat.

 

[Jwill]

How about a bumper hitch hauler for gas can, water can, and cooler? Maybe just a tonneau cover.

Only issue with not having a topper or trailer is your stuff getting dusty, muddy, or wet. Don't think you really need a trailer unless you're taking an atv.

You guys camping or doing cabin/motel?

 

[LCH]

I've done 3 guys in a Durango for a week several times, it's tight but you can do it. I put a hitch haul with coolers and/or totes strapped to it, lawnchairs and such on top of totes, all wrapped in a tarp and strapped/bungied down. I bring a canvas tent, cots, stove, Buddy heater, food, the whole 9 yards.

Last year, one other guy and I drove a Fiesta from Indiana to Arizona to hunt Coues for a week. We used backpacking tents and foam pads on the ground, and we had plenty of room in that Fiesta.

If you don't get a tonneau or topper, you can garbage bag your gear then put a tarp over that. Just pack smart and don't bring what you don't need, and you'll be fine.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

topper. depending on the age of your truck.... you can usually find a cheap one that closely fits. Older trucks = cheaper toppers.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[apick]

Thanks for all the quick feedback. We'll be staying in a cabin so no worries there. Surprisingly after a marketplace and craigslist search I found a few possible leads on toppers well below half price of a new one. I hope that this will not be my last trip out west so it will be used and I have plenty of trailers for larger items that won't fit under a topper for everyday use. I really didn't want to haul a trailer that far and you guys confirmed it for me. Unless I get extremely lucky and find a color matched topper, I'll post back and tell you the contrasting colors so you can give me a honk if you see me rolling by!

 

[el unit]

Good move on the topper. I try to avoid trailers whenever possible.

 

[mplane72]

Topper plus hitch hauler should have you covered. Especially, if your not hauling a wall tent.

 

[HSi-ESi]

I have a Ram 2500, short box with a tonneau cover. I can fit a weeks worth of hunting for 2, but I use the backseat in the cab for stuff also (it's a 4 door).

If I get an elk, I usually leave the cover rolled up since the rack doesn't typically fit under the cover. So I would think having a topper would be plenty for me.

 

[apick]

I just sealed the deal on facebook marketplace with a guy 2 hours from me. A.R.E. V Series topper for $400!!!!! I'm beyond stoked since buying one new was going to be alot of "honey-do's" around the house to make up for buying something else for this trip! Thanks for the tips guys. I'll be the guy in the dark grey Ram 2500 crew cab with a red topper beating around east MT late october!

 

[mplane72]

I just sealed the deal on facebook marketplace with a guy 2 hours from me. A.R.E. V Series topper for $400!!!!! I'm beyond stoked since buying one new was going to be alot of "honey-do's" around the house to make up for buying something else for this trip! Thanks for the tips guys. I'll be the guy in the dark grey Ram 2500 crew cab with a red topper beating around east MT late october!

Nice. I went the same route when i bought my last one, then decided I just wanted to leave it on all the time. So i painted it myself. You can see how that went on page 3 of this thread. https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?281378-Truck-bed-camping&highlight=topper

 

[apick]

Score! Had to drive 2.5 hours one way to go get it but well worth the trip for the price paid. Now to start checking on paint options. Rather than spend big money on color matching, I believe I'm going to go with UPOL Raptor Liner spray on. Stuff looks pretty good for a decent price.

 

[Don K]

Looks great, and Raptor liner will look great on that rig

 

[SFC B]

I have my second truck with a cap on it and have never regretted it. Congrats