You might want to look at getting some kind of a small trailer or a sled of some type to pull then, because if you go any distance through rough terrain (clear cut, gravel roads) you wont be happy with the outcome. With an ATV you will keep going unlike dragging an animal buy hand and that builds up a lot of friction. I know this from an experience I had when I first started using an ATV for hunting, 3/4 mile and it was through the hide and into the meat in spots. But what I was talking about mostly was feeders stands and quartered moose which I figured you would not be dragging. Other than that power, traction, ground clearance and width is the basic differences as stated in the posts above. Hope this helps.

 

so bigger tires and ground clearance are worth it then for crossing cuts, so i may be better with an Arctic cat instead of sportsman 500. sportsman has 2 inches over hawkeye and arctic has 2 inches over sportsman.

i was leaning towoards the Cat but wanted to know if that little 300 could do it. as up until now we have been using a suzuki 250 4x4 with low and lowlow

 

Here a good 03 side by side spec link to help you decide.2003 Arctic Cat 500 4X4 ATVs

 

The 300 has poor ground clearance and no low range so it wouldn't work very well for what you want it for. Also, I thought I read somewhere that the tabs that keep the a-arms attached to the frame break easily.

 

The height is 2 incehes different but the ground clearance is less then an inch different. The Sportsman 500 is one of the best overall engines and I would choose that model over the other 2 you are looking at. Plus the ride of the sportsman IMO is the best. Good luck with whatever you choose.....

 

the sportsman 400 (hawkeye chassis) has 24" tires, the 300 has 23". wrong again TLC

 

okay well i settled for an 04 sportsman 600, low miles and same price as an 07 hawkeye. i'll see if i can keep up with my buddies 550efi cat, im thinking hes got me out gunned on dirt and in the rough stuff. but i really prefer the awd system on the sportsman

thanks for the help with the posts and the thousand other threads i read through. i'll have some pics soon

 

I thought you were concerned with hunting, hauling, etc, now it's all about speed?

 

... don't want need or care for speed

 

not concerned with speed, so long as it keeps up in the rough stuff(doesn't get stuck every 15 feet), was just stating that that cat may still have me beat both off road and least importantly on road.

but should be enough to haul a moose out and break trail to feeders and tree stand.

nowhere did i mention speed , but "keep up with" may have implied that. my bad.

sweet bike though eh???