- Ground clearance, don't want to get hung up the snow.
any IRS will do.

-Speed is not important, don't expect to go over 35 MPH
any modern full size quad


-Need to pull up to 800 lbs
most 500cc and up will do (polaris has highest ratings here)

-Usually wear large boots, foot shifting is not desirable or is this not an issue?
all CVT autos fit teh bill

-At times the ice is covered with slush and/or water. Concern revolves around liquid vs air cooled. Can radiators get plugged with slush/ice and overheat? Do CVT systems get wet and not work well?
no concers with either on most all

-It gets cold ie -20 F, want to make sure starting is not an issue.
EFI for ease of use.

-Selectable 2/4 wheel drive.
most all have this but a few low end quads

-Weight is also a factor, don't want something too heavy, don't want to drop through the ice. This is a secondary factor.
polaris and AC are heaviest

 

The thing i do like about a heavy quad is plowing snow. Cant beat it!

 

I think the answer is simple for the original poster... Buy a Suzuki King Quad or new Yamaha Grizzly. Both have fuel injection. If the big bore quads aren't necessary, a Suzuki KQ 450 would work.

One thing I'd ask if you're going to use it for hunting is how loud can the ATV be? This can be a concern for hunters. The Yamaha Grizzly is noisier than most but a solid ATV nonetheless. The Suzukis are smooth, powerful and fairly quiet.

I wouldn't recommend Honda ATVs for you simply because they can be hard to start at the really cold temps unless you get fuel injection. The new Rancher 420 and Rincon are both fuel injected but the Rancher 420 is not an automatic and the Rincon isn't really setup to be a utility machine (small racks, no low range for towing, etc).

 

Buy any Utility that has a low range "shift or Auto" (most do) it comes in handy for more than just work,low allows you to creep for rock clawling sections and so on . I had a 5 speed Yamaha Big Bear and 450 Foreman and I will never go back to shifting again,It,s just a unnecessary additional chore with a Utility ATV to me.

 

I would say it's between the AC, the Grizzly 700 or the Suzi KQ. The AC is the heaviest... but has great ground clearance, just like the grizzly. The KQ sits a couple inches lower. The powersteering of the Grizzly sells this quad easily... They all have dif-lock. The suzi and griz have a low center of gravity... the AC feels really big and has the most power.

Go test drive a few...