Whether you are spring turkey hunting, baiting bears, or heading out to the farm to put in food plots, it is often all too easy to get stuck in the soaked soil of spring—it doesn’t take much mire, either. All it takes is a small downpour, a muddy road, or a late season snow flurry and you are calling a buddy for help getting unstuck. Of course, you could add a winch to your vehicle (and it is something we do highly recommend), but it can be a costly investment for the very limited times you’ll use it. But there are some pretty simple techniques and tools for getting unstuck that anyone can perform, and they don’t break the bank, either. These tools will make the job much easier, and some may help you get out without having to go through the endless ribbing for years to come that a cell phone call to the hunting buddy will bring.
If you hunt, sooner or later you are going to get stuck. It is a fact of life almost as guaranteed as death and taxes. While sometimes unavoidable, having the equipment and know-how to get yourself free can make the difference between a good day and a very bad one.
Barring using any tools, there are some basic techniques to get unstuck. To start with, if it is a case of tires just not getting traction, think creatively on how to solve this. An easy solution is to cut some tree boughs, pull some grass, or shovel some gravel from the roadside under the offending tire. Failing that, think about dropping the tire pressure. This is a standard technique for offroaders in snow or sand and by doing so increases the tire’s footprint where it meets the ground. Remember, if you do this you will need a means of re-inflating the tires once unstuck.
Unless you have a portable air compressor (which we have covered in the past), deflating is a last-ditch effort. If these simple techniques don’t work, it is time to break out some gear. Here are some essential items we don’t leave home without:
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