A Can-Am Defender hunting loadout starts with a headache rack that shields the cab and gives you a MOLLE panel to hang gear on, adds a spare tire holder so a flat does not end the morning, a gun and tool rack that uses the anchor points already built into the Defender, mounted fuel for the long way back, and seat covers that shrug off mud and dog claws. Every piece below is a Kemimoto, RotoPax, or Wavian part that lists the Defender or mounts to a rack, a cage, or a flat surface, with specs and prices from the product pages. Think of it as a build, not a shopping list: each part earns a spot on the machine, and the rack you choose first decides what else can hang off it. Below is a Defender-specific stack with real fitment and real prices.
Start with the base: the rack decides everything
Every other part of a UTV hunting loadout hangs off the base, so pick it first. On the Defender you have two honest paths, and both leave the bed working.
The headache rack. The Headache Rack Assembly for Can-Am Defender is a steel headache rack that shields the cab and rear windshield from shifting cargo, with a built-in MOLLE panel for gear. No drilling, and it clears the doors and rear glass. That MOLLE panel is the reason it leads this build: pouches, a tool roll, and strap-on gear ride upright behind the cab, which keeps the bed itself free for game and larger cargo. About $300.
The bed extender. If your problem is room rather than protection, the Heavy-Duty Bed Extender for Can-Am Defender adds 12.2 inches to the bed for about 33% more cargo room, then flips 180 degrees to work as a divider. It has an openable tailgate, double latches, and gas can mounting holes and strap points built in. Those gas can holes matter later in this build. About $200.
Run one or both. The headache rack handles what is behind your head and the extender handles what is behind the tailgate, and neither one needs a hole drilled in the machine. See the full Defender lineup, the UTV headache rack category, and Can-Am Defender bed dimensions if you are sizing gear for the box.
Carry a spare, because a flat ends the hunt
A staple through a sidewall on a downed limb is not rare in the timber, and a Defender on a flat four miles from the truck is a bad morning. The UTV Spare Tire Holder for Can-Am Defender holds your spare upright against the cargo box wall instead of letting it roll around the bed. Sized for 26 to 33 inch tires, it mounts to the left, right, or front rail, and installs with no drilling or cutting. Standing the spare against a wall keeps the floor of the bed open for the rest of your gear, which is the recurring theme of a good loadout. About $150. Full options in the spare tire mount category.
The gun mount: what fits the Defender, honestly
Here is the straight version, because gun carry is where the marketing usually gets loose. Two Kemimoto racks name the Defender, and one universal holder works if your cage bar is the right size.
- The Ratcheting Gun and Tool Rack for Can-Am Defender & More uses the plunger-style anchor points already on your Can-Am, so there is no drilling. The ratcheting jaws close to the exact size of your bow, axe, or rod, and a push button opens them one-handed. About $70. This is the pick for most Defender hunters because it drops into the bed you already have.
- The Under Seat Gun and Tool Rack for Can-Am Defender & More bolts under the seat and stands a bow, shovel, or hoe upright in space you were not using. Auto-clamping jaws grab gear one-handed, and lowering the seat hides the whole rack when you are done. About $90. Pick this if you want the gear out of the bed and out of sight at the truck.
- The Roll Bar Gun Holder Set for Polaris RZR & More (2 Pieces) is two steel roll bar holders that keep a shotgun, bow, or shovel within arm’s reach, with rubber inserts to protect both the cage and the gear and adjustable straps for rough ground. The holders fit 1.75 and 2 inch round bars, so measure your Defender cage tube before ordering. About $45.
None of these is a locking hard case. A lockable gun boot is a different product from a different kind of maker, and the lineup does not include one, so if you need the rifle locked in a case, plan on sourcing that separately. Browse the gun mount category for the rest of the rack options. For the cross-machine hunting angle see UTV Hunting Loadout, and for the Polaris side of the same build see Polaris Ranger Hunting Accessories.
Fuel, water, and the finish: RotoPax, Wavian, and seat covers
Range anxiety in the dark is its own kind of miserable. The RotoPax 2 Gallon Gasoline Pack mounts flat on a UTV rack or cage, is CARB and EPA 50-state compliant, and RotoPax backs it with a 10 year leak-free warranty, about $110 with mounts sold separately. The mount is the RotoPax Standard Pack Mount: base plate, clamp block, and T-handle. Bolt the base to any flat surface, set the pack on, twist the handle tight, about $50. On this build the flat surface is the bed extender, which has gas can mounting holes built in, or the headache rack panel. If you want the pack locked while you are in the blind, the RotoPax LOX Locking Pack Mount puts a keyed lock in the handle, about $85. To hang fuel on the cage instead, the RotoPax PAX Roll Bar Mount clamps to any roll bar between 1.5 and 1.8 inches, about $70. For a long sit, the RotoPax 2 Gallon Water Pack GEN 2, OD Green carries two gallons of drinking water on the outside of the machine with molded capacity markings, about $80.
If you would rather run a steel can, the Wavian Jerry Can – 5.3 Gallon (20 Liter) NATO Fuel Can is the original NATO-pattern can in military-issue steel, about $120, and it locks into the Wavian 20 Liter Jerry Can Holder, a welded steel top-loading holder with a padlock tab and pre-drilled mounting holes, about $70. Full fuel options in the fuel storage category and the Best UTV Gas Can guide.
Round the build out with the cab. The Camo Seat Cover Set for Can-Am Defender HD5 to HD10 is an eight-piece set for the Defender bench with headrests, backs, bottoms, and the center seat included, in scratch and water resistant 1680D oxford held tight by hook and loop and an elastic hem, about $90. Defender MAX owners get the Waterproof Camo Seat Covers for Can-Am Defender MAX HD7-HD10 for both rows, about $130. If the dog rides in the bed, the Soft Camper Bed Cover for Can-Am Defender builds a covered shelter over the bed with a steel frame, 600D water-resistant fabric, and clear roll-up windows on all four sides, and it keeps dogs, tools, and cargo dry with no drilling, about $360. That is the loadout: rack, spare, gun, fuel, cab, one machine.
A build-cost summary of one honest Defender hunting loadout. Every item and price is from the product pages; the seat covers are the optional add-on shown separately.
Loadout stack (equivalent data table):
| # | Component | Product | Price | Grounding spec |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Base rack | Headache Rack Assembly for Can-Am Defender | about $300 | Steel, shields cab and rear windshield, built-in MOLLE panel, no drilling, clears doors and rear glass |
| 2 | Spare | UTV Spare Tire Holder for Can-Am Defender | about $150 | Upright against the cargo box wall, 26 to 33 inch tires, left, right, or front rail, no drilling or cutting |
| 3 | Gun mount | Ratcheting Gun and Tool Rack for Can-Am Defender & More | about $70 | Plunger-style anchor points, no drilling, ratcheting jaws, one-handed push button |
| 4 | Fuel mount | RotoPax Standard Pack Mount | about $50 | Base plate, clamp block, T-handle; bolts to any flat surface |
| 5 | Fuel | RotoPax 2 Gallon Gasoline Pack | about $110 | Mounts flat on a rack or cage, CARB/EPA 50-state compliant, 10 year leak-free warranty |
| Subtotal | about $680 | |||
| + | Optional cab | Camo Seat Cover Set for Can-Am Defender HD5 to HD10 | about $90 | Eight-piece set with headrests, backs, bottoms, and center seat, 1680D oxford, hook and loop, elastic hem |
Frequently asked questions
What gun mount fits a Can-Am Defender?
Two Kemimoto racks name the Defender. The Ratcheting Gun and Tool Rack uses the plunger-style anchor points already on your Can-Am, so there is no drilling, and its ratcheting jaws close to the exact size of what you load. The Under Seat Gun and Tool Rack bolts under the seat and stands gear upright, then hides when the seat drops. The Roll Bar Gun Holder Set works on 1.75 and 2 inch round bars if your cage measures that. None of these is a locking hard case.
How much gear can a Can-Am Defender carry hunting?
More than the stock bed suggests once you add the right pieces. The Heavy-Duty Bed Extender adds 12.2 inches to the bed for about 33% more cargo room, the headache rack moves strap-on gear onto its MOLLE panel behind the cab, and the spare tire holder stands the spare against the box wall so the floor stays open. Always confirm your machine’s payload rating against the Can-Am spec sheet for your year and Defender trim.
What is the best rack for a Defender hunting setup?
It depends on the problem. If it is cab protection and a place to hang gear, the Kemimoto Headache Rack Assembly shields the cab and rear windshield from shifting cargo and has a built-in MOLLE panel. If it is room, the Heavy-Duty Bed Extender adds 12.2 inches and flips to work as a divider, with gas can mounting holes built in. Neither needs drilling, and they work together.
Do these accessories bolt on without drilling?
The core stack does. The headache rack lists no drilling, the spare tire holder installs with no drilling or cutting, and the ratcheting gun rack uses the plunger-style anchor points already on the Defender. The RotoPax Standard Pack Mount bolts to any flat surface, and the bed extender has gas can mounting holes built in for exactly that. The seat covers pull on with hook and loop and an elastic hem.
From MaxtOffroad
What sold us on a loadout approach for the Defender is the MOLLE panel on the Headache Rack Assembly for Can-Am Defender. One steel rack does the safety job, shielding the cab and rear windshield from shifting cargo, and gives you a whole panel of strap-on mounting behind your head, with no drilling and clearance for the doors and rear glass. Pair it with the UTV Spare Tire Holder for Can-Am Defender, which stands a 26 to 33 inch spare against the box wall, and the Ratcheting Gun and Tool Rack for Can-Am Defender & More, which drops into the anchor points the machine already has, and the bed floor stays open for what you came out for.
