A UTV hunting loadout is the set of racks, mounts, and storage that turns your side by side into a hunting rig, and the right build depends on what you hunt. Deer season is a dry-land game: you want a bed rack for hauling out a downed animal, a locking gun mount up front, and food-plot gear for the off-season. Duck season is wet and muddy: you want sealed storage, spare fuel for the long slough runs, and mounts that shrug off water. Most of the gear is cross-machine, so a Ranger, a Defender, a General, or a Mule can all wear the same core setup. Below is the split by use-case, with real parts and approximate prices.
Deer vs duck: two different rigs from the same machine
Hunters tend to talk about a “hunting UTV” like it is one build. It is not. The two big seasons pull your machine in opposite directions.
Deer hunting is mostly dry-land work: gravel two-tracks, field edges, and the drag-out after a good morning. The load is heavy but stable, so the priority is a solid bed platform, a secure place for the rifle, and the food-plot gear that put the deer there in the first place. Duck hunting is the wet cousin: flooded timber, mud roads, and decoy runs before light. Here the enemy is water, so the priority shifts to sealed storage, extra fuel for the distance, and mounts that do not rust or rattle loose in the muck.
The good news is the foundation is shared. A UTV bed rack, a spare tire mount, and a solid gun or tool mount carry over between both. You build the base once, then swap the top layer by season.
The deer loadout (dry-land hauling, gun mount, food plots)
Haul it out: a bed rack that carries a deer
The single most useful upgrade for deer season is a proper cargo rack, because a field-dressed deer does not ride politely in a stock bed. The Heavy Duty Rear Cargo Rack for Polaris Ranger (~$300) is the workhorse pick: an aluminum tray behind the cab so gear rides up top while the animal rides in the bed. Can-Am and CFMOTO owners get the equivalent in the Rear Cargo Luggage Rack for Can-Am Maverick X3 (~$280) and the Height-Adjustable Rear Rack for CFMOTO UForce 1000 (~$240). All three cross-link from their machine hubs: Polaris Ranger and Can-Am Defender. Browse the full UTV cargo racks category for your exact machine.
If your build leans toward a cab guard that keeps a shifting load off the back window rather than an overhead tray, look at the Headache Rack Assembly for Can-Am Defender (~$300). It mounts against the cab and doubles as a spot for lights or antennas. Recovery is its own lane: we do not stock winches, so if pulling a stuck machine off a muddy field edge is a priority, we will point you to a winch maker like Warn or KFI rather than sell you something we do not carry.
Keep the rifle secure and reachable
Gun and tool mounts are one of the deepest corners of the catalog, so you can match the mount to your machine instead of settling. For a Ranger or General, the Lock & Ride Gun Rack for Polaris Ranger & General (~$65) drops into the factory Lock & Ride points with no drilling, and the Rifle Holder for Polaris Ranger & General (~$80) is the simpler single-gun option. If you would rather stand a long gun upright and out of the way in the cab, the Floor Mount Vertical Gun Holder for Polaris Ranger & More (~$80) does that, and the Overhead Gun Rack for Polaris Ranger & More (~$90) moves it up to the roll cage.
Can-Am Defender owners get their own fit in the Ratcheting Gun and Tool Rack for Can-Am Defender & More (~$70) and the Under Seat Gun and Tool Rack for Can-Am Defender & More (~$90). Bow hunters are covered too: the Double Crossbow and Gun Rack for Polaris Ranger & More (~$130) holds a crossbow and a long gun together. Full list at gun mounts.
For a fully enclosed, weather-sealed rifle case, the honest answer points off-catalog. The Kolpin Gun Boot 6.0 fits firearms up to 51 inches, clears 50mm scopes with a sling attached, and includes a removable foam liner inside a hard, snap-lock shell. It rides on Kolpin’s own Gun Boot bracket hardware rather than one of our rack mounts, so it is the broadest fully protected option. We do not carry it, so that link goes straight to Kolpin.
Off-season: food plots that bring the deer in
Deer hunting starts months before opening day, in the food plot. We do not make ground-working implements, so this one points off-catalog too. The Kolpin DirtWorks Disc Plow Kit runs two gangs of four 14-inch discs with five adjustable cutting angles for different soil types, and it bolts to Kolpin’s DirtWorks accessory tool bar, which lets a UTV pull and work the ground without a tractor. Add the matching Soil S-Tine Cultivator Kit on the same bar and you have covered the two passes a basic plot needs. We do not carry these, so those links go straight to Kolpin.
The duck loadout (mud, water, fuel, decoy hauling)
Fuel for the long, wet run
Duck spots are farther out and the terrain burns more fuel, so spare gas is the first duck-season add. The RotoPax 2 Gallon Gasoline Pack (~$110) is made in the USA, sealed, and built not to leak or vibrate loose, which is exactly the failure mode you want ruled out when the can is riding through water. Mount it with the RotoPax L-Bracket Fuel Pack Mounting Bracket (~$50) or the RotoPax FuelpaX Universal Mounting Plate (~$60), both of which bolt a pack flat to a rack or bed floor. RotoPax packs are stackable on the same base, so you can add a second can as your range needs grow. For water rather than gas, the RotoPax 2 Gallon Water Pack GEN 2 (~$80) shares the same mounting hardware. Category hub: fuel storage.
Sealed, modular storage for the muck
Duck gear is wet gear: waders, calls, shells, a wet dog. A lockable hard box beats loose totes because everything stays put and stays dry. The 21L Locking Bed Storage Box for Polaris Ranger & More (~$140) keeps shells and valuables out of the weather, and the 56L Rear Cargo Box for Honda Talon & More (~$240) is the high-volume version for a full decoy spread. For grab-all-day gear, the Rear Cage Hunting Tool Bag for CFMoto UForce & ZForce (~$80) hangs off the cage above the standing water in the bed. If you want to keep the whole bed dry, the Soft Camper Bed Cover for Polaris Ranger (~$400) closes it off. Browse the rest under cargo storage.
A spare that survives the mud
Nothing ends a duck morning faster than a flat two miles into a mud road with no spare. The Bed-Mount Spare Tire Carrier for Polaris Ranger & More (~$250) holds a full-size spare in the bed and clears out when you need the space. If you would rather keep the bed open, the Roll Cage Spare Tire Carrier for Polaris RZR & More (~$130) clamps a spare to the cage and fits a range of machines, so it is the closest thing to a universal option here. Can-Am owners get the UTV Spare Tire Holder for Can-Am Defender (~$150). Full list at spare tire mounts.
The shared base every hunting rig should start with
Whatever you hunt, three things carry over: a bed rack, a spare tire mount, and a solid gun or tool mount. Build those first, because they hold value across seasons and machines, then add the deer-specific gun rack and food-plot gear or the duck-specific fuel and sealed storage on top. This is why the loadout is best thought of as a base plus a seasonal layer, not one fixed kit. A camo seat cover like the Camo Split Bench Seat Covers for Polaris Ranger XP 1000/Crew (~$80) or the Camo Seat Cover Set for Can-Am Defender HD5 to HD10 (~$90) is a cheap finishing touch that hides wear and dirt on either build.
For the broader picture of what earns a spot on any machine, see the Best UTV Accessories guide. For the Ranger-specific hunting build in detail, see Polaris Ranger Hunting Accessories, and for the full accessory tree by machine, see Best Polaris Ranger Accessories and Best Can-Am Defender Accessories.
Here is the deer-versus-duck loadout side by side, with the carried anchor for each job and the two honest off-catalog picks.
| Use-case | Job | Product | Price | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Bed rack / haul-out | Heavy Duty Rear Cargo Rack for Polaris Ranger | ~$300 | Carried |
| Deer | Secure the rifle | Lock & Ride Gun Rack for Polaris Ranger & General | ~$65 | Carried |
| Deer | Bow hunters | Double Crossbow and Gun Rack for Polaris Ranger & More | ~$130 | Carried |
| Deer | Enclosed hard case | Kolpin Gun Boot 6.0 | See Kolpin | Off-catalog |
| Deer | Off-season food plot | Kolpin DirtWorks Disc Plow Kit | See Kolpin | Off-catalog |
| Duck | Spare fuel | RotoPax 2 Gallon Gasoline Pack | ~$110 | Carried |
| Duck | Fuel mount | RotoPax L-Bracket Fuel Pack Mount | ~$50 | Carried |
| Duck | Sealed storage | 21L Locking Bed Storage Box for Polaris Ranger & More | ~$140 | Carried |
| Duck | Wet-gear bag | Rear Cage Hunting Tool Bag for CFMoto UForce & ZForce | ~$80 | Carried |
| Duck | Spare tire | Bed-Mount Spare Tire Carrier for Polaris Ranger & More | ~$250 | Carried |
| Both | Clamp odd gear | Ratcheting Gun and Tool Rack for ATVs and UTVs | ~$70 | Carried |
| Both | Camo seat cover | Camo Split Bench Seat Covers for Polaris Ranger XP 1000/Crew | ~$80 | Carried |
Frequently asked questions
What are the best side by side accessories for hunting?
Start with the base that works in every season: a bed rack for hauling, a spare tire mount so a flat does not end the day, and a solid gun or tool mount for odd gear. Then add by use-case, a locking gun rack and food-plot implements for deer, or spare fuel and sealed storage for duck. Buy the base first; it holds value across machines and seasons.
Do I need a different UTV setup for deer versus duck hunting?
The foundation is the same, but the top layer differs. Deer hunting is dry-land work, so it rewards a bed rack for hauling out an animal and a secure gun mount. Duck hunting is wet and muddy, so it rewards sealed storage, extra fuel for longer runs, and mounts that resist water and rust. Build a shared base of rack, spare, and mount, then swap the seasonal gear on top.
Will the same racks fit different UTV brands?
Some do and some do not. A product titled for one machine “and More”, like the Bed-Mount Spare Tire Carrier for Polaris Ranger & More, carries a broader cross-make fitment list, while a rack titled for a single machine is model-specific by design. Structural parts like cargo racks and spare mounts need the mounting points to line up, so always confirm your exact make, model, and year against the fitment chart on each product page before buying.
Can I mount a rifle case on any UTV?
Most enclosed gun cases mount to a bracket or rail rather than bolting directly to your machine, so fitment depends on the mount, not the case. The Kolpin Gun Boot 6.0, for example, rides on Kolpin’s own Gun Boot bracket hardware and fits firearms up to 51 inches long with a 50mm scope. The gun and tool mounts we carry are model-specific, so check which machine a mount lists before ordering.
What fuel storage works for long duck-season runs?
A RotoPax 2-gallon gasoline pack is the common choice: made in the USA, sealed, and built not to leak or vibrate loose. Pair it with the RotoPax L-Bracket or the FuelpaX Universal Mounting Plate to bolt it flat to a rack or bed floor, and stack a second pack on the same base if you need more range. For water instead of gas, the matching RotoPax water pack shares the same mounting hardware.
From MaxtOffroad
What makes a hunting rig work is that one base carries two completely different seasons. Build the bed rack, the spare tire mount, and a good gun or tool mount first, and the same machine that hauls a deer out of a field in October carries spare fuel and sealed storage over a duck slough in January. We stock racks and mounts per machine rather than one universal bar, because the whole point of a hunting build is that the gun mount, the fuel pack, and the spare all land where they fit your Ranger or Defender, not where a generic bracket forces them. Fitment comes first on every product page for exactly that reason.
