# Mud motors !!!! which one???



## cheapdux (Nov 2, 2006)

Since it has not rained in a very long time and the pot holes and small rivers are almost dry, and larger water is reduced to muck, I am in the market for a mud motor this month and am wondering which is best for hunting marshes. Long shaft or short shaft? most drives are under 1.5 miles in millfoil and rushes and lilypads. i realy like speed but "4x4ablity" is more important. My dad is pitching in and wants one really soon, so i gotta figure something out, and my wife once me to get it over with. so any advice and past experiences would be greatly appreciated.


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## meck77 (Aug 4, 2007)

cheap dux. just thought Id offer my two cents. Two season ago my hunting buddy here in Minnesota purchased a bevertail mud motor out of Avon, Minnesota. Their website is easy to find with a search of the web. I had no prior experience with mud motors so I may be a bit jaded in my experience. I didnt buy into the motor or boat so cost and that info I don't know about. My experience with the bevertail was great. Troy has the long shaft version. Speed is not great (im also used to a 115 yamaha on my fishing boat) but the as you said "4X4" capability is great. We had to really try to get it stuck. We hunted and scouted areas on the Mississippi and good sized lakes that had boat landings. Enough water at least to get it floating) I can't imagine the thought of dragging that boat (16 foot jon boat) through any amount of any cat tails so a good access or landing is a must in my eyes. The weight of the motor adds to the idea of not being able to drag it through much by hand. Once you are on the water its game on. We drove through water on the river that was less than 6 inches of water. Thats with a hard rock bottom, three guys and a dog. and im not a small guy. With a soft bottom that thing is crazy! We drove it up on to stumps and were able to drive it off with out much problem other than a few swear words and me doubting that we would live. A few swears and a little throttle later and we were good to go. We also would take the boat and drive onto thick cattails so that we could hunt with three people and all move around with out worry. Really the only down fall is that when you get the beavertail up in the thick stuff, you want to try to get it stuck and thats really tuff. We tried everything to get it stuck and it was really hard. Really the only limitations was on the Mississippi getting it up on the rocks and hanging up on immovable objects. When you get one take it out a lot and play around so you aren't like us and act like little kids trying to get stuck. Anyways. I am rambling and rambling. I am sure that you will have some other replys soon. I can only speak of the bevertail, it is a place to start I guess. Good luck and happy hunting!


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## cheapdux (Nov 2, 2006)

hey thanks meck77

Got a hold of beavertail and i have an appointment on the 17th to have the float pods welded onto the back of our boat. While that is being done they're gonna let us try out their gator-tails and the beaver tail long shafts. In talking to them i think we are gonna go the route of the long shaft due to the fact that we have mostly short runs and are in cat tail marshes. They recommended us going the long shaft route. Avon MN is only like 4 1/2 hours from where i live so im gonna start my search with beavertail. 
Thank you for your 2 cents.


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## Sportin' Woodies (Jun 26, 2006)

prodrive or go-devil or mudbuddy.

just remember theyre loud and disturb alot of species besides other hunters.


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## honkbuster3 (Jan 11, 2006)

MUD BUDDY :beer:


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## cheapdux (Nov 2, 2006)

As far as long shafts go which one would you guys prefer and why? which is most reliable and built the best?


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## wetlandfarms (Oct 10, 2005)

Mud Buddy All the Way. I have a buddy that has a long tail 27 HP and the 4x4 capabilities will blow your Mind! The only problems we have had was when we had 4 guys and a dog with all the gear in a 17' Tracker and we had trouble getting up on plain. I just recently bought a 35 HP Mud Buddy HyperDrive Sport and that thing is truely the best of both worlds. It is on an 18' Lowe Roughneck and with four guys and a dog we clocked it on the GPS running 23 MPH. And it has plenty of 4x4 power and it has power trim and kicks a huge rooster tail. Hyper drive is alot easier to handle as well and has a neutral on the handle so you can disengage the propeller. I doubt you can go wrong with any of the big name brands out there, But i do know i have had great experiences out of Mud Buddy.
Goodluck on your Purchase


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## 2dblind (Feb 23, 2006)

Like everyone elsa I have been on board with a lot of different brands from Go-devil. Pro-drive and Mud Buddy. Have been on both long and short shaft. My two cents are go with the Mud Buddy hyperdrive they are truly the cream of the crop and can go anywhere! We have taken it across mud flats, islands and beaver dams. One thing i will say with which ever one you decide is keep a close eye on your prop and when it is getting ground down just splurg and get a new one which will open your eyes for a second time! Sand is the worst culpert for chewing these props up so avoid sand flats when you can. Trust me this will become your favorite toy and you'll go out in the dead of summer to go "mud bogging"! Enjoy with whatever one you decide on.


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## IFSteve (Aug 29, 2003)

Well I am a bit jaded becuase I own a MB Hyper Sport but I will chime in with my two cents worth.

1. I would go with a short shaft. They can do jsut about anything that a longtail can and they are a lot easier to drive and they are safer. No 6 foot long thing sticking out the back. Get a neutral, that makes them really safer.

2. Buy the biggest motor you can afford and that your boat will handle. Mud motors are put under a lot of stress and Lord knows we like to haul a lot of stuff. Pretty hard to be overpowered with a mud motor.

3. Trying before you buy is a great thing to do.

4. Check availability. At this time of the year you may have trouble even getting a motor before the season!

Good luck, enjoy your mud motor whatever your choice, and use it responsibly.


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## TNduckKLR (Aug 5, 2007)

Gatortail Surface Drive (short tail) 
Go to the Website....Speaks for itself
They pull a guy on a wake board through a swamp, and it has reverse.
www.gator-tail.com/


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## wetlandfarms (Oct 10, 2005)

Here is a pic of the 35 hp Mud Buddy HD. It kind of gives you an idea of what your looking at. These motors kick #$%. Going out mud bogging has become a way to pass time until duck season gets here. And its a blast. Getcha a mud buddy, you wont be sorry :beer: 








http://NodakOutdoors.com/forums/userpix/6827_Hyper_Drive__1.jpg

Here a picture of the handle where your power trim is And the little silver switch is your neutral. You can push it down for a continous neutral or you can push it up and the motor stays engaged until you let your thumb off of it. Great for picking up decoys & loading the boat.


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## MRN (Apr 1, 2002)

IFSteve hit most of the main points.

However, the most important thing is reverse. A real, full-power reverse. All of them can spin forward, but only one model will get you out of trouble easily. You WILL get stuck. A lot. That's the point. The reverse will actually take you over thick vegitation better by cutting a trail that the boat follows through. So, get a Prodrive.

I also think the idea of belt drive is silly - gears are the only way to go.
We're talking about a 4x4 in water here.

Go ask your question at MudMotortalk.com. You'll get a no-holds-barred set of opinions there.

M.


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