Green LED light bar for hunting vehicle

It frequently amazes me that hunters often feel the need to light up the woods as if it were daylight. I am the complete opposite in that I want just enough light to safely drive from camp to hunting area with minimal disruption. When driving my F-150 I turn off all of the lights other than the amber fog lights. After some research, I purchased the Kaper II L16-0075GR Green LED Hunting light to install on my 2017 Polaris Ranger XP 1000.

I bought the light right before the 2020 deer season so I simply spliced in a cigarette lighter plug and temporarily mounted the light in an existing hole in the Polaris metal roof. Worked well enough for its intended purpose but was not the way I like to roll. I wanted to mount the light in the grill area and install a proper wiring harness and dashboard switch.

Once again, I turned to Amazon and settled on the Nilight LED Light Bar Wiring Kit. This kit includes long wires, heavy 14 gauge wire, fuse block, dual leads, and lighted dashboard switch.

wiring harness and bus bar
wiring harness and bus bar
Nilight wiring harness
Nilight wiring harness switch.

I knew where I wanted to mount the Kaper green LED light but wasn’t quite sure how to access the area required to tighten the nut. Turns out the lower grill insert simply pops out! Super easy installation drilling one hole through plastic. Mounting hardware is all stainless steel.

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Kolpin Stronghold Gun Boot XL Transport

Our 2017 Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Hunter Edition came equipped with the factory rack-mounted gun boots.  Great concept except for the fact that the boots are not large enough to accommodate many of the guns we hunt with.  For example, I am currently running a suppressed Bergara HMR 6.5 Creedmoor with a Nightforce NXS scope.  It simply will not fit in the standard Polaris boot.

Our hunting lease south of San Antonio is in the “Sand Hills.”  It is very dry and dusty and the dust gets into everything.  It is a necessity to have your rifle cased when driving, otherwise the rifle and optics get coated in this fine dust.

The good folks at Kolpin were kind enough to send me their extra-large Stronghold Gun Boot featuring the Transport soft case.  They also included both the Polaris Lock & Ride and Universal Auto Latch mounts.

Kolpin Stronghold Transport
Kolpin Stronghold Transport

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Polaris and Honey Brake Lodge

Texas Outdoors Network is headed out to Honey Brake Lodge to test drive the new Polaris Ranger XP 1000!  Scheduled events include hard-core testing of the new Polaris line up, skeet shooting, teal hunting, and hog hunting with dogs!

Polaris is the undisputed leader in All Terrain Vehicles.  We have a long-term 2017 Ranger XP 1000 out on demo and it is fantastic!  Smooth, powerful, and fast.  The new 2018 is even better.

2017 Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Long-Term Test Drive

Honey Brake Lodge:  “Honey Brake, located on 20,000 acres of the old Louisiana Delta Plantation and nestled on the banks of beautiful Larto Lake and its tributaries, offers the avid outdoorsman a unique array of outdoor recreational opportunities all on one property.  Louisiana’s premier duck and waterfowl hunting lodge has year round outdoor experiences.”

Special thanks to Donna with Polaris for inviting us on this awesome adventure!  Stay tuned for a full report.  2018 Polaris Ranger

Polaris® Off-Road Vehicles Announces New Products and Innovation for 2018 Lineup

Polaris®, the worldwide leader in off-road vehicles, announces several new 2018 models, and an industry first and exclusive suspension technology that will revolutionize the off-road riding experience. Polaris Off-Road Vehicles continue to lead the industry in innovation, bringing intuitive, rider-centric solutions to customers.

2018 Polaris XP 1000
2018 Polaris XP 1000

Check out our review of the 2017 Polaris Ranger XP 1000

Utility SxS

  • Polaris RANGER®, the industry’s No.1-selling utility side-by-side (SxS) lineup, introduces the all-new, flagship RANGER XP 1000. The newest RANGER has more than 100 owner-inspired innovations, making it the hardest working, smoothest riding RANGER ever made. Features include an industry-leading 82-horsepower ProStar®1000 engine, one-piece chassis, an even smoother ride, top-notch fit and finish, and a completely redesigned interior and exterior. The all-new RANGER XP 1000 is More Rugged. More Refined. More RANGER.

    2018 Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Highlifter
    2018 Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Highlifter

Recreational SxS

  • Polaris RZR®, the No. 1-selling recreational SxS, known for delivering the ultimate combination of power, suspension and agility, introduces an industry-first innovation – RZR DYNAMIX™ Active Suspension. Available exclusively on the RZR XP Turbo DYNAMIX Edition, DYNAMIX is the world’s first intelligent off-road suspension system designed to eliminate compromise and deliver the best ride at every moment. With more than 200 inputs received every second, DYNAMIX is the only suspension that continuously tunes on the fly. Seamlessly integrated into the RIDE COMMAND® system, DYNAMIX also comes standard with a front camera and simple-touch controls. RZR DYNAMIX – the future of ride and handling is here.

Recreation/Utility

  • Polaris GENERAL® is the best-selling crossover utility vehicle (UTV) on the market. New for Model Year 2018, Polaris has given the GENERAL more durability, more performance and more models to choose from including a military-inspired, limited-edition vehicle, and new, adjustable FOX® Podium X 2.0 QS3 Shocks on the Polaris GENERAL 4 1000 EPS.

    2018 Polaris General
    2018 Polaris General

    2018 Polaris General
    2018 Polaris General

ATV

  • Polaris Sportsman®, the No. 1-selling brand of automatic 4×4 ATVs, delivers several improvements – driven by customer and dealer input – across its Rec/Utility line so owners get the performance they expect and the dependability they count on. Improvements include a more-durable driveline, new side panels for a more-comfortable and cooler ride, and a better display.
  • Polaris ACE® continues to bring the revolutionary, single-seat experience to riders by offering several vehicles, based on customer feedback, that cater to everyone from first-time users to adrenaline junkies. New for 2018, the ACE 570 EPS has several upgrades including a Dual A-arm suspension, quarter doors, integrated storage, and front and rear mud guards. The lineup includes the ACE 500, ACE 570 EPS and ACE 900 XC.

Youth

  • Polaris is the leader in youth vehicles. For 2018, the youth off-road vehicle lineup is comprised of four models based on the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America’s (SVIA) ATV categories, including the Phoenix™ 200, Outlaw® and Sportsman 110 EFI, and Outlaw 50. Polaris will also offer the RZR 170 EFI and ACE 150 EFI as youth sit-in models.

Parts, Garments & Accessories

  • Polaris Engineered Accessories™ further enhances its already expansive accessory offering for more customization options across the brands.

Polaris continues to be No. 1 in powersports for a reason. More information about Polaris’ Off-Road Vehicles and Polaris Engineered Accessories can be found online at www.Polaris.com.

About Polaris

Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader that has been fueling the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts for more than 60 years. With annual 2016 sales of $4.5 billion, Polaris’ innovative, high-quality product line-up includes the RANGER®RZR® and Polaris GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; the Sportsman® and Polaris ACE® all-terrain off-road vehicles; Indian Motorcycle® midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot®moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK®, INDY®, Switchback® and RUSH® snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories, along with a growing aftermarket portfolio, including Transamerican Auto Parts. Polaris’ presence in adjacent markets globally include military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the globe. Visit www.polaris.com for more information.

2017 Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Long-Term Test Drive

We have been running our 2017 Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Hunter Edition for several months now and remain impressed with its power, ride, and capability.  The ProStar engine produces a strong 80hp and 61 lb-ft of torque which translates into real world performance.  Everyone who drives it remarks on how fast and powerful it is.  While cruising along a dirt road at 20mph it will snap your head back if you floor the accelerator pedal!

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First Drive: 2017 Polaris Ranger XP 1000

The new 2017 Polaris Ranger XP 1000 is the most powerful Side-by-Side available today.  The 999cc twin-cylinder ProStar engine delivers 80 horsepower and 61 lb-ft of torque.  Texas Outdoors Network has one of the first Ranger XP 1000 vehicles to hit the dirt.  Ours is the Hunter Edition (of course!).

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