Working Ranch Magazine January/February 2025

Keep those letters coming: Editor PO Box 91269 Henderson, NV 89009 tim@workingranchmag.com

LED Lights Dear WR,

LED flashlights and non LED flashlights are getting harder to come by. I want my heifers to stay calm. Hope to see some comments on what others think. I love your magazine. We read it, then I save them and give them to my Landlord or put them out in waiting rooms like at the tire shop or somewhere I know that farmers or ranchers would prefer to read something that pertains to their interest. Keep up the good work. Kitty Banning Editor: Good question, does anybody feel the same way? Email your thoughts to editor.workingranch@gmail.com.

I was reading through the Nov/Dec magazine and the article on p. 18 of the new truck (AgWagon) caught my eye. For one, I keep wondering how I am going to find an affordable pickup that isn’t going to have all the bells and whistles on it that will go bad with all the dirt, snow and hard work a pickup has to go through to take care of the cows. So I read with interest and glad someone has thought of this. A question: have other ranchers noticed that cattle don’t like LED lights? They are too bright. The cattle get spooky when LED is used around them. I don’t have LED in my vehicles but I know when checking heifers at night they don’t like

The Polaris 6 x 6 570

iddle me this: What looks like a UV and drives like an ATV? If you guessed the Polaris Sportsman 6x6 you win the chicken dinner.

FEATURES 44 HP 5-Gal. Storage On-Demand AWD 2” Hitch Receiver 26” CST Tires and

BY DREW LAWLER

I’ve seen 6x6’s before but like Bigfoot, they are pretty elusive and by that I mean, not too many sightings of them on America’s ranches. But I have a feeling that’s about to change. This machine is a beast, and I mean that with respect and admiration for what it can do. Polaris dropped one off at our Sawtooth Valley Ranch this fall to test and I never had so much fun. For starters, it can go up, down or through anything. Nothing stops its forward motion. In fact it reminds me of the half tracks you used to see in old World War 2 movies. We have pretty steep irrigation ditches that normally on an ATV you would have to cross at a 45 degree angle to avoid getting the front or rear axle from getting stuck. But with the Polaris 6x6, you just drop straight down into the ditch and it climbs right out without a care in the world. The wheels on the third axle only kick in as needed. Other than that you can operate it in 2 or 4 wheel drive mode.

Another great feature, although I’m not sure with six wheels you will ever need it, is the built in winch cable. While it’s a couple of feet longer than an ATV you really don’t notice it being longer when driving. However you do get the extra passenger jump seat and that’s a great amenity if there’s two of you working on fencing. The front rack will hold 90 pounds and the rear dumping bed will hold – get this – 800 pounds. It has a 1500 pound towing capacity and 11.5” of clearance. Just to be sure, I checked with the chief mechanic at our local ATV powersports dealer to see if there is extra mechanical or servicing required because of the extra axle and he said nope — they’re pretty bullet proof. With a $14,999 MSRP, it falls somewhere between the cost of an ATV and a UV but that’s to be expected as it pretty much is ½ ATV and ½ UV but with a heck of a lot more traction.

14” Aluminum Wheels Multi-Select Electronic Power Steering (EPS) LED Headlights and Pod Light

8.9”/6.3” Front/Rear Suspension Travel, Arched Dual A-Arm Front Trail Bumper Front Rack Extender Front and Rear A-Arm Guards Ride Control: Easy Effort Throttle, Speed

Limiting, Geofencing, PIN Activated Security System Drive Modes Engine Braking System (EBS) Active Descent Control (ADC)

10 I JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2025 WORKING RANCH audited readers run 21 million head of beef cattle.