When the screen on the Garmin Zumo began showing a vast nothingness to my East at the same time the boredom of the smooth state highways changed to the rough texture of country blacktop, I knew Deepwoods was close to getting its first chance to prove its worth in the real world since we began the project truck almost a year earlier.
I'd been on the road since 5 am, leaving my office in Long Beach, Mississippi, before the roosters were up. Lights blazing and cruise control locked in at a leisurely 70 mph as indicated by Zumo, my destination was the Mossy Oak world headquarters in West Point, Mississippi, a short 230-mile jaunt nearly due North from the coast.
"Stella," the name I'd give the woman's voice emitting from the Garmin navigation unit attached to the Tundra's windshield, told me the way turn-by-turn and with a bright map display. Equipping the truck with this piece of Garmin technology was smart.
The game plan: Meet up with Tim Brooks, the manager of Mossy Oak Land Enhancement Services - and keeper of the keys to their prized "hunting camp." You see, Off-Road Adventures was invited to use the farm house and the vast expanse of timber and farm fields as a proving ground of sorts for our big Tundra Double Cab 4x4, and in the process do what the intent of the project truck was in the first place: be a means to another end - hunting the country.
ROAD TESTING
When I hit the road north, it was fun seeing the number of things we did right with Deepwoods aside from the compact navi unit. At first there was some concern a 6-inch lift kit and 35s would destroy the ride and handling of the big Toyota. Not so. The Pro Comp suspension actually makes Deepwoods' ride and handling better than it was stock.
The firmer springs and mid-level Pro Comp gas shocks handle the additional weight of the ARB bull bar, Mile Marker winch, the plethora of PIAA lights, A.R.E. bed cap, and other accessories with ease. The ride is almost like that of a Lexus.
I was also pleasantly surprised at how well the Pro Comp Mud Terrains handled the heavy rain and slick roads while adding an extra layer of softness to the overall ride. They have also proven their mettle off-road though mud, sand and rock. The tread pattern is ideal for slinging and cleaning while keeping road noise to a minimum.
Our choice of lighting was also spot-on. When I'd left the office there was a good amount of rain and fog cutting visibility. I only had to reach and flip one of the switches in the two Painless Performance panels we'd installed in the overhead console to power the PIAA fog lights mounted low in the bumper to have a clear view ahead and off the shoulders. PIAA's silicone-impregnated wipers also proved their worth, keeping the windshield streak-free.
SHAKEDOWN NOTES
When the rain and fog subsided about 30 miles out of town, flipping on the high-beams brought to life the PIAA driving lights wired into the headlights themselves. A blast of long-reaching white light is a welcome sight when driving along highways bordered by heavy timber where critters of all shapes and sizes tend to materialize out of nowhere.
Of course, a lack of power has never been an issue with Deepwoods. With more than 345 rear-wheel-horsepower on tap with the Magnaflow cat-back system, Airaid cold-air system, and Royal Purple synthetics installed, it's oh-so-easy to merge with, cruise behind, or pass those with whom you are sharing the roadways. Touch the throttle and off you go.
We'd figured actual engine horsepower to be in the neighborhood of 425 hp. Not bad for an old hunting truck. The downside of having a lot of power on tap is it takes fuel to make power. Deepwoods' thirst for fuel is, well, like it is - big.
In bone-stock form the 5.7L Toyota powerplant in our truck consistently delivered 12 mpg around town and 15 mpg on the open road. Not great numbers in the least. Yet those numbers are stellar compared to what I was seeing as the miles clicked by on the odometer: 11 mpg. It dawned on me half-way to Mossy Oak that we actually got better fuel mileage driving Deepwoods around town and in the backwoods than we do out on the open Interstates.
Not surprising, however. We increased the Tundra's overall height by nearly 10 inches; added a lot more rolling resistance with the wider, taller, more aggressive tires; and burdened it with about 1,000 pounds more weight than it carried stock.
Each of those factors weigh heavily in a vehicle's fuel economy numbers. Essentially when we bulked-up Deepwoods to make it better for our intended off-road adventures, we sacrifice at the pump.
MOSSY OAK CONNECTION
It was really cool rolling into West Point, which is located in the northeastern corner of Mississippi and about 150 miles southeast of Memphis. Everywhere you looked there were pickup trucks and SUVs with a healthy coating of mud on fenders, guns in the racks, and ATVs in the beds or on trailers. Nearly every truck was shod with mud tires and their owners donned in camouflage hats and jackets.
Deepwoods was home.
The moment I rolled into the parking lot of Mossy Oak Land Enhancement Services office a crowd of awe-struck and appreciative hunters suddenly flocked around for a close-up look at Deepwoods. A number had been following it in the pages of Off-Road Adventures. Doors opened, butts slid into seats, hands rubbed the camo-covered body, and questions flew.
The common compliment from the over-50 crowd: "Bubba, this is one bad-a-- truck." Their younger peers just summed Deepwoods up with one word: sick.
Brooks looked at the truck, shrugged (he's a die-hard Chevy man), smiled, and after a brief introduction to my two guides, Jordan LaSuzzo and Billy Rodgers, said "We need to get you some real clothes before I have the guys take you to the camp. Let's shoot over to the store."
Of course I knew what he meant: shopping at Mossy Oak's main store-every hunter's clothing nirvana as it is every credit card company's.
Tim loaded me up with the appropriate attire for hunting north Mississippi whitetail and ducks in mid-January: hooded, waterproof parka; long-sleeved shirts; gloves; and cargo-type hunting pants - everything in Mossy Oak New Breakup - just like the pattern on Deepwoods.
Clothing stowed and our bellies full from a hearty lunch at the restaurant next to the store, LaSuzzo jumped into the passenger's seat and I fired up the truck. Our final destination lie about 30 miles south in the form of a tiny three-bedroom farm house sitting on the edge of more than 2,500 acres of well-managed, prime hunting country.
CAMP ARRIVAL
LaSuzzo points toward a gate coming up on my left and says to pull over. He hops down, trots over the big non-descript field gate, opens the padlock, and motions me ahead. This is it - the proving ground.
The road is narrow, graveled with a few mud holes along the way. My co-driver mentions the soft ride. I give a knowing smile. We pull up to the house. Three side-by-sides, two electric 4x4s and a new Polaris Ranger, sit at the ready.
Rodgers and Brooks show up right at dark, with three days worth of grub and drink. LaSuzza rides back to town with Brooks to get his pickup and returns a couple hours later.
"Guess what? My truck's got a flat."
Sure enough, the bottom of the right rear tire of his Chevy 4x4 is as flat as the bed of a pickup. You can see the big nail jutting out the sidewall. I see the flat as the perfect opportunity to put several of Deepwoods' accessories into play. I back around close to his rig and hit the flood-lights on the side facing his truck. Voila! We have light to work under. The Hi-Lift is also put to work.
LaSuzza has a spare - of sorts - and chooses to use it instead of trying to patch and re-inflate the old tire. So I turned off the Viair compressor mounted under the Tundra bed and store the air hose.
HUNTING SUCCESS
There will be lots of opportunities for filling my tag on this hunt from what I can see. Mossy Oak has some great products, the land they've graciously allowed me to hunt is rich in game, and the guides know the locations for best chances of success. Those factors are always a winning combination.
There's no doubt after what I've seen so far in this shake-down run that our Project Deewpoods Tundra is worthy of an "A" in its role of being the consummate hunter's rig: It has all the right products, performance, and looks for what we intended. We can guarantee that part.
What one can't promise with such a project truck is the success of the hunter behind the wheel. But it's been a good ride.
Editor's note: Bruce, like Project Deepwoods, came through in flying colors. The deer he harvested during his hunting trip didn't make any record books. But they have filled a big void in the Smith home's freezer.
SPECIAL THANKS TO...
Builders: Bruce W. Smith/Warren Spears
Advanced Sign & Graphics: New Iberia, LA; 337-359-9003 (body wrap installation)
Airaid: www.airaid.com; (cold-air intake system)
ARB USA: www.arbusa.com; (bull bar/Simpson II roof tent system)
A.R.E.: www.4are.com; (truck bed cap)
Bushwacker: www.bushwacker.com; (fender flares)
Camoclad Camouflage Systems: www.camoclad.com; (Mossy Oak body wrap)
CPFilms/LLumar: www.llumar.com; (Axcess window tint film)
DuraSafe Locks: www.durasafe-usa.com; (hitch locks & accessories)
Garmin International: www.garmin.com; (ZUMO 550 GPS & hand-held radios)
GearWrench: www.gearwrench.com ; (X-Beam hand tools)
Gulf States Toyota: www. toyotateamdealers.com; (Toyota factory accessories)
Gulfport Dragway: www.gulfportdragway.com; (track testing)
Hatchie Bottom Outdoor Products; www.hatchiebottom.com; (seat covers/mats)
Interco Tire: www.intercotire.com (33" TRXUS A/T tires)
JMS Chip & Performance Center: www.jmschip.com; (dyno / installation services)
Magnaflow Performance Exhaust: www.magnaflow.com; (Cat-back exhaust)
Mile Marker: www.milemarker.com; (XE9.5 electric winch)
N-fab Inc.: www.n-fab.com; (Nerf bar steps/rear tube bumper)
Optima Batteries: www.optimabatteries.com; (Yellow Top batteries)
Painless Performance Products: www.painlessperformance.com; (wiring/switches)
PIAA: www.piaa.com; (auxiliary lights/wiper blades)
Pro Comp Suspension; www.explorerprocomp.com; (full 6" Suspension )
Pro Comp Tire/Wheel; www.procomptires.com; (wheels/tires)
ReadyLift: www.readylift.com; (2.5" front suspension leveling kit)
Rostra Precision Controls: www.rostra.com; (Rostra Obstacle Sensing System)
Spears Auto Repair: Long Beach, MS; 228-863-1878 (Deepwoods installation center)
Styles Logistics: www.SkyGeek.Com; (4" aircraft landing lights)
Tint Works: Long Beach, MS; 228.365.5905 (window tint application)
Toyota Motor Sales: www.toyota.com; (Tundra Double Cab 4x4)
Tuffy Security Products: www.tuffyproducts.com; (in-bed storage boxes)
Viair Corporation: www.viaircorp.com; (325C on-board air system)
Westin Automotive: www.westinautomotive.com; (Outback Series roof rack/tray)
Wise Industries: www.bedrug.com; (Bed Rug bedliner)
