Most of my Hunting Trucks have been full size Fords or Chevys with 8 ft. beds. The last two were Fords, and they seem to last longer and take more abuse before rusting out or requiring costly and frequent repairs. Little trucks like Rangers, S-10's etc. always seemed like a nice idea, but I don't enjoy being a contortionist trying to get my knees under the steering wheel. I wish they would build one for people over 6 ft. tall. Good tires on a hunting vehicle are a must, and I always run 4 studded snow tires in the winter months. In addition, I always have a couple come-a-longs, jacks, tow straps, chains, and tire chains to get myself out of trouble when I am in places that AAA can't help you. A Thread on getting stuck, and getting unstuck might be a fun and interesting off-topic subject.
Those hoist/hanger mechanisms that stow the spare tire under the vehicle are a very poor idea for anyone who lives in snow country, where the roads get salted. I was lucky enough to be at home some years ago when I came out to find my truck had a flat. Naturally, my hoist mechanism was rusted and corroded, and I had to get out the oxy-acetylene burning torch to get my spare down. The steel rim looked like the surface of the moon from several years of collecting dirt, salt, and road grit. I've heard of some that rust so badly that the spare loses air or becomes unsafe to use. I torched the remains of the hoist off the frame, and never considered replacing it. Since then, I promptly relocate the spare on any truck I buy. I can just imagine how much fun it would be to have that happen out in the boonies where I didn't have access to a torch or tools to cut my spare down.
I have certainly run out of fuel several time in my life, but the motors of the electric fuel pumps inside the gas tank will fail prematurely if frequently run dry or very low. The fuel helps to cool the motor windings. I have had several experiences with the engine dying from lack of fuel when the gas gauge said I had plenty of gas. My last Ford truck would run out just under half a tank, and my car got progressively worse over time, and finally quit with nearly a full tank. The gas gauges were not lying. Both were caused by a bad electric fuel pump putting out insufficient pressure. A squirt of starting fluid into the air intake quickly tells you whether your engine died due to lack of fuel, or an ignition problem. It was no fun to lower the nearly full gas tank, but I was not able to siphon the gas out due to something blocking my siphon hose in the filler tube.
I also agree with what Clapper Zapper said about a fuel efficient hunting vehicle for frequent day trips. My favorite hunting car was my 1986 Ford Tempo that had a 2.0 liter Mazda/Mercedes diesel engine. It got 40 MPG no matter how hard you drove it. The non-turbo engine only made 60 HP, but it had typical great diesel low end torque. And whoever designed the 5 speed manual transmission was a genius who knew how to utilize that 60 HP perfectly, from low range to 90 MPH. It had a pretty good ground clearance, and a nice clean bottom with exhaust system and lines all tucked up where they wouldn't get caught on rocks and such. I did put a big crease in the fuel tank when I bottomed out on a rock while crossing a small creek. It also had great leg room, a comfortable interior, and a roomy trunk that did just fine for hauling dead deer when lined with a sheet of plastic. I took that car into some God-awful places that left guys with their 4WD's shaking their heads. One caveat... it is not as much fun to run out of fuel with a diesel engine as with a gas engine.
