I Ran a Horse Show with an Electric Truck. Here’s How It Went
It was four o’clock on a midsummer morning — prime hog hunting hours. Jason Schneider made his usual rounds across several Central Texas properties where invasive wild pigs tear up the farmland. As he rolled to a stop at the edge of a field, he spotted nearly a dozen pigs rooting in the dirt.
Normally, the rumble of an engine would scatter the animals long before Schneider got close. But not in his electric truck.
“I was within 100 yards of pigs, and they had no idea I was there,” he recalled. “With my old truck, that never would have happened.”
Silent, powerful, and loaded with technology, the F-150 Lightning blends the capability hunters expect from a full-size truck with features designed for a more modern, efficient life in the outdoors. For Schneider and other hunters across the country, it’s proving that electric trucks can do far more than just commute.
The Power of Quiet
In Maryland, Isaac and Michelle Turton’s two life passions — hunting and conservation — are inseparable. The fees for their hunting licenses fund habitat preservation and wildlife management, and owning a 2024 F-150 Lightning XLT feels like another way to align their lifestyle with their values.
“It fits so well with our family, with the environment being important to us, and knowing that we're driving the truck with zero emissions,1” Michelle Turton said.
Like Schneider, the Turtons have also found the truck’s absence of engine noise to be a pleasant surprise both in the field and in everyday life. They appreciate being able to talk easily on long drives without raising their voices — even when one of them is sitting in the back with their young daughter.
“When you’ve got a baby and two dogs in the truck, the quiet makes the whole day feel calmer,” Michelle Turton said.
And during hot training sessions with their bird dogs, they idle in the field with the air conditioning running, which they never would have done with a loud gas engine.
Being able to quickly cool or heat the cabin after hours outdoors has also become a favorite feature for Kentucky hunter Tony Baudino.
“I can come out of the field frozen or sweaty, and in two minutes that truck has me comfortable again,” he said. “It feels like a little luxury in the middle of a hunt.”
‘A Huge Difference’
Hunters are rethinking how they pack and prepare thanks to the F-150 Lightning’s front trunk, also known as the frunk, which offers over 14 cubic feet of storage space and a 400-pound payload capacity. Baudino uses it to store dry clothes and warm his waders before heading into the water for duck and goose hunting. His dog has even been known to sprawl in the open frunk of the parked F-150 Lightning for shade, food, and water between training runs.
The frunk is also essential for Schneider’s pig hunting, where it carries thermal drones, scopes, and batteries. In addition, he relies on the F-150 Lightning’s Pro Power Onboard capabilities — including multiple power and USB outlets in the bed and frunk — to recharge that equipment while he moves between properties.
Baudino has powered an electric fillet knife to clean fish and run a fan for his dogs in the summer heat. And when storms knocked out power to his house for two full days, he ran an extension cord from his truck to his sump pump, to keep his basement from flooding, and to his refrigerator, so he didn’t lose groceries.
Lightning Life
Beyond hunting, the Ford F-150 Lightning is reshaping how these owners — and the people they meet on the road — think about trucks. On a recent road trip, Isaac Turton stopped to charge the F-150 Lightning and quickly drew a crowd.
“We had a half-dozen people come over just to ask about it,” he said. “Folks are curious, and once they hear how we actually use it — for hunting, for family trips — they realize it’s not just some commuter EV.”
These hunters have also found themselves dispelling myths. They all hear the same concerns, but their experiences tell a different story. Route planning is manageable with apps and coordination. Depending on the destination, charging can be done during a coffee stop with a 150+ kW charger.
“We’re still doing everything we’ve always done ... the Lightning just makes it all easier.”Michelle Turton, Lightning owner and conservationist
Cost was a motivator for Baudino, who realized he could save money by charging his Lightning at his home compared to filling a gas tank of a similar pickup.
“I’ve put about 26,000 miles on it in just over a year, and at this point, I’ll probably never go back to a gas vehicle,” he said.
Most of all, these hunters have demonstrated that an electric truck can be viable well beyond city commutes. The Lightning hauls deer, carries muddy boots, and powers equipment — while still providing the quiet, efficiency, and comfort of a modern EV.
“We’re still doing everything we’ve always done: hunting, fishing, raising our daughter,” said Michelle Turton. “The Lightning just makes it all easier.”
Colin Steele is a From the Road contributor.
1The 2024 and 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning® pickup is a zero emissions vehicle, based on EPA tailpipe rating. Visit fueleconomy.gov for more information.
