Since buying a trailer hitch is a lot cheaper than a winch bumper I'm wondering about getting a hitch and a receiver mounted winch.  Is there any reason pulling the vehicle out from the rear would be an issue?  I mean you know the path to the rear is clear since you were able to drive it to get to where you got stuck?

While that's a correct statement, we typically want to go through life in one of our FORWARD gears.

I've seen a lot of people with receiver hitches in the front AND the rear, and a receiver mounted winch, that they carry inside the vehicle, and mount it where they need it, when they need it.

A little place near me (Pickle Gulch, Colorado) is impassible, when it's covered with ice, unless you're winching yourself up it.  Rear winch just wouldn't cut it for that.

The other issue with a rear mounted winch is you have to run the power cables to the rear of the vehicle to power it.  But they make some nice quick-disconnect setups for running winches you can use once you get the power back there.

If you were to mount it to a standard hitch for the Tracker it would only be rated for 1,500-2000 lbs which wont be enough if you get in a crappy situation.

The other issue with a rear mounted winch is you have to run the power cables to the rear of the vehicle to power it.  But they make some nice quick-disconnect setups for running winches you can use once you get the power back there.

who makes good disconnects? I called warn but they were a little unclear

we've been running on craddles around here for years. I always have the winch in the back to have less weight on the front and then the winch is not in the line of fire. We've pulled ourselves out from the back alot and never ran into any problems. I find a real pull out of a mud hole is easier than a front pull....unless you hit the hole at 50 and get far in there.

I'll get the name of the company that sell the nice quick connects.