Northern Territory Police say a Central Australian man will face court after his 13-year-old son was caught driving a damaged vehicle with a loaded rifle in the front seat and towing a dead donkey.

Police pulled the vehicle over on Coniston Road, about 160 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs, about 1.30pm on Thursday.

They say the donkey carcass was being towed with a chain.

Two other firearms, a 20-gauge shotgun and a high-powered .243 rifle, and 100 rounds of ammunition were found on the back seat of the dual cab utility.

Police say the boy's 52-year-old father was at a nearby cattle station and will be summonsed to appear in court on firearms charges.

Sergeant Conan Robertson said members of the Southern Traffic Operations Unit were conducting a rural patrol when they pulled over the ute for a roadside breath test.

"Police found a 13-year-old boy driving the unroadworthy vehicle, with a loaded .22 bolt-action rifle in the front seat," he said.

"The rifle had nine rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber.

"The vehicle was unroadworthy, with severe damage to the front end and the bonnet was held down with a tie-down strap."

Police took the boy back to a nearby station and spoke to his father.

Sergeant Robertson says the man will be summonsed for numerous offences, including delivering a firearm to an unlicensed person, failing to secure a firearm and permitting an unlicensed shooter to possess a firearm.

The firearms have been seized and the boy will be considered for Youth Diversion for traffic and firearms offences.