E bikes for hunting

[muleybeast]

Gentlemen I want to hear from any of you who have actually used an E bike in the back country or on hunts. Do they perform well? Are there any bikes that you guys recommend?

 

[JB1975]

Interested as well.

 

[HntHrdr]

Same here… was looking at some of the less expensive non Rambo or bacou, and some guys rave about them (rad) but some have plastic hardware where you wouldn’t want it ect… all I know is do not leave those suckers plugged in too long, was at a big fire at a Rad Rover distribution center in Denver last month or so…

 

[Outdoordan]

I built mine a few

years back and used it in the clearwater area of Idaho. This area is very thick, almost coastal like because of the amount of precipitation. We would cruise the roads and bugle, fairly silently. We'd ditch the bikes when we got a response. I built mine for about $1K. Fat tire bike, as the fat tire bikes are more stable in my opinion. The one thing you are NOT going to do is ride a "technical" single track with a bow or rifle, and a pack on your back. I will be using it this year to chase rosies in Oregon.

 

[Rie bread]

Iv been thinking an E-bike would be nice for the pack out if the fortune of near by roads was in the picture. Lighter and easier to deal with than an atv

 

[Mike0426]

Iv been thinking an E-bike would be nice for the pack out if the fortune of near by roads was in the picture. Lighter and easier to deal with than an atv

Lighter yes, easier Probably not. If you do have the ability to use a near by road why use an e-bike instead of a quad or UTV? More power, comfort, ability over an e-bike, all of which you would want for an elk pack out. Only real benefit I see of an ebike is how potentially quiet they can be. Now that being said, i've rolled up on deer and elk in my 4runner (hunting rig) a number of times, so the $5k price point for the ability to be quiet isn't worth it.

 

[Rie bread]

Lighter yes, easier Probably not. If you do have the ability to use a near by road why use an e-bike instead of a quad or UTV? More power, comfort, ability over an e-bike, all of which you would want for an elk pack out. Only real benefit I see of an ebike is how potentially quiet they can be. Now that being said, i've rolled up on deer and elk in my 4runner (hunting rig) a number of times, so the $5k price point for the ability to be quiet isn't worth it.

My wife has this kid carrier bike trailer that I was thinking of using to load an elk into haha but need a two track for that.

But reall thinking about it trying to bike with 50+ lbs sounds awful. Anne bike easier in the sense of loading it in and out of the truck. No ramps or trailers

 

[goforbroke]

I have an ebike that I would love to use for hunting, but I haven't found a place I can use it. an e bike is great for roads and some trails. Many land agencys have rules against there use. Ideal scenary would be an existing road that is closed to vehicles, but open to e-bikes. Reality is, if the road is closed to vehicles, it is most likely closed to e-bikes. The very few times I have talked to or seen someone that used an ebike, in my judgement they were using it illegally (riding it in a wilderness area, closed road, etc).

 

[HntHrdr]

I have an ebike that I would love to use for hunting, but I haven't found a place I can use it. an e bike is great for roads and some trails. Many land agencys have rules against there use. Ideal scenary would be an existing road that is closed to vehicles, but open to e-bikes. Reality is, if the road is closed to vehicles, it is most likely closed to e-bikes. The very few times I have talked to or seen someone that used an ebike, in my judgement they were using it illegally (riding it in a wilderness area, closed road, etc).

Have seen a lot of rule breaking as well which is unfortunate

 

[muleybeast]

Some great thoughts here. Thank you guys. I was just thinking about riding one in early and super quiet so as they not announce to all the game animals that some dude is cruising the road to n an ATV.

 

[HntHrdr]

My thought as well. I hunt some spots where it would be awesome to cruise in on jeep trail, instead of my jeep so as to not cause quite a ruckus

 

[D_Hoyt]

I know a guy who uses a $6,500 BakCou. It must work. He kills more big bucks and bulls than almost anyone that I know. He told me that he puts more miles on his bike than on his UTV each fall.

 

[Rie bread]

I know a guy who uses a $6,500 BakCou. It must work. He kills more big bucks and bulls than almost anyone that I know. He told me that he puts more miles on his bike than on his UTV each fall.

He just riding it with a back pack or how does he haul the meat?

 

[Trad Bow 1979]

I’ve been using one for a few years, couple things to consider:
Terrain: an Ebike works great in GMU 51,52, but not very useful in 53.
Weight: most e-bikes weigh about 75 pounds, don’t try to negotiate anything technical. My Ebike has a payload capacity of 270 pounds, so a trailer is a must if you intend on hauling out game.
Battery life: e-bikes take awhile to charge. Plan on running your generator a bit each day. So even though pedaling helps sustain your battery life the terrain and weight load will drain your battery.
Overall I enjoy using mine, I’m able to cruise into my areas without making a lot of noise. Though it won’t go where an ATV will go I still love it.

 

[muleybeast]

Some great feedback. Thank you guys.