anybody here use an electric bike for hunting? if you do or have may i ask what is your experience good or bad ? thanks

Not allowed on WMA land in Oklahoma. Check where you ride.

plan on using my rad rover in colorado this yr

Check your area

I used mine last year it worked out very well. You need a wide tote road if you use the handle bars to carry your bow.

I'm a ground hunter so I have a pack and frame to carry my seat and other gear in. Might be looking for a trailer, that would come in handy if I would get a deer.

Won't work in WV. Too rough

These have been discussed at great length on Bowsite; everybody who uses one loves it, and a lot of people are opposed to the idea. I guess I can’t really have a problem with them being used anywhere where a motorized vehicle is permitted. The problem I do have is that a good number of states are enacting laws which state, in effect, that these motors aren’t actually motors and therefore these motorized bicycles aren’t actually motorized vehicles.

JMO.... A motor is a motor; it doesn’t really matter how large or small it is.

So where they are legal (and not just because of some stupid loophole the likes of which brought us in line muzzleloaders, 85+ percent let-off compounds and crossbows in archery seasons).... yeah, fine. Probably better to have people whispering through the woods on electric bicycles than howling down the logging roads on an ATV with a fig-leaf for a muffler.

But even with the motor, riding a mountain bike in any kind of real terrain... That’s a workout right there all by itself. I guess a person just needs to set some pretty realistic expectations in the first place. And give a little thought ahead of time to how you’re going to transport your bow on that thing…

Matt, My understanding of the jurisdictions who are trying to reclassify E-bikes as motor less is they feel there is a big difference in noise and environmental damage between a bicycle that has an electric assist motor and trail or motor cross bikes that have a full time gas engine as the sole power plant. In a similar way, some recreational areas are beginning to recognize electric powered four wheel or trax wheelchairs as 'motor less' so handicapped folks can access public hunting and fishing areas.

Like most regulations, some wrong headed users will find a way to abuse 'motor less'classifications. But I hope the vast majority of potential users won't.

A friend has one. Not an experienced bicycle rider he hit the front brake and not the rear brake and over he went. Not sure he uses it anymore.

I've read many of the posts on this topic with interest. I'm very leery of such as in the end it will only degrade the wilderness experience further. The easier we make it to access the back country the less primitive/remote/wild/private it becomes. Just because we want or can do something doesn't mean we should.

There was an interesting segment on PBS the other night where a guy and his film crew were going to explore a remote river in Suriname. They used helicopters to get "over" the jungle and high tech inflatable canoes to then traverse the river to a pic up point where they were taken out by chopper the following week.

The fact is without the high tech equipment/vehicles the river would have remained primitive/unexplored. At what point is enough enough?

I just got one. Not only for hunting, but recreation too. If you expect to get decent range out of a charged battery, you'll have to do some peddling. You still get a good work out even with pedal assist.

I have one and as I see it there are two uses. Ones is to get to a spot to start hunting as in hunting out west. The other is to get to a whitetail tree without making noise or leaving scent on the ground.

Bowmania

This is funny. My hunting buddy and i used them in KS last year. We left with 3 out of 4 having flat tires. Not being bikers never thought of a patch kit.

Bowmania

very interesting guys thanks for the input! i'm an old guy just looking for ways to get back in without disturbing any more than i have to. been looking at the rad bikes. i think here in iowa you probably have to have a permit to use one in public areas.

Most states that have legalized them are limiting power. With that done they are just a bicycle that helps you with pedaling on hills. Great for disabled folks.

I'm all for access for disabled people, but if one's disability keeps them from riding a bike it would also keep them from riding an e bike. Certainly in off road situations.

@George V -

I understand that argument about that the low power output, although my understanding is that it’s the programming, rather than the motor that limits it; so you can swap out a computer chip and get a lot more boost than you’re allowed to take into a non-motorized area...

But the thing is, these backcountry areas that we love so much can only take so much traffic - it’s not a question of how much ONE of these will do, it what happens when suddenly there is a substantial number of ADDITIONAL users in an area. So it’s really not a question of IF access is going to be restricted & regulated, but HOW. It’s really no different than the compound; there are parts of the country where it’s a non-issue, but you look at someplace like Colorado; not just the mind-blowing point creep, but the fact that they have now considered making ALL archery tags by lottery only just because so many people have elected to cash in on the opportunity. The compound shooters are happy to complain about the crowding, but if you suggest that it’s the large numbers of people behaving exactly as they do that are responsible for it, then they’ll tell you you’re just a selfish, whiny, elitist SOB before you can finish your sentence.

Point being, technology is constantly making difficult things easier. And there are a lot more people who would like to take every possible advantage than there are who would prefer that things remain difficult; if for no other reason than to keep out the riff-raff...

Teasing a bit of course, but Straight Up: if rangefinders were illegal, the popularity of bowhunting Out West would CRATER. Serious preference point issues for archery would probably go away very quickly (God help the Rifle season guys!). And JMO, the fact that it’s “just a LITTLE motor” doesn’t change the fact that it’s a Motor. They don’t allow small, electric trolling motors in the BWCA, and for good reason.

It’s easy not to oppose those things which benefit you, personally, or which you can foresee benefitting you somewhere on down the road. But that’s not an Ethical position. Ethically, the appropriate position is the one that will benefit THE RESOURCE, and if that costs you, personally, then so be it.

So yes, personally I believe that allowing ANY form of motorized assistance in areas which are off-limits to motorized vehicles is inappropriate as policy, and advocacy for such is unethical.

Slippery slope, kinda how we got X-bows. At some point you are not going to be able to do what you used to. I’m almost 62!

not traditional

Thank you GF

I really like my sondors X.

I love my Luna mid Drive. The thing will just about climb a tree. Hazel Dell home bow wood down from the mountain sometimes.

I meant to say "I use it to haul bow wood". Voice typer......

However, it will leave you skinned up if you let it.

Yup. And when you do ride, fellas... Wear a damn helmet.

What a lot of people don’t realize is that it’s not speed that makes biking dangerous; it’s that dropping your head onto the ground from whatever height you reach while in the saddle will probably kill you.

It's pretty much a sure thing that if you ride much you're going to eat it every once in awhile, the trick is eating it gracefully.....

One little special feature about a good mid drive with a lot of torque, is that if you're not careful and if your backpacks too heavy, it will put you right over the back end of the bike just as fast is a regular mountain bike will send you over the handlebars.

Okiak by ur way of thinking if age and bad shoulders keeps you from shooting 60lbs it would also stop you from shooting 40.

Sorry Matt but i don't think backwoods should be only for the healthy. Most states limit ebikes to a 500 wt motor. That much helps on hills and not much more. Plus if you don't pedal your battery is only good flook r a few hours. My horses were much easier than ebikes. Should they be banned too.

Nope, horses are OK. But vehicles are vehicles. Again, I’m not opposed to their use in motorized vehicle areas, but some areas need to be off limits just to reduce the crowding, the wear & tear on the landscape, and yes, the pressure on the animals.... all of which will happen through about 6 months out of the year in the high country. It’s not just hunters using them like cheap, well-behaved ponies, but “adventure seekers” of all stripes who will pound the area from mud season until the orange army scares them out of the hills in October. The land and the animals just can’t take it.

And to be honest, if you’re not sufficiently able-bodied to pedal a bike up into an area, then how the hell are you planning to get an Elk back out?

And please recognize that I say all of this as a Native Coloradan who has become a flat-lander and has hardly been able to hunt in CO during the last 23 of what were probably his peak years. Lord knows they ain’t out ahead of me. At 55, after 15 years at a desk and missing an ACL, I’m talking about regs that honestly will keep me out of some areas which are literally just out the back door when I go home.

But what I would like most for myself and what the area can stand may well be two different things...

1 quarter at a time on my packframe while riding an e-bike.

Horses leave a much larger footprint in the back country than any e-bike made. A 500 watt ebike isn't going to tear anything up. And like i said they're great for disabled elderly. I got me disability fighting for me country and since i did i should be excluded from back country? I think not. We went thru this back in the 90's when the libs tried to ban horses from wlderness areas.

Sorry GLF, but I'm a disabled vet too but I don't feel that means I should be given special privileges to access the wilderness areas. Just because you want something doesn't mean you should have it.

Any discussion of e-bikes always degrades into if they should be used to get in wilderness areas and such. Just an fyi, there are a lot of us using them on private land in lieu of vehicles, cars, trucks and atvs. That would be a net gain for the environment imo. I love mine, it is a great tool for scouting and checking cameras, and hunting in general.

What is the difference from being in the end of a road on a horse or a Ebike. Don’t see the difference. Ones a horse ones a bike the horse shits weed seeds and tears up the ground what’s the while do smash a little grass.

And for that Ryan, I completely agree.

Justpassin bicycles are already allowed an d a low w ebike is no different. Its actuall not as fast or powerful as a bike with a healthy person on it.

Just about convinced that the Internet ebike cops not only rival Trad cops, but have passed them up! LOL

If you want to see a good ruckus, just mention an ebike in a conventional mountain bike forum. As far as I'm concerned it's all good clean fun and should be discouraged. Getting Outdoors anyway you want to beats the heck out of sitting around watching TV as far as I'm concerned.

Should "not" be discouraged rather

"Getting Outdoors anyway you want to beats the heck out of sitting around watching TV as far as I'm concerned."

That's the same argument Jeep commercials use trying to get you off road and into the back woods. Give em and inch and they'll take a mile and a half.

I never did see that commercial I don't watch much TV. I have always thought jeeps are kind of cool though

"Horses leave a much larger footprint in the back country than any e-bike made."

Horses leave round depressions (hoof prints) in the trail, which hold water. Mountain bikes leave a long rut, which channels water and causes erosion. This argument has been used by horse people to keep bicycle people off of trails for decades.

That's funny stuff right there..I occasionally do put flip flops on my Paint,But Roy doesn't like the colors and want keep them on..

You and 3 buddies take horse up a steep hill in the rockys and it rains. You know have huge lone washouts that sometimes move enough mud to block roads. You take an ebike in at its slow speed and you get indentations that are gone the next day. Yes guys racing mountain bikes can make a mess. A low wattage ebike doesn't have enough power to do that, You help it by peddling to get where you're going and the battery will give you a few hours and its dead. And we're talking about hunting, not motocross racing.

And its not special privilages, its allowing you to have the same privilages on gov land you helped pay for that every healthy person has.

We do....have for several years. My brother built these two for us starting with bare Gravity Fat bike frames And them just started buying parts to bolt on... Bafang BBSHD, 52 v batteries, rock shocks, sturmey archer internal gear rear hub, hydraulic brakes, bright headlight, custom made rack hauls Summit Viper with no rattles....

We have probably put way over 500 miles on them turkey and deer hunting. He fabricated a hitch pin and it hooks to a deer cart and pulling a deer out 2-3 miles is NO PROBLEM! Here is the video he made right after he got through building them a few years ago.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PzFzHrqsywU

Honestly, Gary… If I believed for one instant that these could be authorized ONLY for use by folks with disabilities – and especially DAV - I would be 100% in favor.

Thanks David K.

To those worried about terrain damage, the bikes with really fat tires barely leave a rut on even really muddy roads...on gravel roads or farm roads with grass, no damage whatsoever. I belong to a group that leases deer hunting rights on a 19,000 acre plantation and they won’t allow Us to use ATV’s but do allow us to ride electric bikes so probably over half our membership has them.

Yeah Matt I can see your point as well. The only thing that worries me about them is the motors power needs to stay similar to a peddled bike.

But they still aren’t allowed in Wilderness.

A bike that almost anybody can afford vs a string of cantankerous critters with minds of their own and which eat year ‘round.... Two entirely different kettles o’ fish in terms of the potential damage to the landscape.

A good one will do 30 mph uphill. At 58 it's the closest thing to being a kid again that I've done in a long time. It'll do 35 downhill in a Wilderness Area with the motor turned off!

I need to take that one back, all bikes are not allowed in Wilderness areas.

Here's a good know before you go article: https://www.singletracks.com/forums/to pic/illegal-trail-fines/

In my mind they are no differen than an old gas powered M0-Ped or a gas powered ATV, mororcycle, or similar.

Using the electric motor as a justification for allowing their use makes -0- sense to me. Particularly since it would be relatively simple if a person were so inclined to make an electric powered Jeep type vehicle etc..

I thought about these myself to get around on our farms we lease but then what if a crash or worse yet break a bow or ram an arrow in me . I am accident prone so thought OK better stay in truck and drive to stand then Cat my way in. But that was when I was OK before the issues.

Wilderness areas rule is NO MECHANIZED VEHICLES. So if it doesn't have feet isn't allowed and shouldn't be. My use for an ebike would be on mountain roads in national forest that close during guns season so I can get back to my hunting spots to bowhunt. And I just looked it up. It is allowed.

E-bikes can be a very good thing, if they put limits and keep them. Such as no motor over a certain wattage in order to keep them on level with bicycles. The more powerful ones will ruin it if allowed to.

I’ll see it again on this thread, just in case anybody hasn’t allowed this to sink in. Anywhere that a standard motorized vehicle is permitted, I have zero issue with an E bike. I just don’t want them opening up non-motorized areas to motorized use.

And again, it’s not just because of what hunters might or might not do with them, but what the general population will no doubt be up to.

A motor of a certain wattage is still a motor and does not keep them on par with real bicycles.

You're right peco. The li egal ones are not even close to s bikes power or speed. Legal ones in 38 states can't go over 15.5 mph.

I should change that, all states are different. Ohio is 750 watts and 25 mph. The 250 watt 15.5 mph is federal lands where other mechanized vehicles are allowed, roads and trails. the advantage there are roads closed during hunting season for all except bikes and horses plus bikes can ride service roads.

My problem with them is the same as crossbows (and other technology) - it's just to dam' easy for the unscrupulous to cheat.

'Archers' who were never serious bowhunters before, with x-bows because they got a doctor to sign off on their medical permit.

Drive hunters using cell phones.

Guys using bunches of cell-phone trail cams to 'hunt' a deer in real-time.

etc. etc.

The old adage still holds true, give em an inch they take a mile.

Are they capable of hauling a full grown man a couple miles uphill?

"Are they capable of hauling a full grown man a couple miles uphill?"

Not all eBikes are the same, so it depends on how steep a hill, the bike, how big the man is, and how much he's willing to work at it.

But in a nutshell, yes they are capable.

Once you get past a certain point in power its no longer a bike so you need a drivers license and plate. Most are only assist and will use up the battery fast if you aren't helping by pedaling. On the hill question, some of the more powerful ones will but your battery may not make it. Plus states have different limits on wattage and speed. You pass that its a motor cycle. Federal lands they can go wherever any mechanised vehicle can go even is its close for the season. Feds allow 15.5 mph and 250 watts. Ohios is 750 watts and 25mph.

Mine will not climb some steep logging roads where I hunt, but im 230 and full gear along iI can understand. Mine is 750 with the mountain climbing gear upgrade. Still a no go in certain places.

OK, I'll put it on my list of things to fix, when I'm king for a day. THE PROBLEM is it's at the bottom and I'll really have to be king for a week.

Bowmania

Mine will haul me up 5000 ft mountain and over it with a heavy pack. Luna 52v battery BBSHD Bafang mid drive motor, and 32 tooth chain ring. I use it a bunch to get me away from the other hunters, ditch it in the bushes and take off down a canyon or ridge to hunt.

An ebike can be used where offroad motorized vehicle can be used legally. That's where I take mine. It can also be ditched in the bushes, but a jeep can't. As far as I know it's completely legal.

My brother and I set our bikes up for maximum torque....we put 30 tooth Mighty Mini chain rings on the front and 22 tooth sprockets on the rear with the Sturmey Archer 3 speed internal gear hub.

We are both running the Bafang BBSHD 1000W motors with an altered version of the Bafang "Hot Rod" Program so our maximum output is around 1600W.

I'm 230 lbs and in 1st gear on the Sturmey Archer, the bike tops out at about 15 MPH but would climb a tree. In 2nd gear (the strongest gear from a mechanical standpoint) the bike will top out at about 20 MPH and in 3rd gear I can get to about 27 MPH.

I'm running a 52V / 17Ah battery and I've never tested it but I'd guess I could get about 20-25 miles on one charge and I guarantee it has no problem hauling me, my summit viper, my backpack, while towing a cart with a 150 lb deer for several miles.

We hunt on an 19,000 acre plantation that doesn't allow ATV / UTV so the bikes were absolute game changers for us.

What's the name of that motorcycle they use in the mountains? Can't remember

I remember-Rokon.Invincible motorcycle.

I like walking while hunting.

I'm getting one because of spine trouble that prevents me walking very far. I will buy one that has the power to get me in and back, and pray it does not fail. It's either that or stay home while my friends here go hunting. My remaining life is too limited for me not to do it.

Do it Geezer you will love it. Not only for hunting but for recreation and exercise. Buy one from a bike shop if you have problems with it they can help you, if you buy off of the internet you'll be on your own.

Geezer, that's why I did it too....I'm 57 and some of the spots I hunt on the plantation are 3-4 miles from where I have to park my car...I'm too old to carry a tree stand, back-pack, rifle and then drag a deer out that far walking. Its really not hard at all to build an electric fatbike.....buy a bike from Bikes Direct and everything else from Luna Cycle. I'm helping a buddy build one in a few weeks, all in he'll have about $2200 - $2300 in it.

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