Hunting on E-bikes

[Hasaf]

I commute on an eBike. However, I don't use it for hunting. As others have mentioned, the range can be an issue, it is hard to ride with no power.

What I chose for commuting is probably a little different than you would want for hunting. That said, I would recommend an internally geared hub. Mine has an internal infinitely geared transmission, hydraulic brakes, and a belt drive. I chose to go this way in order to reduce maintenance.

The first thing is what a hunting bicycle needs to do for you. If the plan is to carry back elk, the need is different than if the plan is to carry the needed gear for groundhog shooting. Without being clear as to the need, I would suggest looking in the "cargo bike" segment.

 

[NorthBorder]

• UPDATE: Just ordered a Radrover 6 plus. I will get a trailer for it in the near future. I have bike hunted before where we basically walked the bikes and trailers w/ gear up the mountain roads. Downhill was a breeze although we didn't shoot anything. The walk out was a lot shorter.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

They're not very popular in my state. The law categorizes them the same as a side by side, so you can't use them in non-motorized areas. If. you take one to a motorized area, you're competing against hunters with real machines, so you're essentially handicapped. You're better off taking a traditional bike into a non motorized area.

But, to repurpose a line from Full Metal Jacket, "...we need to keep our heads until this electric vehicle craze blows over."

When an electric vehicle (side by side for hunting for example) can go as far as my Polaris Ranger, carry as heavy a load, tow as much as a gas version, when I can recharge it in 5 mins 30 miles from the nearest road, when the batteries will last as long as a gas powered engine, and I can buy it for the same price or less as the gas powered version, then and only then will I even consider it. Same applies to the F150.

 

[toivo]

A friend of mine has a RadWagon that he uses as much as possible to keep from burning gas in his car. He stopped by my house when I was getting rid of some old furniture and managed to get a full-size wooden rocking chair bungeed onto the rack. Granted that's not going to weigh nearly as much as a deer, but I was impressed. He only rides it on the road, though. As said above, no suspension.

 

[Random 8]

Can't add to the E-bike pro-con discussion, but I would like to advise anyone considering using them to check your state's game laws.

In my state of MN, they are classified as a motor vehicle by Fish and Game, and firearms, shooting on/near and certain public land access restrictions apply. They are treated the same as an ATV regarding hunting regulation, but are allowed on many "non-motorized" trail systems from a non-hunting recreation perspective. Whether you can use them on a non-motorized trail system to access hunting lands is a grey area my local CO didn't have an answer for. They are a relatively new thing, so the laws are still sorting themselves out.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I haven't used them, but I have wondered if these contraptions might have some military applications. I suppose if you are successful at hunting anything bigger than a turkey, you will need a trailer. Same as for carrying a lot of gear.

Military applications? Gear?
https://electrek.co/2022/05/17/ukraine-soldiers-electric-bikes/

 

[jmorris]

• UPDATE: Just ordered a Radrover 6 plus. I will get a trailer for it in the near future. I have bike hunted before where we basically walked the bikes and trailers w/ gear up the mountain roads. Downhill was a breeze although we didn't shoot anything. The walk out was a lot shorter.

Let us know what you think and how it works out for you.

 

[FL-NC]

Military applications? Gear?
https://electrek.co/2022/05/17/ukraine-soldiers-electric-bikes/

There you go.