Tell us what you think about E-bikes for hunting??

[Fowl Play]

Its really pretty simple. We have areas that are open to motorized access and areas that arent. They have a motor, thus should be allowed in areas that allow for motorized access and not in areas that dont.

As for getting old. I plan to enjoy life while I am young and accept that I will not be able to do things I once was when I am older. The last thing I will ever wish is to take the opportunities I had as a young person from the generations after me because I am selfish.

We likely have different experiences in this regard. But I do not see it as cut and dry as you do. In my opinion using horses is an "assisted" form of entry, with a much higher bar to entry than an e-bike. In many areas on the east coast, e-bikes open up areas to "walk-in" public land hunters that were so unfathomably far from any trailheads (30+ miles), that the previous only way to access them was water entry using airboats and other forms of powered vessels, big $$$. In other areas where they are used heavily, yes, hunting has changed. But I cannot say for better or worse. It actually will spread hunters out, ironically reducing pressure close to the walk-in. I do not think e-bikes are taking away experiences from people. And people who are already willing to put in the effort to get further from other hunters will just push in farther and have new experiences if given an e-bike. These things are going to become much cheaper in the coming years. Some may think the e-bike scourge is coming... I readily accept it. It will change things, but I do not think for the worse. I'm not saying allow them everywhere, but don't come into it with the mind that every person using one is some lazy SOB who couldn't make it up the mountain if not given some assistance. I regularly hunt 20+ miles from trailheads, and I sure am hell not getting there riding a throttle all the way. But many of the hunts I do now with an e-bike were previously not even possible without one. your experiences may be the same if you had one.

 

[CorbLand]

We likely have different experiences in this regard. But I do not see it as cut and dry as you do. In my opinion using horses is an "assisted" form of entry, with a much higher bar to entry than an e-bike. In many areas on the east coast, e-bikes open up areas to "walk-in" public land hunters that were so unfathomably far from any trailheads (30+ miles), that the previous only way to access them was water entry using airboats and other forms of powered vessels, big $$$. In other areas where they are used heavily, yes, hunting has changed. But I cannot say for better or worse. It actually will spread hunters out, ironically reducing pressure close to the walk-in. I do not think e-bikes are taking away experiences from people. And people who are already willing to put in the effort to get further from other hunters will just push in farther and have new experiences if given an e-bike. These things are going to become much cheaper in the coming years. Some may think the e-bike scourge is coming... I readily accept it. It will change things, but I do not think for the worse. I'm not saying allow them everywhere, but don't come into it with the mind that every person using one is some lazy SOB who couldn't make it up the mountain if not given some assistance. I regularly hunt 20+ miles from trailheads, and I sure am hell not getting there riding a throttle all the way. But many of the hunts I do now with an e-bike were previously not even possible without one. your experiences may be the same if you had one.

Sorry, I dont buy anything you posted about allowing these would make it better. There is only so far that you can push in and if we keep allowing people to access areas easier and easier, eventually there will be nothing left.

Your comment about barrier to entry being lower with an ebike is the exact reason we shouldn't allow them in non motorized areas.

This is why it should be cut and dry. Does it have a motor? Yes, then it is not allowed in non motorized areas.

 

[Fowl Play]

Sorry, I dont buy anything you posted about allowing these would make it better. There is only so far that you can push in and if we keep allowing people to access areas easier and easier, eventually there will be nothing left.

Your comment about barrier to entry being lower with an ebike is the exact reason we shouldn't allow them in non motorized areas.

This is why it should be cut and dry. Does it have a motor? Yes, then it is not allowed in non motorized areas.

If you go back to my original post you will see I am all for keeping true walk in areas in locations like you mention. Every spot is different. But in massive wilderness areas that allow horses. They should also allow e-bikes.

 

[CorbLand]

If you go back to my original post you will see I am all for keeping true walk in areas in locations like you mention. Every spot is different. But in massive wilderness areas that allow horses. They should also allow e-bikes.

They dont allow bikes in wilderness areas, so why should they allow ebikes?

Wilderness areas do not allow for mechanized forms of travel. What else should be allowed?

Wilderness areas are the last holds of true non mechanized areas of access. Allowing ebikes would be opening a door that you do not want opened.

 

[amassi]

If you go back to my original post you will see I am all for keeping true walk in areas in locations like you mention. Every spot is different. But in massive wilderness areas that allow horses. They should also allow e-bikes.

Do those back east horses have motors or just the four legs leg westy horses?

I don’t think you want walk in areas to stay walk in areas since you think you can take a motorcycle into them


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[venado mula]

If you go back to my original post you will see I am all for keeping true walk in areas in locations like you mention. Every spot is different. But in massive wilderness areas that allow horses. They should also allow e-bikes.

They should never allow a mechanical device in our federal wilderness areas. It is really the only remaining areas that deserve foot and pack animal traffic only. We have given all the other public areas their freedoms to have their technology. Conservatives can't have it all.

 

[HuntHogsnFish]

I was Turkey hunting recently, I’d gotten to the trailhead at night, started walking in the dark with no one in sight, just the way I like it. So I was well down the trail on my way to a creek I’ve been to quite a few times, I had stopped cause I thought I heard something weird when out of no where a guy on an e-bike with a shotgun strapped to his back comes busting around the corner past me. Doesn’t stop, just blazes on by. Needless to say I was put out. Well, I brought this up on another forum to gauge how others would feel and basically got burned to the ground by folks saying it could have been someone who needed the bike for his disability, get over it, quit whining etc. I still think he should have at least let me know if he was going up stream or down so we could hunt different portions of this small area, but instead my quiet morning was rudely blown out along with the trail. The trailhead was closed and marked closed so the guy shouldn’t have had the bike out there anyways, regardless, I’m not a fan of e-bikes.


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[svivian]

 

[Fowl Play]

Do those back east horses have motors or just the four legs leg westy horses?

I don’t think you want walk in areas to stay walk in areas since you think you can take a motorcycle into them


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I consider horses, rich man e-bikes I know they are part of our heritage in the West. Hell, I’d love to do one. But so was the ability to own a home on a single income in the majority of the US. The truth is, most of the current crop of new hunters will never have the funds to experience a western style pack hunt in their lives. And I’d be confident 99% of the hunters are within 15 miles of the trailhead if truly on foot. Beyond that is entirely wasted public opportunity in my opinion.

I personally see e-bikes as a tool that can be used to increase the overall useable public land available to hunt if many hunters would stop viewing them as only those for the “rich” or lazy and start looking at them as another arrow in the quiver. It’s not a one sized fit shoe for every location. But I do think they should be part of future access considerations. In terms of land management there’s not much negative about them. They don’t blow out areas with loud exhaust, they don’t tear up trails, they don’t have scent.

 

[Crunk]

Our friends over at Gforce asked us to put up a survey on E-bikes for hunting.

Market Research Survey

As avid hunters, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts ourselves we're studying hunter transportation trends for manufacturers in the e-bike space. We request your feedback as a hunter no matter what your viewpoint is and we hope you'll share your thoughts. This information will be summarized in a study

www.gforcesurvey.com

I think e bikes are awesome but they should be illegal to ride in a walk in area. Everytime I see their tracks all I can think is if I find that thing I am going flatten the tires. If you can't walk in I am sorry but if you're too lazy then find a new sport.

 

[HighUintas]

Mtn bikes tear up trails. Motorized or not. I see it several times a week when I run trails that have mtn bikes on them.

. There's no way an ebike is going 10+ miles into the backcountry on many trails. The trail would be too rough to ride in most places. In most cases, it would just crowd up the areas within 5 or so miles that can be ridden to

 

[Drenalin]

But many of the hunts I do now with an e-bike were previously not even possible without one. your experiences may be the same if you had one.

I think that's sort of the point...why should those hunts, or more particularly those areas, be made more accessible? What's wrong with having places that most people can't/won't go? If the e-bike is what made them "possible" for you and others, then they were not impossible before - they just required more effort than most were willing to expend. If there are still places on the east coast where a person could get 30+ miles from a trailhead without having come out the other side, then those places should be treasured and protected. E-bikes don't do that, and I think a strong argument can be made that they do the opposite.

I'm not dogging on you or anyone else for riding an e-bike. If I knew you, I wouldn't think less of you for using one. But I don't get the mentality that we should make accommodations for wild places to be more accessible to people. I'm not a fan of e-bikes for hunting in general, but I am specifically opposed to opening up even more areas to their use.

 

[scattergun]

As the survey sponsor, we'd greatly appreciate if you'd express those questions and concerns in the survey. Visit it directly at gforcesurvey.com and thank you for responding in this thread either way.

How does this benefit me?

 

[Nickofthewoods]

If you go back to my original post you will see I am all for keeping true walk in areas in locations like you mention. Every spot is different. But in massive wilderness areas that allow horses. They should also allow e-bikes.

If a massive wilderness area isn't a "true" walk in area to you then what is?

The horse/e-bike comparisons keep getting recycled in almost every e-bike discussion. I copied this from the USFS Website;

"Open year round wilderness areas offer opportunitites for exploration and discovering for visitors seeking a primitive and non-motorized recreation experience."

E-bikes are mechanical, motorized, and definitely not primitive. They might actually be one of the least primitive forms of travel today. Horses are considered a primitive form of travel by the Forest Service. Maybe 300 years from now some of you will get your wish and e-bikes will be considered primitive travel.

 

[Deadfall]

 

[Extrapale]

E Bikes of all sizes are a motor vehicle and should be treated as one in all areas. Roads, trails, cities, and everywhere else people are taking them.

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[CorbLand]

View attachment 561766

Robby may be #TheLegend but Ryan is definitely #MyHero. Who else can rock a pair of crocks to his level?

 

[svivian]

Robby may be #TheLegend but Ryan is definitely #MyHero. Who else can rock a pair of crocks to his level?

You know he was getting after it when the heel straps are engaged

 

[CorbLand]

You know he was getting after it when the heel straps are engaged

He needed a little extra help choking that awful can of Coors down.

 

[KHNC]

ETA: Marketing nonsense, I left before done.

Quitter! LOL