Hunting has transformed a lot over the years and technology plays a big part in the evolution of the hunt. From GPS tracking to lightweight carbon fiber compound bows, technology, if used correctly can make you faster, a more accurate shot and able to spot game from a safe distance.

One such new technology is the electric bike. Electric bikes in some form or another have been around for over one hundred years, but it has only been the last five years that has seen an uptick in popularity among hunters.

With the physically demanding challenge of walking trails for miles, routinely checking trail cameras and trying to be quiet and scent free the whole time, an e-bike has become an unlikely tool in the hunter’s arsenal.

ATVs are noisy and can be heard and smelled far away — giving away the factor of surprise, chewing up the land along the way. Plus, ATVs cannot access gated roads, which usually means the miles-long walk starts with a 50-pound bag on your back. 

A recent research study by eBike Generation has shown that the numbers of hunters turning to e-bikes to get an advantage has doubled every year since 2015. While hunters are not the immediate target market for e-bikes, electric bikes for hunting makes a lot of sense.

Why are hunters turning to e-bikes for hunting?

 The advantages of using an eBike for hunting are many. Here are a few:

• E-bikes are virtually silent so you can get close without spooking the game.
• They leave no scent trail on the ground so you get in and out undetected.
• The powerful motor does all the work so you can reserve your energy for the hunt instead of tiring on the way in.
• Electric hunting bikes can pull trailers full of gear so getting your kill out is very easy.
• Hunters can cover much more ground in a fraction of the time.
• Aging hunters that struggle to reach that distant spot can keep making the trip long after they would have needed to hang up their bow/rifle.
• Most electric bikes can access trails and areas that non motorized vehicles can access. That access is growing too. 

In August 2019, the Department of the Interior released Secretarial Order # 3376. In it was stated that 30 days from the date of that Order, units of the National Park System, National Wildlife Refuge System, lands managed by BLM, and lands managed by BOR provide appropriate public guidance regarding the use of e-bikes on public lands within and to recognize e-bikes as non-motorized vehicles. At least up to a certain power class (doi.gov order no. 3376).

This SO # 3376 was the first real change in accessing federal lands on e-bikes and accepting them as bicycles and not under the same umbrella as ATVs and other high powered motors. 

The National Forest was not part of this secretarial order as it’s managed by the Department of Agriculture, but as of mid-2020, it is expected that a similar order will roll out within the year, allowing hunters to choose an e-bike and access more remote areas otherwise out of limits or just too far to walk. So if the growth was double each year up until now, it could be many times more going forward.

What do hunters think of using an e-bike for hunting?

As with all new technology changing the landscape of an age-old activity, not all hunters are embracing the concept. Many hunters are opposed to giving one hunter a physical advantage over another. But it’s often the guys that have no physical issues that don’t want others accessing their honey hole, and if the hunter can’t reach it on foot, then they don’t deserve to be there.

Although hunters are already using the latest technology to get an edge. Whether it be carbon fiber compound bows, GPS trackers and some even using drones to do the scouting for them, electric hunting bikes are still new territory and as such are under some scrutiny.

The hunters that have already embraced the concept and pulled the trigger on purchasing an e-bike for hunting and scouting are very outspoken about how it has changed the game for them.

Jim Shockey is an avid e-bike hunter and had this to say: “It’s the ultimate hunting machine. I can go further into the backcountry to hunt big game.” And he also described it as a “quantum leap in hunting technology.”

Cory Jacobsen (World Elk Calling Champion) had this to say: “These eBikes are incredible! They really add a fun element to elk hunting. As you pedal you can really feel the assist it gives you. We have an area that has gated, non-motorized road and we were able to cover 3–4 miles in minutes. On our way out, we had a 5 mile pack out but only had to carry the meat about 200 yards. We carried the antlers and one quarter on our back and the rest the eBike hauled on the trailer. That’s the beauty of the eBike.”

The Trend is Here to Stay

More and more hunters are turning to e-bikes to elevate their game and there is no sign of that trend slowing down. With many land management agencies welcoming e-bikes under certain power limit (up to 750 watts of power), the trend will only grow. 

Bike tires have less impact on the environment than a horse and a lot safer to the land than an ATV, so it’s easy to see why hunters are coming ’round to the idea. With over 16 million hunters in the US today and only a small fraction of them using e-bikes, I see many more hunters saddling up and taking advantage of the technology. I put together a rundown of the best e-bikes suitable for hunting that will help you find the suitable e-bike for you next trip this season. You can what electric hunting bikes made the Top 9 Electric Hunting Bikes for 2020 and elevate your hunt. 

What are your thoughts on the concept of using an e-bike for hunting?

For more information vist https://ebikegeneration.com/?aff=275