Bowhunting using Mountain Bikes

Mountain bikes can be a great tool to get you to and from your stand even in rugged country.  When the other members of my hunting party first started using them I was a bit skeptical.  I didn't relish the thought of going out on a cold morning and hopping on a bike for a ride.  As it turns out, the ride can help get you blood pumping and get you in your stand a little warmer.  

This mountain bike is equipped with a rifle holder for four wheeler handle bars converted to a bow holder for a bike.  It has dual 20W lights with a lead acid battery for cutting through those dark trails.

In general, a mountain bike down a two track or trail will be quieter than walking and will definitely leave less scent (only the rubber touches your trail as you go out).  They can be parked very close to your tree.  I park mine in some brush lying down, sometimes covered by camo burlap.  Without a truck parked somewhere giving you away, chances are that no one will even know that you are hunting in an area if you use a bike for transportation.  They are the ultimate for stealthy hunting.  They don't make the tell-tale step, step, step, ... cadence tipping deer off that a human is walking in the area.

Accessories include lights, and racks.  Although manufactured mountain bike lights are nice, they are not necessary.  A "mag" type flashlight can simply be strapped to the main horizontal bar for light and will do the job.  A rack can comfortably carry 25lbs of feed for those who bait.  The bow itself can be carried on the handle-bars with a gun carrier made for ATV's, available in the many parts catalogues for those machines.

Probably the biggest advantage of using bikes while hunting is to quietly go where not many other hunters are willing to pay the price.   While I don't recommend going off the trails, there are many trails open to bikes in the state and often they are on state land open to hunting.  This is what I prefer, as I can separate myself from those who drive in from two tracks and those who hoof it.

Often times I hunt from spots this way where I am at least a half a mile from the nearest hunter.   Tranquility abounds.  Some of these extreme spots really perform well late in the season when the deer get pushed from the more popular areas.   That's when the real big boys tend to show up like ghosts.   It may be that no bucks have been sighted in camp for weeks but like clock-work they will appear in the late season.

I recommend this type of hunting to anyone.  Not only does it increase your chance of arrowing a nice deer, but it gets your exercise in at the same time.

Mountain bike ready to go for the season.