Bicycle for hunting, sound crazy?

[catman529]

If anyone has a picture of their bike setup post it up.

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[Marc]

I have used a bike a lot for waterfowl hunting.  Flat terrain (and not too muddy) a bike covers a lot of ground quickly...  At some of the duck hunting refuges it can look like the Tour de France, with everyone racing to their spots.

For up and down country, it could be more work to ride the bike than it would be to walk.

A couple pieces of advice if you use a bike.  Have a vest with a gamebag or some plan of action to carry that bird back on your bike.  Take a GPS and mark your bike, and use a lock with the bike.  Even if you just lock the tire to the frame, you will make it much more of a pain for someone to haul the bike out of there, and I usually stash mine in the bushes.

A GPS will make it easier to find your bike and give you the shortest distance back to your bike in confusing terrain.  Plus, if you did hide it in the brush, it is a lot easier to find with the GPS...

[renegade19]

A few years back we had the state open up an old strip mine for hunting,bike and foot travel only. I have not owned a bike since I was 14 so I borrowed one from a buddy. I get on it and put my feet in these stirrup things and take off. Less than 5 minutes my butt hurts so bad,the seat is like sitting on a anvil ,the pointy end ! I ride a little bit and a bug hits me in the eye and I try to rub them but I need a double hand eye rub for this. I slow down and cant get my feet out of these stirrups BAM ! I hit the ground. By now Im hot,worn out,my butt hurts ,and I just fell on the ground. I had a screaming kicking cussing fit ,hoping no one would see me. I end up ditching the bike and walking ,because it was safer. On the way home I stopped and got a XXXL wide seat and took those !*&^%#%&@ foot straps off. He called later and ask how the bike worked out and I told him the story and his response was,You need to wear bike shorts with the padding in the butt...............I said I dont own any of those and Im ashamed that you do.....and hung up on him !

My buddy used to bike that same area.  How he did it with a Summit Viper on his back is beyond me.

[paboxcall]

Hunt off a mountain bike a lot on the Appalachian ridges.  There are some logging or gas well roads that are too steep to ride so I hike those. But the bike opens a lot of hunting spots when you got large tracts of public ground. 

Instead of burning 45 minutes off the clock to walk in and wait for sunrise, and then 45 back out to go somewhere else, I can cover that same ground in less than 1/4 the time on the bike.

Couple items to make you better prepared - I carry a spare tube strapped to the bike, plus a chain repair kit and bike-specific multi-tool. Mud flaps are a great add-on, keeps you dry.  water bottle cage is a must. A carry rack off the seat post to haul a bird out of the woods. Wireless odometer to note mileage back from a gate, things don't look the same in the dark. Flat pedals and make sure the bike frame fits you.

[Happy]

Speaking of wrecks... My father in law is a huge bicyclist. Talking 30- 50 miles a day at least 3 days a week. Just last summer he and his friend were coasting down one of our steeper mountains at a high rate of speed and a fawn runs out in front of his buddy. The results were nothing short of catastrophic. A dead fawn and a fellow that looked like he had been attacked by a jaguar. Guess he slid on his stomach and face for about thirty feet beyond the point of impact. No permanent damage to him though. And yes I laughed as soon as I knew he was ok.

[Phire Phite]

Nope

[WNCTracker]

I've spent a lot of time on a bike and if you're anywhere that's not flat forget about using a trailer...unless you're a beast.  I think it's a great idea and I've often wanted to do it. I frequently mountain bike into backcountry trout waters. You could just use a rear rack as a mud flap and to carry a bird out. I'd suggest rubber or plasti dipping the washers or parts that will jiggle to silence them.   Would also suggest a backpack with storage for a water bladder like a camelback.

[101st501]

I have often thought of doing that myself, but the place I hunt is small enough to walk and has good roads.  There is another WMA right down the road that is huge compared to the one I hunt, but it is so rapped up with other hunters I like right where I am.

[birdman24]

I use my bike all the time on national forest roads that are closed. I love it. I can get deep fast to gobblers that haven't seen many hunters. I usually stash the bike and then go on foot when I hear a bird. Here's one of my favorite pictures of a Merriam's from southwest Colorado in 2013. The bike is an 18 year old mountain bike that I only use hunting now. Planning on using it this weekend in the Black Hills.

[RutnNStrutn]

My Walmart special. $100 for an aluminum frame, 21 speed, fat tires and shock absorbers. I did the camo job myself with camo duct tape that's held up very well. Then I added on a nice fat, cushy gel seat, and gun racks to the handlebars. I'm probably going to add a basket to it to help haul stuff in and gobblers out. It helps me put the distance between myself and other hunters on FLA WMA's, and let's me get around quietly on my hunting lease. I've used it successfully for years!!
Here's some of the pics.

[Dr Juice]

Nice job RutnNStrutn. Don't forget your bell for the handle bar :-)

[perrytrails]

Nice job RutnNStrutn. Don't forget your bell for the handle bar :-)

Ha!!

I use one myself. Problem is I usually have others hunting with me so it stays home.

[WNCTracker]

Nice job RutnNStrutn. Don't forget your bell for the handle bar :-)

Ha!!

I use one myself. Problem is I usually have others hunting with me so it stays home.

Tandem bike??? 

[perrytrails]

Lol no I'll pass : )

[Dr Juice]

Nice job RutnNStrutn. Don't forget your bell for the handle bar :-)

Ha!!

I use one myself. Problem is I usually have others hunting with me so it stays home.

Tandem bike???

Lmao.