mountain bike
 

ATVsare not permitted to be used in my state soIwas thinking of using a mountain bike to get into the woods deeper andget to my stand faster.I was wondering if anyone has tried it and if so how do you carry your bow while riding?Also how do you drag your trophy buck out?

RE: mountain bike
 

Haven't tried it..but where I hunt with stream crossings and hills and such it would be a real pain in the butt.

I could see me draging a bike and a deer! :eek:

RE: mountain bike
 

I've thought about a mountain bike as well. My only problem is that I need to take my climber with me and don't think I could manage all my gear while riding.

RE: mountain bike
 

You can do it pretty easily. You'll have to carry your treestand such that there's no contact with the back tire, which may be a problem depending on what kind of stand you use. I tied myrifle onto the stand and hauled A$$. If not using a stand, just get a hunting backpack that has some strap loops on it, and tie your bow/rifle to your back, it's really easy.

A potential problem is the type of trail - if it's a flat, even trail, you're golden, but if it's uphill/downhill and rocky, biking in the dark is tough.

I biked in on a public biking trail along a river for rifle season, so it was fairly flat and free of obstacles.

You'll also need a good LEDheadlamp. Energizer sells a WallyWorld cheapo for 12 or 13 bucks that is really good and durable. Make sure you lock up your bike while you're hunting.

If you kill a deer, you're stuck taking your bike/gear out and hiking back in for the deer. I usually just go home, getapickup and a buddy and go back for the deer. There's really no easy way for that - but there is a company that sells a lock-on treestand that doubles as a pull-cart. That piqued my interest a bit, but for this season, I'll be doing it the hard way.

On a good, flat trail, you can bike in swiftly and silently. You can turn a 1 hour hike into a 10 minute ride.

RE: mountain bike
 

Everything Quicksilver said is true, but I would add that you actually can carry your deer out on the bike. Carry a plastic bag to cover the seat, and field dress the deer, place the cavity of the deer's body over the seat, and tie the front legs across the handle bars. I know that sounds crazy, but it works.I also added a bow/gun carrier similar to the ones made for atv's, to the handle bars. When you can't ride , you can push the bike walking along side. It's better than dragging! I started using them 18 years ago. My first bike was a Nishiki, Colorado. One other thing, don't get a full suspension bike. They absorb too much of the effort put into pedalling in rough terrain. they are good for downhill, and ride a little better on bumps, but they will work you too hard uphill. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that you can also ride the bike straddling the deer, but 2 things: have plenty of orange and get ready to have your buddies give you grief!

RE: mountain bike
 

I tried this for the first time last year. I didn't really have a long walk to my stand - maybe the length of 60 acres... but I had found that I was having to walk SOOO slow to try to not spook deer that it was taking me forever. I don't have the patience for that so I decided to try the bike. I had also heard that it's possible that if a deer would see or hear you going by on a bike they might be less suspicous (not sure if that's true) and hopefully less scent left as you're not in contact with the ground. We cleared some new paths last year and I bought the gunholders you put on an ATV and mounted them to my handlebars. The bow sat nicely in that and I didn't have to carry a stand so I thought it would be fine. However, the hard part was simply riding - I've never done any mountain biking before so it was an adventure as our trails aren't too flat. I ended up on my butt two times during the ride.. it was like I never rode a bike before!!! I would say if you have some fairly flat going you would be fine - just get one of those flashlights that go on your head. If you have to carry a lot of stuff outside of your bow I found that the balancing on the bike became an issue. The other alternative is pulling a small wagon or cart of some sort behind you.

RE: mountain bike
 

Thanks guys for the info.As far as putting it on the bike I'm still laughing so I'm sure anyone who would see me doing this would be in stitches laughing.I may try the bike but i think I'll give it a try dragging it behind.

RE: mountain bike
 

I bought a new Mnt bike this year with front & rear shocks just for this very reason.
I used my old non suspended one the last few seasons and at the end of a weeks hunt my rear was tore up[:'(].

The land whereI primarily hunt is flat and the fourwheeler trails allow me to glide along at a quick pace. The acorns on the road popping under the ties do make an odd noise though. BUTI have snuck up amazingly close to deer & other wild game while riding in.
If i down one I go to the truck and unload my quad for the dragging the deer back in chores.
The mountain bike is much quiter and stink free-I like it!

RE: mountain bike
 

I can no longer see because I'm crying from laughing sooooo hard!! YOU GUYS ARE NUTS !!

RE: mountain bike
 

Reminds me of a discussion we had here about this time last year. A member named akaSharkey built an awesome deer cart out of one of those carts you push children in (not the stroller - the one with 3 big wheels) Anyhow, he took the body off that thing and mounted the cart on a hitch on the back of his mountain bike. Perfect for transporting his gear to stand and deer out also.

I have one of those carts and they are incredibly easy to push or pull even full of children. I'm just waiting for the kids to get old enough that I can steal it without my wife noticing it is gone ;)

Sharkey hasn't posted since last March and the pictures he posted of his setup aren't online anymore - but if anyone knows him, have him post the pics.

RE: mountain bike
 

ok.. here is how i did it.. I left my treestand in the woods(privte woods). I lowered the seat as far as it went.. I tied the back legs to the back of the frame and spread the carass over the frame and then tied the front legs to thebottom part of the frame. I tied the head over the handlebars and then sat on the deers back and rode it down the street for the mile it was to my house.

RE: mountain bike
 

I can't even imagine seeing somebody coming out of the woods with a deer on a mountain bike and the rider straddling the deer! LOL I have thought about using a bike to ride down the country roads to get to my spots. Deer know what the sounds of a loud exhaust means early in the morning and the mountain bike wouldn't alert them to that.....so I might actually do it this year (thought about it for the past couple of years).

RE: mountain bike
 

ccm352, thanks for that!
I needed a good laugh!
too dang funny!

RE: mountain bike
 

maybe i should tie his legs to the peddles and his front feet to the handle bars:Don a bicycle built for two.the looks i would get would be to funny

RE: mountain bike
 

I am a mountain bike racer and i do ride a lot.You can buy or make a small trailor to go behind you bike.Making it as wide as the trails are.You can use 2 mor mountain bike tires for the trailor place them about 2 feet apart runa a axle and make the trailor itself foldable to be longer when you have to carry out a deer.Make it so you clamp it to your seat post.I placing a piece of rubber innertube between the clamp and your seat post for a small amount of pivot or a bigger piece for more pivot.For starters you can use 2 old front forks off of another bike even off of a 20 in bike and bolt or weld them to a small metal frame.With this you can take your gear in and remember to not wear your hunting clothes in.Change them where you leave the bike.With the trailor you havea place for your stand and your bow and even a deer when the time comes to drag one out.If you need some ideas on how to build one PM and I can tell you exactly how to make it.