Hunting and a mountain bike.

I have hunted that way, used the handlebar racks pictured earlier for the gun. I was not successful, so didn't have to worry about the meat:) I have a friend who made a trailer with a single wheel instead of the kid carrier style, perhaps this is similar to the "cookie assault" style, which I did not go look at.
 
I can see my brother and I using mountain bikes being we have them already and they're a hell of a lot cheaper then a ATV or dirtbike! :eek: just have to get a trailer or two to help with hauling! :D
 
Well, one benefit they have, is in areas where rifles on quads are not allowed before noon. You can get into an area quicker than guys walking. One downfall I have experienced, is there is sometime unseen ice on the trails during hunting season.
 
Hunting and a mountain bike

I took mine last year and with the alarm set the same as the year before, I was on site a half hour earlier. Quiet and fast though. Carrying the rifle was a bit of a pain so I will work on something different.
 
If you use a trailer it must have brakes.....Preferably good ones. The bike brakes are not strong enough to hold back a big load on a long hill.....Still have the scars from that get off!

I just sling the rifle across my back with a conventional sling...Works fine....Though it can be uncomfortable.
 
My friend and I went on a day hunt with our bikes. We chose a gated road which had a constant gentle incline. Our idea was not so much for the ride in but the ride out. The ride out was effortless. If we bagged a deer that day, I think it would have been quite simple to connect the two bikes with wood and carry the deer between the bikes and then walk the bikes down.
 
I used a MB on a couple moose hunts in northern BC. Was able to ride right up on a couple moose. Problem was I got in so close we were both surprised. He ran off before I could get off the bike, unsling the rifle and shoot! :mad:

I simply slung the rifle. It was wet out, though not raining, and dirt was splashing up. Had scope covers on and tape over the muzzle. If I were to do it again, I would try to mount the rifle with an ATV scabard on the MB. Think it is doable. Think paniers on the rear and attach the scabard there, maybe. Also, as it is quite a bit quieter, consider riding and then walking when in prime habitat. If you get something, you might be able to sling a deer over the bike but something like a moose would mean that you ride back to get the truck. If two of you have bikes, you might be able to lash beams across to brace the bikes and throw a moose quarter or half (?) on to walk it out. If you ever do, take pics and post them!! ;)
 
About 15 -20 years ago I used a mountain bike all of the time for hunting and new quite a few other guys that were into doing it as well.

They mostly slung their rifles across their backs but I had handle bars were the center was a triangle and then the handles extended out from there.

I had a Uncle Mikes Cordura rifle scabbord that I used on my horse that I just slipped it down thru the triangle of the h bars and attached the bottom to the front fork.

Didn't have shocks on my front forks back then so didn't have to worry about them moving up and down.

It was still legal to load your rifle and slip it into the scabbard then so I was always with a loaded mag/empty chamber.

I was constanty amazed at how close to animals I could get it was so quite.

When I had to pack a deer out I just strapped it to the bike and walked the bike out.
 
I was going to mention to you, Ltbull01, that you could sling a scabard over your back with the rifle in it, while on the bike. if you used saddle bags to store your gear rather then a pack, you're back would be clear to mount a rifle and scabard on...just like Camp Cook says! :)
 
I do it quite a bit. Sling the rifle over my shoulder. A crossways rack would hang up on the overgrown trails.

I've always been fortunate enough to get game near driveable logging roads, so I bike in and either spot something right from the bike or stash the bike and walk in. One drawback is when cycling on a small old logging road or trail is sometimes you come around a corner or over a small rise and surprise an animal so you have get off the bike, to unsling the rifle and load it.

Meanwhile animal takes off.

On the other hand, deer and moose are unaccustomed to a guy on a bike and I've had them just stand there puzzled at this curious sight.

And you see more game. I ran into two guys in Region 7 one time in a big noisy diesel Ford, stop and say "Jeez, it ain't like it used to be, I guess the moon ain't right, nothin' moving around, too many hunters, there's wolves here now, the Indians ... blah, blah, blah..." the usual cliches and I responded with :

'Well I saw a doe and two fawns, another single doe, a spike buck, a wolf and a cow moose this morning."

Plus it runs on beer and taco chips.
 
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I moose hunted up in Nipigon with my mountain bike. Only problem was trying to hop over a 3 inch log laying diagonally across the trail. Instead of hopping, my front wheel decided to go the same direction as the log yet my body continued straight down the trail. I have a 2 inch scratch through the varnish on the stock of my .35 Whelen to remind me of that day.

I think it's great idea to sneak up on animals. I really think setting up the gun forks on the handle bars is the way to go though rather than the sling across your back. You will want to use a rifle that takes a clip and can be loaded quickly. When you do ride up on an animal, you might have 7 or 8 seconds to load and fire so it would probably be a good idea to practice this before hunting season opens. You don't want to be digging through you pockets looking for your clip with a moose standing there.

Just my 2 cents.

Best regards,

Slooshark1
 
no real canadian hunter would be caught dead hunting on a mountian bike. jeez, how yuppy can this get?

Wow, I didn't know that. Guess I'm not a real Canadian hunter, cause I shot this one using a mountain bike.

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I'm so ashamed...
 
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