anyone hunting with bikes? I have been considering using a bike more, but having difficulty finding bike racks/ packs worth using to pack my rifle or game out etc.
any suggestions or ideas? anyone know of a bike rack that might work better than the typical ones sold at the local bike stores?

great idea.. i don't know of a pedal bike that can handle much, but DARN that sounds like fun

locally, many of the logging roads have been closed off to vehicle use--including ATVS.

so you are forced to walk or use horses to get back into the woods very far.

I am just trying to figure a way to to get around the road closures.

packing-out an elk for several miles is a lot of work, so a bike to help speed up the process would be great. If I could come up with a rack system or cart to pull behind, it would be way easier on my back and knees

just an idea I am playing with

quickshot check with the builders of the bikes I have seen here in my aera off road trailers for bikes that they use for camping, some thing designed with a good tube frame and lots of shock travel and low gears would be great IMO, some thing like a Swiss Mountain bike their troops use

Grizzly Adams and I used bikes a couple years ago to get into an area, the road was rough as hell with rocks but they worked. So if it had a decent road or was short grassland it might be ok.

The other thing that comes to mind, is the trailer idea. I've pulled a trailer with two kids in it so about 80 lbs or so, you'd be surprised how hard it is to get that bike and trailer up even a small hill. So packing out game on a trailer might be tough. There are handles available to make the trailer into a baby buggy and perhaps these would work well for pushing/pulling the trailer up. Or you could use a rope and get a buddy to tow with another bike in tandem. I did this with my sister because she's got bad knees and she wanted to get into an area and look around. Towing her out was tough and it was a nice gravel road.

the chef

I have been thinking of using my mountain bike for the same reasons as you. I have seen a few different types of trailer,both single wheel and double.I havent bought one yet,but they look like they should work.

http://bikereview.info/BicycleTrailerReview.html

thanks for the ideas

My main goal is either find tow trailer or find some better made front and back bolt-on racks.

If I could find a front & back rack that could hold significant weight, then I could bone-out my animal and load it on the bike and on me(backpack)-------------and ride out.

most of the bike racks I have found wouldn't hold up to the weight load needed for carrying meat out.
anyone now of an custom or heavy duty racks?

thanks

I have used a mountain bike to get to my stand herr in Mich. I ride the logging trails in. I wear a miners head light. There are depth perception issues in the dark but nothing serious. It is quiet in the fall leaves and you don't work up a sweat like walking. I wear a small pack, like you would wear a fanny pack and I sling my unloaded rifle. I have never used it to pack game though. I just ride back to camp and get the young guys.

Check out the racks & trailers the Amish use.

I've thought the same thing about using bikes, only problem I ran into, many of the areas closed to ATV's etc, are wilderness and closed to bikes as well. Horses and hiking only. Oh well, I still think the bike/trailer idea would be great.

I have a friend who used to ride into our bear baits on a mountain bike. And some where I have a photo of him and a dead bear proped up on it. There are many miles of closed logging roads here, open to foot, horse, and bike traffic. They are very good roads and a bike works well on them. And ridding out is blast, as you can coast for a long way.

When I was young( like 13) I used to ride an old three speed pheasant hunting. I had a scabbard for my .410!

I contacted the MN DNR about legality of hunting on a bike,and about if it was resricted like an off-road vehicles.After some conference between officials, they told me that being on a bike would be considered the same as being on foot.No restrictions.

From what I have read, the weak link in the bike's cargo ability is the wheels. Having custom wheels built with twice the normal number of spokes is the answer. Go to a local bike shop and tell them you want to do some serious touring and camping with your bike and need decent cargo capacity.

The best rack is the pack on your back. I've hunted a lot off my bike. It's best use is getting to and from where you'll get off and walk. There isn't much one can do if they want to pack out elk or something like that. The person and a full pack is tough enough, try pulling a trailer in Mtn country and forget it. Not much easier on flatter stretches.