It used to be that only a good horse or a stout pair of hiking boots could get Wyoming hunters into the backcountry – then mountain bikes became an option – and now e-bikes are increasingly part of the hunting scene.
The overall popularity of e-bikes has skyrocketed. That’s meant more accessibility for more people in the outdoors, which is both good and bad, depending upon the perspective.
Hunters seek places where the game is plentiful, but the people are sparse.
So e-bikes raise much the same quandary for them as they do for anybody else. They are a faster way to get into the backcountry – but if everybody has one, that could make escaping mobs more difficult.
Devin O’Dea, the Western policy and conservation manager for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, told Cowboy State Daily that regulating e-bikes is becoming a challenge in some states, such as Oregon.
“You’re going to see a bigger impact in some of these remote areas,” he said.
Or, on the other hand, e-bikes might help hunters disperse farther away from each other across the landscape, Nate Miller of Thermopolis told Cowboy State Daily.
“I don’t have any experience with them, but I would buy one someday when I have the extra money,” he said.
“I think anything that spreads people out is a good thing. Not everybody has horses, or wants to, or can pack an animal for many miles,” Miller said.
They Come In Three Classes
O’Dea said regulating e-bike uses can be complicated, because sometimes they blur the lines between motorized and non-motorized vehicles.
For the most part, it would probably be best to restrict e-bikes to motorized trails only, he said.
The U.S. Forest Service has struggled to enforce e-bike regulations in some areas in the West, he said.
The matter is complicated by the fact that not all e-bikes are the same, and they don’t all evenly match the parameters of what a “motorized vehicle” is.
E-bikes are categorized as Class I, II or III, with classes I and III being e-bikes with “pedal assist.” That means the rider must still pedal, but an electric motor gives them a boost, according to the Electric Bike Paradise Website. Class I bikes give a boost up to 20 mph. Class III can boost riders up to 28 mph.
Class II bikes are “throttle assist,” which means an electric motor will move the bike even if the rider isn’t pedaling. Speed is controlled through a throttle, and some of these bikes can exceed 28 mph.
Restrictions On Forest Service Roads
Olin Machen of Cody said he hasn’t purchased an e-bike yet for hunting, but he’s been weighing the pros and cons.
“I’ve looked into it extensively as I’d be very interested in using them,” he said.
However, in many areas where he hunts, e-bikes aren’t allowed on closed Forest Service roads because they’re classified as motorized vehicles in that regard.
There’s also the question of whether a gas-powered motorcycle might be more practical in some circumstances.
“My thoughts are for the cost of a true off-road capable e-bike, I’d just as soon use a dirt bike and not deal with the charging (of the e-bikes electric motor),” he said.
“The biggest draw for me was running closed FS roads. They are perfect for that. But if it’s closed, it’s closed to motorized of all sorts and in most cases so cuts them (e-bikes) out,” he said.
Matt Eastman of Green River said he might be ready to try an e-bike for the first time this hunting season.
“I’ve never hunted with an e-bike before. I sure wish I did though. My son bought one, so I might borrow his a little this fall,” he said.
Great On BLM Land
Garrett Kalkowski of Cody said he has a throttle-assist e-bike which is great for quickly and quietly traveling along roads to his favorite hunting spots on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land.
“It’s way more quiet (than a motorcycle), and it’s a lot more affordable than someone wanting to go out and get a horse or mule and tack (equestrian gear),” he said.
“Of course, you can’t ride it in the wilderness, but they’re super-versatile to get into places that truck or vehicle can’t,” he added.
Some e-bikes can be outfitted for racks or trailers, for hauling out big game quarters.
Kalkowski said his e-bike isn’t equipped for those accessories. Instead, when he’s successful, he puts the game meat in a backpack, and rides the e-bike with his pack on.
Mixed Feelings
Owen Miller, who lives in northeast Wyoming, said he has “mixed feelings” about e-bikes.
He acknowledges they’re quieter than ATVs, but he thinks e-bikes should be regulated to designated trails.
Even though he owns an ATV, he doesn’t plan on using it for hunting, and doesn’t think he’ll get an e-bike either.
“I'll be going to all horse and foot travel in the future, just for the simple reason that I’m there for peace of mind, and anything mechanical with an engine is not that,” he said.
Contact Mark Heinz at mark@cowboystatedaily.com
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
