The E-Bike Advantage
By Mark Melotik
Serious whitetailers are always looking for ways to make their hunting and scouting more efficient. One great answer? The e-bike advantage. Today’s electronic or e-bikes open up a new world of possibilities for serious deer hunters. Their many advantages include shaving hours or even days off your scouting efforts, and allowing you to access remote areas faster and easier during the season — and with stealthy silence.
When it comes e-bikes I was not an early adopter. It took me longer than I care to admit to finally try one out. However, my recent experience field-testing a hunt-focused Apex model from QuietKat — for an entire deer hunting season across three separate states — showed me just how valuable these tools can be.
During hunts in North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, in places I’ve never hunted before, my e-bike proved invaluable. I was able to use it to quickly and quietly rule out huge chunks of remote tracts. This allowed me to quickly zero in on areas that screamed “Hunt me now!” For deer hunters, increased efficiency is a beautiful thing.
In many cases I was able to quickly confirm my boots-on-the-ground findings with the use of a handful of trail cameras. With an e-bike I could shuttle them around with more speed and ease than I’m used to. And when it came time to hunt, I could quickly and easily transport stands and climbing sticks while saving valuable time.
In the process, I eliminated what would have been many long, back-breaking treks on foot. If you’re a fan of DIY hunting, you know every ounce of gear, and every mile walked, adds up quickly.
In North Dakota, my e-bike really shined for a different reason. I dealt with torrential rains that prevented any type of full-size vehicle from accessing even the edges of the many huge tracts of cut wheat, bean and corn fields being used by local deer. All those areas, and even most local two-tracks, were quickly reduced to muddy traps waiting to grab vehicles — and wear out welcomes from farmers enrolled in Hunter-Access Programs.
But my fat-tired e-bike seemed to almost float over the soggy terrain. Better, it also provided surprising stability and signature stealth. In the end, you could hardly notice my impact on the terrain, much less the damaging ruts a vehicle would have left. A huge win.
To my mind, e-bikes are one of the few examples of gear that will not only let you do something faster and easier, it also means doing it with impressive stealth and silence. For deer hunters, that type of combo is known as a game-changer.
Like most any piece of hunting gear, e-bikes have their challenges. The best premium models come with hefty price tags. You’ll also have to invest in a vehicle rack — in my opinion the best compact, premium racks are worth the extra cost versus larger, bulkier/heavier lower-end models. Smart accessories include an extra battery (virtually essential if using you bike daily), side cargo bags/racks, and a game-hauling/gear cart.
If you’re considering a hunt-focused e-bike setup, it’s time to look at your hunting style, as well as the local terrain. If running an e-bike is a smart option, you may have just found a new hunt partner.