Issues I have with E bike deer hunting want your thoughts

[FEENIX]

I feel honored to have a horse, not privileged like royalty, who suddenly gets to do what others are not allowed to because I own a horse.
Guess I need to work on making my ego larger, and sense of entitlement.
Me have horse, out ofthe way peasant.
That isn't my style.
And the term geriatric, you throw that out there like its a crime to grow old. One of my favorite people is a man who is 84 years old. This man is a veteran, wealth of knowledge, kindness overflows from within him, and just so happens to own an ebike. Sometimes he comes out to visit us, and his grandson who works here. Bringing his ebike, and riding the trails. Our horses definitely do more damage than his bike does. It allows this wonderful man to still explore, because his days of hiking 40 kms per day are behind him. I invited him to come along a few months ago and follow me on a ride i was doing. It made my soul happy to see him out enjoying the bush, and he carried it over logs.
Guess what, we all grow older, maybe the new law shouldn't be banning bikes, but shooting everyone on their 60th birthday because they have outlived their usefulness, and becoming a burden on the young, especially the medical system.
What a sad world this has become!

You might be a small lady but you have a big heart and understanding. God bless!

Ed

 

[Small Lady]

You never answered my question.

What about the folks who want to take pedal bikes and game carts? They are already not allowed, but ebikes should be?
Or maybe we should just let them all in, gas dirt bikes included?

As for where a Jeep can go, give an experienced and equipped Jeeper the green light (or just look the other way, like you are suggesting with ebikes) and they WILL get their Jeeps over your trails.

Turning in those who ignore the law is NOT going to get horses and hikers banned.

I don't care if you want to take in your meat cart or pedal bike...and i sure won't be reporting you.

In the summer of 2022 I was out on a lengthy horseback ride, 6 days if memory serves me correctly.
I had decided to stop, and fish in a river, hoping to catch myself some dinner.
Along came two Conservation officers, I was surprised to see anyone that far from civilization. This impromptu meeting turned into a long conversation. They were out patrolling because of complaints from some about people doing Possibly illegal activities. They told me that if the complaints continued, the whole area may just get closed to everybody. They said that historically, most closed land was closed because of complainers. When complaints continue to happen, then land is closed, so anyone who is found out there can be arrested, because it is illegal for them to be there regardless of how or why.


Also never trust others whom you see out in the bush, as some like to lie to keep an area for themselves. Experienced that myself this past winter while snowmobiling. There was 4 of us out riding snowmobiles, and we were told by a group of locals that where we were heading up to was banned from being ridden, because it was protected mountain caribou habitat. I laughed at them and their blatant lies. We continued on our way, and had a great ride. They just wanted to keep it to themselves, so tell people it is closed. Maybe I should have gotten their info and reported them for being full of BS.

Generally speaking, and yes there are exceptions, but overall anyone who goes out and buys a fat tire ebike, then hauls it way out to the bush in their vehicle, to go riding, is not a problem person. Stop and talk to them, and you may find yourself talking to a wonderful, and interesting person.
I'm kind back to those who treat me kindly.
Come at me with an attitude, and I will return it....not directing this at you Pockets, as you seem kind.
Just making a general comment.

If i was out riding my horse, and give attitude to someone on a bike, I best be expecting it right back. Now if we stop to chat, and I am kind, 99.99% the other person is kind back to me.

As for the Royalty on horses, keep complaining about others, and then don't grumble when you find the land closed to all, due to the complaining.

 

[RCMSTER]

Well there motorized I see them as a motorized vehicle so should be under same rules don't matter if it's electric or gas.

Here in Iowa, I called DNR and put the question to them about e-bikes on public land that doesn't allow motorized vehicles. He said if the e-bike is at 1000 watts or under, it is allowed and legal.

 

[69precision]

They are a lot easier on the environment all the way around than horses that's for sure.

 

[thomasbangs]

As with a lot of posts on these forums sometimes the concept or point gets lost in the weeds. I have nothing against any motorized vehicle on trails or roads or behind gates that are designated for them. If I'm on foot I avoid these areas. However if I walk back behind a sign on a gate or trail that says closed to all motorized vehicles and you come up behind me on a motorized vehicle of any kind we will have a discussion.

 

[MtPockets]

As for the Royalty on horses, keep complaining about others, and then don't grumble when you find the land closed to all, due to the complaining.

Just to be clear, I am not "Royalty on horses", and like I posted earlier I am no longer able to get to the backcountry on foot.
I have ridden motorbikes for 40 years, so eBikes would make sense for me.
That said, they have a place and it is not in the backcountry where pedal bikes and game carts are not allowed.
If they changed the rules and allowed them, I'd be first in line.
I guess some of us were just brought up to respect the law more than others were.

I've said my peace so I'm out.
Enjoy your day!

 

[FullCurl8]

Are there many places where you are not allowed to ride a non motorized bicycle but can Horseback? Don't think I've ever seen that? That would be an elitist decision for sure.

 

[JustMe2]

You horse guys are funny. An E-bike or UTV is a mode of transportation just like a horse. It aggravates me when I walk 10+ miles with a pack on my back, sweating, tired, etc. to get away from the crowd only to have a bunch of pack horses push me off the trail. I don't think horses should be allowed if other transportation is also not permitted. Why should only horse people be able to easily transport themselves and gear into the back country and not have to carry everything on their back?

 

[blvette75]

So my day started out with the family on horses we rode 5 miles in and gained 1000 feet of elevation and on way back out ran into two hunters on e bikes. It frustrated me a lot because we were on blm land with no trails and no motorized blm section but what's your guys thoughts on this subject.

Well, being older now and having more difficulty with my lungs now especially at altitude, an e-bike is an option if allowed I would consider. I don't own horses and my ability to bring out a carcass is now more limited. I used to not like Mountain bikes back in hunting areas but have adapted. But to stay in the game looking at all options. Even have started looking at using drones if allowed to locate game. Otherwise for me it is getting more limited. Then we have lobbyists in the state of Colorado wanting to limit Mountain lion hunting in the state, all an older back country hunter needs is more predators to deal with.

 

[dfanonymous]

I feel honored to have a horse, not privileged like royalty, who suddenly gets to do what others are not allowed to because I own a horse.
Guess I need to work on making my ego larger, and sense of entitlement.
Me have horse, out ofthe way peasant.
That isn't my style.
And the term geriatric, you throw that out there like its a crime to grow old. One of my favorite people is a man who is 84 years old. This man is a veteran, wealth of knowledge, kindness overflows from within him, and just so happens to own an ebike. Sometimes he comes out to visit us, and his grandson who works here. Bringing his ebike, and riding the trails. Our horses definitely do more damage than his bike does. It allows this wonderful man to still explore, because his days of hiking 40 kms per day are behind him. I invited him to come along a few months ago and follow me on a ride i was doing. It made my soul happy to see him out enjoying the bush, and he carried it over logs.
Guess what, we all grow older, maybe the new law shouldn't be banning bikes, but shooting everyone on their 60th birthday because they have outlived their usefulness, and becoming a burden on the young, especially the medical system.
What a sad world this has become!

That's the thing. I don't care about your horse. No one except a few jealous people cares about your horse. I'm talking about keeping wilderness wild.

There's are a few horse owners in totality.
Your self guilt about owning one is not a reason to create an exception to a rule, and thus screw up the law and order.


Those are your words about geriatrics not mine.
Funny that's what you jump too.
No I'm using it because I know how old men are. They will drive and patrol every trail, and call it hunting. It will turning things in to national forest fire roads as far as hunting is concerned and will be the policy that erodes the wild in wilderness.

 

[Airedale56]

I just dropped in to LRH and stumbled this thread.
On the apparent topic of what irks us:

I can't stand jackasses with no muffler on their motorcycle who constantly rev their bike downtown to get attention. That's juvenile behavior.

Especially Harley-Davidson guys.

If I can't hear someone speaking, who is at the same table on the Irma porch, YOUR BIKE IS TOO @#&%***"(* LOUD.

There, I said it.
Whew.
I feel better now.

My apology to mules and donkeys. I didn't mean you guys.

Back to the thread……

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

I have no problems with Ebikes...they are safe, quiet, zero emissions, and do not damage the terrain or environment. They have less impact than horses. I think guys who don't like them are the same guys who used to have to walk barefoot in the snow five miles uphill (both ways) to school. Those folks don't like anything that make hunting easier or more fun.

 

[sp6x6]

This topic is lost on a lot of people.There are lots of rules in place and lots of exceptions.Wilderness- which is right out my back door NO WHEELSPERIOD.lots of many states have many trails for motor bikes and sxs.A lot of BLM on east side is open to ebkes.It varies as Fennix stated.I have had people tell me horses aren't allowed in glacier.The whole trail system was built by packers on horse.A friend of my dads had 100 horses for park use back when.

 

[taylorms]

I don't know how asking those on eBikes to follow the existing rules gets hikers and horses banned?
Maybe you can explain?

The rules of Wilderness areas- posted at the trailheads- clearly states that nothing with wheels is allowed including pedal bikes and game carts. If those are not allowed, then neither are eBikes.

I'm all good with following the rules, but that's not what this thread is all about. This thread was started by someone that rode his horse way back into the most remote area he could think of to get away from everyone else. Then he crossed paths with someone else, and it made him mad. At least, that's what I read into it.

The meaning of my post that you replied to is this-When one part of a particular group (hunters) starts arguing with another part of that group (hunters that use ebikes), the easiest solution for some would be to close the property completely. Sort of like when kids start fighting over a toy, and the easiest solution is to take the toy away, completely. Do you not think that the Government wouldn't be just as happy if no one went into these areas? Heck, most in the Government would prefer it be developed and produce tax revenue (and would be willing to spend more to do so than could ever be recovered).

There are parts of this thread that are reasonable, in terms of illegal use of motorized vehicles. But I feel like it turned into more of a ebike vs non-ebike.

Have a nice day and good luck to ALL of us in our adventures.

P.S. I do not own an ebike, and I don't mind a bit when one passes by me as I'm walking in.

I added this, for those who care to read it. The last page gives a pretty clear rule on the use of e-bikes on Wilderness lands.