Why The Ebike Is Killer For Hunting
Primitive Hunting
A few unique evolutionary adaptations allowed us to become master hunters.
1. Humans are the only animals that sweat in significant amounts; Humans can sweat anywhere on the body, which is a massive boon to human endurance.
2. Humans maintain more elaborate and deep social bonds than many other animals. Hunting in groups is a common practice among animals, but humans have the intelligence necessary to take advantage of their numbers.
3. The invention of the spear was the most crucial step in hunting. The ability to throw objects is a unique human evolution
Humans only became better hunters from here. Other significant developments include:
- The invention of the bow and arrow allowed us to take down prey from even greater distances than throwing spears and granted us additional avenues such as poisoned arrowheads.
- The dog's domestication caused both species to skyrocket in hunting success. Humans hunt primarily by eyesight, either by directly observing animals or searching for visual cues in the environment such as prints or tree marks. Dogs also do this, and their fantastic hearing and scenting abilities allow humans and dogs together to track prey with greater precision. Dogs also often aided in killing the prey and, in later history, retrieving it if it was in the water.
- The invention of baited traps allowed us to hunt better, minor game that's hard to see or catch in the wilderness, but these traps were limited and very primitive, typically limited to tied snares or pitfalls.
- The invention of the fishing line and fishing pole revolutionized the way to hunt fish.
Middle History
After humans spread around the world thanks to agriculture and farm-living, hunting became a much less essential profession. However, while it became less common, it did not lose its prestige. Hunting ceased to be solely about food, and skins, furs, and bones became luxury commodities for much of human history. Hunting with spears stalled except for some niche cases, and the bow became the primary weapon of the hunter while a hatchet/tomahawk and knife would be carried as sidearms.
- The domestication of horses increased the ground a hunter or ranger could cover considerably. With greater ranges at their disposal, and the ability to travel to farther, exotic locations, rare skins and pelts found their way into the upper class of society.
- Despite hunting being a less essential practice, it remained highly prestigious.
- Living high off of the domestication of the horse and dog, hunters taming other animals started to arise. Other animals were also tamed to strengthen the hunter, falconry, cheetah, and coyotes.
Later Periods
Advances in simple technology completely changed hunting forever. While smaller countries or communities that relied on hunting for food kept using old ways, hunting grew into a luxury pastime for higher-class citizens.
- Higher quality steels allowed for robust and powerful melee hunting weaponry. Spear hunting made a return somewhat.
- Did we forget guns? Firearms turned the act of hunting entirely on its head, and even the smaller societies that used more antiquated practices to hunt within their means reliably would try to get their hands on a rifle or shotgun.
Modern Times
Hunting today is a polarizing profession to undertake. Rarely an actual job, hunting is done as a hobby or a self-sufficiency path. Many hunting methods persist today, and animal rights concerns allow it to be a much more humane practice than in previous times. In modern times, hunting is the subject of much debate; some say it is an outdated, inherently cruel practice that should be outlawed. Others say it is required for conservation and to help offset the damage done by human colonization Hunting remains a divisive topic. Laws abound in different countries on how to do it correctly and humanely.
- Bows returned to the forefront with the invention of the compound bow.
- Jaw-based traps are typically outlawed, and while cage traps continue to see some use, they have been mainly supplanted by stands and blinds.
- Modern, advanced rifles can take down prey from obscene distances.
- Modern vehicles allow hunters to travel even farther from their homes, and coolers or refrigerated boxes will enable them to transport meat fresh from far-off locations.
A few years ago, humans replaced running with ATVs, and high-performance guns and arrows replaced primitive tools such as spears. But the disadvantages of ATVs are gradually revealed. The smell is loud, and the sound is loud, often scaring away animals that have not yet reached the destination, and it isn't easy to get to some densely populated areas, which are the best places for hunting. More and more hunters have noticed the high-power, all-terrain tires bikes and the electric bicycles that make noise only when the grass is swept through puddles and can carry prey after adding a trailer. It saves effort and gasoline costs, and there is no smell and almost no sound—excellent help for thousands of hunters.
Some reasons for you to hunt with an ebike
Ebikes are now so quiet they are as quiet as a standard bicycle, so hunters can get close without spooking the game. Electric bikes are so quiet; they’re virtually silent, allowing you to get closer to your game undetected. Riding an eBike is a lot quieter than walking. The belt drive is the best choice for the silent hunt event. The low noise of an eBike is a significant advantage when deer or turkey hunting as these animals tend to be easily scared when they hear someone or something approaching.
- Ebikes are permitted (within certain power classes) on most lands, and the accesses are extended further each year. You can learn more from PeopleForBikes.org and their work campaigning for more access and regulations to categorize ebikes the same across the whole country.
- Ebikes for hunting are strong enough to carry a hunter and his gear and pull a trailer behind it. Some ebikes have 160Nm of torque so pulling heavy loads is easy. An ebike cargo trailer will allow you to easily load your game and bring it back to camp for processing. This takes a lot of the load off of you. The even larger game that would normally require two people to carry out the woods can be quickly moved by just one hunter. So if you want to make your next hunting trip easier and more successful, you might want to consider purchasing an ebike for hunting.
- Hunters can cover more ground in a fraction of the time it would take on foot and leave no scent on the ground while not breaking a sweat so not giving their location away. E-Bikes also leave no scent trail, so you can go virtually unnoticed by many game animals, such as Whitetail Deer, which have a strong sense of smell. Bikonit advises that you keep your bike outdoors if you can— away from any fumes from your garage. Alternatively, you can set it out a day before you head out hunting. E-Bikes also leave less scent on the trail than your boots can create when you go trekking through backcountry woods.
- Hunters with physical injuries or physical limitations can keep hunting years after they would have needed to hang up their bow or rifle because of the assistance the bikes provide. The rider can still use their bike without pedaling just by engaging the throttle. This safety consideration is comforting when the rider may be injured or may need to get out of a precarious situation quickly.
Some hunters’ thoughts about using an ebike for hunting :
"These eBikes are incredible! They really add a fun element to elk hunting. As you pedal you can really feel the assistance it gives you. We have an area that has gated, non-motorized roads and we were able to cover 3–4 miles in minutes. On our way out, we had a 5-mile pack out but only had to carry the meat about 200 yards. We carried the antlers and one quarter on our back, and the rest the eBike hauled on the trailer. That’s the beauty of the eBike."
Corey Jacobsen(World Elk Calling Champion)@coreyjacobsen.elk101
"I have not used one for any purposes, but through my work with Disabled Outdoorsmen USA, I’ve seen them extend the range of hunters with disabilities. It is another tool helping people of any ability enjoy the outdoors, get deeper into the backcountry, and open up hunting opportunities. My only caveat to my praise of ebikes would be that I do feel they need to be regulated and relegated to only being used on established trail systems.
I would recommend the use of ebikes to others. They have a myriad of uses."
Keith Naylor @spike_bull_outdoors
"The amount of ground you can cover is insane, zero scents and virtually no noise. I would highly recommend them."
"I like that Ebikes are quiet, making it easier to sneak up on things and make less noise, they are durable and easy to take on a road trip (you don’t need a trailer), plus it makes the pack out easy 😂 yes I would recommend it to others. It helps you access many places that might take you a long time to hike.
If you ride in 5 miles and out 5 miles. That’s a lot less hiking you have to do, and you can get to some perfect areas that way!"
Kristy Lee Cook@kristylee15
"I can only answer this for myself. When looking back over the last hunting season, there were multiple hunts in which the super subtle approach offered by an e-bike would have been optimal.
One of my favorite techniques for locating elk in the rut involves cruising roads in the dark and listening for bugles. Imagine how much more efficient you could be if you could easily cover 20 miles in a few hours without ever making a noise!"
Chris Denham of the Western Hunter
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