Secretary of the Interior allows E-bike access on BLM lands

It’s called willful ignorance. And there are millions that subscribe to it. It’s not anything to be proud of nor is it rare.
do you walk to work in a pair of homemade slippers? or use a stick and string long bow made from a tree you've grown yourself? nope that looks like a damn fine rifle and backpack and fancy hunting gear just in your profile pick. must be nice to pick and choose the conveniences of technology that are acceptable for one to use in this modern world and be one of the lucky ones who thinking is the only right way. Where I come from that's called a hypoc….. ahh never mind carry on
 
Maybe I misunderstood you. I thought you were agreeing (when you said “I agree with”) with RWC’s general premise that technology won’t advance making these bikes more useful, common, affordable and more of an issue in remote places, in the future.

It looks like instead we have switched gears to talking about what policy should be about what should be allowed or not allowed and where.


That picture was taken at about mile 35 of a 45 mile loop, after about 20k of vertical, ten days into a hunt that it, thankfully, is illegal to bring your bike-electric or not.
It was a 12 day back pack trip. About as removed as you can get from technology in a lower 48 trip.
I did bring a decent pack to carry my stuff, but it is a bargain rifle.
 
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The bikes these days are really amazing. Some with weed eater engines, some with batteries, etc... I saw a battery powered one on facebook the other day that went 40+ MPH. I'm not sure they will change mountain hunting much but if there are old logging roads they certainly could.

Drones are going to be the real issue in the future IMO.
 
Drones are going to be the real issue in the future IMO.
that's no joke.. ran into a guy running one in the Wemenuche last week, said every hunter should have one... wasn't sure if it was legal or not turns out its not in the wilderness
 
that's no joke.. ran into a guy running one in the Wemenuche last week, said every hunter should have one... wasn't sure if it was legal or not turns out its not in the wilderness
I’m a licensed drone “pilot” and use one for work as a professional Land surveyor but I just don’t see where they would benefit you hunting whatsoever.

They make so much noise that they mostly spook game, and legally you’re supposed to keep them in your sight at all times. Problem is most non-commercial recreational pilots either don’t know what’s legal or they simply don’t care.

I hadn’t heard that they weren’t allowed in wilderness areas, but was under the impression that they weren’t allowed for hunting/scouting purposes.
 
Re drones: I have a drone and have ran it up the MT FWP for what I can and can not use related to my adventure and what not to use related to my hunt.

Each state is to their own for UAV laws.

Wilderness Act areas are an absolute no go. So are our National Parks. The one caveat is taking off from outside the Park / Wilderness and flying over the area is legal though best make sure you land outside the boundary.

Though I suppose better to bring the "drones will make the sky fall" to a new thread...
 
I’m a licensed drone “pilot” and use one for work as a professional Land surveyor but I just don’t see where they would benefit you hunting whatsoever.

They make so much noise that they mostly spook game, and legally you’re supposed to keep them in your sight at all times. Problem is most non-commercial recreational pilots either don’t know what’s legal or they simply don’t care.

I hadn’t heard that they weren’t allowed in wilderness areas, but was under the impression that they weren’t allowed for hunting/scouting purposes.
You can't see where a drone that could carry 100+ pounds could help a hunt?

Packing gear/meat in/out would seem to be ideal for drones IMO. Even now scouting would be great. Even antelope hunting a drone could save a lot of walking.

Drones with SCI score estimation app, and a lazer are probably the sad future of hunting for some. Sit at home and fly one up the mountain. Heat sensing camera locates the game easily. Swoop in for a score estimate, then fire the laser. Guides are there to release drones and hook the animals to the drones for retrieval.
 
You can't see where a drone that could carry 100+ pounds could help a hunt?

Packing gear/meat in/out would seem to be ideal for drones IMO. Even now scouting would be great. Even antelope hunting a drone could save a lot of walking.

Drones with SCI score estimation app, and a lazer are probably the sad future of hunting for some. Sit at home and fly one up the mountain. Heat sensing camera locates the game easily. Swoop in for a score estimate, then fire the laser. Guides are there to release drones and hook the animals to the drones for retrieval.
I agree, drones would be benefit for carrying gear in, and game out, but the technology is not there yet, and the FAA simply won’t allow it. Not to mention the cost of a drone that’s capable of carrying those kinds of loads is crazy expensive.

Still not sold on them being beneficial for scouting though unless your breaking FAA regulations.
 
I agree, drones would be benefit for carrying gear in, and game out, but the technology is not there yet, and the FAA simply won’t allow it. Not to mention the cost of a drone that’s capable of carrying those kinds of loads is crazy expensive.

Still not sold on them being beneficial for scouting though unless your breaking FAA regulations.
I simply disagree on the technology, it's ready. We will see it first on delivering packages for Amazon. But once they are carrying a load of more than 50 pounds they will have a use in the field. I had a camera crew filming me this summer for a week and was amazed at what they could do with a small drone. Even in the wind they were flying over a mile away with no problem. Animals had no idea. Throw a heat sensing camera on that puppy and fly a drainage before you head out hunting, would be so useful. FAA rules be dammed.

 
Is a helicopter able to land and pick up/drop off supplies, packing? Outside wilderness... Well actually, there are authorized airstrips in several wilderness act locations.

Sky's not falling.
 
This new ruling prompted me to try out a specialized full suspension mountain ebike this weekend. Holy piss is that thing impressive. Anyone who says “you still have to pedal so it shouldn’t change anything” either hasn’t ridden a good ebike, hasn’t tried pedaling a mountain bike uphill on loose ground, or is full of it.

If this sticks and becomes acceptable to the masses, I will own an ebike. I can think of many spots I’ve hunted recently where it takes a couple miles and a lot of vertical to get into the “good” areas. Lots of these areas would be passable with an ebike. A mountain bike going uphill isn’t a significant benefit in energy retention over walking, an ebike would be a different story.

This is a bad deal and I fear it will degrade the backcountry experience in many areas.
 
I simply disagree on the technology, it's ready. We will see it first on delivering packages for Amazon. But once they are carrying a load of more than 50 pounds they will have a use in the field. I had a camera crew filming me this summer for a week and was amazed at what they could do with a small drone. Even in the wind they were flying over a mile away with no problem. Animals had no idea. Throw a heat sensing camera on that puppy and fly a drainage before you head out hunting, would be so useful. FAA rules be dammed.

Here ya go. Get one of these puppies on order.


Pretty cool, but its gonna spoil about $250K. Should be able to lift up to 1100lbs.

 
I find it interesting with drones (and the ebike thread) how guys that use them don't or can't see a problem with them.
 
Off the topic of E-bikes, but I spent the opening day of archery season flying a drone near Libby for a site evaluation for my job. Drones are incredible, democratized more every day, and are a rapidly changing tech. To use them for hunting or scouting crosses a lot of lines, and it is great when states get ahead of the game and create rules around them now. I agree they will be a problem, but not an insurmountable one.

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