Elk hunting from a bike

[pope]

From my experience, I would not trailer around a bike trailer all day long. They are cumbersome, hard to maneuver and throw your bike around weighted or not. I like to have one in the rig waiting, you can strap an animal leg to your pack, ride out and grab the trailer to get the rest. I have found this to be the easier route than lugging a trailer around all day

Id think id work on a lighter trailer..in my experiance ive came to the exact oppisite conclusion..i plan on bring meat out and lots of it everytime i go hunting..i hate wasted trips to the truck

I hunt behind a gate and use the bike to get there. The trailer gets stashed in the woods just before the season starts. I also stash game bags, some rope, a couple of towels...anything I might want to use for field dressing... and drinking water. I hide the trailer and kit under a camo tarp close to where I want to hunt. Nobody seems to go where I'm going so I don't worry about things disappearing. It's liberating not having to pull that stuff up the hill every morning. I definitely lock the bike to a big tree and if I ever hear a chain saw buzzing.....

[xXLojackXx]

I ride a cannondale full suspension when accessing my honey hole. Just make sure if it's full suspension that the rear shock can be locked out.

[Shawn Ryan]

Front shocks, no rear shocks, disc brakes are nice, but not necessary.  We used kid-hauling trailers for years to get camp behind locked gates and then ride the bikes to get to hunting areas when needed.  Never lost a load on the steep downhills, pushed the bike and trailer too many times up the steep uphills, though.

[JPhelps]

You have to love taking the entire elk out on the first trip.  We were lucky that he died 30 yards from the road and Tyson and I heave-hoed him to the road and just split him at the 5th rib.

[trophyhunt]

Guys keep talking about locking out the shocks, mostly the rear. Can you guys look at the pic's of my shocks and tell me if mine lock? I posted pic's of it on the first page. The guy that I bought my bike from (at the bike shop) said something about my shock being better about taking power away from peddling than most shocks. What do you experts think? Thanks

[pope]

Not an expert, but a little Google search suggests you have one of these:
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/suspension/rear-shock/rockshox/mc-3-1/prd_414039_138crx.aspx

These shocks were standard issue on Trek Fuel Ex bikes at one point in time. My friend has one and I'll ask him. I'm not reading anything about lock-out ability, but this isn't necessarily your rear shock. Get all the info you can by reading the inscriptions on that shock and use Google or your local Trek dealer to help answer your questions.

[pope]

Front shocks, no rear shocks, disc brakes are nice, but not necessary.  We used kid-hauling trailers for years to get camp behind locked gates and then ride the bikes to get to hunting areas when needed.  Never lost a load on the steep downhills, pushed the bike and trailer too many times up the steep uphills, though.

That is one heck of a load! I'm impressed if you can pedal that kit on a flat road, never mind climbing a hill. Wow!

[skidynastar33]

i got mine at costco, $300 it has disc brakes, front shock. solid bike. plus you have there return policy which is bring it back whenever for whatever! take a look. or go rei because they have a lifetime warrenty on all there stuff.

[Shawn Ryan]

Front shocks, no rear shocks, disc brakes are nice, but not necessary.  We used kid-hauling trailers for years to get camp behind locked gates and then ride the bikes to get to hunting areas when needed.  Never lost a load on the steep downhills, pushed the bike and trailer too many times up the steep uphills, though.

That is one heck of a load! I'm impressed if you can pedal that kit on a flat road, never mind climbing a hill. Wow!

Pope, that load was headed out, mostly downhill, but doable.  I'm not a good cycler, but my buddies are/were.  One would ride alongside me on the uphills, both of us with full trailers, and he would lean over grab the back of my seat and "tow" me along.  He is amazing on the bike.  Good to have friends like that.

[bowhuntersd]

I bought my "GIANT YUKON" from a local bike shop for under $300. I waited until the new models came in and they were getting rid of the old models. Its a great bike for hunting off of. Stay away from a rear shock as it will take away from your pedal power. Good luck and keep looking. 

[deerhunter_98520]

Just got this  cannondale last year and made the trailer

Looks like a pretty nice setup.

Works pretty good for my first go at it