Your Guide to Hunting E-Bikes with QuietKat
Check out the Apex and the Ibex, two stealthy and efficient alternatives to noisy ATVs.
By Brent Hannify – September 28, 2022
E-bikes are becoming increasingly popular among the American hunting community. Sure, part of the charm of hunting is hiking for miles with 50 pounds of gear on your back, but it if you value efficiency over charm, consider using an e-bike to traverse the wilderness.
You can use an electric hunting bike to make your rounds and check all your trail cams in a fraction of the time it would take you to visit each one on foot. The speed and range of a hunting e-bike allows you to return to your deer blind or tree stand in minutes rather than hours.
Many hunters use ATVS and quad bikes to get around in the outdoors, but they’re noisy and emit fumes that can alert animals to your presence. E-bikes on the other hand, are quieter and don’t give off any scent. An e-bike is also cheaper, ranging in price between $1500 and $7000 compared to an ATV which can cost up to $20,000. Going with an e-bike for your next hunting trip is a solid alternative to an expensive, noisy quad.
Using electric bikes for hunting is also a solid solution for hunters who may be getting up there in years. As any veteran hunter will tell you, the drive to get out into the wilderness and shoot something doesn’t exactly go away with age. But your mobility on the other hand? That’s something that unfortunately no one can maintain forever. That’s why e-bikes are an outstanding way to give the kind of far-ranging reach that you may have been more capable of in your younger days exclusively on foot.
But as you can probably guess, you wouldn’t want to take just any e-bike out into the wilderness. You need a bike that’s up for the challenge, one that’s specifically designed to tackle difficult terrain, ride quietly enough to not spook the animals, and provide you with the kind of range and traction necessary for traversing wide open spaces and difficult terrain.
Fortunately, there’s Quietkat, purveyors of the most trail-ready hunting e-bikes you could ask for. QuietKat hunting e-bikes feature sturdy frames built for carrying plenty of weight, and all-terrain fat tires that absorb impacts out in the backcountry. Let’s take a look at QuietKat’s two bestselling hunting e-bikes, the Apex and the Ibex.
APEX
QuietKat’s bestselling hunting e-bike is the Apex, a hardtail electric fat bike, with 26-inch all-terrain tires, a battery and motor system that lets you travel as much as 48 miles on a single charge. It has a load capacity of 325 pounds, and plenty of power with a robust mid-drive motor, available in either 750 watt or 1000 watt capacity. It’s available in three different sizes—Small for folks under 5’6”, Medium for people up to 6 feet tall, and Large for anyone taller than that.
The Apex also benefits from increased utility space from other bikes in its class, with an integrated heavy duty pannier rack for hauling even more gear, making it well suited for a variety of hunts.
IBEX
The Ibex is a nimbler hunting e-bike, which lives up to its name with its ability to tackle steeper inclines. Unlike the Apex, the Ibex has front and rear suspension, essentially making it the 4x4 of the hunting e-bike community. The Fire-Link suspension system is a true four-bar linkage, providing the best traction and comfort in the backcountry. It also has a longer range, with a max distance of up to 63 miles on a single battery charge. As a more powerful bike, it is more expensive than the Apex, and comes in two sizes compared to the Apex’s three.
Configuring your hunting e-bike
Whichever bike you choose, we recommend loading it out with the Hunter’s Kit at checkout, which includes a premium suspension seatpost for responsive comfort on difficult terrain. For hauling big kills, the Game Trailer is a two-wheel all-terrain wagon that hitches to the back of your bike and has a maximum load capacity of 100 lbs.
Both are solid hunting e-bike choices
The Apex has a greater carrying capacity, while the Ibex can travel farther distances. While it’s undoubtedly adept at tackling inclines, the Apex is best suited for lower country while the Ibex is the true alpine master of steep ascents. So, if your hunt takes you to precipitous country that requires you to scale mountains, go with the Ibex as your go-to hunting e-bike. If you prefer less difficult terrain and hunting heavier game, you can’t go wrong with the Apex.
An electric hunting bike can make a big difference in your hunting experience. It allows you to travel greater distances over a shorter amount of time, lessens physical strain, and is a stealthier alternative to spooking animals with a noisy, smelly ATV.
So before your next big hunting trip, use your GovX membership to and explore deals on QuietKat’s lineup of e-bikes.
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