can you sling a loaded shotgun on a mountain bike grouse hunting???

[motley man]

Not a good idea to ride with loaded shotgun, just slip a round in when needed.

[redhooks]

I heard about a fellow up here that shoots grouse off a mtn bike with a 410 contender and holster mounted on the handlebars. It can be done, just be safe. I agree w/ motley man, it's pretty easy to slip a round in when you need it.

[Big Dave2]

Put it in a hard case and strap it to the bike somehow, then take it out and hunt. No problem.

I don't think you would have to go quite to this extreme but I would definately unload it. If you had a double barrel it would be real easy to stick 2 shells in quickly and fairly quietly when needed and just as easy to unload if you dont fire them.

[gspman]

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A police officer has more experience with his firearm than a hunter does? I would like to know how many rounds said police officer have put down the barrel of his sidearm, versus a hunters grouse gun? I'd be willing to bet that latter has quite a bit more experience!

The average Law Enforcement Officer shoots a lot more than the average hunter.

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I see nothing wrong legally or safety wise with the orginial posters ?

Riding a bike with an uncased gun may or may not be legal. If it's loaded it is definitely not safe.

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Most ppl sounding off against his proposal I dont think are aware of the proven track record that a guns safety holds. None of my guns have ever went off with the safety on! Some off you ppl think the worst case scenario, is the only way things ever happen. Ride on my man! Ride on!

It only takes one time. A safety is not 100% safe all the time and it's not an excuse to take risks either. It is also possible the safety could slip off. It is possible he could crash and in the process the safety slips off and the gun discharges.

[cribbageboy]

Not sure on the legality, but here is my two cents.

Loaded: Not safe, unwise, and probably illegal. Wouldn't recommend this at all.

Unloaded: No idea how this could be considered unsafe. No different than carrying anything else on a bike. If you're gonna fall you're gonna fall. Its gonna hurt regardless. That said, might not be too friendly on your firearm. Again, not sure on the legality, but if I can have an unloaded shotgun on my lap in my car, I don't see why you couldn't on a bike.

[TUMBLEWEED]

Just keep the chamber unloaded and you should be fine

safety -wise. A quick dismount followed by chambering

a round should have you all set. And for clarity

a mountain bike is NON-Motorized. I'd say go for it!!

[Powerstroke]

As far as legality goes, a bicycle is not a motorized vehicle by definition unless you have one of the little electric motor bikes. So, legally you can hunt from it.

Some trails are closed to motorized vehicles AND mountain bikes. This doesn't imply that bikes are MV's.

Loaded or unloaded doesn't matter legally cause its not a motorized vehicle. Thats the only place the rule applies.

So, if you want to hunt grouse from a mountain bike, do it in the most safe way possible. I see no problem with your idea. I use my mountain bike to gain access for deer hunting. I ride in carrying my bow and stand/steps combo on my back. I see people with the gun rack on the handlebars and I think its fine.

[BucksnDucks]

I can say for certain that I am more experienced with my shotgun than any l.e.o. that I've ever met! Last year alone I chambered more than 10,000 rounds. So yes I can say I have more experience. How many rounds you fired last year doesnt speak about me!

[Powerstroke]

So let me see if I understand your thinkn correctly now then.. A police officer has more experience with his firearm than a hunter does? I would like to know how many rounds said police officer have put down the barrel of his sidearm, versus a hunters grouse gun? I'd be willing to bet that latter has quite a bit more experience!

You may have shot 10,000 rounds, but the average hunter won't go through a box or two of shells in a season let alone a year. Even a cop who only shoots the once a year for qualifying will shoot at least that much. Not to mention hunters don't have to prove they can hit anything.

But, that is not the question here.

[BobT]

Besides, having put thousands of rounds through a shotgun does not make one a safe user and capable of using good common sense handling practices. Carrying a loaded firearm on rough, muddy, crooked, wooded trails on a mountain bike is unsafe whether you've fired thousands of rounds a year or one.

[CodyDawg]

Undoubtedly most of those 10,000 rounds came under a controlled shooting situation (ie trap, skeet, etc). That is a little different than pedaling across uneven terrain on a bike. Why is it that you need it loaded so bad? Does it take too long to put one in the chamber? If you miss out on an opportunity on 1 out of 100 grouse that the added time would take, is that a big deal in the long run? You should be able to kick most of those you miss out on up again. As a certified firearms safety instructor, I would not condone that practice whether you have shot 10 or 10,000, or 10,000,000 times per year.

Looking at it another way, how would the non-hunting public view this? Would it paint hunters in a negative light? I believe it would, even though you are technically within the law. From that perspective, I would also caution you about attempting this as the non-hunters are the ones that will decide the future of our sport.

[DonBo]

Undoubtedly most of those 10,000 rounds came under a controlled shooting situation (ie trap, skeet, etc). That is a little different than pedaling across uneven terrain on a bike. Why is it that you need it loaded so bad? Does it take too long to put one in the chamber? If you miss out on an opportunity on 1 out of 100 grouse that the added time would take, is that a big deal in the long run? You should be able to kick most of those you miss out on up again. As a certified firearms safety instructor, I would not condone that practice whether you have shot 10 or 10,000, or 10,000,000 times per year.

Looking at it another way, how would the non-hunting public view this? Would it paint hunters in a negative light? I believe it would, even though you are technically within the law. From that perspective, I would also caution you about attempting this as the non-hunters are the ones that will decide the future of our sport.

Well said. My thoughts exactly. It's time more people start to think about how we look to others and stop thinking so much about how best to fill our limits.

[BucksnDucks]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I seem to worry less and less what other people view me as and concentrate more on myself and the things that make me happy. If I was to worry about what everyone thought I was doing at all times, I wouldnt ever leave my house, answer the phone, or even log onto the net! I'm all for embracing what few freedoms have not been taking from me, and if its that one of my freedoms is to pedal a bike down a trail with a loaded firearm, you guessed it I fully withn the laws of this country to do just that and therefore will embrace that freedom!

[BobT]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I seem to worry less and less what other people view me as and concentrate more on myself and the things that make me happy. If I was to worry about what everyone thought I was doing at all times, I wouldnt ever leave my house, answer the phone, or even log onto the net! I'm all for embracing what few freedoms have not been taking from me, and if its that one of my freedoms is to pedal a bike down a trail with a loaded firearm, you guessed it I fully withn the laws of this country to do just that and therefore will embrace that freedom!

With freedom comes responsibility. We are guaranteed freedom of speech through the constitution of the United States but without a doubt we can easily open our mouth and prove to everyone how much we should be denied that freedom.

[Powerstroke]

Well said Bob.

All I wanted to do was answer the question of legality. The law is made to protect people from the actions of others, not to protect us from ourselves. I won't make any statements about anyone's ability.

To the uninformed, everything we do looks unsafe so that's a poor way to look at things. Some people think its unsafe to hunt from a treestand. Some think its unsafe to walk woods trails carrying a gun and shooting at a flying object.

Are you more likely to fall off a bike than you are to fall down while walking? Unlikely. Tell me the last time you crashed a bike? When was the last time you tripped over a rock, rut or tree root while walking? I can can count my bike crashes on one hand while I probably trip or slip about everytime I hunt. Should I stop walking with a loaded shotgun during grouse season or pheasant season? Of course not. we carry our guns safely so as to prevent the possibility of a accidental discharge.

Slowly riding a bike with your gun properly stowed in a way you would use if you were walking up a hill, is no less safe. Try to keep an open mind, unless you guys want to see laws describing rules for bikes in hunting and allowable gun carry methods.

[DonBo]

Powerstroke, the original question was "can you sling a loaded shotgun over your shoulder on a mountain bike grouse hunting???" The legal answer seems to be "yes". That does not make it safe, or right.

As you stated: "Slowly riding a bike with your gun properly stowed in a way you would use if you were walking up a hill, is no less safe." If the gun were properly stowed no one would have an issue with it. Going back to the original question, slung over your shoulder-LOADED is not "properly stowed" and is just not a good idea, legal or not.

[BobT]

I think Powerstroke makes some good points. I have stumbled while walking and climbing into a deer stand (gun is unloaded for this task) but at the same time it is much easier and likely for me to protect myself and control my firearm during a stumble while walking at 2mph than while riding at say 5 or 10 mph. For me, it still seems like it would add excessive danger beyond what we face while walking and for that reason I would highly recommend carrying it unloaded at the very least. Plus I think it would be a good idea to use a case to protect the firearm from damage due to tree branches and potential falls.

[CodyDawg]

Powerstroke,

I gotta disagree with you here and the descrepancy comes in the form of control. Specifically muzzle control. When walking with a gun, you have 2 hands to control your gun. When riding a bike (at a higher rate of speed in most cases) you have no hands to control the gun. That is the big difference in my mind. I dont see how "Slowly riding a bike with your gun properly stowed in a way you would use if you were walking up a hill" could be true. Unless of course you are riding the bike without your hands? I used to do that as a kid and I can show you my lack of success on my knees to this day.

[Tom7227]

I think this is one of those threads that is going to go on, and on, and on, and no one's opinion is going to change much if at all. PITW.

[Powerstroke]

I didn't think I had to draw a picture, but I'm sure many people have carried their gun, on a sling, over their shoulder. This requires no hands. Or how about carrying your gun on your shoulder, pointing to the rear, with one hand on your gun? Everyone has done it.

The original question was "can you"? The answer is yes. The rest has been everyone else judging the action. That being said, the question is a fair one and it doesn't propose anything more inherently risky or dangerous than a hunter on an ATV except for the loaded part.

I realize everyone has their opinion. I'm not saying anyone is wrong, but I don't think this is a terrible idea that should be blasted the way it was. The guy thought enough of the law and other hunters to ask out loud. I think he deserves to be treated fairly.

[CodyDawg]

I certainly havent read the whole thread, but I havent been unfair. He asked, therefore he wanted opinions.

A gun on a sling while driving a bike does not provide for muzzle control like a two handed carry while walking. Riding with one hand on your gun and one hand on the handle bars seems to up the liklihood of a crash considerably. IMO, there is no way you can equate a two handed carry while walking with transporting a loaded gun on a bike. To attempt to do so is ludicrous, IMO. In addition, when you add in the public perception, I dont feel it is probably something that should be attempted, even though legal. Then again, there are a lot of legal things that shouldnt be attempted, but are. Darwin has a way of weeding out some of those that are the attemptees.

[BobT]

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Darwin has a way of weeding out some of those that are the attemptees.

Unfortunately the same may be true for others nearby.

[tweedlap]

Why can't someone contact an officer or the DNR and find out for sure?

?

tweed

[BobT]

Go for it.

[tweedlap]

Email sent to the MN DNR.

tweed