I think I hate ATVs.

[PrairieHunter]

I have zero issue with ATV's...its irresponsible users riding in illegal areas that I don't like. I use ATV's on many different hunts...especially the many open roads where I just don't want to take a full-size pickup.

Yep.

Part of the problem with ATV's is enforcement of rules. The USFS does a horrible job of policing this, and the country sheriffs dept has more pressing issues than Jimbo driving off road in his 4 wheeler.

People started not following the rules, nobody got in trouble, so they just kept going off the trails.

This is a USFS LEO issue. Same reason why the BLM south of Laramie is a trash dump. No enforcement from the people in charge.

 

[Straight Arrow]

When we hunt above the cabin I make everyone park down low and hike up to hunt. Depending on where downed, sometimes it's helpful to employ an ATV or UTV, especially for some of us chronologically challenged, "smarter" hunters.

 

[mtmuley]

One of those things isn't going to help me much. I've turned in lots of abusers. mtmuley

 

[KB_]

Don’t get me wrong- we have one and I love it. Super fun to tool around on the trails and great when roads are bad. But they have their place, and it isn’t driving off-road, and not every place needs to be accessible to motorized use.

To be clear. You mean off designated roads and atv trails right?

 

[Hunting Wife]

To be clear. You mean off designated roads and atv trails right?

Yes

 

[TheJason]

Yep.

Part of the problem with ATV's is enforcement of rules. The USFS does a horrible job of policing this, and the country sheriffs dept has more pressing issues than Jimbo driving off road in his 4 wheeler.

People started not following the rules, nobody got in trouble, so they just kept going off the trails.

This is a USFS LEO issue. Same reason why the BLM south of Laramie is a trash dump. No enforcement from the people in charge.

Is current staffing conducive to effective enforcement?

 

[Dougfirtree]

It seems I can’t go in the woods without finding illegal atv use, this year. Just this morning I encountered this illegal road cut through state land. It really sucks to work hard getting to a more remote spot, only to find someone else got there by “cheating”.

 

[TheTone]

Is current staffing conducive to effective enforcement?

Yeah it’s almost like they’re understaffed and under funded…

 

[OverlordBear]

Four missing value stems might be the perfect medicine for illegal atv and utv use. Especially when they destroy habitat to get in.

 

[BearFoot]

Love my ATV's

 

[noharleyyet]

It ain’t the tool, it’s the tool operating it.

https://flic.kr/p/2imx2ag

 

[TheTone]

It ain’t the tool, it’s the tool operating it.

Very true but as they’ve gotten bigger, faster and easier to ride I think abuse has gone up. I’ve often wondered if utv’s with two or more people in them lead to peer pressure to make bad decisions

 

[noharleyyet]

Very true but as they’ve gotten bigger, faster and easier to ride I think abuse has gone up. I’ve often wondered if utv’s with two or more people in them lead to peer pressure to make bad decisions

Peer pressure is what accessories are for. I’ve seen people trammel tundra in a Lincoln town car. Bad actors gonna act.

 

[406dn]

Peer pressure is what accessories are for. I’ve seen people trammel tundra in a Lincoln town car. Bad actors gonna act.

Yeah, but they are more likely to get stuck while doing it. So it is a bit more self limiting.

 

[noharleyyet]

Yeah, but they are more likely to get stuck while doing it. So it is a bit more self limiting.

The vast majority of tv owners are law abiding…sound familiar?

 

[WapitiBob]

Love my atv, best hunting money I’ve spent.

 

[David58]

Love my atv, best hunting money I’ve spent.

I can think of any number of things that I would spend hunting money on than an ATV. Once the road stops, going in further is done with my feet. If I was to road hunt, my rig is more comfortable.

David
NM

 

[mtmuley]

Love my atv, best hunting money I’ve spent.

How so? mtmuley

 

[338win]

Atvs are amazing. If game is near the road, hunt off the road. If animals are off the road, walk a terrain feature from a road. If there are no animal tracks in the trail keep going. If you want to get away, go into a non motorized area with no trail. I usually just use them to access good habitat or get to a terrain feature then walk in.

 

[The Hedgehog]

My hunting/field ethics were forever formed by my first hunting mentors. At 15 years of age, I was taken to my hunter's safety course by a WW2 combat vet named Zigmond, who was in his early 40's then.

The old Fish and Game Club building was filled with WW2 vets who had grown up with the new ideas about saving all wildlife that came with the 1937 Pittman Robertson Federal aid to wildlife act.

There were even some WW1 vets there, in their 70's then.

WW1 vets were the creative force behind getting the PR Act going in the first place.

What a privilege it was to be with these men. In two world wars they had seen such destruction, and here they were working to help put something back together.

Who introduced you to the meat popsicle?