Legit ATV use?

[T Bone]

How many of you use an ATV for hunting in a law abiding manner?

How do you overcome the urge to become illiterate and ride around or break down the "No Motorized Traffic" signs?

Do all ATV users gain 75 pounds?

Generally my opinion of ATV users is low to very low due to the laziness, law breaking, and general disregard for the land and other hunters.

I have a chance to own a Yamaha ATV at a stupid low price from a neighbor. It's been neglected sitting in the sun, but I think I'd could get it up and rolling with less than $1000 into it.

I'm leaning toward buying it due to the bargain like nature of it. There have been a couple times recently when I wished I had an ATV instead of sliding off the mountain in my truck.

 

[jryoung]

I do

I have more of an urge to see Rosie O'Donnell naked

Nope, but some have fused vertebrae and a metal hip

Agreed, many dirtbags

ATVs can be extremely useful when used appropriately. The area we hunted last year had a nasty two mile stretch of unmaintained road before the non-motorized border and instead of beating the piss out of the truck we were able to get there in half the time and not risk damaging the truck.

 

[mtmuley]

Don't own one, don't need one, can't stand em. Legitimate use usually leads to illigitimate use at some point. mtmuley

 

[jryoung]

Don't own one, don't need one, can't stand em. Legitimate use usually leads to illigitimate use at some point. mtmuley

Like all gun owners are going to kill someone.

 

[bmack]

I've owned one for years and I think they are effective for where I hunt.

Much easier and quicker to access different areas I want to drop into compared to driving my truck around and beating it up.

I can't stand those who take advantage of the laws, however it happens in any capacity.

For me it is just more efficient.

 

[Much2hunt]

Don't own one, don't need one, can't stand em. Legitimate use usually leads to illigitimate use at some point. mtmuley

My thoughts exactly, I do not know a single ATV user that when questioned and is honest, has not violated the non motorized rule here in Idaho. Some not meaning to, but the result is the same..Ban the stinkin things entirely..

Edit: Sorry ,this is the only topic that gets me spun up,I know some hunters must use them legally somewhere, I am just so tired of going toe to toe with these so called hunters and their illegal antics, They have ruined so many of my favorite hunting areas. I am not a young man any more and will probably get my butt whipped sooner or later.I will post pics............

 

[nidahunter]

As a general rule I do not like the way poeple use them. With that being said,I do have one but the only time it comes off the back of the truck is if i have an animal down and I am in a legal place to drive one. I do agree however that far too many people think that just because they can drive there means they should drive there.

 

[Elkmagnet]

I do, they are great for late season coyote hunts in deep snow/mud.

 

[WapitiBob]

Very effective way to get around when i was hunting Utah and New Mexico. Depending on the areas you intend to hunt, it may or may not be practical.

 

[ida homer]

I think they can serve their purpose but it's a slippery slope. It's difficult for officers to determine if the individual was using it for game retrieval, hunting or packing in camp. I say ban them all.

Here in Idaho everyone just blatantly disregards the OHV rules/regs. Plus, it's not enforced. Last year where I hunted, there was one motorized trail on the far east side of the drainage and bikers/atv's kept pushing deer our way.

 

[WapitiBob]

They have no business being use for game retrieval as far as I'm concerned. They stay on open roads and open trails. No different than any other vehicle.

 

[Muleyfanatic]

I own one and have not used it for hunting out west; just around the farm for game retrieval. I have often wished I had one out west to save from beating the hell out of my truck on the road; but will probably not haul it out. If everyone would use them as per the law I would not have a problem with them but we all know that it does not happen that way. I honestly have a prejudice against them and there users because of the ones that break the laws and cringe when I see or hear them (rightfully so or not).

 

[npaden]

I have one and have used it for legitimate purposes during a hunting trip a whopping one time. We had moved to a new area and needed to cover some ground scouting really quickly before the season opened the next day. I could cover about 3 times as much ground running the ATV than I could in my pickup. Stayed on numbered roads the entire time.

Most of the time the ATV is along for the wife and kid to mess around on back at camp while I'm out hunting, that's the only time it got used for "hunting" in the 3 or 4 times we've brought it.

Thinking it through, I have possibly violated the law more often in my pickup than on an ATV when I was trying to follow "roads" that were on the map and on the GPS but they ended up disappearing into the sagebrush and I was left trying to guess that the bent grass was the road and just hunting and pecking and hoping that the real road would show up again sometime. That has only happened to me a couple times that I can remember, but I've never left the road or trail on an ATV, if I lose the road I just turn around and go back and find another route, you can cover ground so much quicker it's not worth it to try to hunt and peck for the real road.

 

[jryoung]

I didn't realize Idahoans were the type that want more government regulation. "Slippery slope, ban them all" replace ATV with gun and you could be a democrat in the CA legislature.

 

[the nikster]

I didn't realize Idahoans were the type that want more government regulation. "Slippery slope, ban them all" replace ATV with gun and you could be a democrat in the CA legislature.

I see your point and it is not unfounded.
I would like to point out my personal experiences. I see multiple hunters every year, almost all of whom have firearms and I have not witnessed even 1 illegal firearms violation (that I recall).
ATV violations are witnessed almost every day. Not every ATV violates but the proportion is huge.

 

[jryoung]

Agreed, but because of many douchebags, my dad (fused back and fake hip) should not be able to access hunting areas according to many here?

Believe me, I'm not rah rah ATV, but for my Dad it is the reason he gets to continue to hunt, which is why I contest the draconian "ban them all" rhetoric.

 

[idnative1948]

Me also, but in Idaho. 2000 Yamaha Big Bear 400, but passed on it for $600. Just too far gone, lots of things missing although mostly cosmetic. Nothing that a couple hundred couldn't fix, but I just don't have the time. We use our other one to ride into trail heads. If you are retrieving game fine! I would like to put a round across the bow of some we have seen coming into where we hunt and we KNOW they didn't come in without going over berms.

How many of you use an ATV for hunting in a law abiding manner?

How do you overcome the urge to become illiterate and ride around or break down the "No Motorized Traffic" signs?

Do all ATV users gain 75 pounds?

Generally my opinion of ATV users is low to very low due to the laziness, law breaking, and general disregard for the land and other hunters.

I have a chance to own a Yamaha ATV at a stupid low price from a neighbor. It's been neglected sitting in the sun, but I think I'd could get it up and rolling with less than $1000 into it.

I'm leaning toward buying it due to the bargain like nature of it. There have been a couple times recently when I wished I had an ATV instead of sliding off the mountain in my truck.

 

[Lawnboy]

I have 2 of them and use them on occasion. I also have 4 horses, 2 feet, and a mountain bike. All of which I use over the course of a hunting season. It all depends on what kind of hunt I have time for and what I'm in the mood for. I love using my horses and packing in. I also love running up behind the house with the wheeler or mtn. bike before or after work. I really love the Dall sheep hunts that I get to do each year which entails serious backpack hunting. My point is you can't judge someone by a method of hunting. I got yelled at last year by some longbow carrying hack that called me lazy and swore at me for driving on a legal trail/road with my wheeler. He assumed that the only hunting I do is on a wheeler. He was pissed because he was walking on a atv trail and it takes him 45 mins to get in and it only takes me 10. I basically recited exactly what I just mentioned to him and said I will use whatever is legal and helps me.
Are there hacks with wheelers? Too many of them for sure. I've taken picts of ones that are illegally in spots and turned them in. Some have been prosecuted and others not because the law enforcement didn't follow up. Bottom line is that if you don't like to see them then don't hunt in areas that they are allowed. If you find them in areas they aren't allowed snap picts, turn them in and give them hell when you see them.

 

[6speed]

I have one, I use it whenever I hunt from a base camp (when my family goes and I take the travel trailer and the good truck instead of my hunting rig) and I do not and will not violate Idaho or Federal regulations. I have reported illegal ATV use but I have seen others that obey the laws as well.

 

[Summitthunting]

I use them, follow the rules and would prefer beating one up instead of my truck. You guys that want them all banned should go look for work in the Obama Administration. Saying they lead to more violations is like saying forks make people fat.