Roadless areas in the Gallatin NF

[Bambistew]

I ran into a whiner on another board and the topic of closures in the GF came up... while talking sheep hunting. Seems that he thinks that the anti hunters (wilderness advocates) are behind the closures... Since less access = fewer hunters... I brought up the fact fact that the kill percentage is generally higher in roadless/wilderness areas... I told him that the "anti hunters" would be looseing their fight if that was their true agenda...

I've looked but really don't feel like wading though all the BS to find the actual amount of roads/atv trails that will be closed off with their preferred alternative as opposed to whats out there right now... I guess what I can't find is whats out there right now to compare it to.

Can anyone help me out? Buzz?

 

[Nemont]

Group rallies against Gallatin off-road proposal
Associated Press

BOZEMAN -- A group of bikers, snowmobilers and all-terrain vehicle riders is fighting a proposal by the Gallatin National Forest to close significant areas to motor vehicles.

The forest wants to ban snowmobiles from 356,000 of its 1.8 million acres under a revised travel plan due out in January. Motorcycle trails would fall by about 50 percent and ATV trails by 40 percent.

The plan also calls for 34,000 fewer off-trail acres for horseback riders in alpine areas of the Beartooth Plateau, and a drop in off-road access for mountain bikers.


A weekend rally against the proposal by Citizens for Balanced Use, a new group formed by motorized use advocate Kerry White, drew more than 200 people, including several local and county officials.

Many carried signs reading "Don't Lock Us Out," "No More Closure," and "No Compromise. We Want to Keep What We Already Have."

"You've been threatened to be locked out," Bozeman city commissioner Jeff Krauss told the crowd. "I guarantee the city commission does not support anything but full access to the national forest."

Krauss vowed to ask Mayor Andrew Cetraro and fellow commissioner Lee Hietala to write letters calling on the U.S. Forest Service to keep its lands open to motorized users.

White said he formed the group because "there needs to be some balance."

But some environmental groups believe the existing balance already favors motorized users.

Most non-wilderness trails in the Gallatin are open to motorized vehicles, and plenty will stay that way if the travel plan is adopted, said Alex Phillips, an organizer in Bozeman for the Montana Wilderness Association.

Just 4 percent of forest visitors report using motorcycles and ATVs, while less than 10 percent snowmobile, she said.

"You can hear them from miles away," said Phillips, who added that protecting the forest's wildlife and natural resources were also important concerns.

Forest Supervisor Becki Heath was expected to select a final plan sometime next year.

 

[BuzzH]

They sure like to talk compromise...but does this sound like compromise?

"You've been threatened to be locked out," Bozeman city commissioner Jeff Krauss told the crowd. "I guarantee the city commission does not support anything but full access to the national forest." "

 

[BigHornRam]

"The plan also calls for 34,000 fewer off-trail acres for horseback riders in alpine areas of the Beartooth Plateau"

I think this is the part of the plan that bothers most hunters, since most of the horseback riders in this area are hunters. What's next, ban hikers (hunters) from going off trail in areas? Could happen, believe it.

 

[Bambistew]

Isn't there some places in ID that ban horses other than for packing in and packing out... i.e. no over night stays with them?

I'll have to look at thier preferred travel plan a little more closely. I can see where the horse back riders would have a problem... but i've seen some of the destruction that 'over use' in an alpine area by horses and even hikers has caused... those type areas just don't heal all that quickly. I guess an all out ban would be the easiest for them to control/enforce vs, giveing out "tickets" for a select how ever many that they decide can go into those areas and not destroy the habitat.

 

[BigHornRam]

First of all it would be nice to know if there is an actual problem in this area, or if it is an exageration by a few individuals with an agenda. Second what constitutes a trail? Is a game trail a trail? I've seen damage caused by elk going up and down the hill as well. Should we ban them in sensitive areas too? When does some of this go from necessary to rediculous? Is banning off trail hiking rediculous? It is to me.

 

[1_pointer]

Second what constitutes a trail?

In situations dealing with the federal agencies, they designate on maps what are 'trails' and what aren't. The plans also have rules/regs governing areas not covered by trails. This can range from open to all travel or closed to all travel.

I'd expect that much of the issue of horses in high alpine areas deals with weeds and overgrazing. IIRC, some of the Wind River Wilderness is closed to overnight stays with horses or has pretty strict limits as to the length of stay for this reason.