Author Topic: How Do You Feel About................ (Read 983 times)

Lawdog · « **on:** May 01, 2003, 03:10:00 PM »

I would like the opinions of everyone that visits this forum. How do you feel about using ATUV AND ATV's for getting around in these wide open spaces we have out west? I have a Polaris Ranger 6x6 that I use around the place and for traveling to and from hunting spots. With their large, low pressure balloon tires they do less damage to the land than 4x4 trucks and SUV's. Just wondering how many of you use them or don't and why. Lawdog

longwinters · « **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2003, 03:44:45 PM »

We are more big woods country around here. But there are a ton of atv's. I really dont mind them as long as they are just puting around. But seems most think they have to give em the gas all the time. Then I find them very annoying and somewhat offensive. Where I live they are supposed to stay on marked trails . . .which of course most do not. But out where you hunt I imagine it is somewhat the same in how people use their tools/vehicles. It isnt so much the tool that causes problems it is how it is used/misused. I would also have to say that when I am dragging my buck out of the woods for almost a mile, if someone drove up to me in one of those things and offered to help drag it out . . . I would probably say sure and thanks. But if the same person spooked a buck I was watching by driving around me when I was hunting my thoughts would not be grateful. So go figure . . .

Thomas Krupinski · « **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2003, 03:58:32 PM »

I see a lot of references on many forums regard slobs hunting from ATV's and encouraging people to get off them and walk around. However for getting from your campsite to hunting area I see nothing wrong with it. It is also very useful for dropping off hunters who hunt their way cross country back to camp or meeting point.

Road hunting, (driving roads for tracks or sight of game and then begin your hunt or stalking is a productive technique) and as a matter of fact back when I worked for the AZ Dept. of Corrections, when I first started working for the state, that was one of the methods we hunted escaped inmates.

Where I hunt here in Arizona (Forest Service and BLM lands), I think an ATV is an essential piece of equipment. Don't own one yet, but plan to purchase one in the next couple of months. I used to use a 1974 Honda Trail 90 to get around on the roads, before that it was a 1959 Wyllis CJ5. Each one had it's limitations and advantages, but now I am without either.

There are porblems cause by irresponsible operation of ATV just about everywhere. I see sport riders doing things I consider stupid and dangerous, using alchol while riding and making new trails and roads just for the thrill.

Anything can damage ground that is wet and soft, even low pressure tires. During wet weather may of our roads in the hunting areas are torn up so bad that they are impassable and then people ride up along the side and make a new road. However the ATV's stand a better chance keeping on the muddy roads than other heavier vehicles.

DesertRam · « **Reply #3 on:** May 02, 2003, 04:32:37 AM »

I have somewhat mixed feelings on the use of ATVs for hunting. In New Mexico, there are two distinct trains of thought.

In the Gila Nat'l Forest on the west side of the state there are basically no restrictions on their use. This means that pretty much everyone and his brother is out there tearing up the place. I see a serious lack of respect for our natural resources by many of these riders that call themselves hunters. Like was stated above, these monkeys think they need to be on the gas the whole time. Add that to the folks that just poke along with a loaded rifle or shotgun looking for a deer or turkey, and you have a potentially dangerous situation. In this instance, I'd like to see some restrictions placed on ATV use.

On the other side of the coin, in the north (Carson Nat'l Forest), ATV use is restricted to established roads only, no trails or off-road use at all. This makes for a nice quiet hunting atmosphere that I appreciate. However, this benefit becomes a detriment when it's time to get an elk out of a deep canyon a mile from the road in 80-90 degree weather during the bow season. For the hunter that can't justify the use and keeping of pack horses, being able to use an ATV for recovery purposes would enable him to hunt a considerably larger area without fear of losing a downed animal in the heat. I'd like to see an exception to the ban for recovery.

I don't own an ATV, but wouldn't mind having one to facilitate travel between camp and trailheads and to help hump out the critters. However, I recognize that we (as hunters and/or riders) must respect our environment and the wildlife that lives there. Unrestricted use of any vehicle has a significant negative impact on the outdoor experience. Based on my experience, we (big umbrella) can't be counted on to use ATVs responsibly, so I see the need for some official "infringement" before irreparable damage is done, both to our beloved wild places and to our images.

HogFan · « **Reply #4 on:** May 02, 2003, 09:34:21 AM »

I'm an Arky that now lives in MT. Most people where we hunt at, will not let us drive four wheelers. Good thing, as I don't own one. I know very few people here that use them for hunting. Now in Arkansas, I did have one and used it very much. I would say about 75% of the people their have them and use them for hunting. In some place I am against their use. Other places where permitted, just don't trash the land, and respect others out hunting, and i have no problem. Now be out joy riding while I'm out hunting, well that's a different matter!

HogFan

Flashole · « **Reply #5 on:** May 02, 2003, 01:37:56 PM »

If they would just stay on heavly traveled trail. My hunting is mostly done on leases in Tx. and one of the rifle hunts in Co. A few years back in Co. I had spent more than an hour to try to get to a remote area. Had seen elk there the day before. That moring are group ( on foot ) had seen several elk only to have are chances wipped out buy some guy who had spent 10 minutes ridding. Back at the trail head I asked the guy what he saw. Have not seen any elk all week he said. Gee I wonder why.

Lawdog · « **Reply #6 on:** May 02, 2003, 01:49:24 PM »

Seems like everyone is in agreement, use them for what they were designed for, TRANSPORTATION not a substitute for hunting. Of course we are not talking about the disabled hunter. That's a different story all together. I used to use my ATUV to haul my disabled cousin to stands but now he has a tracked chair that he hunts out of and it makes less noise than many hunters walking thru the woods. Lawdog

Thomas Krupinski · « **Reply #7 on:** May 02, 2003, 04:29:40 PM »

Flash,

Things are probably different in Colorado, never hunted there. But here in Arizona the elk are rather used to vehicles. I have driven up to and past them rather close. They are usually not alarmed unless you stop and they see you stopping or hear the engine stopping while they can see the vehicle.

Last year I was taking around a archery hunter from Alabama who was riding as the passanger on his ATV while I was driving. He spots this group of three bulls, relatively close to the road and motions for me to stop. This was the afternoon before the hunt was to begin. Rather than stopping and spooking them I just slowly rode past and let his heart beat a little faster. They didn't move, just watched us as we rode by.

I think that behavior is because they are used to humans traveling the ranching, logging and fire roads here. I'll bet there probably isn't more than a couple of places, outside the designated wilderness areas, that you are not more than a mile or two from some sort of road.

In the lower country, usually BLM and sometimes Forest Service lands, there is also an extensive network of the above type roads as well as roads to old mines and claims. They are not nearly all on the maps and definately not maintained.

I used to haul up my horses and hunt from them, but that got to be too much work and maintenance for something that you had to feed whether you used it or not. Now I am more interested in a mechanical mule, just to get to where I will be hunting and scouting. Actually I am trying to sell off old trailer, horse tack and corals to get money to buy an ATV.

tominboise · « **Reply #8 on:** May 03, 2003, 06:15:26 PM »

I don't care for them. It seems that I constantly run into them after I've just humped several miles on foot. Also, I have had too many encounters with bunches of yea-hoos riding around with rifles pointed every which way, usually unshaven and packing along plenty of beer and cigarettes. I'm usually an "each to his own" guy, but I have had more bad encounters than good encounters with guys on ATV's. If they stayed on the roads it wouldn't be so bad, but I see them or their tracks all over the place.

Just my two cents, that's what makes a horserace.

Tom

ihookem · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2003, 03:17:30 PM »

In northern Wisconsin they have really become a problem on public land. It also seems they are the slobs that bait illegally, shoot past closing hours and have no respect for anything. I think they drive around trying to piss off other hunters that are in " their" hunting area. I hear these things all day long on public land were it says in plain sight signs forbiding mortorised vehicles. There was a time I could go way back in the woods and hunt all alone. Now atv tracks, permanent stands, beer cans, candy bar wrappers and red ribbons are common. The fines are very modest when getting caught,like 100 bucks or so, but it is rare they get caught. When it was legal I had a 110 three wheeler. I used the trails to go hunting and back and that was it!