ATV hunters running in prohibited areas

[PhxDT]

I have run across this a number of times.  Seems to happen at least once on every hunt.  I hike in mile(s) into some non-motorized area, and some ATV comes buzzing up 20 minutes after sunrise only to disturb my area.  I usually just shrug it off- just chock it up to hunting on public land.  We all run into that.

This last hunt, I was with my boys on a junior hunt.  It was a bummer to see a group with a couple of juniors running quads in a restricted area. 

How do you guys handle these situations?  I am probably going to continue to do nothing in the future, but curious if you all have opinions/actions.

[oz31p]

Maybe a warning shot is warranted ?

[AZHunter1]

Get pictures of there plates, and report it to G&F maaayyybbbbeee they might come out and check it out.

[PhxDT]

37 minutes ago, AZHunter1 said:

Get pictures of there plates, and report it to G&F maaayyybbbbeee they might come out and check it out.

ya, thought of this.  I think they are overloaded with much bigger issues.  oh well.

[PhxDT]

1 hour ago, oz31p said:

Maybe a warning shot is warranted ?

hahaha.  subtle.

[Sky Island junkie]

I welded up some jacks out of 2” fence staples for just the occasion. Tires eat em up!😂

[NOTAGS]

I’ve confronted people on occasion, all made excuses” they didn’t know”.  In reality, they didn’t care.  Not sure if any of it sank in.   People suck

[Flatlander]

On 10/15/2021 at 6:09 PM, oz31p said:

Maybe a warning shot is warranted ?

This is stupid. ATV’s are annoying but joking about shooting at people is dumb.

[Flatlander]

On 10/15/2021 at 8:12 PM, Sky Island junkie said:

I welded up some jacks out of 2” fence staples for just the occasion. Tires eat em up!😂

There have been pictures of these posted on several local Facebook pages. So what happens when an atv tire flips one of these things up and it hits the person behind them? It sounds cool to talk tough on the internet. Reality is you can just hike over a ridge with no roads on it if you really wanted to solve the problem.

[Gunit]

1 hour ago, Flatlander said:

There have been pictures of these posted on several local Facebook pages. So what happens when an atv tire flips one of these things up and it hits the person behind them? It sounds cool to talk tough on the internet. Reality is you can just hike over a ridge with no roads on it if you really wanted to solve the problem.

Thank you for your reasonable response. I worry whenever I read a thread like this one; shooting? Sabotage?
If you want to be away from any vehicles then walk to where they cannot go, simple as that.

[grey curse]

Walking to another ridge, going to where there are no roads,  Just hike in further!   All great advice.  I’ve hunted central units where that is just not possible.   Fairly flat land for any quad or sxs, old Logging round down ever ridge(yes abandoned), Meadows  that have no road down them.   People just take these things anywhere, road or not is doesn’t matter.   Confront them and “ they didn’t know”.  Say nothing and just expect it gets old.   Sabotage get tricky and dangerous.  Best advice I can give is: good luck, don’t get mad, dont get even, don’t get caught.   It’s tough out there and only getting tougher.  Wish I had better advice but  that’s all I got and how I handle it. 

[bigbuckfever]

At one of the places I have hunted, there is a cattle trail  (it's been a cattle trail for over 30 years) that leads off of a mesa and goes about 200 yards down to another smaller mesa.  Recently someone in a sxs decided to make a road out of the trail.  I took the time to stack boulders across the trail in about 5 different choke points  in an attempt to let them know that this wasn't a road.  I knew a jerk would just get out and move some of them to drive thru again, but I guess I was hoping that a one timer or a real hunter that wasn't a puke would get the idea that this wasn't a road.  Phfff, no such luck.  The next two times I went there the boulders were moved and there were fresh tire tracks there.  I have owned a quad and driven off road many times and loved riding as much as the next guy. so, I'm not anti ATV.  I was just hoping to keep a little piece of paradise unspoiled for a little longer.  I want to hunt where someone else wants to ride thru, all part of being in the public hunting grounds.  (This was not in a designated wilderness area)

[TOBY]

If there isn't a sign on the road that says closed or no trespassing it's fair game. The little white forest map means nothing. My onx or flatline says nothing so I'm good. That's the answers I get from all you... so if u can't beat them.........

[elkaholic]

Over the yrs. I've watched "game trails" turn into cattle trails, hunter trails , cycle trails, quad trails ,sxs rds and finally truck rds. What use to be a 2 mile hike to a secluded ridgeline , is now a road. 

heck, some good ole spots are now subdivisions.

Not much one can do about it.

Finding secluded spots to hunt are getting harder to find and  are dissappearing. 

Sure, one can backpack or ride into remote wilderness areas. Even those spots are getting crowded.  Think you finally found a spot nobody else has been, to find an ole beer can or casings laying around.  

Its unfortunate and usally ticks me off too, to have others intrude and not follow rd closures. Trying to explain the rules to a violators, is a waste of time. 

Blocking rds might delay or deter some but won't stop most. 

Do what you think you got to do. 

Good luck. 

I usually take a break and let things settle down.  Go back to my hunting. 

[Explorer]

I doubt any forest service 3/4 ton pickup truck is going to catch a ATV anyways. Not like they can call back up down the road if someone just out runs them.