I gotta Know..... ATV Use....

[aztrophytakers]

I didn't say take no action. I agree with the last sentence in your reply-If you have no respect for laws or property you pay the price. If you are justified to wreck the guys property because he broke the law, is he justified to hit you over the head with a rock when he finds you destroying his property-because you are breaking the law? If the guy was setting on the atv would you go up and start destroying the vehicle? Get law enforcement to enforce the law-take a picture, write down a license plate, get a vehicle i.d. number and get law enforcement involved. I don't own an atv but I don't think that it's my duty or right or whatever to destroy anyones personal property because they break the law with it. Do you think that the people that owned those atv's won't do the same thing again because of your act of vandilism? I doubt it.

Jackshoe--

 

I understand the point you are getting at. I have tried in the past to get law enforcement involved. I have called in and reported more than once illegal use of atv's. I have waited for hours to meet with authorities to show them the bikes behind closed signs. Nobody ever showed up. In there eyes they have more important matters to attend to. I long ago lost faith in the proper authorities, they are no less than a joke to me. G&F and County Sheriff's DO NOT enforce these laws. That is why it is so far out of control and getting worse every season. Ths topic strikes a personal nerve with me so excuse my "vigilate justice" take on this. Everyone is entitled to their opinion as am I. To those that disagree with me, thats fine, just don't drive your atv into the wilderness area that me and my family are hunting, could get expensive.

[Snapshot]

I have a nice Polaris Sportsman that I bought a couple years ago. I enjoy ATV riding and exploring the mountains on legal trails and roadways.

Everywhere I go there are people who are not aware of the rules, and people who do not care about the rules, and this ignorance will ruin it for those of us that obey laws and regulations.

I rarely use my quad while hunting. This past year was an exception when I used it to help retrieve my deer to save a little wear and tear on my bad back. Even though what I did was legal, I kind of felt guilty about it.

ATV's are great fun and a great tool if used responsibly, however, there are way too many people using them for hunting and shed finding by illegally going off road, especially some of those that cut fences to access areas.

I hope the funds from the new OHV sticker does some good, but I doubt it will help much. Game and Fish just hired 7 new officers to enforce OHV use, but 7 officers spread over Arizona is pretty thin, but better than nothing.

[jackshoe]

trophytaker and snapshot-I understand your frustration. I have had my share of frustration about non action and no response from G&F as well as forest service law enforcement. I love to fly fish and Canyon Creek is one of my favorite places in Arizona. I have seen countless people fishing with bait, carrying stringers of fish and doing all sorts of illegal activities on the catch and release, artifical lures and flies only section of Canyon Creek. I have called operation game thief, even driven to the fish hatchery on upper canyon creek and told them that people were down below fishing with bait and keeping fish, and the only time I have seen a G&F officer on lower Canyon Creek was during elk season when they were checking tags. I still don't think that slashing the guys tires is the answer. If none of us obey any laws we would have total chaos. My two cents worth.

[firstcoueswas80]

My dad and I use our quads nearly every day deer hunting. It is much easier, not only for us but for the truck to get from point A to point B using the quad. Not to mention, the ride is a little smoother than taking the Dodge 2500 on some of the nasty roads. This pas year, I drove my quad about 300 yards off of a road, to park it in a drainage when I was on my way to retrieve my buck. The road we had accessed was a highly used road, and we did not want to leave our quads in the open, so we simply drove them to the bottom and got my deer and left. People that drive all over and back really piss me off. But, damaging their quads to "teach them a lesson" is no more legal than them using their quad in the wrong way.

[AZMEATHUNTER]

enforcement??? what a joke everyone talks about it nobody does anything about it i live around williams and if i had a ticket book...wow the revenue they would make funny every year its the same story i know it by heart the forest service apparently does not..goes something like this...snow falls..roads close due to snow..snow melts turns to mud..roads still closed...sheds start to fall..antler "poachers" who can't read the road closed signs ride there quads around road closed signs they can't read (chimps can't read) ride cross country picking up the majority of the sheds to buy a new quad next year as they have picked up most of the sheds.to do the same excact thing next year!!!!!!!!!!!! this has been going on for years. talk about just hanging around the crime scene waiting for the crooks..its so simple its a joke.go out today on the north end of 7w and the south end of 9 and start writing tickets i understand these areas are big but come on for the most part elk drop close to the same spots every year.and i won't even go into the part of stressing the bulls out during a really rough time in the their lives,,,people are getting so lazy due to quads it is disscusting.

MY 2 CENTS

AZMEAT

[HEADACHE]

Point A there are a lot of people without work right now . . . that equalls more people out in the field.

 

Point B I hate it when I hike five miles to my secret spot and see quad tracks all over there . . .

 

Point C I hope they all get caught, but I do nothing more than turn the other way and walk back into places they can't get quads. I surely wouldn't beat up their stuff. That just makes all hunters look and feel bad. If you see someone doing it, ask them to stop, inform them. If they don't act like they care, report them. . . . thats the best you can do.

 

 

 

(unless you have a good sniper gun, calibrated handloads, and a big butt scope all tucked quietly under your ghillie suit mwaa ha ha ha)

 

 

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

 

 

I am impressed that few people are answering the poll questions honestly... that is why the polls are anonymous.... I just can't understand what you guys that are just out for a cross country tour are thinkin'..... I mean really... the only places that you are going are the easiest places to walk.... are you lazy, handicapped, or just flat inconsiderate?? I know that there are a lot of guys doing it.... but really we are responsible for our actions and we are loosing rights because people don't use comon sense... I do think that crimnal damage is a bit severe on the retaliation, but quite honestly I think all stupid people should be Shot or Cained.... let God sort 'um out.... and that way we can strengthen the gene pool abit in this country. I know.... far fetched but lets get real... it is hundreds of little things like this that collectively drive the nails into the top of our coffin of freedoms. Get on board!! Be a viable member of the hunting community... we have all made mistakes, and moved on to be better people.

[tjhunt2]

I am impressed that few people are answering the poll questions honestly... quote]

 

CnS.....since the polls are anonymous how can you be sure only a few people are answering honestly? I am impressed but not surprised that we have a bunch of good respectable and responsible atv owners who are members of coueswhitetail. It also wouldn't surprise me that there are a few bad apples in our bunch that abuse the land the way several have mentioned.

 

I feel the frustration of many of you on the abuse of atv use and law enforcement not responding but taking the law into one's own hands, to distroy someone's property, is just as bad if not worse IMO.

 

TJ

[DUG]

I don't have an ATV so I won't do the poll. I hope I don't see anyone on a quad crisscrossing off the road looking for sheds. We were thinking of going out tomorrow to look for some but it sounds like people are already ruining it .

[Huntn coues]

I was waiting for someone to post this yearly thread!

 

Jerk em off the quad and throw em a beat down Priceless

[az.antlerenthusiast]

I do own one but I never use it for antler hunting. As far as i'm concerned they could illegalize them and that would be just fine. If you are an older person ,disabled ,or handicapped, I could see an exception to the rule. Usually its not the people that really nead to use them that are destroying the forest, its the ones that are young and careless. If they cant enjoy being in the forest for the simple reason of being there, then throw them in a sandpit somewhere where they can all be psyco together. As far as just using ATV's to get to an antler before someone else, like it's a mad race, there is little or no sportsmanship or charactor in that. If you are capable of walking ;then do it! If you cant then I understand your story.

[rabidApache]

Good points above with ATV's. For your info its No atv's on the res. at all and I hope it stays that way.

I've heard complaints from non-tribal and tribal hunters before since I'm a guide on the res. My opinion is this from when I was taught about hunting for anything from my elders.....Its Not easy and it is not suppose to be easy! At least leave some blood, sweat and tears for the effort. I do.

[AZantlerhead]

Good points above with ATV use. My opinion is this from when I was taught about hunting for anything from my elders.....Its Not easy and it is not suppose to be easy! At least leave some blood, sweat and tears for the effort. I do.

 

+1 !!!!!

[AZantlerhead]

As far as i'm concerned they could illegalize them and that would be just fine. If you are an older person ,disabled ,or handicapped, I could see an exception to the rule. Usually its not the people that really nead to use them that are destroying the forest, its the ones that are young and careless. If they cant enjoy being in the forest for the simple reason of being there, then throw them in a sandpit somewhere where they can all be psyco together. As far as just using ATV's to get to an antler before someone else, like it's a mad race, there is little or no sportsmanship or charactor in that. If you are capable of walking ;then do it! If you cant then I understand your story.

 

+1 !!!!

[daryl_s]

Good points above with ATV's. For your info its No atv's on the res. at all and I hope it stays that way.

I've heard complaints from non-tribal and tribal hunters before since I'm a guide on the res. My opinion is this from when I was taught about hunting for anything from my elders.....Its Not easy and it is not suppose to be easy! At least leave some blood, sweat and tears for the effort. I do.

 

Well said and I agree. I personally get more satisfaction out of a hunt when I put more effort into it.

 

I use the quad on tough 4 wheel drive roads that would either tear up my car or where my car possibly would not make it. It's the s-10 style blazer so not a lot of ground clearance.

 

Gino, I don't think it's people answering dishonestly. I think that the ones who choose to respond to the poll are the ones who can proudly say they use the quads the way they are legally supposed to be used. Even though it's anonymous I think most rule breakers would rather not respond.