Attention Campers/Hunters New rule in affect on leaving Trailer in the woods

[muzzlehunter75]

The Forest Service is cracking down on people leaving their camp trailer in the woods. In 9 They have towed 9 Trailers out of their. You have to occupy your trailer, it can't be abandoned for 72hrs. They are driving around and putting red stickers on your trailer if they come back and your sticker is not taken off, they call the tow truck out of valley and he comes in and tows your trailer. We are in 22 miles in where we camp, and forest service told us that the ticket would be $100.00 but the tow company would be like 1,000 due to mileage. So here is the catch, the forest Service dude told us leave a vehicle in camp and they wont bug you, because they think someone is their. So I hope this helps guys, we also found out at the flinstone village in Valley you can store your trailer for a $1.00 a day.

[43F]

I saw a camp way out in 4A this past weekend where there were five trailers parked together. Only one trailer appeared to be occupied or being used because there was a vehicle there and some camping equipment out. Good advice about leaving vehicles.

[Chef]

Wow.

Thanks for the heads up!

[StickFlicker]

Great info, especially about the Flintstone Village info. I don't have a 9 tag this year, but good info to know for the future!

[Snapshot]

I don't want to see anybody get towed, but I wish they did that with empty tents.

 

I wanted to camp at Strayhorse for my November archery elk hunt one year. Someone had filled the entire campground with empty tents to "Claim their spot" 10 days in advance of the rifle elk hunt. Couldn't even use the campground, because of all the empty tents.

[WinMag]

I have always felt first come first serve, that's the way it should be. I know I have come to a lot of my favorite camp spots only to find them being used. I just move on to another spot. If I really want a special spot then I leave a few days early to hopefully get it.......... To be completely truthful, I don't like them being towed exactly but I do feel it is wrong to lay claim to a spot you are not currently camping in.

[AZLance]

This is great news... I have been reporting abandoned camp trailers for years. Finally they are starting to enforce the law.!

[Guest oneshot]

Are you kiddingme??? people actually set-up and leave their trailers to claim "their" spot??? Good for FS towing them away, first thing FS has done lately I can agree with...

SnapShot... Empty tents set to claim an area would incur a phone call to FS from me... or worse...

[Snapshot]

Are you kiddingme??? people actually set-up and leave their trailers to claim "their" spot??? Good for FS towing them away, first thing FS has done lately I can agree with...

SnapShot... Empty tents set to claim an area would incur a phone call to FS from me... or worse...

I was kinda peeved, but I ended up camping across the road. The owners of the tents came up 2 days before their hunt, took down the tents, and replaced them with RV's. In their defense, they ended up being pretty cool, and invited me over for beers, and BBQ at their camp.

[Seldom Drawn]

To bad they stay away from 7w and 5bn ,we have trailers here for the last 3 weeks ,with quads, side by sides utilty trailers

trash bags hanging from the trees..people have been doing this for years ,how many of you on this sight do it?there are a million

acres to camp at why does this bother you all?most city folk like to camp on top of each other, Why are you scared of the woods.I even had horse people from Wickenburg get mad at me cause I wouldn't let them camp with me cause it was there favorite spot Really?

 

 

Seldom Drawn

[bonecollector]

To bad they stay away from 7w and 5bn ,we have trailers here for the last 3 weeks ,with quads, side by sides utilty trailers

trash bags hanging from the trees..people have been doing this for years ,how many of you on this sight do it?there are a million

acres to camp at why does this bother you all?most city folk like to camp on top of each other, Why are you scared of the woods.I even had horse people from Wickenburg get mad at me cause I wouldn't let them camp with me cause it was there favorite spot Really?

 

 

Seldom Drawn

 

I guess I dont see what the big deal is. Like you said there is enough forest for everyone to find a spot to camp. I dont do it, I dont own a trailer to be able to do it. I have friends that leave their trailers all summer on the rez instead of pulling them back every weekend. They pay their fees though.

[Dan H]

If your not there 24 7 how do you know they didn't leave in an emergency and are coming back in a day or two to continue scouting?

[Snapshot]

It's no big deal to stake out a random spot in the national forest, there are hundreds of spots to camp. staking claim to an entire National Forest campground 2 weeks in advance, is denying other people the right to use those facilities in the interim.

[KaibabHunter]

+1 DanH. A 72 hour orange tag would be the only way for them to authorize the tow - theoretically a reasonable amount of time for u to comply. What if u left unexpectedly for any reason with the intent to return and that end up exceeding 72 hours? If it happened to me I would dispute the legitimacy of the tow, especially for that much $. You have the right to a hearing within 10 days of tow. If u win the FS could be liable for the expenses minus the admin fee. That would probably force them to address their field policy if they end up paying for for a bunch of wrongful tows.

 

I would take pics of ur setup too just in case u go to the hearing and that way u can show that u had a reasonable setup.

[PRDATR]

I would always take my trailer up the Sunday afternoon before the hunt and set it up and scout the area then come back up on Wednesday after I got out of work and the kids were out of school. I did it so I didn't have to come up and set everything up in the dark, especially if I has to work a full day or stay late, which always seemed to happen when I had plans.

I never did it to stake out a spot as I always dry camped in the forest trying to stay as far away from other campers and their all night parties. I never thought much about it because the rule was you could camp in the forest for 14 days and then you had to move.