ATV trouble

Gr8bawana

Veteran member
Aug 14, 2014
2,668
598
Nevada
My brother and I have been hunting for his AZ bull elk since last friday. We found a meadow where the bulls were rutting and putting on quite a show there were 7 or 8 bulls and one was BIG. Over the last two days we got after them but were not able to get one in bow range.
We found their bedding area and our strategy for today was to get between the meadow and the bedding area because they start moving up just after first light.
We parked about half a mile away from the head of the meadow at about 4:30AM to sneak in under cover of darkness when some @hole on an ATV drove past us and drove right to the head of the meadow and parked it there.
Needless to say the elk totally shut down and never moved to the area they were using to bed.
We are hunting public land and I know they have the right to hunt there too, but that was the most unsportsman like thing I have seen in a long time. :mad:
 

hardstalk

Veteran member
Sep 13, 2011
1,550
43
vegas
I've never had culture shock comparable to what I experienced on my summer AZ archery deer hunt. I had one guy on a side by side tell me "you can't go down this road, I'm going to hunt it when the sun comes up" I said "you can have it. I'm hiking up the mountain. The road just gets me close" I lost count of how many guys waved to me from there truck with there release still on there hand and their bow on the center console. It was bizarre. All these years I thought you had to get out of your vehicle to kill something with a bow..
 

Skibum81

Member
Sep 18, 2015
50
18
Denver, CO
I have had similar problems in Colorado. Guys on ATVs in 2 separate valleys pulling down or just driving around signs that say no motorized vehicles. Then they drive right into areas that typically hold elk. I called the national forest district office and reported, but was informed they couldn't get someone out there for a week. I really wish there was some way to stop this.
 

tim

Veteran member
Jun 4, 2011
2,417
1,066
north idaho
I have learned to hunt where atv are not allowed. life is just easier that way.
one thing to remeber, you will always here about the guy that parks his atv under his stand and gets his deer everyyear.
 

Vikingload

Member
Jun 12, 2015
115
0
Powell WY
It is very frustrating to have situations like this happen to you. I've had a few encounters of following the rules to only have several trucks come flying by me on closed roads. I have learned to not hunt those areas anymore and to go where you can't get a ATV. The good thing out here is they enforce off road driving pretty well which keeps some of the yahoos off the closed trails. Either way it always leaves a bad taste in ones mouth and drives me to always be courteous and not ruin someone else's hunt


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Catahoula12

Very Active Member
Apr 26, 2013
710
125
Loveland, CO. was AZ.
Gr8bawana, what unit are you hunting? Sorry to hear your troubles with these " road " hunters either by truck or atv/utv. I'm with you even though truck or atv is good transport to use to get within reach of your approx area to hunt, just ditch those and get out on foot. Especially bow hunting. I've experienced these types of people years past elk and deer hunting. Unfortunately I'm sure it goes on in most units in this state with exception of some areas.
 

crzy_cntryby

Active Member
Dec 9, 2014
269
0
I have had similar problems in Colorado. Guys on ATVs in 2 separate valleys pulling down or just driving around signs that say no motorized vehicles. Then they drive right into areas that typically hold elk. I called the national forest district office and reported, but was informed they couldn't get someone out there for a week. I really wish there was some way to stop this.
I have seen that a lot myself. Would bring back some of my vandal youth if I caught them at it.

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tim

Veteran member
Jun 4, 2011
2,417
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north idaho
A couple of weeks ago, I was on a gated road that trucks have figured out how to get on. Now the trucks are not allowed behind gates. I took a picture of the truck, but didn't do anything with it. Where does live and let live come into play and being a tatle tale come into play?
 

tdub24

Veteran member
Dec 15, 2011
1,331
558
Carlin, NV
A couple of weeks ago, I was on a gated road that trucks have figured out how to get on. Now the trucks are not allowed behind gates. I took a picture of the truck, but didn't do anything with it. Where does live and let live come into play and being a tatle tale come into play?
I understand the struggle with this decision, but what the lazy S.O.B.s do not realize is those locked gates are there for a reason. Most likely to help vegetation growth as well as animal growth. So for them to bypass the rules, they are making the hunting that much more difficult. If they did abide by the rules, then the hunting would be of better quality. I would not hesitate to submit the picture to IDFG and this may get wardens to come out and catch them or others in the act. Just a thought!
 

Gr8bawana

Veteran member
Aug 14, 2014
2,668
598
Nevada
Gr8bawana, what unit are you hunting? Sorry to hear your troubles with these " road " hunters either by truck or atv/utv. I'm with you even though truck or atv is good transport to use to get within reach of your approx area to hunt, just ditch those and get out on foot. Especially bow hunting. I've experienced these types of people years past elk and deer hunting. Unfortunately I'm sure it goes on in most units in this state with exception of some areas.
This particular spot was near Carnero Lake in the Green's Peak area.
Checked the meadow today and the elk have stopped coming there and there are tracks from the atv in the meadow itslef now.
 

Hilltop

Veteran member
Feb 25, 2014
3,842
2,226
Eastern Nebraska
A couple of weeks ago, I was on a gated road that trucks have figured out how to get on. Now the trucks are not allowed behind gates. I took a picture of the truck, but didn't do anything with it. Where does live and let live come into play and being a tatle tale come into play?
Tim,

People that do these things are a threat to us as hunters. The non-hunting community has the image that most of us tear a meadow up with our 4 wheeler after cutting the head off of our trophy game and letting the meat spoil behind. I believe we all have a responsibility to help uphold the forest and game laws as much as possible. A person that will bend the rules and drive around gates will also likely bend the game rules. I wouldn't lose a bit of sleep after turning the individual in.
 

tim

Veteran member
Jun 4, 2011
2,417
1,066
north idaho
if it matters, this did not occur during hunting season, but huckleberry picking season.

I have been turned over to the fs law enforcement before and I did not do anything illegal or wrong. I was riding a bicycle behind a gated road. My expierence with the fs law was not good. I eventually had to become a big asshole and have them prove to me I was illegal. They eventually realized they where in the wrong and apologized, but the damage was done.

My take on the fs law enforcement is not politically correct enough to put on this forum. So it has to be a major phoba to get me to turn someone in to the cops. .
 
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Hilltop

Veteran member
Feb 25, 2014
3,842
2,226
Eastern Nebraska
Tim, that stinks that happened to you and understand where you're coming from. That said, I wouldn't let the conduct of a couple of FS employees hold you back from doing the right thing moving forward. Ultimately its your moral decision to make- just trying to offer another opinion.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
8,308
4,687
83
Dolores, Colorado
Last week when I was M/L hunting, there were tons of people hunting, both archery & M/l. I saw lots of violations and absolutely rude behavior. One 2 track was on my list for possible areas to hunt as I had scouted the area for a couple of months. I rode my 4 wheeler up the "road" on Friday before M/L season. There were several archery hunters there and we talked awhile. Pretty soon up the road comes a 4x4 PU and a jeep. The road is posted no car/truck vehicles. They said they were going to camp here no matter what. Clearly they had seen the sign. I also saw several other 4 wheelers way off roads, basically going wherever they wanted to go. I drove 6 miles to the closest FS station and reported what I saw. They acted like they really didn't have time to do anything about these violations.

Bottom line is that nobody comes out to enforce the rules, especially opening weekend. If they can't see a violation from their truck, nothing happens! Sure these people should have been cited, but if no one checks the situation out (even when reported), there is no incentive for the violators to cease their crappy behavior and we ALL get the blame as slob hunters.
 

crzy_cntryby

Active Member
Dec 9, 2014
269
0
Last week when I was M/L hunting, there were tons of people hunting, both archery & M/l. I saw lots of violations and absolutely rude behavior. One 2 track was on my list for possible areas to hunt as I had scouted the area for a couple of months. I rode my 4 wheeler up the "road" on Friday before M/L season. There were several archery hunters there and we talked awhile. Pretty soon up the road comes a 4x4 PU and a jeep. The road is posted no car/truck vehicles. They said they were going to camp here no matter what. Clearly they had seen the sign. I also saw several other 4 wheelers way off roads, basically going wherever they wanted to go. I drove 6 miles to the closest FS station and reported what I saw. They acted like they really didn't have time to do anything about these violations.

Bottom line is that nobody comes out to enforce the rules, especially opening weekend. If they can't see a violation from their truck, nothing happens! Sure these people should have been cited, but if no one checks the situation out (even when reported), there is no incentive for the violators to cease their crappy behavior and we ALL get the blame as slob hunters.
Carry a tire valve tool. Oops there's that vandal.

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crzy_cntryby

Active Member
Dec 9, 2014
269
0
This particular spot was near Carnero Lake in the Green's Peak area.
Checked the meadow today and the elk have stopped coming there and there are tracks from the atv in the meadow itslef now.
Similar thing happened over here by me, no elk to be pushed though. I was surprised when I went back to see a new reinforced gate. Not sure if the BLM actually did their job correctly, doubt it, or if it was the back country horsemen?

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