Hunting With ORV?

[washelkhunter]

From the Okanagon-Wenatchee NFS website.

Release Date: Jun 7, 2013   Winthrop, WA
 
Mudders, take note: It is against the law to tear up forest roads and meadows for the fun of it, and the legal and financial consequences can be steep.  Tearing up high-country meadows with four-wheel-drive and off-road vehicles destroys wildlife habitat and ecosystems.

During a recent investigation, Law Enforcement officers gathered information about mudding that occurred over Memorial Weekend northwest of Buck Lake Campground, near Winthrop Washington.  The meadow was torn up by vehicles; here there was green grass, there are now mud pits and tire tracks.  The activities that caused this damage are illegal under both state and federal law.  Participants could face charges including malicious mischief and fines up to and including paying for the costs of restoration.

Mudding damage in a meadow

See more photos of damage below.

“Mudding, or driving through moist areas and puddles while mud sprays up onto a vehicle, is considered fun by some motor sports enthusiasts,” said Shannon O’Brien, Public Affairs Specialist for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.  “Some people enjoy the challenge of maneuvering a vehicle through a situation where they could get stuck, or they may simply get a thrill out of seeing how high they can fling mud.  There are websites and groups that cater to this interest and there are places, mostly private land (with a landowners permission), where such activities are allowed.”

“But the National Forest is not such a place,” she said.  “Individuals responsible for causing damage to roads, property or forest land can be sited for malicious mischief and face financial charges for the cost of rehabilitating any damage they cause.  It can run into thousands of dollars.”

The Memorial Day incident isn’t the first time such damage has occurred.  Several years ago, there was a similar case on National Forest Lands managed by the Methow Valley Ranger District and the individuals responsible for the damage faced criminal charges along with being billed by the Forest Service for the costs of restoration.

There is a difference between acceptable use of off-highway vehicles and mudding.  The difference is that mudding is illegal and it is destructive.  Off-highway vehicles are permitted on designated trails within the National Forest system. These trails are built specifically to minimize the impact of vehicles on fragile ecosystems, such as meadows and streams. Many trails are maintained by volunteers, and are prime examples of citizens acting as stewards of public land.

“Mudding can occur on roads or off of them,” said O’Brien.  It’s more a question of whether the activity is causing damage.  Is it tearing through grass to expose underlying soil, or is the individual unnecessarily driving through a soft spot in the road?  If the answers to those questions are yes, the activity is illegal and the individuals involved could face charges.”

Some may ask themselves, “what’s the big deal?”  People have enjoyed playing in puddles forever.  The big deal though is that mudding is illegal and it damages the forest.  It rips up plants, compacts soil, harms wildlife and costs a lot of money to fix.

Under 36 Code of Federal Regulations 261.13, section h: "It is prohibited to operate any vehicle off Forest Development, State or County roads... in a manner which damages or unreasonably disturbs the land, wildlife, or vegetative resources."

Spinning tires on plants destroys the plants, leaving behind bare dirt.  When plants are gone, there is nothing to stop soil from washing into nearby streams and lakes. Muddy streams and lakes are bad for fish, wildlife, irrigators, recreationists, and towns dependent upon clean water and tourism for survival.  When native plants are gone, noxious weeds move in. A meadow of native grasses and flowers may soon become a field of thistles and knapweed.

Mudding compacts soil. Healthy soil should bounce a bit when you walk on it. Tire tracks create hard, dried up soil. This hard soil doesn't allow water to move into the ground. Instead, water runs down tire tracks and into creeks and lakes, carrying mud and pollutants with it. It is hard for plants to grow in compacted soil-imagine trying to extend your legs through a concrete floor.

Meadows and wetlands provide important breeding, rearing, and foraging habitats for many birds and other animals. Tearing-up these areas removes nesting and hiding cover, decreases forage, interferes with feeding, and pushes animals out into areas where they may not survive.

Restoring an area damaged by mudding is expensive.  Smoothing ruts, reseeding or planting and repairing roadbeds costs a lot of money.  In situations where the individuals are not caught, every taxpayer has to pitch in to cover the restoration costs.  When caught, individuals responsible for the damage can be fined up to $5000. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service may bring a civil suit against the individual to pay for the costly restoration.

Mudding damage in a meadow

Mudding damage in a meadow



You cannot ride crosscountry in the Natches RD. You have to stay on "designated" trails and open roads for that purpose of which their are very few.

[Mudman]

  That is how I understood the law.  But can you ride off trails/roads without damaging and mudding?  Sure.  Is it legal? Seems not.

[syoungs]

seems like a real grey area to me. sure wish you didnt have to go to school for 8 years to learn how to interpret the laws were supposed to abide by 

[gasman]

There is no Sam Bissel listed on the phone list at the Naches ranger District.

Yeah, he moved on the private sector two years ago.

[gasman]

It states right in the article you posted, Causing damage is illegal... Duh

and it is possible to drive off road without causing damage........ I know this is new info for you but hey, you learn something new every day... 

[washelkhunter]

You have to stay on designated orv roads and trails! You cannot go riding willy-nilly crosscountry in the National Forest! Its illegal. You cannot go riding down decommissioned roads or behind locked gates. Putting info out there for people to read suggesting you can is not helpful.   

Sam was probably let go for disseminating incorrect info...

[gasman]

You have to stay on designated orv roads and trails! You cannot go riding willy-nilly crosscountry in the National Forest! Its illegal. You cannot go riding down decommissioned roads or behind locked gates. Putting info out there for people to read suggesting you can is not helpful.   

is that what you get from that article you posted 

did you even read it 


Look, this is from YOUR article You posted:
Under 36 Code of Federal Regulations 261.13, section h: "It is prohibited to operate any vehicle off Forest Development, State or County roads... in a manner which damages or unreasonably disturbs the land, wildlife, or vegetative resources."


We all know you anti OHV, but please read what you post because that article written by a tree huger did not help your argument.

[washelkhunter]

Listen ------ i'm not anti ohv. I'm against the illegal operation of said vehicles period! I suggest you and others go to this link and read up about the proposals for the MVUM's for the OK-Wen NF. And lastly I challenge you to produce a single document stating that crosscountry travel via motor vehicle is legal in the "entire" Ok-Wen NF.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=fsbdev3_053614

[6x6in6]

Listen gasbag i'm not anti ohv. I'm against the illegal operation of said vehicles period! I suggest you and others go to this link and read up about the proposals for the MVUM's for the OK-Wen NF. And lastly I challenge you to produce a single document stating that crosscountry travel via motor vehicle is legal in the "entire" Ok-Wen NF.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=fsbdev3_053614

As an other...........
From the link you posted, 1st paragraph.......
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is proposing changes to motor vehicle use on specific roads, trails and areas within the non-wilderness portion of the Forest. Winter, over the snow motorized use will not be analyzed at this time and is not part of this proposal.

So, they may change the current CFR you referenced and gasman quoted and bolded.  Until such time, it is legal under the language of the present CFR.

[CAMPMEAT]

There is no Sam Bissel listed on the phone list at the Naches ranger District.

He transferred because of you...........

[CAMPMEAT]

All I know is that the Wenatchee Nat. Forest is very, very ANTI- ATV. I was up there a couple years ago hunting bear with PredatorPro. I went up towards Trinity and I've never seen as much damage from MOTORCYCLES in my life, but we, the responsible ATV owners DON'T DUE THAT AT ALL. But yet it's ok to ride motorcycles in the WNF.......

[Rick]

You have to stay on designated orv roads and trails! You cannot go riding willy-nilly crosscountry in the National Forest! Its illegal.

That's not correct. In the Naches Ranger District,its 100% legal to ride an ORV anywhere you want as long as its NOT on a FS road.

They want you riding cross country (without resource damage of course)

[washelkhunter]

Ah nature! I can hear the call of the loon.....

[norsepeak]

Yes, true.

Washelkhunter, why don't you try calling the ranger district and ask them yourself.  It is legal to ride offroad anywhere you want as long as you are not doing "resource damage" even though you don't think so.

You have to stay on designated orv roads and trails! You cannot go riding willy-nilly crosscountry in the National Forest! Its illegal.

That's not correct. In the Naches Ranger District,its 100% legal to ride an ORV anywhere you want as long as its NOT on a FS road.

They want you riding cross country (without resource damage of course)

[Mudman]

I think some confusion over the definition of resource damage.  Some think a bent over blade of grass is a horrible transgression of natural resources.