Utilizing SxS on East Side?

[WAElkhunter89]

Been quite a while since I've posted here, been fairly tied up (not literally) over the pond and haven't been on the forum in some time. My Opa, Father and myself hunt Elk on the east side, typically the 340 and 342 GMUs during Modern Firearm. I've been wanting to venture out and try somewhere else, maybe in the 346 GMU, as the 340 and 342 areas that we hunt rarely hold Elk any more. My question is, is it frowned upon during hunting season to trek to a new area on a SxS? I have a four seat Polaris RZR that I think would do rather well riding the roads and getting to more isolated areas that might hold some elk. Unfortunately, none of us have drawn anything this year, so we are going after the mystical spike Elk. Just wanted to get some input from those that hunt the east side on this topic. Lucky for me I get back the day before the MF season starts so I don't get much scouting again this year. Don't want to take my RZR over there and ruffle the feathers of fellow hunters by cruising by. Appreciate the comments.

[bearpaw]

You might want to check and see if SxS's are allowed in the area you will be hunting. A lot of areas in WA don't allow them. I personally think you should be able to drive one anywhere you are allowed to take other motorized vehicles but many USFS forest roads are closed to UTV's. I would contact the district office of whatever forest you will be hunting.

[WAElkhunter89]

You might want to check and see if SxS's are allowed in the area you will be hunting. A lot of areas in WA don't allow them. I personally think you should be able to drive one anywhere you are allowed to take other motorized vehicles but many USFS forest roads are closed to UTV's. I would contact the district office of whatever forest you will be hunting.

I agree. I spent some time with family in Little Naches previously and we all had our RZRs out there with no issues, but then again we didn't run into any Forest Service people either. All our RZRs are street legal registered and have the street legal kits. I'm thinking on green dot roads it should be good to go, but don't think they are good on the actual paved roads.

[wheels]

not sure  dont quote me but if i remember right green dot roads  are free game or any jeep trails like in little naches but i just have older gator

[firepin]

Green dot roads only. Should be all fs roads.

[bobcat]

I don't believe the green dots have anything to do with ATV's or UTV's being legal or not on that road. Now if you're on state land, then yes, they'd likely be legal on green dot roads. But not on National Forest land.

[firepin]

Green dot roads are for all types of motor vehicles, licensed or not. Unlicensed need orv tag.

[bobcat]

Green dot roads are for all types of motor vehicles, licensed or not. Unlicensed need orv tag.

All I know is on National Forest lands in the Cle Elum Ranger District, only street legal vehicles are allowed on the roads. There may be a couple of trails open for ATV use, but that's it.

[teanawayslayer]

Green dot roads are for all types of motor vehicles, licensed or not. Unlicensed need orv tag.

All I know is on National Forest lands in the Cle Elum Ranger District, only street legal vehicles are allowed on the roads. There may be a couple of trails open for ATV use, but that's it.

not to many in the Cle Elum area. Head out towards liberty and there are quite a few.

[gasman]

If you want to run your SxS in 346, the only legal place to ride it will be on 4x4 trails only......

346 is patrolled heavily, so if you get caught on the roads with it, even if it is street legal (FS does not all OHV on the roads) you will be ticketed.  I have had the share of tell us, as well as others to not even to even unload our OHV unless it's at a designated trail head.

As for other hunters being butt hurt with on a SxS, most likely won't care. There will be people all over that unit. Some all hike the jeep or motorcycle trails  to away,  but most will be within ear shot of a road. Even if you hunt the East portion  of the unit that borders 340 and 342 around Bald Mt. You will still find hunters back in the jeep trails.

[CP]

A lot of WATVs drive on FS roads.  Seems to be a gray area if it legal or not but there is no enforcement. 

I don’t mind having a WATV or two drive by but it does kind of irk me when a caravan of 20 or 30 blasts by driving way too fast, raising a 10 mile long dust cloud, putting blockers in the intersections to stop traffic while they monopolize the public roads.  Basically, just don’t be one of those *censored*s and you’ll be fine.

[WAElkhunter89]

Appreciate the input fellas. I know our group of five SxS got haggled once, but that wasn't during hunting season. The area we hunt in 340 I have yet to see a game warden or forest service officer the entire time we've been hunting over there. Maybe we are lucky, not quite sure. Just wanted to venture out and try somewhere new. Had an any bull tag for the Peaches Ridge area a few years ago, never having hunted it I ended up eating tag soup, which really sucked.

[bosifus]

I don't know about the legalities but I can tell you I saw enforcement one time last year in 346 and it was a drive through. Same for the years prior.
So long as they are licensed and street legal I can't see them giving you a hard time. There are a ton of ORV trails in that unit.
It's not looking very promising for calves this year, the cow/calf ratio is the lowest its been in a while according to the status and trend report but who knows.
https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01961/wdfw01961.pdf
My BIL was just there with his son last week doing a little looking around and mentioned he saw plenty of cows but no calves.

[kirkl]

That document is from last year. We ride around up in there and nobody has ever said anything to us. We see quit a few people up riding is those areas.

[WAElkhunter89]

That document is from last year. We ride around up in there and nobody has ever said anything to us. We see quit a few people up riding is those areas.

Awesome, sounds like I might have to bring our RZR along this year to be able to cover some more ground.