Hunting behind gates........

[257 Wby Mag]

Lets say your hunting on the westside, where there are gates on just about all available property. The said gate is state land, you know this for a fact, there is a state timber sale boundry sign on the gate.A buddy of your logged it. The gate is open. There are no restriction signs whatso ever. Would you drive in and hunt, or would you walk and let other folks drive by you?

[huntnphool]

Without knowing first hand I would walk or ride a bike.

[Machias]

My luck, I'd drive in and when I came out the gate would be locked. 

[257 Wby Mag]

Without knowing first hand I would walk or ride a bike.

Without knowing what Rob? Its state land....

[fishunt247]

Hmmm...the only time I've been on the westside hunting was in the Winston. The gates were open on the weekend to allow hunters in the area, and closed on weekdays. Using that as my only reference...I think I'd still call somebody. But man, I don't know. There aren't any signs saying not to, so by logic, I'd guess you could drive in. But I don't know. Don't know what I'd do. If I knew the gate to always be open, I'd drive in. If it was the first time it had been open, I'd walk.

[HardCorpsHuntr]

If I planned on hunting a location with gates; locked or unlocked, I would call ahead and make darn sure the unlocked gates were open to motorized vehicles before driving through. 

[Thefisherman83]

There's always some dip*censored* that rips down no access sighs thinking it makes it ok to drive in.  I would call the county.  

[JoeVon]

If the gate was open, it wasn't posted and I knew it was state land I'd drive in...

I personally only know of one area that is state land that is walk in only.  Most of the state ground down here is open year round, barring fire danger.

[coldsteel3d]

I'm not about walking in and having some *censored* blow by me in his rig. I've had that happen a few too many times.  

[logger]

If there are no signs drive on, I run into this alot. I have a key that fits every state gate on either side of the mtns. and the looks I get when I drive into a walk in only hunting area. I am working behind such a gate right now, what amazes me is they are pissed at you when you drive by in the morning but at night want you to packem out to their rig. We also have problems with gates that are open for our trucks but are clearly marked logging traffic only at which point somebody will drive on in anyway and end up getting locked in.

[nw_bowhunter]

If you are unsure it is better to find out first rather then have to deal with a situation later.

[huntnphool]

Without knowing what Rob? Its state land....

Without knowing if it would be locked when I got back.

[257 Wby Mag]

The said unit goes in about 1 1/2 miles, forks, both dead end. Then theres a old 4x trail that connect into another open road system. No active logging activity whatso ever. Guess any gate a feller went through could be locked when you came out.

[fishunt247]

I'd go with what logger said. That guy on the thread for your buck is just pissed and bitter because he didn't kill a buck.

[Jason]

If i know for certain that it was state land and also knew the gate was usually open then I would drive in, but if that gate was always closed one day and open the next then I would question why it's open and would probably not drive in and take a chance of getting locked in.