Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: AKBowman on October 31, 2023, 08:45:38 AM

Title: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: AKBowman on October 31, 2023, 08:45:38 AM: I ran into a guy driving up past the gates yesterday in a NON MOTORIZED area behind DNR gates. At first I thought it was a game warden. He was creeping along and as I came up to him on my bike i asked if he was up there working. He said no “I’m doing the same as you, we’re deer hunting”. I asked why he was driving back in a an area clearly marked non motorized and he told me he “knows someone” in DNR and has a motorized access permit. He said something about you have to know someone and they only give out 5 permits.

I told him I hadn’t heard of that before and just b/c he has a key tot he gates doesn’t give him the right to drive back there. There’s lots of people with keys to the gates, trail org’s etc.

I didn’t want to push it too far as he had a kid with him. I told him where I was going and he agreed to give me my space.

I’m 99% sure he just got possession of a key to the gates and was driving back there illegally. Has anyone ever heard of such a permit?
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: Jake Dogfish on October 31, 2023, 09:38:11 AM: Never heard of something where dnr gives out 5 permits. Sounds sketchy.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: LDennis24 on October 31, 2023, 09:49:25 AM: Yep, looks like this...
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: addicted1 on October 31, 2023, 09:53:45 AM: Hmm, was it a newer light blue Chevy diesel pickup? Just wonder cause I too experience a similar thing on Sunday, but the driver backed out as soon as he spotted me. So, I wasn’t able to confront him.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: NorseNW on October 31, 2023, 09:55:41 AM: I'm pretty sure LDennis24 has it right - I've run into more than 1 person with a cool story I know to not be true. I agree with the not pushing it too far in the field because really what the heck are you going to do? Seems like society never fails to disappoint sometimes.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: KP-Skagit on October 31, 2023, 09:56:24 AM: Several rigs driving in and hunting off the road system I was hunting off of this last weekend. All DNR. Got passed by several, no one stopped to talk or returned a wave, many avoided eye contact.

I suspect these are people who have keys for other purposes and are breaking the rules.

This is also a road system I know that the tribes have keys to. That said, none of the folks I saw appeared tribal.

I also have noticed that several DNR gates have been open this year that are historically closed. I hope to see that trend continue. Unfortunately in my area the small number of open gates really concentrated hunters but its a step in the right direction. Not everyone can hike 2 to 3 miles behind a gate to go hunting. I would love to get my old man on a blacktail but its out of the realm of possible for him.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: bullcanyon on October 31, 2023, 10:22:27 AM: There are some disabled dnr areas where they give out keys for a block of time. You have to be drawn though. Most of the dnr areas near Ashford the tribes do have keys to those gates. I've called in the past and tried to get some clarification on why they get keys to state gates but they will not answer the question. Open it for all or open it for none.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: LDennis24 on October 31, 2023, 10:23:14 AM: I'm pretty sure that unless it is posted no motorized vehicles and the gates open you can drive the road system but if there is a timber operation going on you are expected to stay out and away from the work areas. Just like timber company lands. Some DNR land just has a barbed wire gate and the same goes for that land. It's considered closed. Unless it's leased by someone for grazing cattle or farming. They will have the legal right to access the land at any time.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: KP-Skagit on October 31, 2023, 10:51:40 AM: The area I was hunting where I saw a bunch of rigs was posted as closed for motorized access and the gate was closed and locked.

No one I noticed appeared to be disabled. They have changed the rules on disabled access. My dad has a service connected lung disability and no longer qualifies for the access program.

To apply for this ADA accommodation, you must meet the following criteria:

Have WDFW disability status in good standing, and
Have a permanent inoperable lower extremity mobility impairment, and
WAC 220-200-160(1)(a): Have been medically prescribed the use of an assistive device every time for mobility, including, but not limited to, a wheelchair, walker, crutch, lower extremity prosthesis, or oxygen bottle, or
RCW 46.19.010(1)(a-j): Have been issued a DOL blue disability parking permit, or
Unable to walk more than 200 feet.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: ghosthunter on October 31, 2023, 11:16:35 AM: Quote from: KP-Skagit on October 31, 2023, 10:51:40 AM
The area I was hunting where I saw a bunch of rigs was posted as closed for motorized access and the gate was closed and locked.

No one I noticed appeared to be disabled. They have changed the rules on disabled access. My dad has a service connected lung disability and no longer qualifies for the access program.

To apply for this ADA accommodation, you must meet the following criteria:

Have WDFW disability status in good standing, and
Have a permanent inoperable lower extremity mobility impairment, and
WAC 220-200-160(1)(a): Have been medically prescribed the use of an assistive device every time for mobility, including, but not limited to, a wheelchair, walker, crutch, lower extremity prosthesis, or oxygen bottle, or
RCW 46.19.010(1)(a-j): Have been issued a DOL blue disability parking permit, or
Unable to walk more than 200 feet.

The DOL blue parking permit is a joke. I know lots of folks who have them and walk around better than I do. My brother in law has one and not a damm thing wrong with him except he had a heart attack years ago. He prods me to get one because I have bad knees but I refuse. Those passes need to be for folks who really need them.

Y pet peeve this year is folks running quads down retired roads through the brush during elk season. Really would not hurt my feeling to ban quads all together. Really crappy when you all a blind a mile in to hunt and some lazy comes cursing down a ridge off road by ya.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: pickardjw on October 31, 2023, 11:25:26 AM: Saw a hunter driving behind a gated road in Marckworth this weekend myself. Didn't stop to talk. There were locks on the gate, so he must have had a key...
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: mcrawfordaf on October 31, 2023, 11:30:54 AM: Quote from: ghosthunter on October 31, 2023, 11:16:35 AM
Quote from: KP-Skagit on October 31, 2023, 10:51:40 AM
The area I was hunting where I saw a bunch of rigs was posted as closed for motorized access and the gate was closed and locked.

No one I noticed appeared to be disabled. They have changed the rules on disabled access. My dad has a service connected lung disability and no longer qualifies for the access program.

To apply for this ADA accommodation, you must meet the following criteria:

Have WDFW disability status in good standing, and
Have a permanent inoperable lower extremity mobility impairment, and
WAC 220-200-160(1)(a): Have been medically prescribed the use of an assistive device every time for mobility, including, but not limited to, a wheelchair, walker, crutch, lower extremity prosthesis, or oxygen bottle, or
RCW 46.19.010(1)(a-j): Have been issued a DOL blue disability parking permit, or
Unable to walk more than 200 feet.

The DOL blue parking permit is a joke. I know lots of folks who have them and walk around better than I do. My brother in law has one and not a damm thing wrong with him except he had a heart attack years ago. He prods me to get one because I have bad knees but I refuse. Those passes need to be for folks who really need them.

Y pet peeve this year is folks running quads down retired roads through the brush during elk season. Really would not hurt my feeling to ban quads all together. Really crappy when you all a blind a mile in to hunt and some lazy comes cursing down a ridge off road by ya.

Dealt with quads behind gates in one GMU last year. Decided to hunt a different GMU to try and avoid that this year, just to find pickups in non-motorized posted farm fields with guys hanging out the bed with their rifles ready to shoot anything caught off guard.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: hunter399 on October 31, 2023, 11:35:25 AM: I have a key to every gate in the state.
It's what I call a master key.
Open any lock in a matter of seconds, I guarantee you won't reuse that lock ever.
Just cause you have a key, doesn't always make it right.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: fishngamereaper on October 31, 2023, 12:38:40 PM: I thought this was just happening on state land I frequent
Apparently not
This year has been bad for guys behind gates...that somehow got a key.

With rayonier being pay to play DNR land was my go to...now it's crowded with guys that can drive in... can't win anymore.

Try and track down a DNR enforcement guy I know and see what gives..
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: Bareback on October 31, 2023, 12:51:30 PM: Quote from: fishngamereaper on October 31, 2023, 12:38:40 PM
I thought this was just happening on state land I frequent
Apparently not
This year has been bad for guys behind gates...that somehow got a key.

With rayonier being pay to play DNR land was my go to...now it's crowded with guys that can drive in... can't win anymore.

Try and track down a DNR enforcement guy I know and see what gives..

Rayonier permit was a joke. I had five different vehicles drive in on us behind locked gates with no vehicle access signs, red dot. People were constantly driving on no motorized vehicle roads, and I talked with several people who didn’t even have permits. It may come down to Rayonier eliminating access.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: callturner on October 31, 2023, 01:07:00 PM: I have seen where the DNR does give out a small amount of permit to handicap to go behind locked gates. My partner got one but he never did use it. And you have to apply for them every year. It was different then the game department disabled permit and it did come with a key or a combination.
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: lokidog on October 31, 2023, 03:21:42 PM: Someone with deep pockets needs to sue the State over unauthorized access by people that have work access keys. My ex had a key, we did not use it, but even back then, 30 years ago, some people abused it.

It should be all or nothing, same for "tribal" access. :twocents:
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: MeepDog on October 31, 2023, 04:11:48 PM: During archery season this year hiked in 3 miles just to see some good ole boys come off the private onto a National Wildlife Refuge and start driving around off road with their diesel pickup and dogs. Called the FWS and they said they couldn't do anything about it in time. Some people just think they have more rights than the rest of us. It's up to their friends and family to call them out and tell them what they're doing is wrong because they wont change otherwise. "Oh sorry I didn't know"
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: KP-Skagit on October 31, 2023, 04:46:27 PM: Or open it all up instead of worrying about keys. Allow temp gates on active logging areas.

Granted they get rewarded with people dumping trash all over....
Title: Re: DNR Motorized Access Pass??
Post by: slavenoid on October 31, 2023, 06:21:44 PM: You guys have it better than the area I hunt. Dirt bikes and ATVs ripping through all the clear cuts is the norm here. Does anyone know if DNR actually cares?