ATV use on Closed Roads

[KFhunter]

I own and enjoy riding quads, but there's a time and place for this activity.    Riding on closed roads isn't it.  There are plenty of hunt areas with green dot roads for those wanting to road hunt.  That's not my thing.  I appreciate that there are areas I can hike in and get away from the motor vehicles.  I hope that never changes.

I'm more in the know on this than the average Joe six pack  (that doesn't mean much, I'm not FS/DNR etc) and I can't always tell what road is closed, or isn't closed, and too what its closed too! 

Just because there's a kelly hump (tank trap) and/or gate, doesn't always mean its closed to motorized vehicles and without signage we don't know.   Most nat. forest has ATV use maps so anything not on the use map is closed to ATV's, but what about the motorcycles with highway license plates? 
They don't belong on the use map so they could go around most any gate or tank trap unless there's a sign that say's otherwise  "no motorized vehicles" past this sign. 

I know of lots of places that has a locked gate at one end, but the other end you can just drive right on with no gates, tank traps or anything.  I've had to drive around gates to get out, not in!

And what about DNR?  BLM? is that road really closed? 

Most other non-ATV folks don't know for sure either (but they think they do!) and the guy that just walked in 7 miles?  he's going to 100% assume its closed and either:

1) take your pic and report
2) flip you off
3) slash your tires
4) remove your valve stems
5) remove your tire and toss it in the bushes

maybe all the above, I've seen examples on HW talking about doing these things. 





It's all a huge mess and NOCK NOCK is correct, calling the local FS isn't going to get you the legal and correct answer according to law. 

[hunter399]

I care not if it is government land,timber company,private land ,closed to motorized vehicles.Then we should respect that.Everybody complains how bad animals population and quality of hunting in Washington has gotten.But the fact of the matter it's a few bad apples that have ruin the hunting behind closed gates.Think of it as a refuge,sanctuary,set aside for trees and wildlife.Its the same as natives killing all the elk .Your going into a wildlife sanctuary on your four wheeler,sidebyside to kill animals that haven't seen a motorized vehicle since last hunting season when the last person broke the rules.

Anyway I hear ya madman,we are loseing freedoms on all kinds of topics.But let's not lose the ones we have right now.The gates and $hitty access We have is all we got, it can get worse.Most of the areas I hunt behind gates ,never was a gate when I was a kid .So I hear ya.

[Stein]

Pick up a motor vehicle use map.  You can get them online, in person or through the mail.

Driving is a privilege, not a right.


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[bear]

It just needs to be CLEAR on where and when they can be used!  Then no one can complain. Problem solved. If it’s open for use then heck ya I’d want to use them too.  But I don’t wanna walk 2 hours in the dark and get passed by one at first light if it’s closed to them.  We CAN all get along. I blame government for not clarifying when they can be used!   

[KFhunter]

I don't even use one anymore, been years.   I park at the gate like a tool and hump it in,  I usually walk on the ATV trail that goes around the gate, easier then crawling under a gate 

[MADMAX]

 

Been there

[Naches Sportsman]

FYI, driving around gates in Idaho is not illegal, they are much more atv friendly there.

Idaho has roads where ATV use is not allowed....and probably has width restrictions

So just cuz you "can" drive around a gate doesn't mean it's legal...know the rules we all play by...its simple

Yep. Have verbal warned a lot of people in for driving on gated roads during the wet seasons. What is nice about here is the National Forests have signs at almost every gated road stating when they are open and closed to different types of motor vehicles. Same with PotlatchDeltic.

Reason Idaho is friendly to ATV/UTV use is a lot of folks work in the woods and respect having pretty dang nice roads to ride on. There are *censored*es here who rut up the roads, but usually that is found closer to the big cities and dealt with by the locals if they are caught.

[Mudman]

  Christ sake Russia and Canada has more freedoms on the lands then our lemming society.  T

Huh ??

I know right?  What the?  Frustrating.  Assumptions.  Ignorance.  Law breakers and abusers.  Mess.  We struggle to find and recreate legally in legal areas.  It is tough to be in the know and correct open areas.  Maps GPS etc and it is still not easy.  FS people tell ya one thing, locals another and other leos something else.  It isn't just hunters in the woods.  All year long there is people harassing the animals.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Some people have lost their ever loving minds and could care less about other people. Mudman, I'm not sure what to think about your statements. On one hand I agree with you about our rights being taken away on areas that are owned and paid for by the people.

And one thing that causes more rights to be taken away is people disregarding the rules that are in place.  The scofflaws make it worse for everybody else.  Just like garbage dumpers forced timber companies to gate roads we grew up hunting from.

[X-Force]

This property owner has 175 acres in okanogan county and his land is bordered on 3 sides by national forest. 175 acres isn’t enough for him. The national forest in this area is a designated roadless area with no vehicle access. There are a couple of abandoned roads that this property owner blazed trails to and now he has open unlimited access to about 5000 acres.

[KFhunter]

This property owner has 175 acres in okanogan county and his land is bordered on 3 sides by national forest. 175 acres isn’t enough for him. The national forest in this area is a designated roadless area with no vehicle access. There are a couple of abandoned roads that this property owner blazed trails to and now he has open unlimited access to about 5000 acres.

PM me when it goes up for sale 

[X-Force]

When I talked with F&G about it they said talk the forest service. They know who he is and have run ins with him. Just not enough enforcement out there to make a dent on people braking and bending the rules.

[pianoman9701]

Not once did I say I ride around the closures.  Read the thread, I don't.  I am talking about public lands.  Some have migrated to a private lands topic out of the blue it seems.  What ya all talking about?  If I owned 100 acres is comparable to what USFS lands?  But on that topic WEYCO comes to mind and the agreement they made in purchase of said lands and public access as well as tax breaks for said purposes.  Once again we are screwed... My ATVS have combined 85 miles on em so I don't think I have been riding around to many gates eh...  Read carefully amigos, then comment logically.  I can be a lawful citizen but still stand up and yell that I am tired of this crap.  I am tired of everything being taken away little by little and the stupid reasons used to justify the thefts.  I am tired of ignorant misinformed people supporting it as well.  Enough.  PC can go out the window.  Whine?  I call ya Whiner.  Like it or don't.  Christ sake Russia and Canada has more freedoms on the lands then our lemming society.  There is a reason I not hunted Wa for last few years.....Its messed up..

I did read carefully. My complaint was about illegal riding on closed roads and your respectful (sarc) reply was to call me a crybaby. You absolutely, clearly endorsed ignoring the rules in your reply. I specifically stated I have no problem with legal ATV use. Have at it. If I see you on an ATV on closed roads, I'm turning you in, plain and simple. It's the same with bikes in a wilderness area. If you don't like it, then hunt in an area that allows them.

[bornhunter]

For what this is worth for this topic. I actually had a forester for a private timber company in the NE tell me in order to access their property to hunt, I had to get passed a gate. He asked me if I had a quad and I said yes. He said just go around the gate and dont worry about it. I did not take his advice. Kind of wondered if I was being set up.

[beauhunter]

I think we should be more like Idaho, they get to utilize their quads on most roads, with some walk in only roads. Unlike this state where most are gated with some quad roads.  The 113 unit has a ridiculous amount of gated roads, as I get older the more I’ll be limited to my hunting ability, the use of my quad opens up much more possibilities.  I’m not supporting illegal use of quads, I’m saying there should be more legal use roads!  Question for you guys, if they were using a quad behind the gate at night to get their animal out, ( because of their limited physical ability) would you turn them in?  I’d be pissed too if I walked in for miles and they drove by, but at night after hunting is over and they just need to utilize the quad to retrieve game, I’m all for it.

If you cant retrieve your game without your atv then you shouldnt be hunting up a closed road in the first place.

some people have disabilities and use their ATVs, respectfully