4 wheelers/ ATV's in the west

[andyaz]

100% worth it, save wear and tear on truck. UTV even better. Won't ever sell mine unless it's to upgrade. Way faster than a built up jeep or taco as well. By virtue of weight savings.

 

[def90]

Hey Rokslide,

I made a post a few weeks ago about living in the Front Range. Anyways, moving out May 15th from Tennessee for a job in Natural resources with the fed govt.

Anyways, point of this post is just to ask how useful 4wheelers are in the west? Should I haul it out to Colorado for game retrieval and getting where my F150 can't? I have hunted elk and antelope once each. I'm looking forward to doing a lot more western big game hunting over the next few years, I have points accrued in a number of western states and am looking to cash in on them soon.

Just to clarify, I am NOT a recreational rider, it is a tool for me and that's it. I only use it for hunting purposes. If it won't be beneficial to me more often than not I will sell it.

-TR69

In Colorado you can only drive on approved ATV trails and roads.. in general if you shoot an elk 3 mikes up a mountain you are not driving up to it with your ATV to pick it up. There are a couple exceptions but they are rare.

That said, you can probably drive a little bit faster on the forest service roads with a good atv than you can in a truck or jeep.

 

[def90]

Is my brain making this up, or are there NF's that allow use of ATV for game retrieval under certain circumstances? I can't find it now with a quick search, but I swear I read where you can use on up to 1 mile for two trips, or use two of them up to 1 mile for a single trip. I don't ever plan on bringing one either way as I'm not hauling an ATV 1000 miles, but if I were local it would be a lot easier.

There is a section of national forest near Saugache that allows you to drive a single quad off trail to retrieve game.. a SxS or other atv would not be allowed.

 

[Jethro]

Is my brain making this up, or are there NF's that allow use of ATV for game retrieval under certain circumstances? I can't find it now with a quick search, but I swear I read where you can use on up to 1 mile for two trips, or use two of them up to 1 mile for a single trip. I don't ever plan on bringing one either way as I'm not hauling an ATV 1000 miles, but if I were local it would be a lot easier.

Your brain is not making it up. Spots like you described do exist.

 

[Lando]

I would keep it, but there are some portions of forest in Colorado where the whiny, liberal, locals who despise hunting have complained enough about hunters and atvs enough that the forest service has closed atv access, so you have to drive your truck up roads that would be better left to an atv or walk for miles. CO Fish & Game seems to relish the opportunity to issue tickets to those who ignore the closure (not me, but I sympathize with the scofflaws).

 

[def90]

Here's the Saguache area atv use rules.. atvs have to be less than 50 inches wide and tire pressure under 10lbs.. and are also regulated by the local forest service MVUM rules.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd536190.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi-4NKXgID-AhXvMzQIHZFXBAMQFnoECBYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3HGspV3RVpk6EqKsxIuTE4

 

[Weldor]

Keep it, you can use it in the other states you plan to hunt. Like everyone said it will save wear and tear plus time.

 

[Beanx033]

If I were moving to CO and already owned a 4 wheeler, ain’t no way I’d be selling it.

I'm from MN and naively hunted in CO without knowing a wheeler could be used in that area. We hiked miles upon miles of trails as 4 wheelers passed us all day long. Lesson learned - really wish I had one that trip.

 

[Huntin_GI]

Where at in TN? Where on the Front Range? Im originally from just north of Knoxville in Coal country and we’ve been out here for a few years now.