ATV to trailhead questions

[Dented]

Has anyone ever had an issue leaving their atv/ bike/ whatever at the trailhead? I'm thinking theft of gear type issues.

I've never had an issue with my vehicles, but then, everything is locked up and out of sight.

I'm moving from truck access to ATV travel. Is hate to lose a helmet/ basic gear/ whatever to thieves. Just wondering how truly prevalent that is.

I won't be getting a box on the front/ rear rack to lock stuff in. I use those racks for hauling game.

If you've had an issue for you find a decent way to resolve it?

 

[wapitibob]

I never hunt from a trailhead but do park my atv along the road and have for years with zero issues; NM, AZ, UT, OR, and WY.

 

[Westernduck]

I’ve never had an issue leaving my ATV parked partway down a width limited trail. I don’t really keep much on the quad though.

I once parked the atv at at a fairly popular trailhead I was camping near in MT. It was midday and I climbed to the top of the ridge to check out the terrain on the other side. When I got back into view of the parking area four guys were standing around my ATV. As soon as they saw me they got in their truck and left. I’m not sure what they were up to, but it made me feel uneasy. The way the terrain was they could have easily pushed the quad up a hill then backed their truck up to it and loaded it up.

Again, they could have been cool dudes just admiring the ATV. Or they could have been thief’s. I don’t know but it definitely has me thinking twice about trailheads.

 

[Jethro]

Never an issue. Sometimes I stash my bow case and helmet in the bushes. More often now I just set it next to the atv. Used mt bike on a closed road few times, just flopped the bike down on edge of road at jump off spot. No hiding, no lock.

 

[Bearded Bowhunter]

Just use an old mid-90's honda fourtrax like me and nobody is going to bother it.

 

[Dented]

Leaving the atv pretty much anywhere is my concern, whether trailhead or alongside a trail. The damn thing is just to get me farther than I can go on my feet and where I can't fit my truck. It's just reasonably quick access to get deeper in the woods.

I can't say I'm thrilled about adding to the atv traffic. Hiking in for miles only to find some asshole rode around the barriers and drove in to where I walked really grinds me, but that's an entirely different topic.

I can't burn the miles like I used to.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Baller]

So far so good with no issues on leaving my quad at trailheads...

 

[Wrench]

I hunted with some guys a few years ago that left a wheeler in the st joe for a few weeks just incase they bailed off too deep and had to squirt out the bottom of a nasty drainage.

 

[Wheels]

Had someone slice my tires one time at a trailhead, guess I was in his spot...

 

[Dented]

Had someone slice my tires one time at a trailhead, guess I was in his spot...

I don't even know how to reply to that. I'd lose my mind, and really lose my temper if I watched somebody pull a stunt like that...

 

[Boarmaster]

I think its hard for anyone on a forum to determine the risk of some thief stealing something or an unattended atv getting vandalized based on past trips where they had no issues. These days anything that isn't locked down or locked up is at risk. That said I have left mine and equipment parked in many places where it would be easy for a thief or vandal to ruin my day and I have never had an issue.
I think you have to decide on your own what the risk is based on where your at and what you see.

 

[5MilesBack]

Hiking in for miles only to find some asshole rode around the barriers and drove in to where I walked really grinds me, but that's an entirely different topic.

12 years ago I was hiking out to the truck and did a big loop and hooked up to an old logging road that had been closed for quite a few years (with a big closure gate and sign on it). I followed ATV tracks all the way to where they were entering from the main road to get around the road closure and meeting up to the closed road. A couple days later I got up there early and parked my truck right across the spot they were driving into to get back in there. As I was getting my pack ready I heard an ATV coming up from below, so I just waited. The guy drives right to me, sees me and the truck there, and just stops.....looking at me for about 10 seconds. Then he kind of sheepishly keeps going and then I hear him park at the gate a little ways above. He didn't get to drive back there that day.