Idaho Off Road Vehicle Restrictions

[bluetick78]

How many hunters on this forum had interactions or dealt with people breaking off road vehicle laws in Idaho mainly? Idaho's restrictions have been in place for the better part of 20 years, yet I can watch dozens of hunters riding and hunting illegally every day of every fall season. I understand that better enforcement would curb the issue, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It seems warped to me that many, many hunters wrap their whole plan for success on being able to illegally ride into an area, and will fight so hard when confronted about it. I threw caution to the wind this year and confronted every hunter I saw riding illegally. Some ended up being an amicable conversation, others almost ended up with hands being thrown. Thoughts, observations?

 

[Poser]

My empirical conclusion:

SxS culture attracts and enables dumbasses
And is, as a whole, just a terrible user group full of terrible people.

Of course there are exceptions.

 

[kopecsean]

How many hunters on this forum had interactions or dealt with people breaking off road vehicle laws in Idaho mainly? Idaho's restrictions have been in place for the better part of 20 years, yet I can watch dozens of hunters riding and hunting illegally every day of every fall season. I understand that better enforcement would curb the issue, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It seems warped to me that many, many hunters wrap their whole plan for success on being able to illegally ride into an area, and will fight so hard when confronted about it. I threw caution to the wind this year and confronted every hunter I saw riding illegally. Some ended up being an amicable conversation, others almost ended up with hands being thrown. Thoughts, observations?

I think I'll do the same thing you did! Well done!!!!

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[TheTone]

Which restrictions are you talking about?

I think land management agencies (FS and BLM) could play a huge part if they actually closed trails to all use at some point before hunting season. Private timber companies are becoming increasingly unhappy with atv use and restricting atv use. Restrictions will improve hunting for those that want to hunt, it will really only hurt those that think riding an atv is hunting. I spoke to a guy violating a closure on opening day who justified it by saying the spot he wanted to hunt was a 2-3 he walk. I told him in my experience when people have to walk in animals are usually closer to the trailhead since it cuts down on traffic and disturbance. He agreed it probably would help if everyone played by the rules

 

[dreamingbig]

I hunted an area where someone illegally rode their motorcycle to the top of the ridge cutting out a 2 mile walk and 1200 feet of vertical. I only saw the tracks in the snow. It makes me mad but I also know they aren’t the competition. The elk would move out in advance of their arrival.


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[Touchdown88]

I saw an older couple drive a sxs in to an area 2 miles from the trailhead. They didn't bother me as much as their adult daughter who was sitting in the back with her gun slung across her lap. I know there are situations where disabled hunters can drive on four wheeler trails but a grown woman should have to walk in like the rest of us.

 

[Jbehredt]

My empirical conclusion:

SxS culture attracts and enables dumbasses
And is, as a whole, just a terrible user group full of terrible people.

Of course there are exceptions.

I have a SxS and I would agree.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

its a complete mess. Idaho is already a zoo without the illegal motorized vehicles, add that to it, and its almost not worth going out for a general hunt.

 

[bluetick78]

Which restrictions are you talking about?

I think land management agencies (FS and BLM) could play a huge part if they actually closed trails to all use at some point before hunting season. Private timber companies are becoming increasingly unhappy with atv use and restricting atv use. Restrictions will improve hunting for those that want to hunt, it will really only hurt those that think riding an atv is hunting. I spoke to a guy violating a closure on opening day who justified it by saying the spot he wanted to hunt was a 2-3 he walk. I told him in my experience when people have to walk in animals are usually closer to the trailhead since it cuts down on traffic and disturbance. He agreed it probably would help if everyone played by the rules

I'm talking about the restrictions lined out on pages 104-107 of the 2021 big game regulations.

 

[MTPipeliner]

Not Idaho, but I see abuses all the time. This year saw a dirt bike track miles from the nearest legal trail.

a place I regularly deer hunt has several roads that are open in summer but closed for rifle season, every single day of season there are trucks or atvs driving on them. They are only marked with small signs with font that is literally only 1/4” tall, you can’t even reread it without getting out of your truck. I’ve talked to both the game warden and first service manager about putting up more readable signs but so far no luck getting them better signed. With the current signs I honestly think there are people who don’t even realize they’re breaking the rules.

like others have mentioned it seems that being out walking increases your chances dramatically, so the guys in the trucks aren’t really competitive but it sure is agrivating.

 

[Packin_packout]

In five days, four cases of people driving SxS up closed roads, two of the times I was able to get pings out to wardens but I don't think they managed to catch them. Really damned annoying...pushed a buck out of the canyon that I had spotted the night before. This is my first year hunting general deer in Idaho and it's the worst amount of ohv violations I've seen to date and I've hunted AZ, NM, CO, WY, MT and UT. Extremely frustrating when you get on the trail at 4am only to have someone zip up a closed road and they pass you about an hour from sunrise and you bump into them on the glassing point about 30 minutes later. In all cases no OHV sticker or license plate.

 

[Moserkr]

Pretty soon gates will be installed to stop the traffic, and that takes everything but some atv’s (or dirt bikes if illegal) out of the equation. Then they will close it earlier and longer, and for fire season, and then for a f%cking toad that may or may not exist. Thats my experience with a new gate which was put in for some reason where I hunt. A whole area of good fishing/hunting is maybe open 1-3 months out of the year now, and not during hunting season. May get a 750w electric bike and legally skirt the laws to cut out my extra 2.5 mile hike. But hey, this is just CA. Its not like our idiocracy crosses to the bordering states….

 

[ODB]

I'm talking about the restrictions lined out on pages 104-107 of the 2021 big game regulations.

I had some long talks with a friend of mine on this - especially the exception that you can go off an established road to recover game...

 

[KID]

How many hunters on this forum had interactions or dealt with people breaking off road vehicle laws in Idaho mainly? Idaho's restrictions have been in place for the better part of 20 years, yet I can watch dozens of hunters riding and hunting illegally every day of every fall season. I understand that better enforcement would curb the issue, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It seems warped to me that many, many hunters wrap their whole plan for success on being able to illegally ride into an area, and will fight so hard when confronted about it. I threw caution to the wind this year and confronted every hunter I saw riding illegally. Some ended up being an amicable conversation, others almost ended up with hands being thrown. Thoughts, observations?

What area of Idaho are you hunting. There's quite a diverse group of land controllers. They all seem to have different rules. Just curious, I agree it's frustrating

 

[rclouse79]

I don’t think being confronted has the desired effect on people with no respect for rules or the land. With so many hot heads out there it hardly seems worth it. If they can’t enforce the rules due to a lack of personnel they need to make it legal to slash the tires of atvs in areas they aren’t supposed to be. I wouldn’t do it, but I wouldn’t shed a tear for a fat bastard that had to walk back to camp and missed out on a night of drinking Natural Light around the camp fire.

 

[Jardo]

i normally don’t confront armed strangers. too many lose cannons out there and it’s not worth it in my opinion. ymmv


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[Rob5589]

 

[Pocoloco]

How many hunters on this forum had interactions or dealt with people breaking off road vehicle laws in Idaho mainly? Idaho's restrictions have been in place for the better part of 20 years, yet I can watch dozens of hunters riding and hunting illegally every day of every fall season. I understand that better enforcement would curb the issue, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It seems warped to me that many, many hunters wrap their whole plan for success on being able to illegally ride into an area, and will fight so hard when confronted about it. I threw caution to the wind this year and confronted every hunter I saw riding illegally. Some ended up being an amicable conversation, others almost ended up with hands being thrown. Thoughts, observations?

Hunted 39 with my son last year. Every closed gate marked no motor vehicle traffic had a path arpund it and fresh atv and motorcycle tracks around it. The elk we found in the summer were pushed out. We prefer to hunt what is essentially mountain goat terrain and riding a atv there would result in the death of the rider breaking the rules.

 

[riversidejeep]

My $.02, I'm getting old and cranky but here's what I see, First it was a couple guys on dirt bikes on some cow trails, then its the Tote Goat that can get your buck down the trail without killing your self, then the Honda trail 90, more folks using them during hunting season. When the 4 wheelers came on the market is when it exploded, everywhere there was a trail some jackass was trying to get his bike up it to get further in than the last guy. Soon the Hiker guys had to ride in further to be able to hike in further than the bike guys! Add into this now everybody is shooting (at) their buck from a mile away! It all adds up to a shit show that really takes away from the experience. Just wait until that Tesla guy comes up with a 2 seat electric helicopter for the mass's!

 

[robby denning]

How many hunters on this forum had interactions or dealt with people breaking off road vehicle laws in Idaho mainly? Idaho's restrictions have been in place for the better part of 20 years, yet I can watch dozens of hunters riding and hunting illegally every day of every fall season. I understand that better enforcement would curb the issue, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It seems warped to me that many, many hunters wrap their whole plan for success on being able to illegally ride into an area, and will fight so hard when confronted about it. I threw caution to the wind this year and confronted every hunter I saw riding illegally. Some ended up being an amicable conversation, others almost ended up with hands being thrown. Thoughts, observations?

The law is almost a complete joke. Hardly enforced, I can’t think of anyone that has gotten a ticket. It’s completely ineffective without enforcement. Just makes Fish & Game feel better that they have the law on the books, that seems to be about as far as it goes from my observations.


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