PSA - Hunting off atv/utvs…

[Ucsdryder]

I figured this was pretty obvious, but based on what I saw first rifle, it’s not something that most people don’t know!!!

Hunting off your atv/utv, is a great way to scare away elk! Not just for you, but ANYBODY in ear shot of your stupid machine. Driving around at first light is a great way to push all elk into dark timber. Driving around at last light is a great way to push elk into dark timber.

The crazy part is, 99% chance you’ll never see the elk you’re scaring away, or the hunters you’re effing up! I watched a 320” class bull and 10 cows run OUT OF THE COUNTRY for apparently no reason. 5 minutes later I hear 2 donkeys riding their atvs up the road. That bull heard those atvs when they were still a mile away and well before I could hear them or see them. The “hunters” had no idea the elk were standing in a meadow, 200 yards off the atv trail and were feeding for an hour prior to their arrival. I had walked 5 miles in a huge loop to get the wind right, only to have the 2 “hunters” drive right through on their “hunt”.

This wasn’t the only example but one of a parade of “hunters” doing the same thing. Drive atv to meadow, glass meadow, drive off wondering why there are no animals around.

I know, I know it’s public land, don’t be a whiner, blah blah blah.

Oh and while I’m being a complainer, pay attention to the effing wind!!!! Standing at the head of a draw at first light is a great way to blow out the ENTIRE draw as the thermals blow your scent down to every animal in the draw.

 

[Wellsdw]

Hey man mind your own business, I didn’t spent 20k to friggin’ walk….Plus I told my wife I need this to hunt.

I’m being sarcastic obviously it’s obnoxious. I had know idea how “the norm” this was until I went to Colorado. I asked my buddy if the bugle tubes were mounted to the racks or if they could be removed and carried. Haha

 

[Oregon]

I watched a 170-180 class mule deer last week, stop in a low spot about 100 yards off a road. He disappeared for 3-4 minutes. I was glassing from roughly 800 yards. I then heard the side by side. It went by. Buck comes out of draw and crosses road about 1 minute after it went by. Those ungulates getting smart and sneaky.
With that said, I've never seen so many people with razors. The National forest part was ate up with what I assumed was organized non hunting tours. 10 of them running, everyone had headsets and the first and last one in the group would flash me hand signals. I assumed it was gang affiliation signs.

 

[tdhanses]

I figured this was pretty obvious, but based on what I saw first rifle, it’s not something that most people don’t know!!!

Hunting off your atv/utv, is a great way to scare away elk! Not just for you, but ANYBODY in ear shot of your stupid machine. Driving around at first light is a great way to push all elk into dark timber. Driving around at last light is a great way to push elk into dark timber.

The crazy part is, 99% chance you’ll never see the elk you’re scaring away, or the hunters you’re effing up! I watched a 320” class bull and 10 cows run OUT OF THE COUNTRY for apparently no reason. 5 minutes later I hear 2 donkeys riding their atvs up the road. That bull heard those atvs when they were still a mile away and well before I could hear them or see them. The “hunters” had no idea the elk were standing in a meadow, 200 yards off the atv trail and were feeding for an hour prior to their arrival. I had walked 5 miles in a huge loop to get the wind right, only to have the 2 “hunters” drive right through on their “hunt”.

This wasn’t the only example but one of a parade of “hunters” doing the same thing. Drive atv to meadow, glass meadow, drive off wondering why there are no animals around.

I know, I know it’s public land, don’t be a whiner, blah blah blah.

Oh and while I’m being a complainer, pay attention to the effing wind!!!! Standing at the head of a draw at first light is a great way to blow out the ENTIRE draw as the thermals blow your scent down to every animal in the draw.

How do you know they are hunters vs recreational riders? How is this different then anyone driving on a road elk are feeding next to, this doesn’t sound like they were off trail and that they were on legal roads etc.

Sorry to hear but you kind of have to expect this to happen when elk feed within 200 yards of any motorized trail/road. Yes those hunters had no clue as they rode to where they planned to hunt on a legal road/trail.

Doubt they were road hunting but if they were they’ll never have success, this is part of why i don’t hunt roads/motorized trails. Get away from them even if you see elk there, they’ll not be around long. I do use the roads/trails to get to where i want to hike in though.

I did notice in WY road/trail hunting is very popular, maybe it is in LE units in CO as well but otc I just can’t see it working.

 

[WTFJohn]

It's called an off-road vehicle, that means get off the roads!



Note: please don't do what I said above on public land (or private without permission). Above is private, we all wore masks, and the elk was a vegetarian and gluten free.

 

[Ucsdryder]

How do you know they are hunters vs recreational riders?

Because they looked like pumpkins and stopped and glassed looking for the Hellen Keller of bull elk. Plus not a ton of recreational riders are 11 miles back at day break on their atvs.

 

[LongWayAround]

The four biggest asshats I encountered during archery season were atv riders. Coincidence?

 

[tdhanses]

Because they looked like pumpkins and stopped and glassed looking for the Hellen Keller of bull elk. Plus not a ton of recreational riders are 11 miles back at day break on their atvs.

Haha, my parents wear hunter orange when they recreational ride in CO all hunting season because they fear the idiot rifle hunters. True about day break, can’t stop idiots but atleast they were on a legal road/trail.

 

[PhotoHunter]

I've seen many deer step into the brush when ATVs are coming and then continue feeding in the open once they're gone.

Haven't seen it with elk, but I would expect them to leave the country.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I've seen many deer step into the brush when ATVs are coming and then continue feeding in the open once they're gone.

Haven't seen it with elk, but I would expect them to leave the country.

I watched antelope do similar. Move away from the pressure of truck/atv. As long as the truck keeps moving they’ll stay still. When the truck stops they move out. Elk don’t seem to have the same tolerance.

 

[wapitibob]

I've had Elk bugle at my quad in WY. Shot my AZ Bull 200 yards from the quad.

 

[Idaho_Potato]

I just expect it these days and plan accordingly. I hunt a couple of units with the "motorized hunting rule" in Idaho and even in those I plan for people not following rules. If there is a two-track, I expect there will be some mushy-brained mossy-oak camo wearing mouth-breather on that trail on a polaris rzr at daybreak. Mark it off the map. Hike far away.

Unfortunately this crosses a TON of huntable terrain off most maps. Just they way it is. I also love a locked forest service gate in heavily roaded areas. It's like a short cut to finding animals. Start hiking up that locked and gated road at 5 am and a couple hours later you will find yourself all alone, just you and the animals.

If I do resort to driving on 2 tracks, I do it to gain some elevation. Knowing that within a mile or two of where I park the truck I just blew everything into the next drainage. Once the truck is parked, hike, hike some more, and keep hiking. I find uphill is best to keep the aforementioned mouth-breathers at bay.

 

[MuleyFever]

I've had Elk bugle at my quad in WY. Shot my AZ Bull 200 yards from the quad.

I hope I kill my AZ bull 200 yards from my SXS next month.

OHV's are everywhere now. You may see some animals run at their sound/sight and there are probably just as many that just sit there because they hear/see them all summer.

 

[Idaho_Potato]

I've had Elk bugle at my quad in WY. Shot my AZ Bull 200 yards from the quad.

 

[roadrunner]

I use one when I need to. Sometimes it comes in handy driving up a road that is open but unkept to get to a trailhead. Only a fool would walk those extra miles to prove a point they don't have one, need one, or want one.

 

[11boo]

As long as they stay on the trail you just have to expect it will happen. We have knocked down plenty of elk near heavily used trails.

Friend got this archery bull, 600 yards from camp and a main FS road.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Talking about ATV Guys........

Night 4 of 1st Rifle, my buddy and I are just about to get in our sleeping bags around 8:30 and go to bed. We decided to leave the next morning due to my work schedule this weekend. We were in elk the entire time and he got a nice 5x5 on Sunday.

Anyway, we were the last camp on this road, 31 miles back on FS roads from Colorado 145. Midday while I was hunting, my buddy said a guy on a 4-wheeler drove past our camp.

Fast forward to 8:30 pm and we hear "Hello? Is anyone there? I need help!" within 50-60 yards of our tent.
The Oh Shit alarm goes off in my head.
We step out with our flashlights and don't see anyone from the direction of the cry for a 20 second period....
Finally the man steps out into the light and starts making his way toward us.
He wasn't hurt, but had been walking 4-5 miles from the end of the road. He'd gotten his 4-wheeler stuck. He only had a rifle, dead cell phone and the 4-wheeler.

He'd gotten stuck around 2 pm and had called Search and Rescue around 4:30 pm before his phone died.
He was cold, hungry and dehydrated. He had no flashlight, and apparently no extra food or clothes.

Thankfully we were able to help him out and met up with S/R 5 minutes down the road.

We were baffled about the lack of preparation to say the least.

If you read this on the Slide, I'm not making fun of you and I'm happy that we were able to get you safe. But please, please, please, be prepared.

 

[TheTone]

The atv is one of the worst inventions to be adopted by hunters. If I had a time machine I’d consider going back and ensuring they never existed

 

[HuntHarder]

Guys hunting next to roads and complaining about road noise. SMH. Rookies, this is Rokslide, pack in 5 miles, spike out in your UL bivy, run your nightforce on your fieldcraft and come out heavy.

 

[tdhanses]

The atv is one of the worst inventions to be adopted by hunters. If I had a time machine I’d consider going back and ensuring they never existed

With the second being horses and the third optics, it all should be outlawed other then a hand made stick bow and arrows while having to wear cotton clothes barefoot.