PSA - Hunting off atv/utvs…

[tdhanses]

People saying they are not spooking animals with their ATVs because they are killing stuff close to the road/ATV only proves that not all animals are being spooked by ATVs, not that there were not more animals there before they drove in.

Personally, I'd like to see some percentage of "roads" that people are choosing to use ATVs on to preserve their truck's longevity turned into non-motorized trails during hunting season. This would push trailheads further out of core habitat and also reduce the need for ATVs in western hunting. A consequence of this would be more animals remaining on public land during hunting season and improved hunting for those willing to put the effort in. It would also lessen the need to trailer ATVs/UTVs on such a high percentage of western hunts. When reading about different hunting units on GoHunt it seems like 90% of the time it says ATV/UTV recommended.

Ha, people could glass a entire herd of elk from a road, give any decent change in elevation to get to them and only 5% will go after them, most will just watch and hope something closer/easier comes along. The core habitat isn’t jeep trails, it can be a highway and anywhere, roads do not effect the animals.

Sure seems to be more game outside of wilderness areas in my experience.

 

[xcskier_hunter]

Ha, people could glass a entire herd of elk from a road, give any decent change in elevation to get to them and only 5% will go after them, most will just watch and hope something closer/easier comes along. The core habitat isn’t jeep trails, it can be a highway and anywhere, roads do not effect the animals.

Sure seems to be more game outside of wilderness areas in my experience.

I actually considered rewording the "core habitat" aspect of my post because I agree some of the best habitat is close to roads and it's really hunting pressure/activity that is pushing a lot of animals out of what should be their core habitat. Still, there is plenty of evidence that roads and trails affect animals and their movements, both things like interstates that hinder migration down to walking trails that create buffers with lessened wildlife use.

And I agree that a lot of hunters are lazy and will not chase things far off a road, but I still think if some of the jeep trails were closed to motorized travel during hunting seasons you could improve the hunting on public land before resorting to tag reductions or shortened seasons, which seems to be a common plea from hunters in a number of western states. But that is sort of tangential to this discussion.

 

[PNW bow hunter]

I think it’s time for a new PSA thread

Warning:

If you hunt from or a near a paved, gravel, or dirt road where automobiles are legal, you may see an automobile.

If you hunt from or near an atv/utv/motorcycle trail you may see an atv/utv/motorcycle

If you hunt from or near a hiking trail, you will may see a hiker on the trail

 

[Coldtrail]

I sort of look at the ATV as sort of a "gateway drug", eventually you decide that a run of the mill ATV doesn't meet your needs so you go side x side, next stop.....

 

[bsnedeker]

I sort of look at the ATV as sort of a "gateway drug", eventually you decide that a run of the mill ATV doesn't meet your needs so you go side x side, next stop.....
View attachment 468037

I jumped right into a sxs with tracks, skipped right past the atv stage.

I'm also a hard core heroin addict that had never had a drink of alcohol though!

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Coldtrail]

I jumped right into a sxs with tracks, skipped right past the atv stage.

I'm also a hard core heroin addict that had never had a drink of alcohol though!

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk

"Oh that, it's not mine, I walk everywhere, I'm just storing it for a friend....."

 

[204guy]

I think the biggest take away from this thread is the redefining of "miles back". I was incorrectly assuming it meant distance from where you parked or the nearest vehicular access point. It is also universally referenced to define packout distance. I guess packouts shall now be referenced from one's house? "Yeah bro we packed 800 miles".

 

[Bodough]

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.

I think you have to expect it to happen and stay away from any trails/roads etc. why would you waste time next to the road?

 

[WV Mountaineer]

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.

I wish all public land, in every state, would mandate no driving on any wood roads or trails that aren’t county roads, during hunting seasons.


Hunters are the worst too. The non hunting public land user hikes where they go. Hunters are lazy and drive loud machines. Go figure.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Spent last week in the Big Horns. Drove my '19 crew cab short box Ram to trailheads and hiked in from them. For anybody looking at new trucks, I HIGHLY recommend these trucks, especially those with air-ride. Lifting to OR2 I had no problems with ground clearance. In 4wd Lo, I had no trouble making it up the steepest inclines even with snow, ice, and rocks. I don't recall all the guys that recommended them, but the Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT performed phenomenally as well.

I have little experience hunting around guys on ATVs, and I was surprised how LOUD they were, as if they were trying to make them loud? My truck was at least 75% more quiet even with an aftermarket MBRP muffler.