Trail Access Restrictions - No UTVs = No Horses

[ThorM465]

I wish there were *more* restrictions on ATV’s and UTV’s and I haven’t been on a horse since I broke my arm (for the second time) on dads barrel racing horse I wasn’t supposed to be riding in the fourth grade.

Keep wild places wild. There is nothing more out of place and disheartening than being in the middle of nowhere, miles from a road and having a quasi biker gang of overweight suburbanites come screaming around the bend on their expensive go-carts.

Mountain bike? Cool
Horses and mules? Cool
E-bikes? Yeah alright
Motorized vehicles? Negative. Ride them on the national forest roads with the cars if you really want to get them out of the culdesac.

Just my opinion.

Cool, lets keep it wild. No bikes, no horses, no mules, no motors.

Always cracks me up when somebody starts crying about how things aren't fair. Even better when its some outta stater thinking the red carpet should have been rolled out for him.

I would imagine that with just the slightest bit of research, you would have known about this prior to getting there.

I'm not sure who told you as a resident of the state you're special and more entitled to federal lands than any other American, but they lied to you.

 

[ThorM465]

Side by sides are useful sometimes in some places, and I don’t necessarily hate them, but they are an absolute scourge on public lands during hunting season, and my hope is they are banned in more places during hunting season. They create a race to the bottom. As the forest gets louder, game goes further back, more people buy side by sides to get further back, and the cycle repeats itself.

Replace side by side with horses and your statement is equally true.

@ThorM465 One of the primary reasons the hunting we have today is because of the conservation mindedness of our forefathers. Wildlife requires wild lands and habitats. We fund most of that with our equipment and ammo purchases as well as our license dollars. You can’t have that if the lands are overrun with motorized vehicles. The impact of a sxs or quad is not only to the land, it is also the air (exhaust/pollution)) and to the ears (sound). This has been a continuous and historic debate about the meaning of freedom and access, privileges and rights. Wildlife struggles enough, do we need to add more to its struggle to survive? It’s not a big leap to understand why horses would be allowed and not motorized vehicles. Its about the animals…its not about you

It is a big leap. Everything else is fair. If horses aren't native to the area they should be banned too.

 

[Choupique]

Its a hell of a leap from side by sides to horses.

 

[IDVortex]

Cool, lets keep it wild. No bikes, no horses, no mules, no motors.

Then with that logic, no humans?

 

[Choupique]

with that logic, no humans?

How about yall just elect me lord of the outdoors and I get to pick who gets to go where????

 

[Hnthrdr]

Hopefully the mods don’t ban me for sharing this secret to western hunting but here it goes….. if you are on foot you can leave the trail and hike places horses and utvs can’t go. Hell, you can even go places where there is no trail.

There ya go, giving all the secrets away again

 

[JFK]

Replace side by side with horses and your statement is equally true.

Incorrect.

 

[PathFinder]

The difference is that horses require skill and hard work over a span of years to use successfully on a wilderness hunt. It's a 365 day per year commitment. Any moron can finance a SxS and drive it up the mountain (as demonstrated in this thread.)
It's axiomatic that wilderness hunting isn't for everyone. Wilderness is for people who like to hike, and those who put in the absurd amount of time it takes to have good horses. Definitely not SxS people.
OP, there are units where you can cruise your SxS around all day. Perhaps that should be accounted for in your application strategy.

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[wyosam]

Sounds like Wyoming was just a horrible experience all around. Bummer! On the bright side, there is a simple solution.


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[OKHunter84]

The difference is that horses require skill and hard work over a span of years to use successfully on a wilderness hunt. It's a 365 day per year commitment. Any moron can finance a SxS and drive it up the mountain (as demonstrated in this thread.)
It's axiomatic that wilderness hunting isn't for everyone. Wilderness is for people who like to hike, and those who put in the absurd amount of time it takes to have good horses. Definitely not SxS people.
OP, there are units where you can cruise your SxS around all day. Perhaps that should be accounted for in your application strategy.

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You brought up something that is important. Not just anyone with horses can take them in the mountains. It takes a different kind of horse and a lot of work.

I took a buddy on a back country hunt last year. Him and his wife raise and sell roping and barrel racing horses and he wasn't about to take one of his horses where we were going.

 

[wytx]

Just get off the trail , who uses them anyway?

 

[ThorM465]

The difference is that horses require skill and hard work over a span of years to use successfully on a wilderness hunt. It's a 365 day per year commitment. Any moron can finance a SxS and drive it up the mountain (as demonstrated in this thread.)

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That's irrelevant. The work you put in elsewhere has nothing to do with what's best for hunting in said environment.

 

[ThorM465]

Sounds like Wyoming was just a horrible experience all around. Bummer! On the bright side, there is a simple solution.


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Not at all! It was a great learning experience and I look forward to going back next year.

It amazes me how entitled some residents are here on this forum. Heaven forbid someone show up with a different point of view or point out where people have used the system to give themselves an unreasonable advantage. It's certainly not all of them, but if you're not one of them you know who I'm talking about. If you don't then you're probably who I'm talking about.

 

[Choupique]

What is relevant is horses are not obnoxiously loud, and require a lot of skill and work to use successfully on the hunt.

Any fat idiot from the eastern watershed can buy an ATV and blast it up the mountain.

 

[BowBaboon]

Gotta love the hate for western hunting when things aren't "fair."

 

[tdhanses]

Yes horses make walking easier but man do they add way more complexity to a hunt, I’d rather wear out my legs and let others deal with horses.

But make a friend with them on the mountain and your pack out might be much easier and quicker.

I have a utv but it’s only use is to not tear up my pickup on open roads from there it’s boots. I hate hearing all the guys driving like it’s a race.

I personally could care less if horse hunters get places quicker, they can’t hunt everywhere on a horse, they to use boot leather.

 

[ThorM465]

What is relevant is horses are not obnoxiously loud, and require a lot of skill and work to use successfully on the hunt.

Any fat idiot from the eastern watershed can buy an ATV and blast it up the mountain.

Horses are obnoxious and pollute the trails and campsites with piles of s**t everywhere. They're an exotic species to 99% of hunting area that should be banned.

After reading this thread I can only assume that any fat idiot from the west can take a horse and pollute the trails.

Look I don't actually want to ban horses or even expect equal access for horses and utvs. Since some of you have a serious problem with reading comprehension, I'll repeat my point from the OP.

I get that you don't want UTVs going anywhere and tearing up everything. I'm just saying, if you're going to close an ATV trail for hunting season it should be closed to horses and mules as well.

 

[Weldor]

I love these triades, we killed 3 Elk within a 1/2 mile of a very busy Fs rd. Usually every year. The SxS's are noisey yes and a pain yes. Cars and trucks, Jeeps for sure. In 25 yrs We never packed over a mile to get Elk or Deer out. We hunt with trucks, SxS, quads and foot. No big deal. We use them to get to the FS trail system at zero dark thirty and do not road hunt. With 500 plus guys in the same area it is very competitive for sure. Best I've seen this year was a Tractor supply electric SxS cruising the trails all day and driving up to the stock tanks at prime time in stealth mode LOL. Everyone has their way so whatever works.

 

[BowBaboon]

Look I don't actually want to ban horses or even expect equal access for horses and utvs. Since some of you have a serious problem with reading comprehension, I'll repeat my point from the OP.

I get that you don't want UTVs going anywhere and tearing up everything. I'm just saying, if you're going to close an ATV trail for hunting season it should be closed to horses and mules as well.

You’re literally contradicting yourself in the same message. You say you don’t expect equal access then turn around and say “if you’re going to close an ATV trail for hunting season it should be closed to horses and mules as well.”

Sounds like the area you were hunting is closed to ATV/UTV because it’s critical winter range. Machines are going to cause a heck of a lot more disturbance to the ungulates in the area than a horse or mule will.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Quit bitchin and buy a horse or a mule or get in better shape. Side by sides and horses are completely different.