What do you do about ATV/Snowmobile idiots?

[Lawnboi]

What do you do when encountered with an atv or snowmobile in a spot it’s not supposed to be? Hiking back to one of my favorite lakes to fish I run across this. Squeezed the sucker down a hiking trail to haul their gear out to a spot to fish. What used to be an amazing lake has been crap for 2 years now due to snowmobiles. Once one does it it’s suddenly okay and next thing you know your hiking out to your favorite lake you rarely see a guy on to find 8 dudes and a trail down to bare dirt from hauling gear back and forth.

Wondering if anyone has been in the same position? And what did you do?

The hot head in me decided confronting 6 grown men on a remote lake was a good idea.

 

[Djacker]

Personally, I'd call local LE and report them. Lazy people drive me insane. I work in LE, issuing citations for operating a motor vehicle in a prohibited area never gets old.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

If it's illegal to be there, take pictures of license if it has one or get some other form of ID and report it.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Report Violations on Public Land!

Last spring I encountered an SUV with an empty trailer at a seasonal gate closure. The road was muddy and it was very obvious that the owners had four-wheeled around the gate. I took pictures of the vehicle and trailer's plates, as well as the tracks leading from the trailer to where they went...

rokslide.com

Here is a thread I made about this. If you can't get ahold of law enforcement at the time, or they are too far away or too busy at the time, take detailed pictures of license plates, OHV stickers, and tracks of machine going around gate etc. Try to get some identifiable landmarks and time stamps if you can, then email them with a detailed description to the Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer for the region (or whatever land management agency it is for the area it occurred on). The better your photos and description, the more likely a citation can be issued.

 

[Lawnboi]

Personally, I'd call local LE and report them. Lazy people drive me insane. I work in LE, issuing citations for operating a motor vehicle in a prohibited area never gets old.

What’s a citation like that run?

I was about to call when the dude sulked across the lake finally and drove it back.

Ruined my day of fishing

 

[CDK]

Add e-bikers to the list! They think they can go anywhere. Ruined a number of elk hunts for us this fall. Running gated FS roads / none motorized. Frustrating as hell when you hike 5-6 miles back to have guys go wizzing by ya illegally on e-bikes.


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[Lawnboi]

Add e-bikers to the list! They think they can go anywhere. Ruined a number of elk hunts for us this fall. Running gated FS roads / none motorized. Frustrating as hell when you hike 5-6 miles back to have guys go wizzing by ya illegally on e-bikes.


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Yes.

We have people on this site who think an e-bike is not motorized.

 

[Chesapeake173]

In a lot of states a snowmobile isn’t considered the same as a quad or side by side and can be ridden off trail.


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[Justin Crossley]

It's not the vehicle. It's the idiot.

This year I watched three guys drive a jeep about 400 yards out into the brush on public land to load up a small buck they shot from the road.

 

[Overdrive]

In a lot of states a snowmobile isn’t considered the same as a quad or side by side and can be ridden off trail.


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Although your point about snowmobiles being treated differently and can be taken off road is mostly true.

Most states still have snow depth requirements before you can ride snowmobiles off trail, generally 12" base of snow. I'm an avid snowmobiler and pay attention to this early and late season. That may be where these guys could get a citation.

 

[Djacker]

What’s a citation like that run?

I was about to call when the dude sulked across the lake finally and drove it back.

Ruined my day of fishing

It depends on a few different things, where I'm at least $150.

 

[couesbitten]

Giving their motorized ATV/snowmobile a high mountain tune up will definitely make for a bad day for them.

 

[Lawnboi]

In a lot of states a snowmobile isn’t considered the same as a quad or side by side and can be ridden off trail.


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I know that, but it’s not legal in wi, taking one off trail

 

[dutch_henry]

Stuff like that can ruin your day. I once came across a helicopter on a gravel bar in a wilderness area in western Oregon. Tail number hidden with tarps draped across the tail boom.

I heard the BLM made it an expensive outing for the pilot.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Stuff like that can ruin your day. I once came across a helicopter on a gravel bar in a wilderness area in western Oregon. Tail number hidden with tarps draped across the tail boom.

I heard the BLM made it an expensive outing for the pilot.

Hahaha I probably know that guy.

 

[dutch_henry]

Hahaha I probably know that guy.

Ha! You're kidding. This wouldve been early 2000s. His outing happened to coincide with a big BLM and USFS training trip and river clean up day, so perhaps a dozen rangers and officers from two different federal agencies were on the river that day. I was a rookie tagging along.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Ha! You're kidding. This wouldve been early 2000s. His outing happened to coincide with a big BLM and USFS training trip and river clean up day, so perhaps a dozen rangers and officers from two different federal agencies were on the river that day. I was a rookie tagging along.

Ohh no then. He didn't get his till around 2012/13

 

[go_deep]

Dropping a tree strategically across the trail at a pinch point so they can't get back would be fun.

I've taken several photos and videos and turned people in, it's the best option.

 

[Legend]

I found a 4 wheeler way off trail on national forest once. I was pissed and it took everything I had not to borrow is spark plug wire. My thought was to hand the plug wire to LE. I was going to do it but then I thoight what if this idiot physically can't make it the 3 miles back to the road?

Ended up reporting it but I'm sure it was a dead end as the wheeler had no identification.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Dropping a tree strategically across the trail at a pinch point so they can't get back would be fun.

I've taken several photos and videos and turned people in, it's the best option.

Idk that its legal to just cut down trees where ever you want either?