Respect for fellow hunters

[Riverratpete]

Let me just start by saying that I love ATV's and have nothing agaisnt them and their usage, plan to buy one myself. I do have a major bone to pick when people driving ATV's are inconsiderate and unrespectful of the laws. State hunting laws state that no ATV's are to be drivin on public trails between 1/2 hour before sunrise until 11:00AM then until 2:ooPM by anyone holding a minnesota deer firearms license. Sat AM 0655 sitting in my stand, bbrrmm! bbrrmmm! bbrrmm! goes the ATV's down the logging road, let it go. 7:10AM BANG! someone shoots a deer...7:15AM bbrrmm! bbrrmm! bbrrmm! goes the ATV's to go pick up said deer - (hope they didn't shoot it from the ATV) thus ruining the opening morning hunt for at least 1/2 dozen people. Bottom line is that people are watching and ATV's will end up going the way of the jet ski's and people dislike of them. Dads/friends talk to your sons/daughters/buddies, follow the rules so that everyone can enjoy the public property and if you need to know the rules they are in the Hunting Rules that come out every fall..the DNR prints alot of them. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Jmnhunter]

riverplate, I understand what you mean, it really irritates me too. they did the same thing this weekend where I was at. they were driving after legal hours and making their own trails in the woods to get their deer. I found a doe they shot and their trail after the doe with Mnt. dew cans next to it. I put the cans on top of their deer, came back, they just threw them in the woods. I shouldve waited for them.

[loosegoose]

That's the kind of people that ruin it for everyone else.

[Dave]

I agree with ya guys, no doubt. I shot my deer at 7am and waited until 11am to fire up the ATV. Just a little note about off trail riding during deer hunting. It is legal to go off trail.

[Jmnhunter]

as sad as that is, it is legal (I dont know why,maybe for the handicapped), but to litter also is another thing that taps the ticker even more.

[Ole #1]

Is it legal to drive a pickup or a car into the woods when you can't drive an atv?

I hunt on my grandfathers land and his neighbors were driving their truck right past me in my stand and into the woods during shooting hours and not from 11:00-2:00.

This truck had dual exaust and was loud, wouldn't this be just as bad as an atv?

Ole

[Jmnhunter]

if its private land, and they have permission they can do whatever they want. That is pretty sad that they messed everything up for you. Its sad w/ these laws allowing people to drive into the woods. WALK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-good hunting

JN

[Gissert]

I have neighbors who do the loud truck thing every year. When I first started hunting this property, it really cheesed me off.

Looking back on 14 years of hunting this property, they have pushed a lot of deer to us by their impatience and bad manners. Many of my deer have been shot as a direct result of them jacking around. Several other deer have taken refuge in our woods, and then shot later when they start moving again. That very thing happened to me Saturday afternoon when they idled past me with their dual exhaust equipped truck. Three hours later, I was standing over an eight pointer that came out of the area they had disturbed.

Bad behavior can drive a guy crazy, but often it can be used to your advantage.

[Dave]

Jmn, driving in the woods isn't anything new. Many were, and still do, drive trucks in the woods on logging roads, etc. Now, ATVs are more common since many also use them for recreation/work during the summer and ice fishing.

Even if it's private land, people can't do what they want, concerning ATVs. Private or public, riders with a deer license are required to follow the time regulations.

Now, the question posed was, can a truck be used any time.

1. Off-road vehicles (ORVs) are motorized, recreational

vehicles capable of cross-country travel on natural

terrain, such as four-wheel-drive trucks and ATVs that

have an engine displacement of 800 or more cubic

centimeters or total dry weight of 900 pounds or more. Vehicles NOT considered ORVs include snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, watercraft or aircraft. Farm, logging, military, emergency, law enforcement, utility, trail-grooming and construction vehicles are not considered to be ORVs when used for their intended

purpose.

2. Recreational and Highway Use Registration

Most ORVs are licensed for highway use. An ORV licensed for

highway use, which is also operated in designated public ORV use areas or trails must have both the regular vehicle license and the DNR ORV registration.

I think main area in the above definition is the use of the word "designated". Otherwise every 4X4 truck on the road would also have to be registered.

Per law, they MAY (I'm not an attorney) have not done anything illegal but, I would think that type of use by someone in a truck is just as bad as any other disturbing use.

[Jmnhunter]

it may not be new, but how peaceful is it to walk across an area with busted up trees and rutted up areas in the woods? I just think more people need to learn why god gave us two legs.

-JN

[sledhead]

I do agree that you should leave the trucks and atv's in a spot where it doesn't interupt other hunters. I park my atv should I be lucky enought to use one atleast 400 yards from my stand. There are others around me and don't do the same. I don't blame them for driving right to the stand. But parking your Truck right in the middle of a clear cut is just plain inconsiderate. Now that being said One of my best a closest friends rides his atv at all hours of the day. But he is handicapped and has the permit to do so. So not all the folks running through the woods during the locl out times aren't just doing cause they can, it's because it's the only way to get them around. The lucky guy shot a doe and a buck and i didn't get any. right place right time and a little luck.

[Ely Lake Expert]

Ok I guess it is my turn to vent. I have been hunting out of the same stand all season, I drive only during designated hours and follow all the rules to a T. When I got to the same stand early yesterday, I parked the wheeler 300 yards away as usual and walked in before it was light out. When the sun came up I saw another wheeler 100 yards down the trail and he was sitting in a portable stand 50 yards further away. That was no big deal because he came out in the dark before me and probably did not see my stand. The first thing that got me angry was he had the nerve to start his wheeler and fly down the trail right next to my stand at 8:30 am, head down pretending he didn't see me. He drove right by my wheeler on the way out so he saw where I parked it. Oh well I hunt all morning with no luck. Then I get back to my stand at about 1:45 park 300 yards away as usual. I walked to my stand and decided to go for a walk along a couple of ridges before I sat down for the evening. I go for a decently long walk and about 3:00 pm I am about 1000yds from my stand when I hear a wheeler coming down the trail that my stand and my stand only is on. So I stop and listen for a few minutes. When the commotion stopped I walked out to find his wheeler parked on the trail 30 feet from my stand and him sitting in a portable 75 yards away. I was [PoorWordUsage]ed, so I let out a couple what the****, and other things I would rather not say on here. It was all loud enough so he could hear me loud and clear. Then I walked away again to see if he had any intention of leaving. Nope, he didn't move. So I snuck around into a thick area of cedars 100 yards away from him where he coulndn't see me. I proceeded to unload a clip into a nearby tree. Then I sat down and watched again. No more than five minutes later him and his stand was down and he was sprinting towards his wheeler. He was scared shLtless looking everywhere until he got to his wheeler and he hightailed it out of there as fast as he could. I doubt I will ever see him again.

I really don't consider what I did to be proper, but at the same time I can only tolerate so much stupidity. I probably should have just called the DNR. Twice in one day riding at the wrong time and he had to of crossed private land to get to were my stand is. The land I am on is public, but you have to cross either our land or our neighbors, I even went and asked my neighbor if he knew who it was and he said no. I knew better than this when I was 12, it is rediculous how either ignorant or stupid some people are.

Ryan

[Jmnhunter]

yep, its those kind of inconsiderate idiots that give you atv'ers a bad name. sorry that happened, I can relate also on one of my bowhunting trips.

-good luck

JN

[Dave]

ELE, oh, that was YOUR deer stand I parked by... J/K

Once in awhile we all have to ask ourselves, before we do something, "would I like it if someone did this to me?"

Hopefully, your hunt was still enjoyable for ya.