I HATE (disdain) four wheelers.

[mag41vance]

I know, I know they have their place. But their place does not include my Property or my hunting woods.
  Seeing a young poorly conditioned/fat "hunter" hauling their rear-end around places they would never go if they had to walk, makes my blood boil.
  Twentyfive years ago my doctor told me that by the time I was 40 I'd be using a cane, and have a bad limp due to an accident that required 6 knee surgeries in a 2 year span.
  I'm sure glad I rejected his prognosis for me. With God's help I walk normal and am thankful for each step I take.
  There is too much to miss by flying by on a four-wheeler.

  Come on people park those things and enjoy some footwork.
 We probably live in the only country where walking is considered exercise, and not transportation. :roll:

                   vANCe

[BamBams]

As with ALL things mechanical, I think the problem isn't the "things," but it's the people who use them.  Since we all can't own Mules or Horses anymore (too expensive for many of us to upkeep) a 4 wheeler makes it possible to get that Elk meat back to a vehicle for transportation home.

[VTDW]

R.V.

I am glad you said "young poorly conditioned/fat "hunter".  That lets me off the hook. :-D    :-D  

I use mine only during mid-summer and before early bow season.  Then it gets parked for another year.

Dave :-)

[Robert]

But with ANY sport..The problem is People that are Inconsiderate of others.

[CEJ1895]

BamBams - You said it brother!  :-D I don't hunt with them but it sure makes getting a big deer back to camp easier! Had a clown from NJ ride by me just goofing around, not really hunting at all when he spooked a bull moose in cedar thicket! Talk about funny   Watching him trying to get away on that rough trail was a riot! The moose finally found something better to do and let him go. Saw the guy the next day in another area - walking  :-D  CEJ..

[WNY_Whitetailer]

They have their place in the woods...Hauling the deer out...No need to take a four wheeler to my stand areas...No need to really telegraph my location to the deer.

[Shorty]

I once had a hunt interrupted by two fat old men and a young boy riding in a Honda Civic  down an over- grown logging road!  They would drive about 50 feet, stop, get out, look around, get back in, repeat.  I just stood still and watched, and even though I was only a few feet away, and wearing orange, they never saw me.   :roll:

[MATLOCK12C]

:excuseme:  THERE IS NOTHING MORE IRRITATING THAN A 4 WHEELER ZIPPING AROUND THE WOODS AS YOU ARE HUNTING.
Its mostly young adults, just rasing cain and showing off. But it will spook all the game in your area for sure!

[Helnik]

Wait 35 years,I think you will rethink your stand on how easy it is to get around without some help!  :roll:  :roll:

Nick

[44 Phanatic]

Are you the same guy that got into it with the someone on the Marlin Talk Board?
Not this again.  If I remember correctly, he said you must get up at midnight to go hunting.  And according to his calculations, you could not possibly kill anything because of time constraints.  8 hours of walking to get you your hunting area.

[Helnik]

Not me, My first post on this subject.

Nick

[rickyp]

When my hunting partner and I go out in the woods / fields  we always take his 4 wheeler. During before hunting season we use it to take saws and other tools in and out of the woods to clear  our shooting  paths and trails leading in and out of the hunting locations. a few weeks before we start hunting we use it to put out the deer stands. during the hunt one of us may take it  out close to out hunting area but this is not the norm.
During the hunt it us mostly for getting the deer out (in MD we can shoot more then one deer at a time up to a total of 4 deer total)
then we use it to take the stands out at the end of the season.

SO Like all tools They do have a place for all hunters. They really shine for older (or injured younger ones) hunters that may not be able to getin the woods with out them

[doghouse95]

They are noisy, they stink, and they will drive deer out of the area.
The first two anyone with a brain can smell and hear, the last part comes from watching the deer that the ATV riders never see.  One of the areas I have hunted is a large private hunting club.  This is a closed environment where we can watch the effect of differing interaction between people, machines and wildlife.  When the deer hear the ATV's coming, they leave.
A hunting partner and I have watched this many times.  We set up just over the top of a big ridge and watch the open hillside below us.  The road, more like a jeep trail comes up the ridge top just on the other side of the ridge.  We use a raised blind that sets up above the brush.  We can see the road and the deer, but the deer can not see the road, but they can hear the ATV's coming.
When watch the deer feeding along without a care in the world, then when the noise machines some along, they leave in a hurry.  Mind you, they leave well in advance of the ATV riders ever getting close to them.
What I have seen with my own eyes clearly demonstrates that ATV’s ruin the hunting for not only the riders, but all others in the area as well.
I believe there is a use for them in recovering game that has already been harvested, but there is no valid use for them as a hunting vehicle.  In this state it is illegal to use an ATV off of an established road.  I would even give folks a break on that law for recovering game, but the rest of the time they should be cited.
I hunt with horses, using my saddle horses and pack horses to get far away from noisy, lazy people.  After I’m miles inside of a Wilderness area safe from idiots, I tie up my horses and hunt on foot.   I am a disabled Nam Vet.  None of this is easy or without pain for me.  The logistics of getting my animals and myself where I want to be takes time sweat and money.  I know that if I am going to hunt as I want to, where I want to, that I must be willing to invest that time, energy, and money, or it will not happen

[rickyp]

doghouse95,
First off, Thanks for your searvice to our country!!

Now I would like to commit on a few of the remarks you said.

What I have seen with my own eyes clearly demonstrates that ATV’s ruin the hunting for not only the riders, but all others in the area as well.

I too have watched deer and ATV riders intercation. I  love to sit on the far side of fields and hunt them. Many times I have seen deer walk out in the fiels way out of [my self imposed] range.  Almost every deer that was in the field when an ATV comes by the deer will normaly just look up and watch the ATV go by then go back to feeding. I can give other examples of deer reactions to equipment.

I hunt with horses, using my saddle horses and pack horses to get far away from noisy, lazy people. After I’m miles inside of a Wilderness area safe from idiots, I tie up my horses and hunt on foot.

So what you are saying is you leave your horses tied to a tree all day without food, water or a way to retreat / fight in case of  attack form a predator. PETA would love to expolit a statment like that even if it is not compleatly true.

The logistics of getting my animals and myself where I want to be takes time sweat and money. I know that if I am going to hunt as I want to, where I want to, that I must be willing to invest that time, energy, and money, or it will not happen

Not all hunters have the sapce, money, time to take care of a horse porperaly and some hunters may even not be able to ride a horse due to a physical / medical  condition Then the ATV or even a 4 wheel drive truck is the answer.

[TennesseeNuc]

I've had the same experiences and observations as rickyp in regards to ATVs and deer.  The deer just ignore them.  
I have, on more than one occasion, had some clown on foot sit down near my stand, have a drink of something eat something and continue fumbling on through the woods...never aware that I or anything else was around.  Talk about something that will mess up your hunt.
Later,
TnNuc

[BIGBOREFAN]

Me and my Dad used ours Saturday. I'm sure glad we have them. We cut several big trees out of our logroads. We use the 4-wheelers to fill up our feeders so the roads have to be open. We also use them to post our property. You still have to walk when posting but it makes it easier getting from one side of the property to the other. All, and I hauled a almost perfect rectangled rock about 16 inches thick from one place to another place I always set. The place over looks a little hollow filled with grapevives and white oaks. No way could I have packed that rock. Another bonus is we ride around the roads and feed so the in the fall it makes quieter walking. We went out this one raod that is always filled with nettles. Nobody has seen nettles grow like this. I'm 5'8'' and they are a little over my head. Talk about ouch!

BBF

[7magWoodsman]

I have mixed feelings on this subject....I have quite a few pictures of deer I took while straddling my dirtbike while it was still running! Also deer WILL use the easiest route, this sometimes includes a broke in dirtbike trail and if you dont believe that you could take a peek at many of the farms in my area...I have a stand that is set up ON a dirtbike trail that I set my friends and family up on (that only hunts once or twice a year) and unless they miss they each and everyone get a deer EVERY YEAR!

But I never use it for actual hunting and I never take it to secluded parts of the areas I hunt nor do I take it into public lands where I may encounter another hunter, out of respect and just because I NEVER had anything like that growing up and really dont need it(unless I am elk/bear hunting) then I am thankfull to have such a tool.

I prefer to walk myself and it is not uncommen for me to cover MILES in a day.  I prefer the quietness and the chance to smell the air and flowers and to see all the baby bobwhites and so on, so forth...what I intended to be my  2 :money:  became my 50 :money:  sorry bout that.

and I do hate it when some yuppy comes blowing by with there 300 magnum strapped to thier back that they only shoot once a year and flinch so bad they cant hit a barn, on thier 450 Honda super quad and make up excuses for everything except there skills and...........

[kevin.303]

i had a similar arguement with a cross country skier on the subject of snowmobiles. he hated spending hours to get far into the bush and then hearing snowmobiles buzz by all day. i do like cruising around but i also use it as valuable tool. it allows me to get into remote lakes to icefish in a couple hours that would otherwise be unaccessible.

for the record i'm young poorly conditioned and pretty fat, but i prefer to walk over ride.

[Prisoner's Anvil]

In defense of fat people, I have to say that even though I am portly, stout, rotund, and have a prolific appetite for the culinary arts, it has been  my observation that the worst offenders of 4-wheel madness are usually young fellows between the age of 8-17 who seemingly believe that driving 75mph down game trails is some right of passage. Most of the hunters, even those who are STATUESQUE, are still hunters and don't want to scare away game. Driving a 4-wheeler slowly thru woods....albeit annoyingly....are not AS intrusive as the Junior Road Warrior squads who tear rump down trails at breakneck speed. In fact, I was the first on the scene after an accident involving one of these gentlemen...all of 15 years old....who thought he was break-proof. Sadly, he was wrong.

Although I moderately resent your generalization about fat 4-wheel drivers being the cause of ALL your woodland woes, I do realize that this arises from your frustration with your personal 4-wheel demons. I also support wholeheartedly your desire to keep your property free of trespassers, which is why I'll give the following advice.

Apart from shooting the offenders...probably illegal in your state...I can only recommend that you talk to the bozo and tell him to vammoose. If you believe that mere conversation won't be enough though, then I'd recommend the following scene be acted out by you or an accomplice.

After making sure the offending 4-wheel porker has driven demonstrably onto your land, approach him and begin making comments about his attire and his 4-wheeler. Perferably you need to adopt an accent that hints at a lack of wit, lack of sensitivity for your fellow man, and above all, an accent that hints at an intense interest in the movie "Deliverence".

Open your conversations with comments like:
"Ya ain't ferm 'round 'ere...are ya?"
proceed to:
"That's a right purty bike yer ride-in."  
"U dress funney!"
"I like Greco Roman wrestin'...how 'bout chu?"
"Doncha think "Deliverence" is 'bout the bes' movie e'er made?"
"I like yer smile."
"Ya e'er been to a Turkish bath?"


Continue along these lines of commentary...slowly building the conversation to the point where you can ask, "Do ya like makin' animal noises?"

It will take some acting on your part, but if done correctly, you shouldn't have any more trouble from trespassers.

Oh, make sure they aren't from San Francisco before trying this.

 :grin:

[VTDW]

Prisoner's Anvil,

I like both your humor and your handle.  Welcome to the forum.

Dave

[bullet maker]

In defense of fat people, I have to say that even though I am portly, stout, rotund, and have a prolific appetite for the culinary arts, it has been  my observation that the worst offenders of 4-wheel madness are usually young fellows between the age of 8-17 who seemingly believe that driving 75mph down game trails is some right of passage. Most of the hunters, even those who are STATUESQUE, are still hunters and don't want to scare away game. Driving a 4-wheeler slowly thru woods....albeit annoyingly....are not AS intrusive as the Junior Road Warrior squads who tear rump down trails at breakneck speed. In fact, I was the first on the scene after an accident involving one of these gentlemen...all of 15 years old....who thought he was break-proof. Sadly, he was wrong.

Although I moderately resent your generalization about fat 4-wheel drivers being the cause of ALL your woodland woes, I do realize that this arises from your frustration with your personal 4-wheel demons. I also support wholeheartedly your desire to keep your property free of trespassers, which is why I'll give the following advice.

Apart from shooting the offenders...probably illegal in your state...I can only recommend that you talk to the bozo and tell him to vammoose. If you believe that mere conversation won't be enough though, then I'd recommend the following scene be acted out by you or an accomplice.

After making sure the offending 4-wheel porker has driven demonstrably onto your land, approach him and begin making comments about his attire and his 4-wheeler. Perferably you need to adopt an accent that hints at a lack of wit, lack of sensitivity for your fellow man, and above all, an accent that hints at an intense interest in the movie "Deliverence".

Open your conversations with comments like:
"Ya ain't ferm 'round 'ere...are ya?"
proceed to:
"That's a right purty bike yer ride-in."  
"U dress funney!"
"I like Greco Roman wrestin'...how 'bout chu?"
"Doncha think "Deliverence" is 'bout the bes' movie e'er made?"
"I like yer smile."
"Ya e'er been to a Turkish bath?"


Continue along these lines of commentary...slowly building the conversation to the point where you can ask, "Do ya like makin' animal noises?"

It will take some acting on your part, but if done correctly, you shouldn't have any more trouble from trespassers.

Oh, make sure they aren't from San Francisco before trying this.

 :grin:

 :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D                  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D

loved it

bullet maker

[bullet maker]

Hi guy`s
   I must add that we hunt off 4-whellers, on our private land. We use them only to get to the deer stands. In our area, there are a lot and lot of abandoned oil wells, that leak. So therefore, the 4-wheelers, don't scare the deer at all. Rather words, they are use to the smell of oil and gas. That is our area, not to say it would be different in other place where there was no leaking gas and oil wells.
  As far as the noise goes, there is a muffler out for 4-wheelers that you put over the exhaust, and it make no more noise than an electric go-cart.
    I do understand the problem that they can make for area`s not use to the 4-wheel sound and traffic that happens only during deer season, but the most offending cause I think for the ruin of a good deer hunt, is the person that only does his deer scouting during the actual deer hunt. He`s walking all over the place looking for deer, leaving his scent with ever step. He stops to urinate, and then later on he has to take a dump :bye:  :twisted: , that will ruin a deer hunt for a long time.
   I killed the biggest buck to date, last deer season, 45 minutes after arriving at my deer stand using my 4-wheeler. I`hm like the other that said they have observed the deer simple just  lay down when they hear or see a 4-wheeler approach. On the other hand, I have seen them bolt to the next county, when they see a lost hunter walking towards them.
   some of the biggest buck, have been killed in areas that have heavy road traffic, and or railroad tracks.

bullet maker

[bgjohn]

:excuseme:  THERE IS NOTHING MORE IRRITATING THAN A 4 WHEELER ZIPPING AROUND THE WOODS AS YOU ARE HUNTING.
Its mostly young adults, just rasing cain and showing off. But it will spook all the game in your area for sure!

 :x How about thunder-boats while you're trying to fish? :x
JM

[VTDW]

bgjohn,

A 1 oz. lead weight zinged out to them works pretty well.  Timing is everything :-D

Dave

[BnSC]

Yeah, we've had only minor problems w/ ATv'rs on my hunting club.  I don't own one, but use a fellow member's ATV to do work on the place before the season.  Most guys I know will either only use them to get harvested game or if their stand is a long way off.  I personally use a game cart for most of my retrieves, but will use an ATV if it is offered.

I think the ATV'rs miss a lot sign when scouting.  They obviously find the big heavily used trails that happen to cross the road, but miss sporadic areas of crossing that may indicate general deer movement in the area.

My main beef w/ them is the trailers a lot of guys carry them in on.  I can slowly drive my truck in the woods, park, and  walk quietly to the stand.  That's wonderful as long as 10 minutes later I don't hear Joe Blo turn in off the road and clang and bang along past me.  We imposed a rule last year the required ATV'rs using traliers to park at the north and south entrances to the property and not bring the trailers in the property.

[tominboise]

Well, let me say that here in Idaho, most every truck has an ATV on it or behind it.  I am in the definate minority as a hunter who does not own one.  I mostly ignore them and they ignore me.  I do wonder, however, about all the guys who say they just ride them to their hunting area, and then get off and hunt.  If so, then why do so many guys on ATV's always seem to be cruising slowly along the logging roads and trails, with a rifle across the handlebars, ready to rock?  I especially get a kick out of a Dad with a young hunter hanging on behind, out for a "road hunt" at 5:00 PM.  I wonder about the work ethic and hunting tradition he is passing on.....

That said, I still ignore them........ :wink:

[anthony passero]

I hate them. drive to a trailhead then hunt on your two legs. pack out game on your back. there should be nothing easy about earning ones meat.i live in a city. the last thing i want to do is listen to a pack of wheelers tooling around the woods when i go to the backcountry. i know i am unreasonable on this subject according to many.but four wheelers,laser rangefinders,night vision goggles, gpses,, etc. takes away much of the skill and conditioning our grand sort deserves and should require. then we wonder why the antis have no respect for us and think we are nothing but abunch of beer guzzling fat slob bambi killers..  

                       anthony

[anthony passero]

it should be sport not sort in my tirade above

[mag41vance]

bgjohn,

A 1 oz. lead weight zinged out to them works pretty well.  Timing is everything :-D

Dave

 How about a little warning VTDW! I clicked on the link while eating some oatmeal, then suddenly, "Brain Shot" appeared, I almost lost it. :shock:

[tscott]

I was in the high peaks of the Adirondacks in Oct. 1990. Several scouting missions had me in a nice spot adjacent to a powerline. At daybreak
the most god awful noise, a 4 wheeler trying to climb a rocky path. It took about 10 minutes for him to go 150 yards. Any 5 year old could have walked it in 2 minutes. soon the noise was too much for my buddy to bear
he showed up from another ridge. "Get that piece of crap out of here before I put a round through the engine block". Our 4 hr commute and hunt were ruined.
Reminds me of the old Shatner commercial priceline.com for your food.
Christ get off your (censored word) and go to the grocery store! Conversely get
your (censored word) off the 4 wheeler and go to the hunt. I've shot deer since 1959, and no longer hunt where motorized vehicles are allowed.
I do strength, cardio or both every day. I can't recall a deer hunt
as strenous as an average workout. I do back pack everything out, and every once and a while when I get something nice, I get an added kick!