Snowmobiles On the Range

[Huntemup]

I saw your posts about 4-wheelers in winter ranges. I just got back from a shed-hunting excursion where we found snowmobile tracks EVERYWHERE. Not just on designated roads, but up and down every single ridge-top and draw...even on dry ground! That crap really chaps my hide! The snow pack in this area is 150% and is very wind-packed and difficult to get around in. The poor deer look worn out, and I know that guy on that snowmobile didn't help. We did report him to a forest service agent, but who knows what will come of it. Where we should have found sets, we only found an occasional single...and I blame it on that guy moving deer. They didn't have a chance to drop both sides close together because they were on the move constantly.

I used to be against any regulations on shed-hunting, but the things I've seen on wintering grounds the past several years are disturbing and getting worse. If something doesn't change we will lose a valuable resource in our animals thus the opportunity to hunt sheds. Those who don't care are going to ruin for the rest of us. Even though some areas are difficult to get into without a 4-wheeler or snowmobile this time of year, I'm getting to the point where I wouldn't mind at all if they shut down these areas to motorized vehicles until May or June. Either that, or we are really going to have to pressure our government agencies to stiffen the consequences for using those things off designated roads. Hell, around here the fines can be paid for with one nice elk antler...so nobody really cares. Anyway, glad to see that so many of you are concerned as well...now what can we do to make the necessary changes? Muleycrazy23, damn good for you for standing up to those guys!

I threw in a couple pictures of some singles we managed to pick up, but like I said, that snowmobiler made it tough to match any up. Good luck out there guys!

 

[Lowedog]

Big problem here in central WA too! There are some areas that these guys start hitting from late December on. One group in particular are well known for it. Even have heard people say they have seen this one guy chasing deer on his sled. This guy rides his motor bike up and down any ridge or draw he can after the snow melts also. I have talked to athourities and been told they would have to catch him in the act. I have been amazed at where I find his bikes tracks! There has been some talk about closing this winter range to motorized vehicles from like December to May. I'd like to see it happen. I have a snowmobile and ride it into a few area to shed hunt and I don't see a problem with that if your are staying on the raods and getting off and hiking. I think some of these guys only get off their sled to pick up a shed. That's if they can't ride up to it.

-Lowedog

 

[Zigga]

Huntemup,

These are the same folks that ride 4 wheelers everywhere they are not suppose to. Just a different season. I went to Yellowstone Park recently from Gardiner to Cooke City. Cooke City is a bigtime snowmobilers paradise. Inside the Park along the way there were beer cans and trash on the side the road in many places. Do you think that Park goers are littering or maybe the snowmobilers? HMMMMM? I hate to label people because I consider myself a snowmobiler, but it seems fairly obvious who is to blame. Stuff like that really irritates me and I have no tolerance for it.

Nice pics!

 

[Huntemup]

I think I might start carrying my digital camcorder with me so I can get footage of guys like that. Then we have proof to take to the authorities. Obviously, our government agencies don't have the man-power to monitor this, and/or it's not important enough to them, so the rest of us are going to have to do our part to deal with this issue before we completely lose our priveledges and/or resources.

 

[elklover1]

Huntemup,

Maybe we could go back down this weekend and take some of the biggest bones we got and set them out in real obvious places. We then wait behind the nearest bush and record everything that comes buzzing by. I would love to see him get nailed. It will never happen.

 

[Huntemup]

You might be on to something there Elklover1. We could make a new sport out of catching those guys...could turn into more of a rush than finding a good antler! Naw!

 

[WAmuleyHunter]

LOWEDOG- i second everything you have just said. i am sure i know who you are talking about. And to top it off these guys dont see anything wrong with it, and the are actually this year complaining aobut all the people out and about. its hilarious. Its gotten really bad this year i have noticed. I hope they shut down the winter range until atleast march or april. it would be wonderful.

Garrett

 

[BuckSnort]

Can I borrow your dog? Nice pics thanks for sharing.

 

[Huntemup]

You're right about that Cooke City area Zigga...I'm familiar with what you're talking about. The trash you see this time of year seems real obvious who is doing it. Seems like a lot of out of staters coming to that area too who don't give a rip about our resources as long as they get their rush and go back home. As always, I'm sure there are a bunch of good people utilizing that area, but it's the few bad apples that ruin it for everybody else.

Could be all those wolf huggers too! There seems to be a whole society of them that spend time up there daily watching them eat elk & sheep.

 

[muleycrazy23]

Man I gotta get a dog like that. Looks like you managed to still pick up some nice ones.

 

[sheepeater]

I think low strung single strand wire would stop the snow mobile problem. hehehehehehe

 

[Droptine25]

I prefer to ride mine in the snow, these guys must be idiots to ride on that country with the little amount of snow I see in the pics
later,
Foster

 

[Huntemup]

The areas you see without snow are few and far between out there, although it didn't matter to those guys. You could see their ski/runner tracks in the dirt where they covered dry ground too. We just happened to find a few bones on the south-facing slopes. Everywhere else the snow was anywhere from 1-4 feet deep, wind-packed and just plain tough to get around in.