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My son & I went for a little Trail Run today. From 9:30 until 1:30. On the trails, it was a beautiful cool day. Around 65-68F in our thick dark bush. During our trail run, we seen 2 hunters walking down the main path and 2 other hunting pickups parked in the bushes. After that, I realized "it's hunting season in our local woods". I honestly forgot when hunting season opened in my area.

If hunting season is open in your trails, here's a few safety tips:
1 - Stay on the main trails. Don't go driving down the deep / remote paths.
2 - Wear a bright orange vest. Next time out, we're going to wear our bright orange vests.
3 - Don't go flying around corners. There could be hunters walking on the paths.
4 - Don't get the hunters upset. Be friendly to them. If possible, stop and ask them where they plan to hunt. Highly recommend you stay out of their hunting zone. Especially if you aren't wearing a bright orange vest.

The safest thing is to stay out of the woods until hunting season is over.

But if you do go trail riding, stay on the main wide paths (like we have in our woods) and do remember to wear the bright orange vest. In thinking safety "all year round", our family will start wearing these bright orange vests on our future trail rides. With bright orange vests, DRLs turned ON and whip flags, one is seen much faster. Especially in the thick dark bush trails.

Hope this helps others....

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Safety ideas that apply to all...
 

I'll ad a couple of other tips:

1. Get a blaze orange helmet cover. (Royal Blue, one of our most frequent riding areas, requires these during hunting season. Quad riders must follow the same rules as the hunters - orange vest and orange headgear)

2. Plan your rides to start just a little later in the day. Most hunters, especially large game hunters, start out before sunrise. If they haven't scored a deer by an hour or two after sunrise, they're done for the day.

Jaybee

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The most important safety tactic on ANY ride is to use your head IN ADVANCE of going. My god, would you want a pilot with that kind of forththought and judgement skills?

This demonstrates once again that becuase you can afford these machines there is no assurance you can be depended on to make the right decisions in there operation.

This kind of inteligence failure makes a huge dent in the public land use battle when ATV opponents hold up these rediculous examples of why the laws meant to allow their use - are not working.

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Im confused here?..Are you trying to tell these guys that they should'nt be on the trails at all during bow season?If so,I could'nt disagree with a fellow ORV safety instructor more..

Please explain your position.

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I wonder if it means "Forget the bright orange vest `any time of the year` - one should get a puppy instead!!!"???

I wonder....

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MN prohibits ATV use on private and public land during deer hunting season (bow or gun) except for specific before dawn and after dark hours and a couple of hours mid-day. Some States have had to adopt laws because so many ATV riders would not think ahead, plan or have the courtesy to use their ATVs ethically during the hunting season. It went from asking, to telling to ticketing becuase some people are just to dense to get it without a big fat fine to cause a sting in the wallet area. If your State has not prohibited operation during the hunting season consider yourself fortunate for now…

No matter what State your from numerous complaints from hunters are received every year who have said that they have been quietly stalking game and the animal has been driven away by some "theres no law against it" ATV'r who drove through the area that they were hunting. Disturbing the hunt or frightening game is unethical. Our actions in the field will reflect not only upon us but on all ATV riders.

It may also result in a hunter giving up on a long time favorite hunting location because of the traffic the increase in ATV operations has brought to the forests..

You will find most forest managers preaching for ATV’s to be responsible and respectful of game and hunters. That’s hard to do when ripping through the woods on a ATV joy ride during hunting season. Wearing orange vests might help prevent from being shot - but it doesnt do anything for the disturbance and inconsideration your causeing the hunters.

As some groups pursue further regulation limiting use of ATVs in hunting areas there is a lot you can do to avoid the fall-out from hunters on this issue. ATV users who find it difficult to avoid the hunting areas for sport or recreational riding may see some new rules and regulations coming their way. The best possible solution for you who live outside of MN is to use these machines responsibly now.

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Sorry,
but I see this from BOTH sides..

As a hunter myself,I have MILLIONS of acre's of forest to hunt on here in Michigan..If one has to hunt so damn CLOSE to a ORV trail,than thats the RISK they take that they might be suspect to those on ATVs that could spook the deer in this area.

REAL hunters go INTO the deeper woods and away from ORV trails IMO.You can just as easily spook a deer operating your pick-up truck on the same trailway that they dont want ATVs on,whats the differance?If your flying around the woods on your ATV,than it ought to be IMPOUNDED,no matter what time of the year it is.

Handicapped?If your handicapped and use your ATV,its OK in Michigan to hunt with it anytime.

On the other hand,ATVs cruising thru the woods is not allways a bad idea either because they keep the deer herd MOVING.

This can be a DAMN if you do,and a DAMN if you dont situation.

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I am dealing with this exact dilema right now. I own a nice piece of timber (18 acres) and am planning a camp out on October 21st to celebrate my birthday .

The problem is this is during Illinois bow season . I couldn't really care less about deer hunting , but I am pretty sure poeple tresspass on my property to hunt the rats with hooves (aka deer) . I am having second thoughts about my camping trip just because the time of season , even though I do own the place I still would not be suprised if I catch hell from one of the ~Davey Crockett~ deer hunters . These guys take this hobby very seriously , and in their minds when it is deer season the woods are for deer hunting - AND NOTHING ELSE .

So my question is to all of you out there , deer hunter or not , do I cancel my plans to camp during deer season ?

Rick

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I say don't forget your fur coat! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Shoot, I'd be out there booting people off my place.

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18 acres is a very small chunk of land. Can you install "no hunting / no tresspassing" signs all over the place? Where we go riding, its over 2,000 acres. Although some would debate its close to 3,000 acres if the swamps and its steep hills areas are also taken into account. Within this place, its marked with many NO ATVs, NO Horses and other activities signs in certain zones. At the main gates, it has a huge sign of this area and depending on the time of year, it shows the main routes (that are used for emergency service vehicles and logging trucks). Thus, these signs help keep each recreational party in their respective zone. Perhaps you should continue your trip and if you catch a "hostile hunter", take lots of pictures and tell them to "get the F#$%%$ out". Just like they would tell you if you were in their designated hunting area. If a friendly hunter, remind them that no hunting is allowed on your private property, and let it go as that. Sometimes, hunters wonder into areas they shouldn't be, and not even know it.

Last week, my son & I drove through one of their "around the corner" Trail Patrol inspection stations. At first, I thought they were looking for illegal ATV recreational riders. Now that I think of it, perhaps their focus was "on the hunters"? Those hunters who drive their ATVs down the main path, have their loaded gun across their lap and wouldn't wait for a second to shot at anything in the bushes. Thus, they let my son & I "put put" through their inspection station. If you have too many hunters that cut across your 18 acres, perhaps you may want to call in the local authorities and ask them to setup a surprise patrol. Thus, "they" catch them in action. Especially the very few hostile hunters.

Sorry to sound like its "us" against the hunters. If hunting season is a short time period in your area, perhaps we should give them a little breathing room. Best thing to do is to stay out of the area. After all, they give us lots of breathing room the rest of the year with our ATVs.

Something to think of.....

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