"You kids".....sorry my dear, I'm 36 years old. Even though I'm a kid at heart, I'm far from being one.

I see that you need to be educated on the laws of Texas.

Code 11.021 State Water "(a) The water of the ordinary flow, underflow, and tides of every flowing river, natural stream, and lake, and of every bay or arm of the Gulf of Mexico, and the storm water, floodwater, and rainwater of every river, natural stream, canyon, ravine, depression, and watershed in the state is the property of the state."

Code 1.011 Property of the State. "(c) All the beds and bottoms and the products of the beds and bottoms of the public rivers, bayous, lagoons, creeks, lakes, bays, and inlets in this state and of that part of the Gulf of Mexico within the jurisdiction of this state are the property of this state. The state may permit the use of the waters and bottoms and the taking of the products of the bottoms and waters."

Next time you want to reference the laws of Texas, I strongly suggest that you become familiar with them instead of citing something that Joe Blow once told you.

"We both know the trails along Spring Creek are well out of the water and up it's banks.".....What are you doing riding trails that's out of the banks, don't you know that's private property? There is plenty of riding available on the creek bottom.

 

All I can say guys is that based on the attitudes I have seen in this forum, we will continue to see an even greater number of restrictions being placed on ATV use thorughout the country. And that definitely appears to be the case when you look at complaints being made in other forums from those already effected by such efforts.

Pat yourself on the back when it happens because you've earned it.

 

spring...have you figured out what you are complaining about yet?
As I see it you've made several points that make no real sense.
Let me see if I have this right...
1- sport riding causes erosion to public riding areas to the point that these riding areas are in danger of being closed.
2- sport riding violates property owners rights and causes people to get upset.
3- it is OK to cause erosion if you are hunting or you lease the area you are eroding.
4- sport riding is wrong unless you are only going from point a to point b.
5- hunting wild pigs and deer is a way of getting from point a to point b.
6- you own property in Texas and Mississippi and you have quads there and you only use them to get from point a to point b but you don't have enough property to hunt on in either state.
7- neither Texas nor Mississippi is point a nor b since you cannot ride an atv between either point legally.
8- the sport use of atv's is causing the government to close down riding areas because sport atv's don't know where the marked trails are.
9- all sport riders should throw away their atv's so the government won't close down the riding places.
10- killing deer and pigs is OK since it helps stop erosion and preserves wilderness areas.
I don't think I'm a genius but I think I know where you're coming from.

 

springdrl - i'm confused as to what you would like done about the atv restrictions. it sounds as if you are FOR restricting the use of atv's as a sport on public land. i was just wondering if you could explain your stand on atv's.

 

An honest question deserves an honest answer.

As one who often rides an ATV on government land where it is legal to do so, I am very concerned with the actions of those who jeapordize that opportunity for me and others.

My original post was made with the intent to draw more attention to the fact that this very thing is happening and that the US government is closely watching the issue. And let me say again that the recent changes in how the NFS will build and maintain roads is in my opinion, further evidence that ATV use is being seen more and more as a severe problem on government land.

I would like to be able to use my ATV on NFS lands for many years to come. From the opinions I have seen expressed here, it is only a matter of time until new laws are passed to make it illegal. It seems fairly obvious that there are many out there (kids and adults alike) who really don't care who owns the land where they ride their ATVs.

 

springdrl.....you never did answer my question. Why are you riding on private property without permission when there is plenty of riding area on the creek bed?

 

You have evidently mistaken me for someone else who has contributed to this forum.

However, for the record, I only ride my ATVs on private land that I have leased or within specific areas of the National Forest that have been designated for such access.

In others words, I do not take off on joy rides on land without knowing who owns it and without their permission.

 

spring...again you are making a circular argument. You say you ride on government land which is suffering erosion, which faces closing because the erosion is so severe, so everyone else but you should stop riding or else there won't be anywhere to ride. You can't seriously believe the "point" it seems that you are trying to make.
The other contradiction is that you say you use your atv to get from point a to point b but apparently to you those 2 points involve tracking down pigs and deer in the wild. I can't imagine the wild pigs and deer walk up to the trail so you can shoot them. Or maybe you don't really hunt you just go to the woods with your quad and use paintballs or play lazer tag with the deer and the pigs.
Certainly you realize that hunting is a sport just like riding atv's. Since hunting is not merely a case of getting from point a to b certainly you should cut it out all together. Unless you need the meat to live and to feed your family.
On the other hand you could always sell your property in Mississippi or Texas and get rid of your quad and your shotgun and you could probably take your family out to dinner each night of the week with the money you'd make. The deer would be happy, the pigs would be happy, you won't be burning gas to drive from point a to b, you won't be polluting the wilderness with lead and plastic from your shotgun shells [assuming you miss on occasion], you'll be able to spend more quality time at home with the wife and kids. And most importantly you will yeald the erosion you cause to someone who simply enjoys going for a ride without worrying if they are just getting from a to b.
If you want to talk about real issues then lets talk, but don't blame the mismanagement, corruption, and overall poor condition of the forest/trail system on the people who ride for fun.

 

Looks like you're having trouble with people having FUN. Do you think your life sucks soo much you have to blame the others for having fun?
Do you really want to know what I think of hunting? It is at least as offending as what you think of sport quads.
As for the erosion thing...you really watch too much TV!! Want some reality? A couple years ago, down south in France (Marseille), there has been a huge fire (criminal...and set by landowners so they could sell their land for more money!), and not only it burned for days, but fireifghters couldn't even reach it because the trails had been strictly forbidden 2 years before. Trees over the trail...unfindable trail...and the fire kept raging, burning down houses, ruining people's life...

Besides, I don't see what's wrong with a mudhole...what real damage is it causing? Except you have to go around it? Maybe we should build a road where you go slaughtering animals?


I would have loved to do a post like yel400exman...but it's not reasonable...

 

86atc250r...To go along with your post I heard just today that the state of Texas has enough land area to house every man woman and child in the entire world [6,000,000,000 people] with 1217 square feet per person. Meaning that for a family of 5 each residence would be over 6085 square feet. I'd say that there would be plenty of riding areas then.