No off highway vehicales!!

[angler1]

Originally Posted by Cooeylover

Hmmm, sounds like the antis with gun control, "ban 'em all, that will fix the problem".......I hope you were being sarcastic......



I know what you mean here, use them to hunt with, but dont use them to tear up the landscape "just because you can". And i agree with that, sounds like common sense. But common sense seems to go out the window with some when given a bit of freedom in the bush.

Now heres the big question, could you have done the hunt without it? AND if so, then why didnt you? Start a new trend by leading by example.

Rights and responsibilities, heres how it works....
Think you have the right to do/ have something? Then if you show you're irresponsible, your right disolves. Same as a drivers lisence, good drivers keep theirs, and have the right to drive. Its a double edged sword and can be as benificial as much as it can be a hinderance, depending totally on how responsible/ irresponsible you are.

Dont punish the multitude, punish the individuals.

Everyone has a camera, so start catching these vandals. There is already enough legislation and "government rules" to punish vandalism. It just needs to be exercised.

I, shouldnt be classed in the same catagory as the "duck poachers" that we've seen in this forum, just because i have a vehicle and a gun. So dont put all ATV users under the same umbrella as an "ecological vandal".

Give the government power to control one issue, and they will take it to places you never intended them to control, history shows this in spades. I hope nobody wants the SAME government to control quads that control guns and other completly failed attemps of "good intentions".

Now can someone answer me a question with solid proof, how can a quad reduce numbers of deer and elk or moose in an area. Please post a link to sufficient evidence where it has been proven. Im not being sarcastic here, i just simply want to know, (pics would be great), as to how this is happening, and how it has been proved. Travelling through rivers, stirring up silt that lays and suffocates fish eggs, I get that. Now explain how a quad trail reduces numbers of ungulates.

As I understand it, wolves eat/ kill big game, and people are the only predators of wolves. Is this possibly the main reason as to why the big game is suffering out west? Everyone seems to be mentioning about how many wolves there are, so what are they eating?

Please enlighten me............

Have a great weekend, gone camping.

Great post, I agree with you. I am tired of being preached to by some of the self proclaimed experts. I especially agree with the last 2 paragraphs.

[sheepguide]

Originally Posted by msawyer

Cooeylover et al...


Does anyone ever ask themselves why western states like Montana, Oregon and Idaho have up to 20 times the number of elk in each state as Alberta has, in spite of Alberta's eastern slopes being as good or better habitat... There are two reasons, possibly more. First d**n near every valley in the eastern slopes has road or trail access and there is no refugia for these animals. Recent FLUZ policies have started to address this but it is too little and too late. Second, those states all have very large wilderness and roadless areas where no motorized vehicles are allowed (but hunting is - unlike the Alberta Wilderness Areas - but that's another story). These areas provide, big surprise, refugia and the animals flourish...

Mike

It wouldnt have anything to do with Montana not having any wolves left till a few years ago. And Im not sure if you have been in all the eastern slope regions but there are alot of elk winter range that has no trails or motorized vehicle access.And if its the people that are causing the issues then why are our elk populations in the farm land and prarie areas doing better than the slopes. Lots more people and alot more industry but guess what most of these areas have zero wolves, cougars or bears. And we have a fairly large sanctuary for our elk in our national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. JMO

[Elko]

There are a lot of factors why the states have more elk than Alberta, Winter habitat for one, and the fact they manage for elk numbers, allowing ranchers and farmers to sell wild elk hunts to help pay there way etc. Do we want that type of management here? I don't.
Alberta has long managed there elk herds to minimize damage to farmers and ranchers hay stacks, they have only managed a few zones for hunter benefits, those zones have been the ones that have experienced the greatest reduction in elk numbers, not from ATV's, logging, mostly from a large increase in predators.
I have been hunting the same areas for 25 years, in the old days we drove trucks, chained up, big tires, winch's etc. Now we ride atv's and walk. Most of the old roads are gone or are just an ATV trail now. And the elk hunting is as good or better than it was then. All the elk today have been born and raised around machines and human activity, there is no where there is suddenly new atv use scaring those animals that have never seen one before.
They adapt, and they always will, so the notion we are suddenly driving all the critters away is BS, even then you just have to find where they have all run off to, huntin should be really good in those 2 spots left in the province.

[NCC]

Originally Posted by sheepguide

It wouldnt have anything to do with Montana not having any wolves left till a few years ago. And Im not sure if you have been in all the eastern slope regions but there are alot of elk winter range that has no trails or motorized vehicle access.And if its the people that are causing the issues then why are our elk populations in the farm land and prarie areas doing better than the slopes. Lots more people and alot more industry but guess what most of these areas have zero wolves, cougars or bears. And we have a fairly large sanctuary for our elk in our national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. JMO

Exactly. From everything I've read elk populations are now crashing on account of the re-introduction of wolves. As stated in earlier posts there are almost no ungulates in some zones where OHV's have been prohibited for more than 25 years.

I don't think we need more rules regarding OHV's. We need enforcement of the rules that already exist. More rules will punish the honest folks by keeping them out and those who don't care will drive over the signs and keep going.

[thrude1]

can hardly wait for the ban, nothing worse than walking into the stand at 6am, waiting for a nice bull to come to your call only to have some jacko on a quad drive thru right underneath and chase the elk out of the area

[Huntingonthebrain]

Thank you for visiting the Alberta Government feedback web site. Following is the response to your question prepared by Sustainable Resource Development :

Thank you for taking the time to write to Alberta Connects. Hello huntingonthebrian, I apologize for the passage of time in responding to your recent email regarding the use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) in the Castle Special Management Area. Outdoor recreation activities continue to increase in popularity in many areas across the province. In response, the Government of Alberta and our partners have engaged in a number of strategies to manage environmental impacts and preserve the qualities that make these areas attractive to recreationists. Community outreach to encourage stewardship and responsible recreation continues to be a core component of these efforts.

In areas where recreational pressure has potential to result in environmental impact or conflict between land users, the Government of Alberta employs additional regulatory, enforcement and stewardship initiatives. The specific conditions associated Alberta's 19 Forest Land Use Zones (FLUZs) help to enable a variety of recreation opportunities while ensuring the land and resources in these popular areas remain healthy and sustainable.

The designated trail network in the Castle Special Management Area was implemented shortly after the area was designated a FLUZ in March 1998. Within this FLUZ, OHVs are only permitted on trails that are designated for this activity. Trail signage, maps, enforcement, and the considerable stewardship contributions of the local OHV community in this area are guided by the Castle Special Management Area Access Management Plan.

Since the impacts of OHVs are not necessarily dependent on the purpose or intent of the rider accessing an area, no distinction or special allowances are made for OHVs used for hunting versus other recreational pursuits. All use of OHVs in the area is limited to the designated trail network. All recreationists, including hunters, are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the trail network and access conditions so that they may plan and conduct their activities accordingly. The Department recognizes this condition may affect the perceived convenience of access for some users, but has found that this interpretation and application of on-trail policy is perceived as fair and consistent by the wide variety of interests in the area.

If you require more information on the Castle Special Management Area please visit the department's website at http://srd.alberta.ca/lands/recreation/fluz/castlearea or contact the local office in Blairmore at 403-562-3210 (toll-free by dialing 310-0000 first).

I hope this information will help you.

Thank you