Udder, would you mind explaining the "jealousy factor,? I have a hard time trying to convince myself that I'm jealous of anyone rippen around on an atv. Please explain to us the "jealously factor."
The point of all this is that we (people) cannot continue to abuse, at ever increasing and more destructive rates, our public lands. The destruction is out of control. It's getting worse as more people move west, or east from the coastal regions, and take up housing in more remote areas, they bring with them a lack a land ethic (most are just ignorant or improperly educated, or both). Add to that, lots of money (toys, including atvs, boats, personal watercraft, etc.), and you have a George Bush mentality or, the no limits mindset. We have to take it upon ourselves to restrain, as much as possible, from impacting our fellow man - even while hunting. The way I see it, that means no atvs, regardless of environmental damage; the atvs in the back county, ruins the outdoor experience for everyone but the guy riding one, and cause wildlife to flee.
Have you noticed that most, not all, but most of the guys that use atv in the mountains, are the ones that live in town, or in a housing develpment and haul their units on the back of a truck or a long trailer to OUR backyard to ride. They don't go to private land, no landowner (outside of an official atv park) would allow that kind of destruction and complete disrespect for the land. They don't ride their atv to the mountains, they haul them. Why don't ATVs just stay in town or go to an atv track made for such abuse, and tear up that place?
"Roadless areas, in general, represent some of the best fish and wildlife habitat on public lands. The bad news is that there is nothing positive about a road where fish and wildlife habitat are concerned -- absolutely nothing." (B&C Professor, Jack Ward Thomas, Fair Chase, Fall 2005, p.10).
