AZ STRIP NEEDS YOUR HELP

[carlos]

Anyone that cares about on the AZ Strip needs to respond to this imediately. There is a list of proposed management plans for the Strip. The majority of these proposals will eliminate almost all of the prime deer habitat as far as being able to access it for maintaining waters and for hunting. Please go to the Arizona Deer Assn. website WWW.AZDEER.ORG and read and respond.Just look for the AZ STRIP PROPOSALS. The deadline is March 17th to voice your opposition to the "Environmentally Friendly Plans" They are going to change things at the Strip and it's purely up to us as to how much it will affect us as mule deer hunters. Please Respond.Pay special attention to Kevin Harris's recomendations. Thanks

 

[nontypical]

I hope the lack of response to this thread doesn't mean no one is sending in comments.This is the new method the anti's are using to try to end hunting.It may not be your hunting grounds,but they could be next!

 

[carlos]

I hope so too NT. At least everyoune that applies for the Strip should respond to the BLM.If not don't be suprised when they pull up to a locked gate going on to the monument.Wilderness areas sound good at first till you consider that these deer are almost completely dependant on manmade water. If these waters can not be maintained then this deer herd will disapear.

 

[HornedToad]

I'm a non-resident. Does the Arizona Strip need my help?

 

[BuzzH]

Sent in my reply.

Short version:

Limit access and number of roads, severely limit ATV use to only roads capable of passanger vehicle access (like Idahos plan).

Keep main arterial roads open to mechanized travel and administrative use only for side-roads needed to access water catchments.

 

[pinenut]

Something needs to be done about off-road ATV travel by shed hunters on the strip...you cannot hike anywhere except in extremely rocky country without crossing 2-tracks through the desert sage...it is sickening sometimes. If this helps that end i support this new action.

It would be much nicer to be able to shed hunt down there instead of chasing the sounds of wheelers through the junnies with a baseball bat sized log in my hands. Someday i will get in the right position to introduce myself to one of these guys.

I think they need to close large areas to possession of ATV's...when you see a truck with a bunch of deer stickers in the window hauling 6 ATV's in March 60 miles out on the strip do you think the group of guys in that truck really plan to keep em on the road?

Because of the extreme difficulty in enforcement the penalty needs to be raised tremendously to help deter abuse. 100% serious i believe the penalty for knowingly and completely intentionally illegal cross-country motor vehicle travel should be at least a $2000 fine AND mandatory confiscation of the motor vehicle in question...no questions.

--Yes that post is about the AZ strip but i believe these same thoughts are true for most all mule deer country in the West...particularly flat sage brush winter ranges.

-RPinenut

 

[Maverickcurs]

Pinenut what law do you want next no trucks--no horses?If you let one stupid law in the anti's will not stop till they get complete control!!!!!You cannot hunt out on kelly point because it is so thick--will it ever be cut or burned not hardly!!!If you could cut or burn it deer would use this area.You cannot even get off the road 10 feet out there,you are breaking the law or offroad travel---how stupid!!!When they make a no raod travel there will be no deer south of Poverty Mnt!!!!!I hunt all over this unit and see all the great things that the hunters & ranchers have done in this unit.I don't see any good the BLM or PS has done here!We don't need any Gov control of OUR land!!!!!

 

[pinenut]

No ATV's is all i ask for. I agree there are some places that are practically unhuntable but there are hundreds of square miles that are getting pounded by guys on wheelers and it is disgusting the complete disregard they have.

If the guys would keep the wheelers on existing roads then i would not advocate a complete closure to their possession on the Strip. But they cannot...you have to know that if you have been out there like you say you have. A complete ban of ATV's on roads or on trailers is the solution for areas where people cannot stay on the roads.

I said nothing about trucks. I really do not feel like people will try to close the main access road from Poverty to Mount Dellenbaugh(SP?). I do know there are thousands of illegal miles of off-road ATV travel by shed hunters between those two places that i would do nearly anything to see ended...and i feel like a complete closure to possession coupled with harsh penalties is the only way to accomplish that.

Do you feel like off-road ATV travel is a problem on the strip? Do you think the only limits placed upon motor vehicle travel on the strip should be the capacity of the machine the person is riding? I do not think so and i see government regulations as one way to help curb cross country motor vehicle travel. Yes i agree it is kinda like sleeping with the enemy but sometimes that is necessary.

Another means to reducing illegal travel is by changing the attitudes of the people who feel like it is ok to ride through the junnies on their wheelers but with my conversations i have had with them the select few times i have been able to corner them somewhere that seems highly unlikely. Are all people who ride ATV's knowingly illegally off-road complete $#%(*#*($Y#*#)$U heads? That has been my experience with the crowd.

I do not feel bad raining in on their parade.

Peace,

-RPinenut