SneakAttack
Very Active Member
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Last night I met someone that has a poor outlook on things. A friend of mine and I met a ?fellow? (I use that term loosely) bow hunter at the trail head as we unloaded gear and readied ourselves for the evening hunt. We exchanged pleasantries, which led to a brief conversation concerning the elk herd that resides in this particular area. ?Not many animals this year? said the guy we just met. Funny, cause I was about to say just the opposite. He then went on to describe that he believed the lack of animals was due to the motorcycle riders that use the area. ?Riding up and down the trails and the ridges?. I asked if they were really using the ridges also. There are no trails on the ridges that I am aware of excluding one. The main trail runs along a ridge that is open to the use of everything but wheelers and highway vehicles. Motorbikes, horses, foot travel and mountain bikes are all legal. The sign at the trail head signifies this. He then went on the call the bikers derogatory terms. Then explains how he has ?got? two of them! He describes how he has taken it upon himself to rid this area of these unwanted outdoors enthusiasts. He explains how he places log across the trail in locations that riders would not be apt to see them?until it was too late for them to react. In turn causing them to crash. He described in detail how he will place a log on the back-side of a rise in the trail, so when someone rides over the top, they will hit the log ! At this point in the conversation I find myself full of emotion....anger! I want to yell at him for being ignorant, so blatantly criminal, so ?matters into my own hands?. But I say nothing. What can I say or do that will change this person? We end the conversation, and head for the trail head. Not 200 yds for the parking area, two helmet clad riders are making their way down the trail. I stop one of them and explain the dangers that may lay in wait for them the next time they ride this particular trail. He thanked us and went on his way.
My friend mentioned to me that he had remove several logs from the trail the week prior. Didn?t think much of it until the culprit admitted to this behavior with such a disgusting err of satisfaction and pride. I can cannot keep from thinking of a young father out enjoying an evening ride when out of no where he is laying on his back, staring face up into the fading light knowing he will die there that night. His neck is broken. Or maybe not that drastic. May he got lucky, maybe it just broke both of his wrists. Or perhaps he has his 8ry boy with him. No helmets, heaven forbid. Now the young boy can't perform simple tasks because his motor skills haven't returned even after months of therapy. I know these scenarios may never play out. But I can't help but imagine the worst.
I know why this ?hard core hunter? has taken such a justified aggressive tactic towards fellow recreationists . During the second week of the archery elk hunt, I located a cow elk only a short distant from the main -open to motorized travel trail way. I was hiking. I began my stalk on the elk. I blew it within in minutes. The cow was only 100yds from the trail. I continued on to where I would have intercepted her had I not blown the stalk. She was going to water in a wallow. As I surveyed the wallow, I noticed a freshly hung, ?hang-? type of tree stand. ?Lucky bugger?, I thought to myself. He'll have his elk in no time. I left before I completely disturbed the location for the evening?. Well, after the ?logger? explained his plans of attack on the trail way, I asked him if he own the tree stand over the wallow. Guess what, he does. So now we have a tree stand within 100yds of a main trail which allows bikes; a guy that thinks he is the only one that has the right to hunt this area, and some avid bikers. I smell a recipe for disaster.
Sorry for the lengthy post. But I can't sit idly by and listen to people bragging about doing harm to ones property and more importantly to other people. The minute anyone assumes or believes that their recreation is more important than the next persons, that's when the trouble starts. I'm sure the bikes scare off game. I'm sorry. I wish that didn't happen, but there is no reason to harm someone, to intentionally plan on doing serious bodily injury! Or to even due damage to their property.
I am contacting the local authorities. I will file a complaint. The guy told me where he works?(sorry but it's no surprise. I don't like the people that work there, it must be a requirement for employment to have such an ego). Hopefully there will at least be a investigation. If nothing more comes from this post than to keep some of you guys and gals aware the next you head up the trail whether it be with bow, rifle or camera, be careful! Watch where you step.
Can you imagine settling into your tree stand, only to find yourself falling twenty feet onto a busted off quakie stump? What's the difference?
Be safe and good luck
Josh
My friend mentioned to me that he had remove several logs from the trail the week prior. Didn?t think much of it until the culprit admitted to this behavior with such a disgusting err of satisfaction and pride. I can cannot keep from thinking of a young father out enjoying an evening ride when out of no where he is laying on his back, staring face up into the fading light knowing he will die there that night. His neck is broken. Or maybe not that drastic. May he got lucky, maybe it just broke both of his wrists. Or perhaps he has his 8ry boy with him. No helmets, heaven forbid. Now the young boy can't perform simple tasks because his motor skills haven't returned even after months of therapy. I know these scenarios may never play out. But I can't help but imagine the worst.
I know why this ?hard core hunter? has taken such a justified aggressive tactic towards fellow recreationists . During the second week of the archery elk hunt, I located a cow elk only a short distant from the main -open to motorized travel trail way. I was hiking. I began my stalk on the elk. I blew it within in minutes. The cow was only 100yds from the trail. I continued on to where I would have intercepted her had I not blown the stalk. She was going to water in a wallow. As I surveyed the wallow, I noticed a freshly hung, ?hang-? type of tree stand. ?Lucky bugger?, I thought to myself. He'll have his elk in no time. I left before I completely disturbed the location for the evening?. Well, after the ?logger? explained his plans of attack on the trail way, I asked him if he own the tree stand over the wallow. Guess what, he does. So now we have a tree stand within 100yds of a main trail which allows bikes; a guy that thinks he is the only one that has the right to hunt this area, and some avid bikers. I smell a recipe for disaster.
Sorry for the lengthy post. But I can't sit idly by and listen to people bragging about doing harm to ones property and more importantly to other people. The minute anyone assumes or believes that their recreation is more important than the next persons, that's when the trouble starts. I'm sure the bikes scare off game. I'm sorry. I wish that didn't happen, but there is no reason to harm someone, to intentionally plan on doing serious bodily injury! Or to even due damage to their property.
I am contacting the local authorities. I will file a complaint. The guy told me where he works?(sorry but it's no surprise. I don't like the people that work there, it must be a requirement for employment to have such an ego). Hopefully there will at least be a investigation. If nothing more comes from this post than to keep some of you guys and gals aware the next you head up the trail whether it be with bow, rifle or camera, be careful! Watch where you step.
Can you imagine settling into your tree stand, only to find yourself falling twenty feet onto a busted off quakie stump? What's the difference?
Be safe and good luck
Josh
