CAMPING & ROAD CLOSURE ISSUES

goinhuntn · Oct 29, 2012

Was just wondering if anyone has had any problems or issues with
the new 30' from road camping law, or any issues with the new road closure law. My late rifle elk hunt is coming up & was curious as to how hunters & ranger districts were handling it.

brian390 · Oct 30, 2012

I was up in unit 9 helping a guy on his cow elk hunt a couple weeks ago. They have closed a lot of roads and even the roads that go to some of the tanks. I heard that they weren't supposed to close the roads that have a destination, but they did. The roads that are closed up in unit 9 are posted. I don't like it, but we will see if anything changes. Good luck on your hunt.

Arrow1 · Oct 31, 2012

My brother was up in 6a for his early rifle bull hunt and really liked the fact many of the roads are closed. Even so it is still hard to get more than a mile from an open road. I think the closures really affect on the lazy people who can't get off their quads and walk.

AZStickman · Oct 31, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Oct-31-12 AT 08:51AM (MST)[p]Arrow One- Do you think the closures will have any affect on the elderly, disabled, or very young hunters?...... Terry

mickeyelk · Oct 31, 2012

Bicycle time. Can do!

WapitiBob · Oct 31, 2012

Over the years I've noticed the elderly, disabled, and kids don't seem to enter the discussion when it's a quad or motorcycle that's getting restricted.

Arrow1 · Oct 31, 2012

Sure it does affect the elderly and disabled. But being either of those should also not give you free reign over the resource. I can't do the hikes now that I did 30 years ago, but thats because I am older and I just accept that. I plan my hunts accordingly. I don't look up at a far off ridge and go geeze I want to hunt that, but I can't walk it anymore so I will just bust up there in my quad. If I can't get there I go somewhere else. Anymore people seem to think that it is their entitlement to do anything they want to do since it is public land. As you get older there are just are certain things you can't do anymore. As far as disabilities go, that is what the term reasonable accomodation is for. This allows people with certain disabilities to hunt from vehicles etc. It does not mean they can destroy the landscape to their benefit just becasue they are disabled. I realize a disability will limit your ability to go into the woods past a certain point, but that is the nature of the game. I think most folks do realize there are limitations to what they can do, but is the group that feels they can do whatever to the detriment of everyone else regardless that really bugs me.

AZStickman · Oct 31, 2012

Arrow one we are talking about road closures and not illegal offroad use. You stated only the lazy are affected by these closures. It now sounds like you recognize there are more people than that affected...... Terry

Arrow1 · Oct 31, 2012

Your right, my second post is my take on who all is affected. My first post was a just a knee jerk reaction to a lot of the things I personally see when I am out in the woods when it comes to a few bad apples making everyone look bad. I guess you know my stance on this. There are way too many roads in the woods and I think it was a good thing to close some. Yes it does affect some folks in a negative manner, and yes I do think a lot of those roads were started by illegal offroad use in the first place. Yes I do think it needs some changes such as getting rid of the 30' rule and more input on road changes. I do feel bad for the folks who have legitimate reasons for losing access. I guess I am frustrated because I have been out in the woods for hunting lately and just seems there are more and more lazy folks out there who are using the roads as a crutch to cover their own shortcomings. I probably miss the times as a kid running around in the woods near flag hunting in a time before the popularity of ATV's.

goinhuntn · Oct 31, 2012

Hey guys,
I am actually more concerned as to the 30' rule for camping! Has this been a problem for anyone.

Arrow1 · Nov 1, 2012

What, you didn't want to hear my griping. Sorry about the thread moving away from your original question. Neither my brother or I camped or will camp on our hunt as my Dad is in Flag so I house camp (he did early rifle bull in 6A and I have 6a muzzy bull coming up in 2 weeks). I have heard several complaints that fall along two lines. One is that on some of those more major roads folks feel that being within 30' of the road is a safety hazard when traffic is flying by, particularly if your little kids are along for the hunt. You also eat a lot of dust on some of those roads which can make for an unpleasant experience. Even though a lot of roads are closed there are a heck of a lot still open (I put the MVUM app from the forest service on my IPhone and it works great. Also have the map on my Garmin Oregon and on the NUVI in my truck). If your worried about the dust there are quite a few roads where traffic is moving a lot slower so that should help things. Hope for a little moisture as well to keep the dust down. IF your concerend about the 30ft rule if you look at the maps many of the major roads, which, from my observations, are where a lot of the bigger trailers were, still allow dispersed camping up to 300ft from the road, which means many of the usual pullouts along these roads are still available to move your trailer into. If your using a tent you are good to go anyhere just park near the road and move your stuff as far away as you feel comfortable with.

WapitiBob · Nov 1, 2012

>Hey guys,
>I am actually more concerned as
>to the 30' rule for
>camping! Has this been a
>problem for anyone.

The 30' rule is asinine, but on the flip side, hauling a half dozen 30' 5th wheels half mile into the woods for Elk camp because it's "family tradition" is equally asinine.

You would think all that needs to be said is, "don't tear the sh!@ out of the forest" but some tend to believe it's theirs to use any way they want. So, we end up with rules that screw it up for everybody.

To your question, I have read of notes left on campers but nothing beyond that.

BigTom · Jan 13, 2013

Was there for the archery hunt. didn't seem like a big deal. 30 ft rule is bogus, however. IMO

stinky · Jan 13, 2013

What is the 30' rule?
John 14:6

Arrow1 · Jan 14, 2013

Depending on the road you can camp either up to 300ft from the road or up to 30ft from the road depending on the road. You can get the road information from the Motor Vehicle use maps from the FS. I hunted 6a this fall for muzzy and most of the main roads allow you up to 300ft off the road. Most of the ones that allow only 30ft you probably would not want to haul a trailer to anyway. I was acutally suprised at teh number of people that seemed to honor the closure, though I still can't believe the idiots who were taking their quad into the quiet area down by Stoneman lake. For an easy reference for the maps in real time I downloaded the ihone app from the forest service. It is a geo-referenced PDF that you read in Avenza PDF maps (free), and is also available from the site. You just look at the map on the phone and the little blue dot is your location so no questions if you are on an open or closed road or what your camping restrictions are going to be. Since it is a geo referenced map you also do not need cell coverage becasue it can just use the chip in teh phone for your locations.