Forest Service RAC meetings?

[juice]

Spent the long weekend on one of the more popular elk units in the state and couldn't believe what the Forest Service has been up to. Every single two track on the mountain now has a numbered trail marker sign. Now I'm all for having numbers on roads, my concern lies in that they have posted these signs even on trails that are grown in or where some irressponsible rider went off roading once.

Are we now promoting people to drive their ATV's where ever? It seems like we are getting lazier and lazier! On this particular mountain there are roads on the top, bottom, and middle of every single ridge and canyon. There are roads on the sides and middle of every meadow and multiple in between connecting the two. How is this preserving our resources? It's no wonder that there aren't any big deer on this mountain any more. When there are roads every 500 yards how do we expect deer to survive the rifle hunt more than maybe two years?

I've grown up hunting this mountain and it makes me sick as to what is happening to it. It has become an off-roading mecca, and many of which have abused it. If any one has any input on who to contact with the foresty division please let me know.

It would be nice if they had a so called RAC meeting to allow public input on such matters.
Thanks,
KP5

 

[desertpointbrian]

what mountain

 

[WapitiBob]

Why do you conclude they are promoting travel? They have to inventory their current roads and trails in preparation for the new FS travel restrictions. Which by the way will close every road and trail in the forest unless specifically designated as "open".
If you want the roads and trails "closed", let your local FS District manager know ...

 

[slamdunk]

Wapitibob-

I work with Juice and he told me some of the "roads" he saw marked this weekend were just fresly made by ATV's.
His argument is that "why did the forest sevice actually desginate it as an official road for ATV travel instead of closing it down to ATV travel?"

It's clearly not on any maps as a "road or trail" in any way shape or form, so why make it a road just becuse some jack ass decides to make it one???

His point is that our forest service is enableling these morons to make roads on their own free will and they (the USFS) will "designate" it later!!

WTF?????

 

[BowHuntr]

Hmmm...that sounds somewhat odd. As an USFS employee, I have never heard of any forest ever designating a fresh, illegal atv trail with a numbered trail sign. Not saying that it is not the case here, but just doesn't seem right.

We make a conscious effort to close such trails as soon as we see or hear about them. We designate 2 days out of each month to close some of the 300+ miles of illegal atv trails that exist on the forest I work on.

So there is definitely a strong commitment to reduce illegal atv use, and that generally seems to rank at the top or very near in all Forest Service regions.

BowHuntr

 

[Sage]

Juice,

The state has formed a committee that has been working on the OHV problem on Utah's public lands for the past 6 months. This committee is made up of State and Federal agency's, as well as, members from several conservation groups. My Dad sat on this committe and after reading some of the things that were discussed I believe you will honestly see changes in the future. I believe the committee will be submitting their report to the Utah State Legislature for the 2009 session.

As for the Forest Service I believe they already have to put the forest travel plan out for public review and comment. The sad thing is as the gentleman said earlier they only dedicate 2 days a month to checking these roads. Now consider that they only have 13 law enforcement officers that cover the Intermountain region. That is 13 people to cover all FS lands in 4 States.

Now quit thinking about this and concentrate on finding my customer a PISSCUTTER down there!!

Sage

 

[juice]

Hey your client needs to calm down! I told him I'd help him when I'm done with mine

Some of the roads they marked probably haven't been driven on for five to 10 years and now they have a fancy galvinzed post with a slikscreened trail marker telling people to freely drive down them.

This is in the Fish Lake National Forest. It would be nice to see some legistation passed but like you say unless it's enforced whoop-t-due! Everytime I go down there we see new four wheeler tracks tearing through new areas. Will there just be a post there next time condoning such off roading?

If anything half if not all of these roads need to be closed.

Walk some where for a change.........we might live longer!