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New Signs- New Trails- Hunters Deserve Better..

Started by quavers59, November 04, 2022, 06:43:00 AM

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quavers59

       I have always wondered why the " permitted activities" on Trails and Woodsroads on Public Multiple  Use Area Signs have never shown a picture of a Hunter on any of the Signs,I have seen.
   Especially  at the Larger Parking areas that are big enough for 20+ vehicles- the Signs show pictures of Horseback Riders, Cross Country Skiers,Hikers, + Mountain Bikers. Stick figures in Black and white. So where is the " stick figure" of a hunter walking in with a Shotgun?
    And these brand new Mountain Bike Trails that are built in a narrow fashion  crisscross  through the Heart of great Turkey Hunting open Hardwoods.   
     Up here in New York many areas have Rocks and Boulders of all Sizes. Not wise to walk in during pitch black off Trail.    One medium Mountain in New Jersey that had a Straight Trail up it was replaced with a Crisscross  mountain bike trail.
    During this past New York Fall Turkey Season, I walked in on one of these new mountain bike trails for over 1 mile and got a Gobble Response  from my Gobble on a Uncle Dickie Box .  2 minutes  later at 8.31am- a mountain biker dressed in Black and Gray came speeding around and that new Trail led him down and in sight of that Fall Gobbler that just Gobbled. ARRGGGHHHH!I
     Lean and mean he was and in his early 70s. I was set up too close to that Trail- but the Hardwoods were very open. That Tom would have seen me from where he was below. It is what it is. I did get that look that said-- What The Hell Are You Doing In My Woods?!
     Anyway- it is too bad that all these new Signs going up in parking areas and at information kiosks  do not include a Stick Figure of a Hunter as a Permitted  User when they can be there also. Signs of the times,I guess.

fallhnt

Mountain bike trails built in narrow fashion are called single track. They criss cross to help prevent erosion and make the climb achievable. The group had to come up with a business plan to get the trails built and keep them maintained. Hunters don't seem to care or fight for rights. Evidently hunters are entitled. Can you simply find an area that allows only hunting or you may have to hunt away from the bike trails. As a mountain biker and hunter who enjoys being outdoors, I now have to hunt smart. IL has allowed crossguns into the entire archery season. I have no idea why,crossgun shooting is NOT archery.These clowns spook deer and as I witnessed last week are absolutely scared of the dark. This weekend is pheasant season. I will hunt smart and be in the woods and when the orange army with dogs heads out ,I will be in position to shoot a deer.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

When I turkey hunt I use a DSD decoy

quavers59

Fallhnt-- really no problem  for me as far as adapting. I have taken all my Turkeys on Multiple  Use Areas and even more Crowded  Gun Club Lands. Well over 100 years back now. Just a good off Season Topic above .
   Pheasant Hunting also for me this weekend.

GobbleNut

Your point about the lack of signage indicating that hunting is allowed on these properties is a valid one, if for no other reason than the associated safety concerns. Having said that, hunters must eventually face the fact that we are a very small minority of folks that use these areas.  Anybody that thinks we are going to be catered to, when we make up roughly 3% of the populace anymore, is kidding themselves.  Yes, it is definitely a "sign of the times"!

Confrontations with non-hunters (or anti-hunters) in these types of situations does little good in helping to preserve hunting for the future.  Perhaps the best thing to do is to choose places to hunt where you are less likely to encounter someone that falls into the other 97% category.  Surely there are still places back in that part of the country that minimize the possibilities of such interactions,...and all the potential negative sentiments towards hunters that might arise from them.  I recognize your concerns, but sometimes we must just admit to ourselves that it is time to move to new locations to pursue our interests.




quavers59

    Gobblenut- basically the same as what,I replied to Fallhnt with. I  know how to get away from the crowd and often School others  on this as,I live 50 miles North of New York City.