Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire bicycles ruining forest trails

Whoa! You may be on to something!

Better yet, they can just eat the gutpile after the kill.

Talk about cleaning up after ourselves........


Casey

I got my binos out. Can't find no bike tracks, can't find no boot prints, only horse tracks I found led up to the back of my horse. I reckon it must be all the elk tracks wearin out this trail!

Its very different where i live. Ive spent hundreds of hours on trail maintenance. The spirit of volunteerism is weak where you reside.

Copmoba.com

Where does 16bore tend to walk?




Travis

Reckon they must be game trails. Slew of AT opportunities but I'd guess forest service does the rest?

No idea. East vs west.

Damn bikers

Not game trails but on nat forest land. Sun Valley is yuppieville. The FS has spend a wad of our tax money building a really nice complex of forest trails, many miles of them in some of the most scenic land anywhere. Since it's my tax money, I hate to see them destroyed like what I saw last week. FWIW, some of the trails are so bad that not only do hikers have to walk beside the trails but so do horses.

It's amazing how people think public lands should only be used in the manner they use them, and will then complain about other users who are doing the same thing they are...

There is a set of etiquette for every sport. Mountain bikers whine about hunters being out there and worry that they will be shot, while any hunter knows to be sure of your target and what is behind it.

People aren't supposed to ride mountain bikes when trails are muddy or wet, and while there will always be [bleep] of every type, most new riders who just got into a growing sport may not realize it.

It's no different than new hunters failing to realize that it is rude to walk down a game trail with a truck parked in front of it when they get there late.

The appropriate thing to do would be to contact local mountain bike clubs and make sure they are passing the message along, and see if trail signs can be updated with that information.

It would be great if websites where people go to find out about these areas would post "rules for responsible use" for every type of recreation.

Mountain bikers here take better care of the trails than the government does, and organize workdays to maintain them and pick up trash.

Also keep in mind that when public lands are on the verge of being sold or turned into "preserves" that are basically cut off to any form of recreation, the more people who are vocal about keeping them open, the better.

We have a large trail system called Brown Mountain Trails. Miles and miles of trails accessible to mountain bikes. Most around here quit using them because of the damage done by bikes! Even the bikers are not using them because of super deep ruts.. As far as bikes in Wilderness areas keep them out, or let every wheeled vehicle in,bike riders should get no special privileges nor should anyone else! All who use the trail system should help maintain the trails or pizz off. My two cents

Seriously, bikes won't do in a thousand years what was done in 30 by quads.

Mountain bikes don't kill trails, people kill trails...

40 million mountain bikers vs. 17 million hunters. Probably makes a little sense to try and work it out. Hillary ain't after bikes.

÷

+1.

As an old time "biker" (motorcycles), still sounds funny to me to hear bicyclists called bikers. Friend of mine differentiates by calling them "pedal bikers"!

Certainly see both sides of the mountain bike argument. I like the idea of having more proponents of public lands remaining public.

As indicated by others, it ain't the mode used, it's when, where, and how. Dry hard trails are accepting to most anything. Get them wet, and wheels and numerous hooves tear them up in a hurry. I've used horses and bicycles both to get into the back country.

These 4 wheeler tracks ( some small number of them mine) across wet tundra where i am now will last for decades - perhaps centuries.. More better this time of year. Country is largely frozen over. Travel is easy with little or no damage done. And one can go faster. All the water filled ruts and he's are now flat ice.

Now if we can just get some snow. Currently 24 degrees and blowing 28 Mph ESE average weather this time of year

. Of the 40 million mountain bikes sold, only about 18% ride the trails. The rest are kids riding them around town, and campers using them around the campground. Let's not confuse purchases with use! Hillary will be after bikes if she thinks she can steal money from the owners, like licences and such!!

Your experience differs from mine. If a horse wears a bad trail so does an elk. If a pack string wear a trail so does a herd of elk. The deepest ruts I have seen are from bikes. Usually the motorized type, but I can see where bicycles would too, just not as deep.

Mountain Bikers