ATV regs enforcement
Contributors to this thread:Colorado
From: Longcruise
22-Mar-17
Not wanting to start an ATV debate but am wondering if CPW personnel are authorized to enforce ATV use regs on NF land?
From: zeke
22-Mar-17
I complained to a Game Warden once last year (and twice to the Forest Service Office). The GW said he could and would write tickets, but that the fines were only about $200 if the ATVers even got a fine. He didn't seem very concerned about enforcing the ATV law. (He was very concerned that the proof of sex on a bull we killed might not have been left on a large enough piece of meat after we had processed it in camp.) In the Forest Service brochure is states that ATV use in prohibited areas is punishable by a fine of up to $5000, and up to a 5 year jail time. The Forest Service person I talked to asked what I meant "ATVs where they are not suppose to be". I told her on foot traffic only trails, cutting across switchbacks on the main road, in the meadows where there is no trail at all, in beaver ponds, and just in the forest where there is no road. Her reply was those are very good examples of where they are not supposed to be. My reply was "what are you going to do?" She said well we only have 1 our enforcement person and he patrols X# of square miles and there is no way he can catch every one.
From: Longcruise
22-Mar-17
I understand that frustration, Zeke. Especially during the hunting season when there is just not enough enforcement personnel to go around!
You did answer my question about the authority of the CPW folks and thanks for doing that.
From: Ski & Skin
24-Mar-17
Basically if a ATV and their riders go where they should not, the forest service and CPW does not care. Therefor it is you responsibility to disable them when they are not on trails they should be.
From: Surfbow
27-Mar-17
"Basically if a ATV and their riders go where they should not, the forest service and CPW does not care. Therefor it is you responsibility to disable them when they are not on trails they should be."
^This sounds like a troll thread on every level.