To Ride Or Not Ride

[DEERTRACKS]

Your thoughts.

[Woody Williams]

I can't vote as I do not own an ATV.

I'm probably the only hunter in Warrick county that doesn't own one.

My opinion - For hunting purposes, they shouldn't be for "riding". They should be for working.

I see no problem with using one to take in a stand way before season, to haul out dead deer and to take out stands after season.

Other than that they should stay on the back of the truck - UNLESS the hunter has difficulty walking.

IMHO...

[squirrelhunter]

I agree with Woody.I use mine for hauling stands in and out,and deer out and that's it .

[hornzilla]

I agree with you both, thats what I use mine for.

[RiverJim]

Where I use to hunt you wern't allowed to walk in, the owner INSISTED you take one of his 4 wheelers. No sweatting allowed!

[bsutravis]

I always stalk my way to my stand....no way to do that on a quad....

[greenecohayse]

where I hunt is so far back out of civilivation that if I didn't have an atv then I would have a massive stroke before I got to my stand. I usually drive my quad and park it in between haybails that I have placed together so that I can keep it hidden. I learned not to drive to deep the hard way last year and I won't make that mistake again.

[oneshot]

I just use mine to haul out dead meat. There are some idiots in one of my spots that like to ride through my hunting area every hour starting at about 4pm. and ending at 6pm. and they can't drive like they have some sense. always goosing and spinning tires. You know ....gotta be cool,

[DEERTRACKS]

The owners of both farms I deer hunt ride their ATV's on their property just about daily in & around my hunting spots. I have kept a record of deer observed / taken (young, mature, bucks,& does) within shooting range of my tree stands. Riding my ATV to the stands in the morning, or afternoon does not seem to have affected their activity vs. walking in. Of course I ride around their feeding areas in the morning & their bedding areas in the afternoon. I park fairly close to my stands, away from their normal travel routes & use a full coverage nylon camo tarp.

[Rick Lyon]

During the open season if mines not hauling out a deer, it stays in the back of my truck.

[huxbux]

I agree with Woody. Can't speak from experience since I've never ridden in, but my guess is you'll be pushing deer out of your hunting area.

[gobblerstopper]

I don't think I have ever rode to a hunting spot. I've taken a mountain bike to a couple of turkey spots, but never an ATV for anything. I've hunted everywhere from 100 yards from the truck to 2 miles and never felt the need to use it.

[indianahick]

I bought one last year Sept of 05. Did because after passing 60 and having had trouble hauling out the ladder stands which were about a half mile from the truck. I used it to haul the ladders into my hunting area and haul out my kill. The farmer I hunt on does not allow driving back towards the wooded areas, even on his tractor paths, you park by the tractor barn and walk or park by the road and walk. As he has a quad I talked to him about it and he said okay but do not drive thru the fields after a rain. Talked to the friend that helped me get this farm and he said that Richard let some others hunt there with a jacked up truck with big tires and they rutted up the fields (no I am not knocking these trucks, But like quads there are those that abuse the use of them) and he had a heck of a time getting them back into usable condition. Anyway do ride back to one area when I take my climber and firearm, just makes it easier on an older feller that is a tongue/throat cancer survivor. So yes I now like them.

I understand the feelings about the off road motor cycle/ dirt rider quads too, as I have been there and watched and listened to them run the woods too. The rule became do not hunt Sunday afternoon because of the woods riders. But you know on Monday morning when I went out if my days off were Sunday/Monday the deer were back or maybe they were just moving from having hidden from the riders Sunday.

Anyway I feel that if they are used correctly and with some common sense then they are a great hunting tool.

[smokepole72]

not trying to bust anyone's idea of pushing deer while on a ATV but I have ridden many times while hunting or just checking stands and have deer stay within 15- 20 yds before taking off. There again the land i hunt on also get's rode on through the year by quads and dirtbikes so i'm sure they are more used to that sound than in other areas where not much riding takes place

[chicobrownbear]

Always walk out to stand. God bless quads for hauling out deer though.