Interesting question.  Yes and no.

There were mistakes I could have made if it had not been for the laws and rules at the time.

There are rules and laws that have come into place that have saved myself and some from making mistakes.


People who say "we have enough rules and laws, we don't need any more" are not looking at the facts.

So 20 years ago there was no "Distracted driving Law".  Then more cell phone use and other activities while driving started to be the cause of more accidents.  People are often too dense to do what is good for themselves and others in society.  They had to make a law against distracted driving.

  And at the end of the day drinking and driving, texting cell phones while driving have been 100% stopped?  Pass all the laws you like with out education nothing will change.  For the most part I can still get away with most anything I want no enforcement out there anyways. 

Some pics I snapped for you this afternoon Deerman this was done by the local echo terrorist by my place.  This woman and her husband have a hate on for quads and hunters these trees were cut down in order to try to keep me from getting to a deer stand not only that they stole 2 trail cams.  My eyes are open to both sides.

     

Crossing a stream in a straight line like this is being tolerated.  Driving up and down stream can get you a ticket.

But look at the size and depth of the "trail".  How many OHVs cross at this place in a season?  How much silt enters the stream at this point as the result of the trail?



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I'd say a hell of a lot less than the bank to the left side of the pic did when it slid in during high water!! Dummy up! Have you ever seen the silt in the streams from spring run off when they are high, dirty and trees floating down them? And your going to argue that the dust and mud from them quads crossing is comparable?

I hear that kind of comment a lot from people who do not understand silt entering streams.

High water events like spring snow melt and heavy rain events put silt into streams with high fast flowing water that keeps the silt suspended and MOVES it down stream where it can settle out where the current slows down enough to let it.

Slides are occasional natural events that sometimes occur and will put some silt in the stream but they most often occur during high water so that silt is flushed down stream.

OHV bank damage and livestock bank damage allows silt to enter the stream more easily during low stream flow times.  A moderate rain storm in June will wash silt in and because the stream is not at high flow the silt will soon settle in the gravels where trout eggs might be and where aquatic insects that trout feed on live.

And now you know the rest of the story.

I hear that kind of comment a lot from people who do not understand silt entering streams.

High water events like spring snow melt and heavy rain events put silt into streams with high fast flowing water that keeps the silt suspended and MOVES it down stream where it can settle out where the current slows down enough to let it.

Slides are occasional natural events that sometimes occur and will put some silt in the stream but they most often occur during high water so that silt is flushed down stream.

OHV bank damage and livestock bank damage allows silt to enter the stream more easily during low stream flow times.  A moderate rain storm in June will wash silt in and because the stream is not at high flow the silt will soon settle in the gravels where trout eggs might be and where aquatic insects that trout feed on live.

And now you know the rest of the story.

Have you even been in the west country after a big rain any more Duffy? Streams never used to run dirty after just a rain! Now with all the cut blocks and oil field roads that water runs through prior to entering the stream they get full of silt lots!! A lot bigger causes of stream silt that what a quad or quad accesses put in!! Why blame the little guy out enjoying nature when there is a lot bigger cause of the issue!!

I'm so glad Duffy / Deerman has only one forum to rehash this topic over and over and over and over and......

This thread was started as a result of an article in the Rocky paper.  The problem has not gone away so it keeps resurfacing.  If you like I will tell the paper you are tired of hearing about it and they should stop bringing it up.

I'm tired of only one group getting the finger pointed at them by people such as yourself! There are hundreds of miles of oilfield roads that them and there ditches wash bad into creeks and streams as well there huge cut locks that have no vegetation for the whe year causing large amount of erosion that also enter streams! But the only source you guy finger and cry about are atv users! What about summer pipeline crossings? How about river crossings by oilfield and logging companies? They both put bridges in at all times of the year and disrupt stream banks and allow silt into the rivers. They cause way more issues in the way of silt in the streams but what gets the biggest coverage? Atvs!!!

I gotta agree with you sheepguide,pick on the atv's instead of the real culprit....industry.

You are right there are all sorts of causes of increased siltation.  However the sins of one do not excuse the sins of the other.

 So your saying any disruption should be stopped??? Please have all the fisherman stop wading in the streams. Did you know that they not only stir up silt, but walk right through redds. And don't stand near the bank as you may cave it in.
 Sounds pretty stupid doesn't it??

This guy condemn's ATV's in his articles in Alberta magazines. But here he is.

Bigbore, who is that?