Of course we will find out when I get a chance to talk to them, but since the "trail" targeted elk wallows it has me tilting toward other hunters.

J-

Its sad that people have to do these things maybe someday these people will learn to respect nature for the necessities it gives us in order to survive but I doubt they will ever learn

I work for the Forest Service.....no machinery in Wilderness areas at all, even during wildfire.  I spent a week in the Black creek wilderness with a shovel and backpack pump ringing one out about two years ago.  A simple call to the local Ranger District will let you know if the USFS is building new trail.  Our policy right now is no new trails and closing some unneeded admin roads (Travel Managment Rule) so I would be suprised if they're building a trail in a wilderness...

Oh and I'll be in Unit 78 for the opener! I can't wait!

Sounds like someone did a lot of work just to mark a trail. Probably something the Forest Service has going on.

 The folks around the swamps I hunt hang orange ribbons everywhere. I take them down.RC

RC  reading that made me giggle.  A friend came upon a trail that was marked, about every ten yards with long streamers of flagging tape. .. Right up to a tree that was trimmed and ready (shouldn't have been trimmed up like that on public).  He neatly removed most of the flags and replaced them in a large circle, bringing the person right back to the parking area.

Sorry, giggling again.
ChuckC

I understand the dislike of seeing flagging while bowhunting, don't use it myself, but I don't think taking it down is right.

Not everyone is good in the woods. Tampering with the flagging might get someone lost or hurt. I agree it's unsightly on public ground. I think I would rather see the flagging than sit in the stand with my bow and watch somebody blunder around in the dark, lost and scared. What if it's a young person just learning to hunt?

It needs to come down after season but if it's not against the rules to use it in the public hunting area, I would think taking them down would be. Just doesn't seem like the "higher road" type thing we talk about all the time.

OkKeith

I agree with OkKeith. . . was thinking the same thing. . .

Not my preference, but could have been a young guy or even an older man with difficulty navigating in the dark.  It is no more wrong than shooting a compound. . .

Dan in KS

You can easily extrapolate and say that this was all garbage and they were leaving it in the woods.  If I dump trash on the ground. .  but promise to pick it up after the season. .  is that OK ?  

Using a compound is legal.  Littering is not.

There are a lot of ways to mark a trail that are less obtrusive and just as easy to follow.

If I put up these "trails" am I in a large sense alerting people that I have claimed a stand and to stay away ?

Food for thought

ChuckC

Obtrusive...just learned a new word!  

I get riled when I see trails into wilderness areas. The White Mountain wilderness area in the Lincoln Nat'l Forest in NM has several places where the 4 wheelers just went around the boundary signs.  :mad:

Well, to round out and close this thread I spoke to the district office today and they are on it. Have had trouble before in this area and will contact me if they need addition info regarding location. They seemed to know about where it was already.

Lets not forget that in areas like this the rules are clear regarding any alterations, flagging etc. so its an issue of whether one can hunt there safely within those rules or not. Ethically they should choose an area that accomodates their woods skill and physical abilities. In my experience most hunters are very good about keeping wilderness areas as they found them.
I am taking my bow scouting this time (saturday) and stumping.


Joshua

Joshua,

Glad to hear that the situation is working out. Have a good time whacking those stumps!

OkKeith