Ocala National Forest, complaints by some users

[FishaHallic]

I belong to Florida Sportsman.com and saw this thread and thought you might be interested.  http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=513805  I don't think they are bitchin about atv ers in general but we did come up in the conversation. 

[cheropride]

thanks fish, i signed up.  They are really bashing us aren't they.

[FishaHallic]

I think some of the bashing is about 4x4 trucks tearing up the forest as well as the atv riders who go off of the trails. 

[cubnfrank]

Fishahallic, I posted my 2cents over there. The hunters are pissed of about the atvs. They sound like atv's riders are somekind of off road gang. I still say that the state is to blame for not providing more areas to ride. I drive over 2 hours to get to ONF. Down in south florida they are on the right track with dade county. They are trYng to get land set aside for an atv park. Polk county is also tryng to get something started.

[Loven It]

I am not a member of that site and don't want to join just to give my opinion. I did read the enitre thread though.

All you hear the hunters complain about is how we tear up the land or scare the animals away they are trying to hunt because of the noise. I am not against hunting-even though it is not something I do or support. However if it was true that the noise from atv's scares the deer away are trying to hunt then why can you often run across a group of deer at and ATV park (Croom). They are not afraid of the noise, its when the noise stops that they get scared (at least that has been my experience). The closest I have ever been to a deer (4 of them) was about 5ft away at an ATV park (Croom) - go figure. 

The hunters blame the atv'ers for throwing their trash on the ground. However hunters spend time sitting in tree stands and things of that nature for hours on end. They use four wheelers too! Why is it they are never part of the problem? We are always saying there is a "few bad apples" that ruin it for everyone? Do they eat and drink when sitting/hunting? When we are riding we stop for a few mins to get a drink throw it back in the cooler and off again. Do a lot of atv riders often take snacks and lunches on their rides? I have never ran across a group in the woods taking a lunch break.

[Bleedsblue]

The problem is you have a few people tearing everything up on ATV's and there is no way to stop just them so they want to ban ALL ATV's instead. Where I ride there are plenty of places to ride but still there is a small percentage of people that are determined to make new trails and mud pits even though there are other trails not more than a few feet away. Those are usually the same people that toss beer cans and bottles on the ground and generally don't give a crap.

[NPRVinson]

I read the whole thread too, I hunted ONF for many years although I don't hunt anymore, I don't have anything against it either. To say that ATVers are the only ones that damage the forest is pure ignorance. I have seen many times hunters trashing the woods and bogging their trucks in wetlands and as with ATVers it is a select few but never the less it happens. The most damage and litter I have seen in the forest is from locals dumping household garbage, roofing materials, appliances, cars, etc.. They call it ''PUBLIC LAND'' for a reason and as long as it is used responsibly everybody can co-exist and enjoy it. A little respect from everybody would go along way. BTW we do take lunch breaks in the middle of the forest and take everthing out that we took in and more most trips, it's not too difficult to pick up a few pieces of trash and take it out of the woods with you when you leave.

[UncleRico]

It's seems to me it's just another typical generalization about ATV'ers by people who love to beeyotch.

I always love the people who throw out the same old argument about how a small few are ruining the entire forest.   

As if they even see more then 10 % of the forest in their entire life.  Yet they seem to be experts on the entire forest.

I'm tired of seeing shot gun shells all over the ground, spray painted white trash tree stands, and explaining to my kids why people want to kill other living things and pretend it's a "SPORT".

Maybe they should ban hunting?


(I wonder if that'll fire up the hunters)

[cheropride]

Great point UncleRico, there are shotgun shells everywhere....  I quess they consider them biodegradebale. Not! 

You know what gets me, you would think that we would all stick together on this issue, cause if we stick together there is more of us to voice our opinions.  Whatever happen to united we stand....  I can't see what's the big deal with the hunters, cause 1st they will try to run atv's out, quess what hunters your next....  Oh and by the way, if the way want to ban atv's, well then they better get to their hunting areas either on foot or horse back.... Yea, I would like to see that....

[dedbrok]

It's rediculous.  The only people arguing are the people that do not represent either side.  That guy on the forum that is such an officianado is only 22!!  I'm not joining their site, but I will say this:  

I have lived in Florida my entire life. I have hunted and fished, not for sport, but for food.   I didnt come from a wealthy family and we had to do what we had to do.  And sometimes we had to take our truck through some bad areas(getting muddy in the process) to get done what we had to do.  And maybe we had a little fun in a hole or two.  One thing we never did was leave garbage.  The locals and the partiers are the ones that leave the majority of the garbage and we all know it.  

Developments are a major problem.  Pollution is a major problem.  But they always want to point the finger in the direction with the least affect.  Do you know why?  It's because the little guy cant afford to fight back.  

There is a company that dumps pollution directly into the St.Johns and nothing is done about it because they have money.  We go to the ONF and get huge fines for stupid stuff.  Giving us a fine for mud on our truck or driving in a restricted area that isnt posted is not solving anything.

There is a well known man in history that started banning people with different values than him.  It wasnt until he went out of his own area that anybody stopped him.  Closeminded people like Hitler take advantage of the little weak people and dont use common sense when making decisions.  

[cheropride]

Developments are a major problem.  Pollution is a major problem.  But they always want to point the finger in the direction with the least affect.  Do you know why?  It's because the little guy cant afford to fight back.   

Exactly!!!!!!