So can anybody explain...

[Steve]

to me why I can buy an off-road sticker for my 4000lb truck and drive it down all the two tracks that I want, but I can't putz around the woods on my old three wheeler on the same two tracks whether I buy a sticker or not? Doesn't make much sense to me.

[boehr]

Going to have to be a little more exact Steve in your question and I would be happy to tackle it. Give me a specific example, with locations and I will find out.

[Steve]

Its true anywhere on national forest land that's not designated as a designated scramble or trail area for ATV's.

[msiebers]

I'm curious why the rules are different in the UP. You can pretty much ride any trail you want to up there, but you have to be on a designated ORV trail down here.

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Mike

[Steve]

You are right Mike. I just don't understand the logic or illogic as the case may be. You can ride down the same two track with a four ton truck that you are prohibited from going down on a four wheeler. All you need is your off-road sticker. The same is true for an enduro type motorcycle that is street legal. As long as its street legal and you have your sticker you are free to ride where you want. You can tell me my little old three wheeler makes a bigger footprint on the two tracks than a full sized truck.

[msiebers]

Ok, now here a question for ya to ponder.
When are they going to start requiring a trail permit for horse riders?
The erosion these Yahoo's cause is far greater than any ATV ever caused.

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Mike

[Steve]

Not to mention the bacteria contamination left behind.

[boehr]

I suspect you guys are caught up in "the other guy screwed it up for you" scenerio. Just like many other things, you guys probably use your ORV for hunting, whatever, getting from point "A" to point "B". We all know that trespass and slob hunters and fishermen have caused people not to allow hunting and fishing their property. That damage has also happened by ORV's in the lower, not only on public lands but also private property.

Horses...I agree, horses do cause damage but the number of horses are not even close to the number of ORV's. Also the damage done by horses doesn't even come close to the damage done by ORV's. There are many places in southern Michigan that horses can't be either.

As for the federal land, I am at a disadvantage because the rules have changed so much since I worked areas with federal land. I can say that here again though, the rules became more strict because of damage.

As far as the U.P., there is no where close to the numbers of ORV's in the U.P. as compared to Lower Michigan. When the different operation rules were set there were even fewer ORV's in the U.P. which that number has increased over the years. If damage starts happening in the U.P. like it did, has and continues in the lower, rules probably will change.

[Steve]

Yeah, I think you are right Boehr. Oh well, at least I can still hunt on the federal land at least for now....

[TQO]

The UP is quite a bit different and it varies by county. Chippewa and Luce County have legalized ATV riding on the extreme right a way of all non state and federal highways (of course there are a few restrictions).

We sponsored a poker run from our hotel in July of this year and ran about 180 - 200 miles and never broke the law.

The laws are very similar to sledding and I predict that it will be a bigger business than sledding in a few years. It will take a little time to get the news out, but the riding is a ball and it is nice to just pull up to the pumps on a paved road.

If anybody wants a list of the regs, I can get them.

Happy riding,

Rich
TQO

[msiebers]

Well boehr, I guess ya got me pegged. LOL!!
I Used to ride in Allegan quite a bit years ago, but after many of the trails were closed, I sold my ATV. Now I am just a bit P.O'd when I see the horses doing the dammage to the woods that closing the trails to ATV's, was supposed to stop.
Now that we have our own land in the UP however, I wish I had my 3-wheeler back.
One thing I notice up there, as you stated, the ORV use is not near what it is down here.
I very rarely see anyone but hunters in their trucks using the ORV trail that runs through our property.
That reminds me. If we have an ORV trail that goes through our land, that we have given the state an easement for access through that land as an ORV trail. Do we still nead ORV stickers on our vehicles when using that trail?


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Mike

[boehr]

Your asking another tough question and the reason it's tough is because the laws have changed since I worked in those types of areas. My guess is that registration is not required on private land. Just because you provided land for a trail, it doesn't make it public land it's still private. You only need registrations for public lands.

I can understand what you are all saying, I hate ORV'ers but the ORV'ers I have always ran into are the one's that tear everything up. ORV's are a great thing for us hunters and fishermen and I plan on buying one when I retire to do nothing but hunting and fishing. I just hope the restrictions are not to a point at that time where it will be a waste of money.

[Arrow]

Jeeze this is frustrating! I have a cabin near Hale...there is one ORV trail in the area....WHAT FUN! My brother and I would buy quads today if we thought we could ride them on the forest roads for hunting and sightseeing. Oh well, we'll just watch the snowmobilers, cars, trucks, horses, etc., use these trails we've all paid for. Oh yeah........does a farmer have to have an ORV sticker on his tractor or combine when he travels down the highway taking up 2 1/2 lanes of roadway??

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[msiebers]

Or how about an Amish guy with his little black buggie. :p :D

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Mike

[TGehrs]

Well guys, I'm in the same boat and have ATVs
A street legal off road bike plus the horses.
Of the three I prefer the bike because I can legally go anywhere besides it's faster. A
Yamaha TW200 has the large tires and handles sand pretty good. Glad to hear that a couple counties have legalized riding ORVs on the right of way, maybe the rest will later.

[Steve]

TGehrs, what counties have legalized riding ORV's on the right of way? I'd really like to know.

[TGehrs]

Steve, I was referring to TQO's post above which stated that Luce and Chippewa counties
had legalized ORV riding on the right of way.
I am sure that these counties plus hopefully
others realize the need to do everything they can to induce tourism in their respective areas. Look what snowmobiling has done for the UP and I do believe that ORV riding could make a significant impact also.
If the four day work week ever materializes
this would give vacationers adequate time to drive the distance. In a half hour I'll sit down to watch the MSU-Penn State game. Sure hope the Spartans win. That kid Smoker is something. At last they have a quarterback who can scramble, do the option and pass.
There is no doubt in my mind that someday he will be playing on Sunday.This should be another exciting year for MSU basketball fans. John Hannah would be very happy.

Tom Gehrs
Go Green,Go White

[Gordie B]

What about Steve's bit on the 3 Wheeler issue: Isn't is it true that you can't get an ORV sticker? So, besides public land, where else can you ride them? I was told by an Oakland County Sherriff that you couldn't even take them on the ice for ice fishing w/o the sticker. I see them on the ice quite a bit, can they be ticketed????

Any info would be appreciated!!

[Gordie B]

Sorry..I meant "besides private land...where can you drive them??"

[boehr]

Originally posted by Gordie B:
What about Steve's bit on the 3 Wheeler issue: Isn't is it true that you can't get an ORV sticker? So, besides public land, where else can you ride them? I was told by an Oakland County Sherriff that you couldn't even take them on the ice for ice fishing w/o the sticker. I see them on the ice quite a bit, can they be ticketed????

You can get an ORV registration for a three wheeler. Yes, if you are on the ice you need it. If you don't have it you can and probably will get a ticket for an unregistered ORV.

Any info would be appreciated!!