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ATV Use on State\Fed land?

15K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  nimrodtoo 
#1 ·
Hey guys I have been looking on the web for the last 30 mins looking for my answers but I'm still at a loss with so much out there on ATV use.

So i'm hoping you can either answer my questions for point me to the right place.

I'm thinking of getting a ATV this year for hunting\ATV trails\Fishing. but I can't seem to find the rules that say if I can or can't use it on state and Fed land or if you can only use them on the ATV trails unless you have private land. I hate to spend the $ and not really be able to use it the way I woould like to.

Thanks for any help \ direction.
Zug
 
#2 ·
The law allows the county to determine if and which county rds are open to atv use. State highways are closed to atv use. You can use them on frozen water and atv trails, but not off road on public land without a handicap permit.

So basically you need to check the laws in the county you are interested in. Here is a website that will direct you to the county laws........

http://ashleysportsmansclub.com/ORV.htm
 
#4 ·
Any USFS (federal land) or State (state forest) "two tracks" are closed unless specifically posted as being open. This applies even if a county has opened its roads to OHV use. This is usually addressed in the individual county/township ATV/OHV ordinances.

Steve.
 
#5 ·
Well this kinda puts a damper on things... I hunt in Newago county and I'm still confusted on if i cant or can (wow i did read through some of the bill no wonder you get confused). I don't want or need to drive down the roads I just wanted to use it in the woods on fed land to travel from camp to my hunting spot, gather wood, retreive deer for other members of our camp, ext.

Zug
 
#6 ·
Any USFS (federal land) or State (state forest) "two tracks" are closed unless specifically posted as being open. This applies even if a county has opened its roads to OHV use. This is usually addressed in the individual county/township ATV/OHV ordinances.

Steve.
In the case of Roscommon county some roads are 2 tracks (improved 2 tracks), As indicated by street signs and are open....... Most 2 tracks are not county rds., Do not have street signs and are closed.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Well this kinda puts a damper on things... I hunt in Newago county and I'm still confusted on if i cant or can (wow i did read through some of the bill no wonder you get confused). I don't want or need to drive down the roads I just wanted to use it in the woods on fed land to travel from camp to my hunting spot, gather wood, retreive deer for other members of our camp, ext.

Zug

As far as I know, Newago does NOT have (but is eligible to have) an OHV/ATV ordinance, so that makes road use illegal (agricultural exceptions). There may be a township in Newago County that has an OHV/ATV ordinance that I am unaware of.

Seems to me there is something in the law about using ATV's on state or federal land to retrieve game or get to a hunting spot, but with restricted hours. I've seen/read something about that somewhere before, but I currently can't locate it.

Someone on here should know where to find it.

Best bet on "2 tracks" is to contact the county clerk and get a map of open/closed roads. As stated above, some (but not very many) of them are considered named county roads. Some of the open/closed roads are changing yearly and it is hard to keep up. One example is Lake County...ordinance in 2009, revision in April of 2010, and yet another in December of 2010 (additional township opened up).

You might want to ask this in the ATV forum!!

Steve
 
#8 ·
You can call the natl forest office and they can send you the trail map for your area explaining which roads of theirs are open.
 
#9 ·
I have owned and operated an atv/utv many years but only since 2005 in MI. From what I have gathered rules vary from county to county. I live in Emmet county and they are way more strict on ATV'ers and UTV'ers than say Otsego and surrounding counties. Some counties will allow you to do almost any thing with an ATV and some counties (like mine) hardly even have a designated trail.

As far as a normal goes most state/federal lands will not allow use of off road vehicles unless it is on designated trails that is marked at most trail heads. This is unfortunate but most of the time is the case.

There are opportunities to ride on many gov/state and if you have friends with the same interests then it can be a real blast.

Has anyone had any experience with being able to ride as long as you have a disablity. I have heard and read that as long as you have a certain DNR permit you can do that.

Hope this helps
 
#10 ·
#11 ·
All federal land that I know of does not allow off road vehicle use other than on designated trails. The only state land that I'm aware that allows Off road/ off trail use is Silver Lake Sand Dunes.

It sounds like an ATV would not be a wise purchase as use on public land is pretty much prohibited.
 
#12 ·
Thanks everyone I'm really glad I asked now I will need to rethink if this would be a good choice for me. One good note is part of the reason I was going to get it was beacuse my dad is handicap and I'm sure we could pull a permit to use with him, but it still kinda sucks I would not be able to use it otherwise when hunting.

Thanks again
Zug
 
#13 ·
Thanks everyone I'm really glad I asked now I will need to rethink if this would be a good choice for me. One good note is part of the reason I was going to get it was beacuse my dad is handicap and I'm sure we could pull a permit to use with him, but it still kinda sucks I would not be able to use it otherwise when hunting.

Thanks again
Zug
The state allows the disabled to operate an ATV for HUNTING purposes on roads that a normal vehicle can drive on (even those not posted open to ORV use), but not off from that road......not sure how much that would help a disabled hunter.

Steve
 
#14 ·
I don't know if things have changed but you used to be able to use your atv on state land to recover game only. You couldn't go riding to your stand and all of that but you could use it to recover your deer. It seems the wording was to ride slow and stay on trails as much as possible.
 
#15 ·
The state allows the disabled to operate an ATV for HUNTING purposes on roads that a normal vehicle can drive on (even those not posted open to ORV use), but not off from that road......not sure how much that would help a disabled hunter.

Steve

A co told my dad that the handicaped can ride anywhere for hunting purposes....on or off road. All he said was needed was the same handicaped tag that hangs on his rear view mirror, he also had said that ANYONE can go cross country ONLY to retrieve an animal in the shortest route possible, this was told to us about 4 years ago at en expo that used to be held in Mio, however they change rules daily it seems like......
 
#16 ·
This is verbatim from the hunting guide....
http://www.statehuntandfishregs.com/MI/pageflip.html

Restrictions on Off-Road Vehicles and Snowmobiles

At all times it is illegal to operate an off-road vehicle (ORV) on public lands in the Lower Peninsula not posted open. Snowmobiles and ORVs are prohibited at any time on state game areas or state parks and recreation areas unless posted open.
Time Restrictions - It is illegal to operate an ORV or a snowmobile between the hours of 7 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 5 pm on any area open to public hunting during the Nov. 15-30 firearm deer season.
Exceptions: The time restrictions on the use of ORVs and snowmobiles do not apply during an emergency or while traveling to and from a permanent residence or hunting camp that is otherwise inaccessible by a conventional wheeled vehicle.
he time restrictions on the use of ORVs also do not apply to those retrieving a legally taken deer, to private landowners and their invited guests, to motor vehicles licensed under the Michigan Vehicle Code operating on roads capable of sustaining automobile traffic, to a disabled person using a designated trail or forest road for hunting or fishing purposes, or to a person with a valid permit to hunt from a standing vehicle.

As usual, by trying to overstate the intent of the law, the letter of the law begins to blur. :dizzy:.. gonna have to make your own decision.
 
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