Nasty Mountain Bikers...

[blackbeltbill 5077]

This morning, I happened to Reflect while having my morning Coffee about multiple times my Spring + Fall Turkey Hunts were absolutely Busted by Hardcore Mountain Bikers on the Public Lands here in NY as well as in NJ. This Group has absolutely exploded in the last 10 years on the Public Lands! I know alot of members here don't hunt Public Lands and are unaware of the Fright these Mountain Bikers can put into the Deer + Turkey.  The Fright comes from the High Speed through the Wooded Trails that these Mountain Bikers can attain and they can maintain this high speed without making much noise at all. Even a Hunter well attuned to the sounds around him will not hear these Mountain Bikers until they are virtually right on Top of you. That's where the Awful Fright for the Deer + Turkey and other game happens. I have seen Sprinting Deer + Turkeys on numerous occasions on these Mountain. Bike Trails. Some Trails are very deep in the woods and go through the edges of wetlands+ Swamps whilst many of these narrow Trails are on the Field Edges for the Full course of the Field. Sometimes, I find makeshift ( Jumps) in the woods. The major problem for Public Hunters is that now right at the Crack of Dawn-- the Groups of Mountain Bikers will arrive. And most of the time- this is a group activity with groups of 4-5 and sometimes about to 20 Biking Together at super High Speeds. Just about 6 weeks back, I arrived at Ringwood State Park in NJ to do some Hiking/Turkey Scouting. There in that large parking area were already some 15 Mountain Bikers all set to go-- but obviously waiting for a few more buddies to arrive. All dressed in Bright Yellows,Light Greens, Different Shades of Blue ,etc and wearing those Funny little Helmuts. So,. I arrive and start to walk in and , I had on a Camo Coat with a Orange Hat complete with a Monroe- Chester Hunting club button on my hat. So, I give that group that are all staring at me in silence with Long Faces and a few who did not hide it-- pissed off expressions . No return Nod and of course nothing verbal. They identifyed me as a Hunter. Most uncomfortable until, I got past the Trailhead and any. Here would feel the same. Another time at Stewart, I was closing in on a Fall Flock of Turkeys when a Lone Mountain Biker appeared over a rise in the narrow Trail. He Zoomed by me by less then 1 Foot at over 20mph without so much as a Look at me. Ever see Turkeys Sprinting all out? They were moving that early morning!  A few months back in Sterling Forest near the Tuxedo Golf Course-- some Mountain Bikers pulled in with Colorado Plates. This group is huge and well organized with National Mountain Bike Races Nationwide and magazines devoted the the sport.      AND THEY DON'T WANT YOUR ASS IN THEIR WOODS!   They get started early in Spring. As soon as there is any warm-up in March. Down in New Jersey a few years back, I saw on 3 occasions a monster Gobbler with a good 12" beard while the Turkeys were moving as a large Flock. Mountain Bikers Arrived and Flew through the Woods. By early April-- the Turkeys were gone from that area.  This is a major reason that today, I Turkey hunt in and around Public Wetlands+ Swamps unless there is a light rain. Then, I hit the fields as few Mountain Bikers will be out.      Not really a Rant here-- just thought, I would share . If any Public Hunter here thinks that just Increasing Coyote populations are to blame for not hearing alot of Gobblers in May, I submit that Hardcore Mountain Bikers flying through the woods at supersonic speeds at the Crack of Dawn are also to Blame.  Bowing off the Dojo Floor.

[Rattler 5840]

I once saw a mountain biker hit a woodchuck at high speed.  He went down and broke his wrist, a few ribs and his collar bone.  Going that fast on a woods trail is asking for trouble. 

Can't say they don't have as much right to use public land as I do, but I also don't have to tolerate any belligerence from them for being in the woods either.

[blackbeltbill 5077]

9 minutes ago, Rattler said:

I once saw a mountain biker hit a woodchuck at high speed.  He went down and broke his wrist, a few ribs and his collar bone.  Going that fast on a woods trail is asking for trouble. 

Can't say they don't have as much right to use public land as I do, but I also don't have to tolerate any belligerence from them for being in the woods either.

Well said  Sir! A Good place to hunt once in Sterling Forest used to be on either side of the Trail leading to Sterling Lake. It is over 1 mile long, but now is a very popular area for Mountain Bikers as it is straight with a slight decline most of the way to Sterling Lake. They can absolutely Fly down there and Huff it on back.

[Lawdwaz 14820]

Not really a rant?

Come on Bill, let it all out.  Don’t hold back.....

[Jeremy K 9986]

It's public land being used as public land . It's just another test for seasoned turkey hunter as yourself bill . Maybe get some good aerial intel and mark the trails and try to get as far a way from the trails as you can, or close ? i have no idea what turkeys like. 

[blackbeltbill 5077]

24 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

It's public land being used as public land . It's just another test for seasoned turkey hunter as yourself bill . Maybe get some good aerial intel and mark the trails and try to get as far a way from the trails as you can, or close ? i have no idea what turkeys like. 

Indeed a Test it is. And no Problem as, I hunt Swamp edges and wetlands. 

[Jeremy K 9986]

18 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

Indeed a Test it is. And no Problem as, I hunt Swamp edges and wetlands. 

I'm sure you'll overcome and adapt to the new challenge . Who knows ,maybe the increased pressure will make a nice honey hole somewhere. 

[Nomad 12594]

According to what I just read on DEC site, mountain bikers are to stay on existing hard, dry ,trails, to avoid causing trail damage , couple that with making jumps and other obstacles that they do, and I’m sure you’d have valid complaints. If a hunter can’t trim a few branches ,I’d guess jumps and such would be off limits , as well as riding off trail .

Around here the snowmobile clubs set up marked trails across private land that they gain permission to, BUT they don’t open the trails till after deer season ends . 

Perhaps your hunting club could sit down with the MB clubs, and they might be willing to start later in the day ,weekends in May ? Seems like a good first start , you can’t really shoot them , most seem to boney to eat .

Edited January 26, 2020 by Nomad

[grampy 17152]

We have a large tract of state land that borders our property. And we do hunt it from time to time, as we had sole permission to hunt it, long before it became state land. The use of state lands is increasing each year by a variety of people, doing a variety of different activities. But hunting seems to be in the minority more and more, as less hunters take to the field. And as you stated Bill, generally those not hunting, do tend to look down their noses at hunters. As we have received the PO looks, and muttered comments at times too.

But......we also know where the trails are, that the majority of the hikers and bikers use. And avoid them entirely, as much as possible. That works best for all involved.

Most of the experienced hunters will adapt, to be where the game is on public lands. That's not usually where the hikers and bikers do their thing.

[blackbeltbill 5077]

16 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

I'm sure you'll overcome and adapt to the new challenge . Who knows ,maybe the increased pressure will make a nice honey hole somewhere. 

Jeremy, I already have ajusted a good 10 years back. Plenty of good spots and hopefully, I can call up a nice Tom for Cynthia here once, I bag one myself. This Thread is mostly for the Public Land Field Turkey Hunters who may not be Aware of the tremendous impact that Mountain Bikers will have on ( their) chosen Field Hotspot as Mountain Bikers start in earnest in early March. Alot of Mountain Bikers also bike around the whole edges of Fields in the Fields themselves.Makes for already very Wary Birds come May 1st. 

[steve863 3309]

Bill, the public land you hunt like Sterling forest is no more than an hours drive from NYC. I doubt anyone will give way or have any sympathy for a hunter in places like that. There are lots of challenges hunting public land, but even more so on public lands so easily accessible to the big city dwellers.  I hope you realize this.  You aren't surrounded by rural thinking folks in your areas.  If you want to escape some of these challenges you need to hunt at least a couple of hours further north or west in NYS.

 

[Dinsdale 2595]

Its an authorized use of a State Park where designated.

There's a lack of general state land to ride on and therefore more overuse in many places.

Don't like it hunt somewhere else; they get to use it too.

What a foolish myopic post.

 

[crappyice 13089]

I was in Ninham(3N) deer hunting and had a father and young daughter (maybe 10) ride down an off beat trail. Knowing bikers frequent that park made me more aware but they sounded at times similar to a running deer. The trail went past me close enough for me to speak with them. We had a conversation about how he had no idea hunters were there or that deer season was even open. I explained the season and said he may want to put some orange on while riding during season. They went on there way....15 minutes later two does come running my way from where they biked. No shot but almost used them to my advantage.


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[blackbeltbill 5077]

34 minutes ago, steve863 said:

Bill, the public land you hunt like Sterling forest is no more than an hours drive from NYC. I doubt anyone will give way or have any sympathy for a hunter in places like that. There are lots of challenges hunting public land, but even more so on public lands so easily accessible to the big city dwellers.  I hope you realize this.  You aren't surrounded by rural thinking folks in your areas.  If you want to escape some of these challenges you need to hunt at least a couple of hours further north or west in NYS.

 

Quite aware of that Steve. Again, I thought today would be a good time to post a Thread about ( Increasing) Mountain Bikers on the Public Lands. I am aware that many members here only Spring Turkey Hunt on Private Land and this Thread might not be for them. Just trying to give a heads up to much less experienced Spring Hunters.Keep a lookout when you Scout for Mountain Bike Tracks in your Favorite Field as these Bikers often get off Trails .  Personally, I thrive on Pressure and hope to best my Spring Tom record of 4 this April + May and nail 5 of them on Public.

[Pygmy 15039]

Mountain bikers  ??  Never saw one....One of the advantages of living here in Dogpatch far from yuppie concentrations, I suppose..

[DirtTime 5651]

It took a few times reading this before I decided to log in and post..

1st: Has anyone here read any of Bills books? If so, do they read like this? I wouldn't get past the first paragraph with this writing structure. This essay gets an F-.

 

2nd: All you do is piss and moan about where you hunt Bill, you don't like the other hunters, you don't like the other hikers, and you don't like people riding mountain bikes in areas they just as much right to be as you do. Yet, you go back. I had an area I didn't care for that was very populated with a lot of people. I cured the problem by finding other areas to hunt. It's not that hard. I have also seen people on here offer to let you hunt their land, and you refused the offer, so that's all on you.

 

Hunting public land is what it is. You deal with it or you don't hunt.

 

 

I have hunted the public land grampy mentioned, a lot less then he has of course. But even I was able to find areas away from the major and most popular trails.

 

Oh, hows that 5 month pheasant season working out for you Bill? Been out much?

[Doc 6248]

One of the prime reasons that a lot of hunters have dropped out of hunting has been the growing scarcity of good hunting lands. Every year more and more hunters are being driven onto state lands as other private parcels keep getting covered up with posted signs.  Now they are finding hordes of non-hunting people taking over that last bastion of available  hunting lands. So comments of "like it or find another hunting spot" are kind of like saying saying, "if you don't like it, get out of hunting". And unfortunately, that is what hunters are doing every year. I guess it is just a sign of the times.

[Rattler 5840]

There's plenty of good public land still unscathed by the general public farther out.  Just have to plan on driving at least two hours to get there.  I'm in Delaware County.  Plenty of city owned watershed land open to hunting as well as other state lands.  I've never seen a mountain biker while hunting here.  I see very few other hunters here for that matter.  Plan an overnight stay and hunt Saturday and Sunday.  C'mon up.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Rattler

[blackbeltbill 5077]

8 hours ago, Doc said:

One of the prime reasons that a lot of hunters have dropped out of hunting has been the growing scarcity of good hunting lands. Every year more and more hunters are being driven onto state lands as other private parcels keep getting covered up with posted signs.  Now they are finding hordes of non-hunting people taking over that last bastion of available  hunting lands. So comments of "like it or find another hunting spot" are kind of like saying saying, "if you don't like it, get out of hunting". And unfortunately, that is what hunters are doing every year. I guess it is just a sign of the times.

Basically my Thread here is about Mountain Bikers. An off Season Topic . Not about my inability to connect on Game in Pressured areas. In fact my Tally in 26 years from 1994- 2019 is 119 Turkeys Killed  on Public + Gun Club Lands.  No Private Birds in the Bunch. Good replys here-- but, I no longer respond to Angry ones.

 

[Steuben Jerry 7420]

On 1/26/2020 at 4:09 PM, Pygmy said:

Mountain bikers  ??  Never saw one....One of the advantages of living here in Dogpatch far from yuppie concentrations, I suppose..

And as a resident of a suburb of Dogpatch, I wouldn't have it any other way!

[blackbeltbill 5077]

8 hours ago, Rattler said:

There's plenty of good public land still unscathed by the general public farther out.  Just have to plan on driving at least two hours to get there.  I'm in Delaware County.  Plenty of city owned watershed land open to hunting as well as other state lands.  I've never seen a mountain biker while hunting here.  I see very few other hunters here for that matter.  Plan an overnight stay and hunt Saturday and Sunday.  C'mon up.

Happy here in Orange County,but if, I had a New car or Truck, I always wanted to try Bear Spring Mt.  16 year old Jetta- point A to point B.

[Eric J 182]

Simple.... Hammer a bunch of nails into a one by six.... lay on trail... 

[Steuben Jerry 7420]

3 minutes ago, Eric J said:

Simple.... Hammer a bunch of nails into a one by six.... lay on trail... 

Ouch - hopefully that's a joke!

[blackbeltbill 5077]

10 minutes ago, Steuben Jerry said:

Ouch - hopefully that's a joke!

Hope so also! 

[J sin 108]

On 1/26/2020 at 10:15 AM, blackbeltbill said:

Indeed a Test it is. And no Problem as, I hunt Swamp edges and wetlands. 

Then why the long winded rant. It’s public land, it’s legal riding.