Dirt bikes in MT.

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Lil-Rokslider
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Have a question for y'all MONTANA elk guys? Was just watching some junk on you tube and was overwhelmed at all the videos of Atvs,and dirt bikes in the Little belts. Are these really that popular up into September? MVUM shows they are legal till December 15th I think. Wouldn't bother me so bad if it was ingress or egress only during Elk season,but don't think I could listen to that shit show all day on a BOWHIKE. Just really wondering about y'all thoughts? I have E scouted the dog sh-- out of this unit for 2022 but am rethinking it now.
 

bsnedeker

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Have a question for y'all MONTANA elk guys? Was just watching some junk on you tube and was overwhelmed at all the videos of Atvs,and dirt bikes in the Little belts. Are these really that popular up into September? MVUM shows they are legal till December 15th I think. Wouldn't bother me so bad if it was ingress or egress only during Elk season,but don't think I could listen to that shit show all day on a BOWHIKE. Just really wondering about y'all thoughts? I have E scouted the dog sh-- out of this unit for 2022 but am rethinking it now.
It is one of the most popular places in Montana to off-road. There are trails all over. Yes there is a lot of that up there in September.

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Lil-Rokslider
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Well no wonder there were so many videos! Guess they have same rights as us too use it. Seems like they could have a "RIDING SEASON" like we have a HUNTING season. Everybody wins then. That hurts cause I like ALOT of what I have scouted. Thx. I am gonna maybe not start over but try and refine some of my notes.
 

deerlick

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I've hunted in a heavily used offroad use area my whole life, the animals are used to the wheelers and dirtbikes. It's never affected my hunting. Pick a new area if you don't like it.
 
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Lil-Rokslider
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Wasn't about the HUNTING. If there are ELK there they can be killed. This has more to do with my sanity and seeking some peace. Where I am forced to live currently because of work,I listen to a different siren or ambulance every 5 minutes. Ain't got no beef with the wheelers...
 

bsnedeker

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Well no wonder there were so many videos! Guess they have same rights as us too use it. Seems like they could have a "RIDING SEASON" like we have a HUNTING season. Everybody wins then. That hurts cause I like ALOT of what I have scouted. Thx. I am gonna maybe not start over but try and refine some of my notes.
There are A LOT of guys who hunt off there ATVs so it's not just riders. I ran into an old dude who had his 4 wheeler completely kitted out for hunting. He welded up this thing that held his bow vertically in his left, shotgun on the handlebars, and rifle in a scabbard on his right. The craziest part was he had some contraption on his bow that held it at full draw, basically making>a cross bow. I didn't know that was legal in MT but apparently it is of you have a medical reason you can't draw a bow. I wish I had gotten a picture of this thing but didn't think about it until after we talked.

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bsnedeker

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You can hit the wilderness and not hear a motor. FYI
Lol....not sure how much time you have spent in the belts, but this is unfortunately not the case! I can't tell you the number of times I've run into dirt bikes running trails in the wilderness. Makes you want to clothesline a dude, but trust me when I tell you it happens ALL the time!
 

Dirtscoots

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I quit bow hunting for a number of years because it is the best time of year to ride dirt bikes. Now my priorities have changed and I quit dirt biking mostly so I can hunt for three months. Everyone has a different outlook. As with the wildernesses that’s crappy to have bikes in there, as an avid rider I would be pissed. Overall animals really don’t seem to care about bikes in our areas.
 
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Lol....not sure how much time you have spent in the belts, but this is unfortunately not the case! I can't tell you the number of times I've run into dirt bikes running trails in the wilderness. Makes you want to clothesline a dude, but trust me when I tell you it happens ALL the time!
Huh. I've been hiking in wilderness areas in MT for 40 years and have NEVER seen a dirt bike in the wilderness or even a track from one. I've never heard of it. But you reckon it happens "ALL the time"?

I've never been affected by OHV's while hunting but I generally don't hunt where they can go. If I didn't want to be around them I wouldn't hunt the Little Belts.
 

bsnedeker

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Huh. I've been hiking in wilderness areas in MT for 40 years and have NEVER seen a dirt bike in the wilderness or even a track from one. I've never heard of it. But you reckon it happens "ALL the time"?

I've never been affected by OHV's while hunting but I generally don't hunt where they can go. If I didn't want to be around them I wouldn't hunt the Little Belts.
That's interesting...you would be the first person I've ever heard claim they have never run into guys on bikes in a wilderness. I guess YMMV but yeah dude, literally every single time I've ever been up in the wilderness in the belts for more than a day or two I hear/see some douche nozzles busting up the trail on their dirt bikes.
 

bsnedeker

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There’s no grizzlies though


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I wouldn't be so sure about that either. I've never seen one but some of the ranchers around the belts have reported seeing them for whatever that's worth. Regardless, they'll be there soon enough if they aren't already!
 

fatlander

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I wouldn't be so sure about that either. I've never seen one but some of the ranchers around the belts have reported seeing them for whatever that's worth. Regardless, they'll be there soon enough if they aren't already!

Yeah, I know there’s a few there. I was more poking fun at the fact that central MT is inundated with people for the fact grizzlies aren’t prolific (yet).


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bsnedeker

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There is no wilderness in the Little Belts. The one wilderness study area does allow some dirt bike/ATV travel.
Wow, I really had no idea...I just made the assumption (stupidly) that WSA and wilderness had the same rules.

That said, I just checked the specific trail I'm always running into dirtbikes on and it is not one of the trails that is open to motorized traffic. It is open to mountain bikes interestingly, but no dirt bikes.
 
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That's interesting...you would be the first person I've ever heard claim they have never run into guys on bikes in a wilderness. I guess YMMV but yeah dude, literally every single time I've ever been up in the wilderness in the belts for more than a day or two I hear/see some douche nozzles busting up the trail on their dirt bikes.
So you also have never witnessed or heard of dirt bikes riding in wilderness? Same here.
 

jmav58

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Have a question for y'all MONTANA elk guys? Was just watching some junk on you tube and was overwhelmed at all the videos of Atvs,and dirt bikes in the Little belts. Are these really that popular up into September? MVUM shows they are legal till December 15th I think. Wouldn't bother me so bad if it was ingress or egress only during Elk season,but don't think I could listen to that shit show all day on a BOWHIKE. Just really wondering about y'all thoughts? I have E scouted the dog sh-- out of this unit for 2022 but am rethinking it now.
As a guy that lives in White Sulphur Springs, be prepared for people. Everywhere. Yes there are a lot of elk in these units around here, I think most people know that, but I think most people think they can get away from the crowds and I'm not sure that's possible anymore. There's enough SXS, dirt bikes, and 4 wheelers, there should be a dealer in town. Couple that with the ranchers that use ATV's or dirt bikes to check fence or move cows and it can be pretty noisy. I'm not trying to turn you off from hunting around here, just giving you a heads up. Little Belts, Big Belts, Castles and parts of the Crazies get quite a bit of attention.
 
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