ATV’s: a bad fit?

By CONNIE MERTZ

Should ATV’s be permissible on Pennsylvania state game lands? Do they cause habitat destruction? And more importantly, do hunters want to pay the bill if damage occurs? It is a common fact that state game lands (SGL) are funded through the license sales of PA hunters, and when damage occurs on SGL, money is really siphoned from the hunter’s pocket.

Now, add to that, bodily harm. In Huntingdon County last year, WCO Robert Einodshofer approached a man in a motorized mud buggy having a heyday on SGL 67. After repeated commands to stop, the man knocked the officer off balance and sped off. He was later arrested, paying a fine of $1600 and receiving 23 months of probation. He also lost hunting and trapping privileges for five years.

ATV’s or motorized vehicles continue to create growing problems on SGL.

Of course, this is not the only problem plaguing hunters’ lands; there’s also the issue of junk piles. I remember tagging along with a land manager from my area and seeing the large piles of garbage strewn along the roadside. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. He then shared how much money it cost to clean up the mess.

In Pennsylvania, there are 1,408,600 acres of state game lands, consisting of 297 game lands in 65 counties. This is quite impressive. The lands are open to anyone, hunter and trapper alike, who just enjoy a place to visit. I like to think of them as quiet and pristine. I like to venture on their trails to view wildlife and awe at the scenery on an autumn day.

Are ATV’s a misfit on state game lands? Common sense dictates the answer.