A reminder on what will for sure be a hot topic...

68nova200

Well-Known Member
I want people to remember that WMA lands have rules that pertain to mountain bikers... As a hunter and mountain biker, I am getting really tired of people constantly riding thru while I am legally hunting (disturbing lawful hunting activities is a punishable offense of between $100 and $500). As in the case of the attached picture. This rider can clearly see that he is riding where he shouldn't be. This particular spot has no trails nearby. I have seen at least 5 other times of riders on this particular trail camera. The rules for riding WMAs are pretty cut and dry. If you are going to knowingly break the rules please at least stick to the already established trails. From personal experience for other offenses the game wardens are very quick to write tickets if they catch you. They love getting their ticket quotas filled. I know who it is that keeps riding off trail and won't name names... but please, for hunters everywhere, who's license purchases have paid for your ability to ride these lands, follow the rules.
 

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mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I want people to remember that WMA lands have rules that pertain to mountain bikers... As a hunter and mountain biker, I am getting really tired of people constantly riding thru while I am legally hunting (disturbing lawful hunting activities is a punishable offense of between $100 and $500). As in the case of the attached picture. This rider can clearly see that he is riding where he shouldn't be. This particular spot has no trails nearby. I have seen at least 5 other times of riders on this particular trail camera. The rules for riding WMAs are pretty cut and dry. If you are going to knowingly break the rules please at least stick to the already established trails. From personal experience for other offenses the game wardens are very quick to write tickets if they catch you. They love getting their ticket quotas filled. I know who it is that keeps riding off trail and won't name names... but please, for hunters everywhere, who's license purchases have paid for your ability to ride these lands, follow the rules.
@68nova200 is 100% correct. Piss off the main user group and secondary group will be shut down.
Just know that hunters outnumber mtb users probably 10 to 1. One complaint is all you need, just saying.
 

olegbabich

Well-Known Member
I just bring my fishing license couple of lures and a collapsible fishing pole with me. This way I’m legal 12 month a year.

90% of the time after riding Moto, I pick up about 3 / 55 gallon trash bags of beer bottles and other shit left by hunters in the woods. (I use dumpsters at work)

Don’t get me started on all of small deer carcasses in the woods with only the loin removed.

All kidding aside, respect the rules, do not shoot small animals, take your trash home, ride moto in WMA on Sun. during hunting season.
 

Juggernaut

Master of the Metaphor
Forget the tickets..... probably not the brightest idea to wander around the woods huffing and puffing during hunting season in an arena no one expects you to be. We’re never gonna get the damn deer population under control if we keep scaring them out of their normal patterns.
 

A Potted Plant

Honorary Sod
I just bring my fishing license couple of lures and a collapsible fishing pole with me. This way I’m legal 12 month a year.

90% of the time after riding Moto, I pick up about 3 / 55 gallon trash bags of beer bottles and other shit left by hunters in the woods. (I use dumpsters at work)

Don’t get me started on all of small deer carcasses in the woods with only the loin removed.

All kidding aside, respect the rules, do not shoot small animals, take your trash home, ride moto in WMA on Sun. during hunting season.


I never understood this, you don't put trash in your fridge why are you going to put trash where you hunt?
 

Soundguy

#SenditGuy
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Is it frowned upon to ride the actual trails in WMA (most of which were built by mountain bikers...) during hunting season? I understand the frustration of someone going way off trail and contaminating your hunt.... but would any skilled hunter really setup a stand or a blind that close to a public trail?

Serious question... I grew up in deer stands when I lived in South Carolina and I don’t want to disrespect any local hunters. That said, I ride the WMA in Sparta/Jefferson quite often.
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Is it frowned upon to ride the actual trails in WMA

We're technically not supposed to, but I've never been given a hard time. I've seen hunters a few times at Wildcat, and they've all been cool. I did have a hunter in the Mahlon WMA tell me recreating in a WMA is never allowed and then he told me to try to not get shot.
 

Soundguy

#SenditGuy
Team MTBNJ Halter's
@JimN interesting... I will be more cautious in the future. I hiked Wildcat last weekend and there was so much foot traffic on all trails I’m surprised hunters even bother in the weekend. The Mahlon WMA is obviously much more isolated, but still...I would think anyone hunting public land would try to get as far off trail as possible.
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I’m surprised hunters even bother in the weekend.

Yeah I have to assume that people hunting at Wildcat know there is a lot of traffic on the trails there, and they hike in a ways off the trail to hunt. I've only ever run into them as they were hiking in or out, not while they were actively hunting.
 

KenS

JORBA: Director
JORBA.ORG
Is it frowned upon to ride the actual trails in WMA (most of which were built by mountain bikers...) during hunting season? I understand the frustration of someone going way off trail and contaminating your hunt.... but would any skilled hunter really setup a stand or a blind that close to a public trail?

Serious question... I grew up in deer stands when I lived in South Carolina and I don’t want to disrespect any local hunters. That said, I ride the WMA in Sparta/Jefferson quite often.

https://www.njfishandwildlife.com/wmaregs.htm

Mountain Biking

Mountain bicycles (non-motorized) are allowed on all roads open to motor vehicle use year-round. Bikes are allowed on existing trails and secondary (woods) roads on Wildlife Management Areas from March 1 to April 15 and June 1 to September 15, as well as on Sundays throughout the year (see Assunpink exception in policy linked below). Use of mountain bikes is permitted year round if engaged in legal hunting and fishing activities.

Bikes are not permitted on the Highlands Trail which passes through Berkshire Valley and Wildcat Ridge WMAs. Riding over any dam, wildlife food area, cultivated fields, lawns, gardens and fire break plow-lines is prohibited. Bikers are also prohibited from establishing any new trails through the destruction of existing vegetation. For more information, see the Mountain Bike Policy linked below.
Mountain Bike Policy (pdf, 110kb)
 

extremedave

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
So if it’s sunday I’m good. We had a hunter get pissy in Mahlon wma (same guy as jim?) and I had the same thought. If you’re going to get annoyed at people using an established trail nearby your hunting setup maybe you’re in the wrong spot.

All that said as an outdoors person and a gun owner, hunters are a large and vocal group mostly on my side. So if I can do something to accommodate them I certainly will.
 

68nova200

Well-Known Member
Interestingly enough i had a card stolen and a camera messed with after making this post... I'm not blaming any of you on here but the timing seems fishy... If it was one of you guys that's kinda douchey if you ask me.
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
So if it’s sunday I’m good. We had a hunter get pissy in Mahlon wma (same guy as jim?) and I had the same thought.

Sunday you're good, although the hunter I ran into didn't seem to know that. Although it was a Saturday, so he wasn't wrong telling me I wasn't supposed to be there.

Interestingly enough i had a card stolen and a camera messed with after making this post... I'm not blaming any of you on here but the timing seems fishy... If it was one of you guys that's kinda douchey if you ask me.

Bummer. I would suspect kids hiking around would be more likely to stumble across your cameras than a mountain biker, but anything's possible. Hope it's not someone from our community.
 

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
i dont see a geotag in your photo, so i dont see how you can jump the conclusion that anyone on here knows where your camera is located, most likely just a coincidence(kids screweing around as per above), unless the culprit is on here and knows exactly where it is, in which case you know who it was already. . . .
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
i dont see a geotag in your photo, so i dont see how you can jump the conclusion that anyone on here knows where your camera is located

Didn't sound like he was jumping to any conclusion, just pointing out that he posted that he has cameras here and then one went missing. Hopefully the timing is just a coincidence.
 
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