Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Hunting Season

Here in E. WA we have a really nice riding area that is public land (owned by 
a local hospital).  It is leased in the winter to a cattle rancher, and is 
fenced into three separate pastures.  It is a multi-use area, which includes 
deer and pheasant hunting, fishing, bicycle and horseback riding, target 
practice areas, and the occasional fool who takes a four wheel drive vehicle 
or  ATV in, in spite of the signs at the gate stating 
"NO UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLES BEYOND THIS POINT".  There are bicycle races there 
every other weekend in the fall and spring, and almost any time during 
daylight hours there is at least one or two shooters.  

Somehow we all co-exist.  When the cattle are in most people are very careful 
to keep the gates shut.  When there are bicycle races we try to stay off 
marked trails, (I even bought a raffle ticket for a really NICE shocks at 
both ends mountain bike).  The shooterrs have target areas where their 
bullets for the most part go in the opposite direction as the trails.  I have 
occasionally come on people that are new to the area, and want to target 
practice.  They may pull into the trailer parking area, and I just explain 
that a lot of people ride horses and bicycles on THIS side of the road, and a 
lot of people target practice on THAT side of the road, or done at the end of 
the road.  

We always ask bicyclists if they know what to do if they come upon a horse on 
the trail, and most of them do, or are happy to get the info.  I had one 
biker come flashing past us and spooked our horses one day.  His buddy came 
down the trail a few minutes later, and having dealt with a BIG spook, I was 
not in a good mood.  I told him that it was very rude for his buddy to flash 
by, and that it could have caused a major wreck.  When we got back to the 
parking area, the first guy was waiting for us with a BIG apology, and 
questions as to what he should have done.  He had come over a hill pretty 
fast, and thought it was best to just keep going.  We gave him the "TALK and 
slow down a bit as you go by" speech, and explained why horses spook at the 
bikes, and he was really cool about the whole thing.  

You have to understand that the area where we ride is wide open, no trees 
bigger than a 10' sagebrush, and you can mostly see for long distances.  The 
hunters can clearly see the difference between a deer and a horse, as it is 
NOT forest hunting.  I have ridden there during hunting season, but usually 
try to find a different area.  

I feel really blessed that we can all get along so well.  There are 
occasionally truck loads of drunks that go up there, but usually just to 
climb hills in their jeeps.  Even they have been fairly polite when I pointed 
out that they MUST have just missed the sign about NO VEHICLES.  

A local orchardist tried to get the area closed because he was having 
problems with people going into the orchards the effort failed, in part 
because the different groups that use the area each sent their comments to 
the county board.  

Common sense goes a long way.  It IS possible for the various groups to get 
along, but I think that you have to be willing to give up a little.  There 
are good trails on the other side of the road where the target practice 
happens, but they have been polite enough to select  certain (fairly safe) 
area, and I for one, am more than happy to let them have it.  

jeri

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