ATV's and hunting

A common complaint heard every hunting season by Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) officers and biologists involves the violation of motorized vehicle restrictions. Few things are more frustrating for hunters than to rise well before sunup, hike to a favorite hunting spot – in a motorized restricted area – and just as the sun peeks over the horizon, hear a motorized vehicle approaching.

With 2020 hunting seasons in full swing, it is important for hunters to know where they can and cannot operate a motorized vehicle on US Forest Service (USFS) lands. To assist with this, the USFS publishes free motor vehicle use maps in various media formats. Electronic versions are available on the USFS website (https://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/ohv_maps.shtml).

Hard copy motor vehicle use maps are available at all USFS offices. Maps are also stocked at some of the information kiosks located at popular USFS entry points. In addition, the USFS has signs at many other USFS portal points, there to remind visitors that they are entering a motorized vehicle restricted area. The signs state that motorized vehicles are limited to use on only official vehicle use map routes. Avoid third party trail and road mapping software; they are not official and often not accurate. The USFS publication is the only official motor vehicle use map.