Use your OHV responsibly during hunting season
By Ian Satter, public information officer, and Joe Sacco, OHV law enforcement program manager, Arizona Game and Fish Department

With the advantages that off-highway vehicles (OHVs), specifically all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), provide during hunting season, more and more people have been using them in recent years. Because ATVs are easier than walking, can access terrain that most vehicles can’t, and can assist in the retrieval of game, they can be highly useful to hunters across Arizona.

It’s important to remember to ride responsibly any time of the year, but particularly during hunting season. Below are a few pieces of information that will prove helpful this season.

Rules and Regulations

In Arizona, it is illegal to hunt from any vehicle. OHV rules and laws designate:

• No one may use a motor vehicle to assist in the taking of wildlife (except as permitted under the Challenged Hunter Access Mobility Permit, A.R.S. 17-301B).
• An off-highway vehicle may only be used as a means of travel and NOT as a hunting aid.
• Cross-country travel is not allowed in most areas, unless you are picking up legally taken big game. (Some areas do not allow even that.)

If you see anyone hunting from an ATV, call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-352-0700.

Impact on Habitat

One of the key concerns regarding OHV use is the potential impact to wildlife habitat. Most OHV users are responsible riders who recognize the impacts their activity can cause, and they voluntarily take steps to reduce those impacts. Unfortunately, a few individuals improperly use OHVs by creating new roads and trails in areas that were previously roadless. In fact, some current roads and trails in inappropriate locations were created by OHVs driving off-road. This practice creates a track that others will follow, starting an illegal user-created road or motorized trail. Some user-created trails access the same location that an existing, legal road does. This can lead to the displacement and disruption of game and the destruction of natural resources, such as vegetation and soils.

Disadvantages to OHVs?

While OHV use is on the rise, there are also disadvantages to using these vehicles in relation to hunting. The noise and smell of an ATV can alert game animals, causing them to avoid the area. Many species of wildlife have negative (flight or fight) reactions to approaching noises, including OHVs. Also, other hunters in the area that do not use OHVs might be resentful of game being scared away by motorized vehicles.

Here are some guidelines to minimize OHV impact on wildlife habitat and ensure a good relationship with fellow hunters:

• Make yourself aware of vehicle regulations for the area in which you are hunting.
• Stay on existing roads and trails. You can minimize impacts on wildlife by staying on designated roads and trails or in special use areas. Wildlife will avoid or adapt to trail corridors.
• Have respect for other users. Slow down or stop your ATV when you approach riders on horseback, so you don’t spook the animals.
• Limit your use of ATVs in wet areas or during wet conditions. Turning a meadow into a mud bog reduces forage, resulting in higher mortality for wildlife.
• If your OHV does not fit on the trail, don’t widen single-track trails by forcing your vehicle down the trail.

Additional Equipment and Safety

When heading out to hunt this season, prepare your ATV with the following: (1) a winch that can pull between 2,500 and 3,000 pounds; (2) a cargo box or bag that attaches to the front or rear racks to protect your gear from harsh weather conditions; (3) a game cart to haul game back to base camp; and, (4) a gun scabbard to secure your gun safely and securely as you travel to and from your hunting destination.

When carrying a rifle or shotgun on an ATV, it should be unloaded and firmly attached to the vehicle. It is unsafe to carry a rifle or shotgun mounted on the handlebars, because a rifle mounted on the handlebars might be longer than the width of an ATV and stick out over the sides. This increases the chance of having the rifle hit something, such as a tree, causing the driver to lose control.

For more information on OHV rules and regulations, safety and OHV areas, visit azgfd.gov.