Closing public trails for hunting season?

[SecularMotion]

Closures by town, county and state anger cyclists and hikers

Long a hidden gem, the three-mile paved bike path in the Calverton Enterprise Park has seen an increase of cyclists and pedestrians this year enjoying one of the town’s only extended off-road trails.

But that also means more people have noticed the trail’s closure during bow-hunting season, which began October 1 and extends through December.

“This is one of the best times of the year to use the path,” said George Bartunek, a member of the town’s alternative transportation committee and a former town councilman. “To close it for people to go bow hunting – it doesn’t seem very fair to the general public.”

Next year, Gabrielsen says the town will probably look to keep the trail open by enforcing a 150-foot buffer from the trail. “The buffer is already there, but the season’s started already, and the hunters are already out there,” he said. “Just to be safe, we’ll wait until next year to work it out.”

http://www.riverheadlocal.com/2015/10/12/closing-public-trails-for-hunting-season-closures-by-town-county-and-state-anger-cyclists-and-hikers/

[Kaleva]

1. I stay out of the woods and fields during hunting season.

[SecularMotion]

2. I go out during most of hunting season and stay on well-traveled, wide trails.

But I stay out of the woods during shotgun season for deer.

That brings out the real yahoos. Fortunately, it only lasts 2 weeks.

[Brickbat]

3. So it's been closed every fall since only 2011 for hunting, and next year they'll put in a buffer so

people can use it year-round? Sounds like a good compromise.

[Eleanors38]

4. I was on a public hunt draw in Texas a few yrs. back, and non-hunters were barred...

but just as the warden warned, some blowholes decided to romp through the woods with their dogs, including one dingbat snowbird with 2 Afghan dogs which shitted mightily on public trails. He of course bitched that he couldn't let his dogs fly-buzz the countryside while hunting-only was clearly posted. Our new "nature-lovers."

[Goblor]

6. No

public trails should never be closed for the benefit of one specific group! We all know state game agencies depend on tag sales for their salaries... Hunters seem to think that what they call "game" are theirs alone (to kill). The reality is wildlife belongs to all of us and those of us who choose to look for and watch *living* wildlife should have just as much access to these areas (and living, thriving wildlife) as do so-called 'hunters'...

[Eleanors38]

7. I have no problem with non-hunters being in the woods during hunting season...

Sam Houston Nat'l Forest & others don't shut down access.

A number of state (TX) management areas and parks do shut down for special hunts (usually draws), but not during the general seasons. These areas and parks are funded through special fees (exceeding the cost of a hunting license), and other taxes on ammo, motorboat fuels, guns, etc. Birders, fishers, mountain bikers, etc. pay no special fees & taxes for using these lands. I think the present system is more than fair for everyone. Where the problem lies is in having too little land for public access. What lands (at the state level) are available for use are funded on the very thin backbone of mainly hunters.

Fortunately, many birders in Texas realize the essential role hunters play, and raise little objection, many buying hunting licenses with no intention of ever hunting.

NOTE: Special Draw Hunts last 3-5 days, and may be scheduled only one to four times a season, which in Texas can run over over 70 days, depending on species.