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The Dreaded "Fourwheelers and Pressure" Thread

M

MObowhunter10

Member
Hello all,

What is your take on fourwheelers/UTV and whether or not it affects deer movement? I've heard several sides, and in my own opinion, I don't see how it couldn't affect movement so I have cut off all fourwheeler riding on my farm for this year (started this in June). Give me your reasons why/why not.
 
Where we are at the deer are so used to vehicles if I could have someone drive me to my stand and pick me up I think it would be less invasive than walking in. They see four wheelers from people checking fences and cattle to checking fields and doing field work. I have sat in stand and had a neighbor drive his four wheeler around during primetime, only to watch deer walk the same trails no more than 5 minutes later. I have also driven within 10 yards of deer on a ranger and they don't move, but if you happen to stop they will bolt.
 
We camp summer weekends on the Wapsi with friends. At times there may be 5-8 campers and 10 or more kids on 4 wheelers plus several UTVs ripping through the bottoms. Early September we still may camp but put a stop to the 4 wheelers. See plenty of deer while hunting from youth season on.
 
I use my ranger to check trail cams instead of walking to them because it seems to spook the deer less. I've driven within 20 yards of deer multiple times, and have pictures of deer including mature bucks walking the trails I take shortly after I've driven through.
I'm sure if you were riding hard through the entire woods every single day for hours on end you would have some issues, but occasional trail riding shouldn't hurt a thing.
Plus, if I told my kids no more riding through our property, they'd kill me in my sleep.
 
I have to agree that it seems to have little impact. I get deer on camera with-in minutes of the farmer passing by on his or on his tractor.

Of course where I hunt they have tractors, trucks and 4 wheelers checking the cattle all summer and then they start wood cutting after that.
 
Very little impact at all. See, the state of Iowa does not like people to have fun on ATV/UTV and do not allow any such devilish fools riding on Public ground(which there is a microscopic amount of) or roadways. So therefore, there is a miniscule amount of 4 Wheeler activity amongst the country side.
 
Butchicken may have some other issues, but in areas that see alot of activity all ready, sure no problem. If you can avoid it, no doubt would be better. I prefer checking cameras with vehicles, but hunting I want to go stealth.
 
I run a motocross track that is smack dab in the middle of a 40 acre timber. I have hundreds of people that ride here throughout the spring summer and fall. I've kicked up deer 20 yards from the edge of the track right after people have gotten done riding. Sure big mature bucks usually don't make my woods their home but plenty of does do and during the rut bucks are traveling through with no issues. Had over 30 different bucks go through last season that I seen while in my stands. I usually do close the track down this time of the year but that's mainly because I don't want to listen to bikes while hunting lol.
 
ktm486 said:
I run a motocross track. Sure big mature bucks usually don't make my woods their home.
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I think this really summarizes my feelings with a little cherry picking of the words. Guys I know go thru their land all the time and "there's does right back in the field an hour later!". Yep, happens all the time. The only thing I'd point out to everyone who notices "I can disturb deer with XYZ and they come right back"..... That's not mature bucks. I would almost take the 2 and put them in 2 totally different categories because in my mind, they are almost 2 different animals. Seriously. One could ask "does XYZ impact DEER" and the answer is probably "no" or "not bad". The same question but "Does it impact mature bucks?".... ABSOLUTELY. Those old bucks USUALLY want to be left alone. my 2 cents and my opinion- I want to do as little as possible to mess with them ANY time in ANY way. Especially if they have their bedroom I want them to stay in. Summer, fall, equipment, screwing around - I don't care what it is.... Old bucks react much differently than other deer. Different animals and totally different responses imo.
 
Sligh1 said:
I think this really summarizes my feelings with a little cherry picking of the words. Guys I know go thru their land all the time and "there's does right back in the field an hour later!". Yep, happens all the time. The only thing I'd point out to everyone who notices "I can disturb deer with XYZ and they come right back"..... That's not mature bucks. I would almost take the 2 and put them in 2 totally different categories because in my mind, they are almost 2 different animals. Seriously. One could ask "does XYZ impact DEER" and the answer is probably "no" or "not bad". The same question but "Does it impact mature bucks?".... ABSOLUTELY. Those old bucks USUALLY want to be left alone. my 2 cents and my opinion- I want to do as little as possible to mess with them ANY time in ANY way. Especially if they have their bedroom I want them to stay in. Summer, fall, equipment, screwing around - I don't care what it is.... Old bucks react much differently than other deer. Different animals and totally different responses imo.
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Skip, that is exactly what I would have wrote, but lucky for me, you did......Nailed it
 
The day or two after my dad got stents in his heart he drove his atv pretty much to the base of his tree on opening evening of late muzz. He wasn't supposed to be out there but ended up shooting a 190 about 45 minutes later. I recall getting like 13 missed calls from him and when I saw that I thought something bad happened. Gave me a scare and here he just shot a giant.
 
We ride ATV's quite a bit on our 230 but pretty much shut it down in September besides one leaf ride (which is upwards of 20 UTV's) and checking trail cams. With as anxious as I am on cards we are probably out more doing this but in and out very quick.

A few of our neighbors greatly limit ATV riding which probably helps a bunch but those properties get hammered during hunting seasons.

I think the quantity of mature deer depends more on letting enough of the younger bucks get mature by leaving them walk and the layout of the property than some atv's running around in spring/summer. I see more bachelor groups of mature bucks in waterways out of the timber in the summer than deep in the timber.

Since 2009 there has been been 5 160+ deer taken including a 195+ giant last year (and many more we seen). If ATV's bother them during the summer months it doesn't seem to be affecting us much.

If you have does the bucks will come. I could see it making its biggest impact wanting to pattern a buck and take him early in Oct. 2 of the deer above we took on the last 2 days of October. Neither buck did we get on cam in velvet but both showed up by early October on cam. IMO more important to have the right cover than a sanctuary.
 
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Had a good farm completely screwed up due to 4wheeler traffic. Lazy guys that hunted would drive the whole length of the farm to get to stands 200 yards from a road up a bluff. Nothing like getting in early and having.someone park 50 yds away. Can you imagine the chaos if they let anyone that wanted rip around on public? That's the best part, everyone has to walk. Except.the assclown that drove 200 yds in and parked across the creek on public ground yesterday.
 
Deer, even mature deer get accustomed to habits. Farmer comes out to hay his cattle with tractor, they care less, but you drive a atv/truck and they bolt. I believe it all depends on you. If you try to make a secluded sanctuary anything will spook them, but go about your day and if you bump them, slow or stop and act like you don't care and they don't mind
 
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