I have worked and played in the bush for most of my life and my experience with the local recreation crowd is as such: The hikers and the mountain bikers are the easiest to get along with (regularly pleasant in fact) then the motorcycle riders and last on my list are the ATVers. I don’t begrudge anyone for wanting to spend time in the outdoors, it’s only hoped that they respect it while they are there.
It is a definite concern when some people think it is their God-given right to trespass and damage private and Crown forested lands. Some of these people drive around the off roads drunk, (lots of beer cans left behind), target practice wherever they please (most times with a beer can target on the road) and hunt at night.
When one confronts a person of this sort, you are liable to be threatened by a drunk with a loaded gun. I believe this action to be of a more criminal nature than hiking in the woods with a baby (which I have done with all my kids).
It’s a shame that a few people’s actions can paint an overall reputation but that’s the nature of our society. I know lots of decent people amongst the motorized bush recreation crowd but, until they can police the hooligan’s amongst them a little better, (maybe the RCMP or wildlife officers can) I think it a good idea to have some park areas inaccessible to four wheel traffic.
And by the way, people around here have been known to pack boats into remote lakes around here the old fashioned way too.
Rod Nyberg
Sooke
