Blue Moose CO

This is a little fuzzy to me. Can I use a closed forest service road to retrieve my game with an ATV? The area is in Colorado in a general forest area so, that means I'm allowed to go anywhere I want in the forest to retrieve game after 12pm.
But, I've heard two opinions in regards to being able to use a closed road.

1. A closed road is a Closed Road. No use, what so ever, but I can go thru the forest, along the road, if I want! ?????Huh

2. A closed road is meant for closed to general public use. It can be used for special activities including game retrieval with ATVs. I can access it anywhere other than thru the gate. (Meaning, going around it.)???Huh

I'm not the SOB that wants to go romping thru the trees and call it hunting. I actually hike/pack in 2-4 miles off the road to hunt. But that is a lot of hiking to pack out an elk. There are a lot of closed logging roads in my hunt area so thats why I want to use them to pack out my elk.

Last year I was 2 mile from the truck when I shot my elk. Luckly, I was able to pack it down the draw about 1/4 mile to a private property road and got permission to access the land.

What got me really thinking about this was that it was by chance that I ran into the landowner. He just happen to be up there getting his cabin ready for his hunting group. If I hadn't found him I would have had to pack it the whole 2 miles (oneway) to the truck by myself. That would be2-3 trips @ 4 miles round trip. Or I could have drove around the gate of the closed logging road and drove right up to my elk and pack it out in one trip and risk being wrong about accessing the closed road and get a ticket.

What do you guys think???

BM

summit daWg

Why is the road closed to begin with?
I don't doubt for a minute that those responsible for getting it closed to begin with would just love to catch as many people as possible going around that gate to justify the closure in the first place AND to lobby to get more roads closed.

ElkNutz

I would call the forest officeof the area you plan to hunt and ask them. We have one area we hunted last year that was a public road but the gate is kept closed by the private" kids" ranch that is up in there that was closed for the season. We were told we could ride under it and go on our merry way.

skb2706

The word "closed" ought to be your first clue. There are already way too many guys romping around illegaly on public lands (actually on private lands too)with no regard for the future. If its closed and its forest service there shouldn't even be a question.

SILVERTIP-CO

...do not pass go, do not collect 200.00.

Seriously if I were in the position of having a bull elk down and was alone, as I usually always am, me and Big Red would be skidding er out, sign or no sign.

Colorado Bob

No, you can't go past the gate. The road is closed. That means foot traffic or horseback---ONLY. NO quads, snowmobile, bikes,

You can't take you Quad off the thru the woods either. You can only use it on the forest roads that are open----to travel for my 4x4 truck or your quad.

Several hunting seasons ago there were guys that thought they could---just go around the gate-----WRONG----the forest service were passing out the tickets.

I use the QUADS that God gave me.


Stop & think for a minute-----the elk were there because that trail you were on was CLOSED. If it were open the elk would have been another 2 or 3 miles futher in. Think about it. CB

dayna0306

I don't mind packing ,I call it the labor of love.Besides what else do you have to do after the tag is full.My longest pack was over 5 miles for a caribou on the tundra.My hardest pack was an alaska moose,2 miles one way it would have took 10 tripes but a grizz taxed my meat and saved me nearly 3 tripes.Last year I packed a bull elk from 2 miles in by myself and one time in the bitterroot me and a buddy packed one out 3 miles.Those packs were all air miles or as the crow flys some people call it.As said earlier those animals wouldn't have been there if I and everyone eles could get there with a quad.When I'm packing meat I tell myself it doesn't get any better then this.


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J for the USA

Don't waste the meat. [X(]

121553

Same here in mt. Its a closed road., Atv's can only stay on forestry rds. just like your like your truck, provideing they have the forestery permit to use in the forest. If you call the local game warden here he will cut you some slack but you bloody well have some game back there. Its a $5,000 fine for being on a closed road. That would buy a lot of meat. Good luck this year.

Bobby

SouthDakotaHunter

I’ve heard from other hunters that some states can confiscate your animal if your caught using a ‘meat wagon’ on a closed trail…. Bottom line – I would make sure you know your in the right. Cause if anyone else sees you and your illegal, good chance they are calling you in…