Comments on: Last Minute Action to Amend HB 4684 Before Vote

By: Tom Stitt

Tom Stitt — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:59:00 +0000

As a year round resident of the Pigeon River State Forest, I have been following this issue for years. The Pigeon River Country Association started all this by closing horse campsites and restricting horseback riders to 1 trail and county rds. This group is out of control!!! They, quite frankly, oppose all use of the PR forest except for hunting, fishing and walk-in hiking.
Horseback riding was a way of life up here since the British landed at Mackinaw City 300 years ago, without problems until the PRCA banned it. This is another restriction of State land that never made any sense, just to appease the few on the PRCA board who want no use of the PR forest.
For example, I can take my 5th wheel camper down a 2 track and camp but I can’t take a horse. ????????

Other user groups who use the PR forest should stick together with the horseback riders, because the PRCA board will come after your sport.

Currently, the PRCA board is now in the process of banning hunting and fishing guides within the PR forest. MUCC members take note!!!!!

By: Crossbow300

Crossbow300 — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:35:00 +0000

Doesnt seem to address the problem of limited mobility

By: Darlene Alexander

Darlene Alexander — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 22:53:00 +0000

making a correction that’s a 100,000 acres not 200,000…sorry

By: Darlene Alexander

Darlene Alexander — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 22:39:00 +0000

but not all that land was purchased with Pitman Robertson…In fact most of it wasn’t…The Blue Lakes was bought with Trust Fund monies and we still are NOT allowed to even have 1 simple trail around the Blue Lakes…They just added another 500 acres along the Black River and another 2000 acres i believe to the west, which was bought with Trust Fund monies…So I am thinking there is about 200,000 acres there…With Pitman Robertson all the have to do is include equestrians in the plan…Many other state do and have no problem…Look at Ky, TN, Ill, Missouri, and many other states work well with their DNR and the forest service…It all boils down to the fact that they do not want to…I have been told right to my face “that horses should never be in the Pigeon”….It boils down to shear selfishness…It is a “pristine Big Wild” and they don’t want people there…much less horses…..

By: Sportsguy

Sportsguy — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:55:00 +0000

No, the real problem is that people do not know the history and reasons for PR and DJ, how it came to be, and where that money comes from. It is not public money or money from public taxes. It is from hunters and anglers, they are shouldering the burden for their own activities. We are happy to do it, too, as long as that money goes towards our causes and our activities. It is an investment in the future of hunting and angling. If you purchased some land and someone carved a trail through it and claimed a right to it, you’d be pretty upset too, and with good reason. Again, I’m sure most of us are happy to share, but, please, do it the right way.

By: Sportsguy

Sportsguy — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:46:00 +0000

That is the common fallacy that it was paid for with ALL public money. Most of the PRC was paid for with hunter monies, both fees and taxes we have placed on ourselves, to be used for wildlife and wildlife related activities. I think most hunters are happy to share what they helped to conserve as long as our ability to be the primary use on that land is respected. The “whole story” does not begin when the trails were closed. The whole story begins in 1937 when sportsmen agreed to a landmark idea to tax themselves and use their game fees to protect their ability to hunt and fish.

By: Trail_Fanatic

Trail_Fanatic — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:01:00 +0000

Sounds like the real problem is overly restrictive language in the PR and DJ legislation.

By: Larry

Larry — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:04:00 +0000

Thanks ….keep working for us.

By: Darlene Alexander

Darlene Alexander — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:31:00 +0000

Tom, I totally agree…There are many users of the state lands that do not pay a user fee…Also users are being restricted more and more every day…Right now it’s equestrians but soon it will be others, because there are those who believe that NO ONE should be allowed into the forest because it should be kept as the Great Wild…The DNR continues to buy more and more lands and more and more restricts users, and they don’t have the funds to maintain and pay CO’S to patrol it…There is trash and garbage everywhere and no one to patrol that. We equestrians are trying to teach the Leave No Trace…We all need to start working together for each other so we can leave all this beautiful state land to our kids and grand kids…

By: Darlene Alexander

Darlene Alexander — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:10:00 +0000

The problem is , is that even if we pay the permits we will still be restricted…will not pay a fee for something I will not be able to use…If we could be assured that we will not be restricted I would be willing to pay a fee…What you people fail to see is that NO state has ever been ni diversion of the US fish and wildlife monies. all they have to do is be willing to include us in the plan and be willing to work with us on that plan. We also buy orv permits and licences to hunt and fish…I also buy the recreation passport..Equestrians are willing to work with the DNR but they have not been willing to work with us in the PRC…You guys do NOT know the whole story….It is STATE land bought and paid with ALL our monies…And Equestrians are part of that.Come to some of the meetings and see what is going on…