There goes western Montana - thanks for nothing Senator Tester

[eddy]

Tester Bill

I have emailed both my Senators about my opposition to this bill.

Everyone need to do this. These two Washington bozos only hear from the eco- freaks! They think because they do not hear from snowmobilers they must not be out there!

We have to start doing this frequently so they know we are not just going to take this without a fight!

 

[plumnuts]

Easy to say but how many will actually do it. Most people are too chicken to try something illegal, even if it's fighting for something you love.

just throw your shoes at him the next time you see the senator

 

[MPS]

Let me know brother, i will come ride with you! Idk about you, but i would like to see those pine pigs keep up with me.

haha I hear ya! US Forest Service.... .....and you're so right Sawyer!!!!!!!!!! It is not the federal governments land to close!!!!!!!!!


.

 

[mtcatgirl]

I'd give up a few acres of riding to try and help out the montana timber industry and to combat the pine bark beetle epidemic.

So what line of thinking is this. Jump on the band wagon so "win-win" shows up next to your name?
First of all there is NO guarantee with this bill that timber harvest will occur!
There is more to this bill than giving up just a few acres!!!! 100's of thousand of acres!! Snowmobilers don't have to give up riding area to support the Montana timber industry---Timber harvest for 10 years is not responsible use of the forest. Timber harvest doesn't happen with 4 feet of snow on the ground and snowmobilers have no impact on the pine bark beetle.
In general, snowmobilers support responsible timber harvest and believe the forest should be managed to have timber harvest well beyond 10 years into the future. Snowmobilers are some of the most active "conservationists" with regard to snowmobiling and with the other sports they participate in whether motorized group or the likes of mechanized use, hunting or fishing--(so this means any of you that are members of certain mountain bike, hunting and\or fishing organizations need to look into whether or not your selected organization signed on to this wilderness bill-If it did, only you can decide whether to remain a member) and for the members of the snowmobile clubs that did endorse this bill--Did you as a member have input with that decision? If not-express your opinion to whoever endorsed this "piece of work" and go on record as opposing it!
Snowmobilers are not GREEN conservationists with holier than thou attitudes that want to keep everyone from enjoying the forest. We just want people to respect the areas they ride so we can ride there in the future.
Snowmobilers generally share areas pretty well until they start getting pushed out of areas. Snowmobilers don't damage the environment; open cross country, and back country riding should prevail. Not too many people I know sport the "trail riding are us" LOGO. Problem is there aren't defined "designated" trails or routes in the areas the bill supposedly set aside for snowmobile use. The bill will bypass all processes established under USDA guidelines and the only provision that needs to be reported on is "IF" the acreage per year that is tagged for harvest doesn't happen---and you can just about bet it won't because one of the other 100 or so green groups in Montana will file a protest action to prevent the logging from occurring.
The Montana Snowmobile Associated did take a position against the largest component of this bill "the Beaverhead Deerlodge Partnership" portion (505,000) acres a couple years ago. Word is the MSA is letting individual clubs decide whether to support or not support this now. Each district of the MSA should go on record denouncing and opposing this bill. Every snowmobile club in Montana and bordering communities of Idaho should go on record opposing this "anti-access" wilderness bill. Call or write your senator today. Stop this bill in its tracks!

 

[mtcatgirl]

Tester's wilderness bill-No Forest Service participants listed??

Notice an exclusion of what you would think is an important player in this listing?
"The groups involved in working out the deal include the Montana Wilderness Association, Montana Wildlife Federation, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Wilderness Society, Troy Snowmobile Club, Pyramid Lumber in Seeley Lake, Roseburg Forest Products in Missoula, Sun Mountain Lumber in Deer Lodge and Kootenai Ridge Riders ATV Club"

Interesting that none of the FS offices are listed here-Not from the Kootenai, the Lolo or the BDNF--

The Kootenai will really be restricted between the wilderness and "designated trail only" riding in the recreation areas and now the (Idaho) Clearwater FS planning looks like it is going to wipe out sledding in the Great Burn.
As for the Tester so called recreation bill in all recreaton areas-for snowmobiles-only established routes and trails of record on July 16, 2009 will be accessible--&--those routes and trails of record don't have to show up on a map until a year after the bill goes into effect (if passed). The real kicker--the powers that be can arbitrarily close any of the recreation areas at any time to snowmobile use for whatever reason they choose. Mountain bikes have no restrictions--NOT even to trails! I have no problem with mountain bikes being out and enjoying the public land but snowmobiles do less damage than mountain bikes--Go figure--IT must be that quiet experience thing again! Shame on all of you for trying to have a good time.

 

[Doc Zoom]

I sent Mr. Tester a letter. Its all about power, not whats right for the forest.
Doc Zoom

 

[Hardass]

Wade mabe in some parts of idaho most of the idaho land that borders mt around here is under attack to be closed. When this happens the resources will be spent some where else maybe where you ride. we have been battling this for years now with not much help. Testers over all stance is not new he was on the do not vote for list before he ever got elected.all this has been building for years people have been very slow to open there eyes to whats happening and guess what it has so much momentum now that unless people come out in hordes and appose this kind of land grabbing it's only going to get worse. Just like whats going on in the white house. polititions cave to money and power if you got none you got no voice.These people will use any kind of trick wording they can, just because we read and interpit things one way does not mean thats what it says.I am a member of the troy club and have tried to help make a difference, but what i see is it's only getting worse. Things are changing and it';s going to continue thats a fact.

 

[TIM]

wow, now us mountain bikers are bad people.

Mountian bikes are being kicked out of the same area in the clearwater as snowmobiles are.

 

[Wade]

Wade mabe in some parts of idaho most of the idaho land that borders mt around here is under attack to be closed. When this happens the resources will be spent some where else maybe where you ride. we have been battling this for years now with not much help. Testers over all stance is not new he was on the do not vote for list before he ever got elected.all this has been building for years people have been very slow to open there eyes to whats happening and guess what it has so much momentum now that unless people come out in hordes and appose this kind of land grabbing it's only going to get worse. Just like whats going on in the white house. polititions cave to money and power if you got none you got no voice.These people will use any kind of trick wording they can, just because we read and interpit things one way does not mean thats what it says.I am a member of the troy club and have tried to help make a difference, but what i see is it's only getting worse. Things are changing and it';s going to continue thats a fact.

Oh, I agree. A "nose in the air" environmentalist was being interviewed here the other day; on TV. He said, "now that we have the Owhyee wilderness done, we are going to move all our resources to the Boulder Whiteclouds." So, you are correct. They will never quit, and they will not even finish rejoicing in their victory, before they start another fight. It's all they know to do, and all they want to do, and sense of power and control. Plus, it's their full time job.

I don't doubt that individual clubs are doing their part. So, why is the Troy snowmobile club listed as helping craft this bill? A bill that gives some to the Forest Industry, Some to the Wilderness Freaks, Some to ATV groups, and takes everything away from snowmobilers. Does the Troy snowmobile club only ride roads. Because, from what I read, you'll have lots of road riding to do, but no off trail riding. I guess there's a chance that some of the Recommended Wilderness Area being released, could now be ridden on? But, man, I there's something for everyone, but snowmobilers. It's like we weren't even there.

I was really talking about the State snowmobile association. Does anyone have a letter from them???????? What are they doing?

Not harshing on you hardass, just frustrated.

 

[Wade]

Oh, and the forest jobs. All of this permanent wilderness for 7,000 acres per year, for only 10 years. For beetle kill, selective thinning, of small diameter stuff? In the middle of a down economy, where mills are shutting down due to a lack of sales, not a lack of wood ????? Like the environmentalist aren't going to sue everytime a chainsaw starts. And, what's the real chance that pulp wood energy plant will ever make a megawatt of power.

But, we'll have more useless wilderness. hooray. 109.5 million acres and counting.

 

[Hardass]

Wade we are only adressing the three rivers challenge portion of this. i will get the info for you so you can read all 80 pages of it. and see how we were involved.Fact is a majority of voters put this guy in office for his beleifs and he's acting on it. as stated other places did not even try to do any thing? Largly it seems like people care but do nothing. Then something happens and there up in arm about. Where were all the hordes of sledders and other recreationalists when this was all being drawn up?Honestly we tried to do the best we could with the support we had for the last few years. If people did not try to save there areas around where they live it's to bad, and i'm sorry to say that butthats how it is. Also we have very few roads to ride here and less all the time, most are not road riders here. I did not take any offence at all. Idaho is shutting down more and more and not just on our borders. Our way of life is changing rapidly, we HAVE already seen the best of it.

 

[Wade]

Wade we are only adressing the three rivers challenge portion of this. i will get the info for you so you can read all 80 pages of it. and see how we were involved.Fact is a majority of voters put this guy in office for his beleifs and he's acting on it. as stated other places did not even try to do any thing? Largly it seems like people care but do nothing. Then something happens and there up in arm about. Where were all the hordes of sledders and other recreationalists when this was all being drawn up?Honestly we tried to do the best we could with the support we had for the last few years. If people did not try to save there areas around where they live it's to bad, and i'm sorry to say that butthats how it is. Also we have very few roads to ride here and less all the time, most are not road riders here. I did not take any offence at all. Idaho is shutting down more and more and not just on our borders. Our way of life is changing rapidly, we HAVE already seen the best of it.

Cool, send me a pointer to that document. I'm sitting here reading the Clearwater DEIS right now.

 

[mtcatgirl]

Link to Senator Tester's bill

Senator Tester's bill link
http://tester.senate.gov/Legislation/forestresources.cfm

SAWS has attempted along with snowmobile clubs and other groups and individuals to inform the public about the wilderness effort and the likelihood of a wilderness bill.
http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/09/misc/CBU_BDNF_Ad_3-27-09.pdf

Citizens for Balanced Use in Montana has also been very involved and attempting to prevent this wilderness bill.

What good is a National Recreation Area if we have to stay on designated trails? What happens when there are no "designated trails"?

Snowmobile closure will be allowed by the "authority" as they see necessary.

The life of the bill is 10 years with the Secretary of the USDA overseeing for 15 years. The power generation plants will be at least in part funded by the Federal government--Look at the funding component of the bill.

The only thing long term is the 700,000 acres of wilderness.

 

[Wade]

Thought I'd add to this, from Tester's website.

Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
* Designates roughly 505,000 acres of wilderness on Forest Service lands.
* Designates roughly 59,000 acres of wilderness on BLM land and releases 76,000 acres on BLM land.

Three Rivers District of the Kootenai National Forest
* Creates the Three Rivers Special Management Area, which encompasses separate motorized and non-motorized areas.
* Directs the Forest Service to conduct a study of potential ATV routes.
* Designates 30,000 acres of wilderness at Roderick Mountain.

Seeley Lake District of the Lolo National Forest
* Puts aside an area for snowmobiling use until the next revision of the Lolo Forest Plan.
* Designates 83,000 acres of Wilderness as addition to the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Mission Mountain Wilderness.



Well, you now have a bill number S.1470.

LOST CREEK
Trail riding only.

Three Rivers
(e) SNOWMOBILE RECREATION.—
16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para17
graph (2), the use of snowmobiles shall be permitted
18 within the special management area only in the
19 areas designated as the ‘‘NW Peaks Snowmobile
20 Area’’ and the ‘‘Mount Henry Snowmobile Area’’, as
21 generally depicted on the map.
22 (2) EFFECT.—Nothing in this subsection pre23
cludes the Secretary concerned from closing from
24 public use any trail located in an area described in
25 paragraph (1)—

OTATSY
Gotta see a map of what's left.

http://tester.senate.gov/Legislation/upload/Proposed-Land-Designations.pdf

Wade

 

[hilinerider]

any word from the seeley/lincoln people i see they got some area over there to be locked up

 

[SnowSnob]

Think I'll just snow camo my sled and say screw all this wilderness crap!
We need that Predator clocking devise thing.

Do you think one of these days people will wake up and realize Wilderness Area are a bunch of chet and then realize they gave away all their public land?
I told Tester that was going to happen and he was going to be the man behind it all.

 

[Wade]

So, after Tester gets done with you, and the Clearwater National Forest closes the Great Burn (Hoodoo). How much high altitude public land will be left for riding in Western Montana? Anyone know?

 

[relentless rider]

be Relentless

keep riding, even if they close it down.We can over run them,and never back down and take whats ares.they can ticket me try to take my sled,truck what ever they do.But ill go out swinging.screw um!!

 

[johnsodo]

just throw your shoes at him the next time you see the senator

i got some hot lead

 

[Wade]

SAWS ALERT:
http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/..._Announces_Forest_Jobs_and_Recreation_Act.htm