Does anyone know why the gates are closed on all the access roads, including the ranger station? Season is open through the month, but they don't want you driving on the roads I guess? Signs clearly say you are free to park and hunt, just can't drive down closer to where you might actually want to hunt. I'm a beginner, so if the answer is well-known or obvious, please go easy on me. I'd appreciate a basic explanation, if yall have one. Thanks in advance.
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Redlands Gates Closed for Small Game February- Why?
- Thread starter Fletch_W
- Start date
ringorock
Senior Member
They close then if the roads get washed out from rain. Could be that.
There's two washouts up on the northern uppermost reaches of Redlands, but those have been closed for over a year. No new washouts I'm aware of. Also, at the check station, it was closed at the ranger station, even though the road was 100% fine all the way to the next gate at the end of the fields, and far beyond, based on my walk today.
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NE GA Pappy
Mr. Pappy
when it rains as much as it has, they shut the roads to keep 4x4's out of there. If 100 Jeeps ran thru there everyday and it rained often, the roads would be impassable in a few weeks. It is to protect the road base they have established already
Doug B.
Senior Member
If your not a deer hunter then it don't matter if you're wanting to hunt something else. They will close the roads for everything else.
Pappy, that makes sense, but the particular road I was on, by the station, it isn't dirt, it's gravel, so a jeep isn't going to tear it up like a clay dirt road. And why not at least open the gates on weekends? Don't have to leave them open 24-7. And as big as our state budget is, in the billions of dollars, if a gravel truck has to come by every once in a while to overseed some trouble spots, it should be a big deal. Again, I'm a beginner, so I'm just thinking out loud with an uninformed opinion.
jiminbogart
TCU Go Frawgs !
Fletch, fixing roads is more involved than just spreading some gravel. We got over 7.5" of rain around here in January and a bunch more so far in February(not to mention, almost 6" in December '19).
Closing the gates is the smart thing to do.
It may be harder to drag that squirrel to the truck but so be it.
Closing the gates is the smart thing to do.
It may be harder to drag that squirrel to the truck but so be it.
Jim, are you the same guy that used to have a white bird dog in your sig pic several years ago, hunts mushrooms and wild edibles and whatnot?
Regarding "drag that squirrel to the truck"...
GDNR makes plenty of hocus pocus and marketing about wanting to get the next generation hooked on hunting, the future, blah blah blah, and then brags about all the opportunities, sends out newsletters, come get a young hunter hooked during small game season, look at all the land, come on down to your local WMA and get the next generation hooked!
It's a great message, but when you get down there, the gates are closed.
What if Bass Pro Shops sent out a mailer to advertise all small game ammo for 20g, 410, and 22lr is 50% off on Monday between noon and 2pm, then you got there and it was closed with an "out to lunch" sign?
jiminbogart
TCU Go Frawgs !
Nope. No bird dog.
Look on the bright side, closed gates mean less pressure. Less pressure means more opportunity for small game and hogs.
I've humped a Tree Lounge 5 miles on public land. They are heavy. Saw plenty of game and no other people.
I've also ridden my mountain bike with a pop up blind on my back at Redlands. I saw plenty of game and no other people when I got to my spot.
Look on the bright side, closed gates mean less pressure. Less pressure means more opportunity for small game and hogs.
I've humped a Tree Lounge 5 miles on public land. They are heavy. Saw plenty of game and no other people.
I've also ridden my mountain bike with a pop up blind on my back at Redlands. I saw plenty of game and no other people when I got to my spot.
Mr Bya Lungshot
BANNED LUNATIC FRINGE
Treelounge and a bmx 20inch take true grit but produces the big boys sometimes.
not at the redlands with a treelounge or a bmx but still.
not at the redlands with a treelounge or a bmx but still.
They close them to keep all the idiots in 4x4's from acting like fools and destroying the roads. My FB feed was full of people riding on NF roads yesterday doing just that. There are a bunch of roads that have been open for years that are now closed because of it. It's one thing to ride the roads, but when they refuse to stay on the road and just take off through the woods and spin mud-holes like pigs in slop, the NF says enough is enough and we all pay for it.
NE GA Pappy
Mr. Pappy
yep
I have a good friend that had to go get his son off of LRWMA a few years back. Seems like the son's buddy went over a berm and got stuck. The son then went across the berm ( with a sign that said to keep out) to help pull his buddy out. Both of them got stuck. Well, the ranger showed up before dad got there. He got the boys out of there, but made them leave their jeeps. Wrote them both big tickets. He told them they could call a wrecker the next day to run a cable over the berm and pull them out, but they weren't taking anymore vehicles across to pull them out.
Rest of the story....
$400 wrecker bill
$1200 fine for trespassing and destruction of habitat.
You couldn't pay that guy enough to cross a berm on the refuge now.
That's what it is going to take. Turn the Rangers loose and start writing $1000 tickets and see how fast it stops.
Mr Bya Lungshot
BANNED LUNATIC FRINGE
And shoot!
Mr Bya Lungshot
BANNED LUNATIC FRINGE
I gotta admit theys too many birms and not enough “safe parking on the sides”
Spots.
Spots.
