Mike Beagle sent these photos of the results of mudbogging trucks in the Greentops of SW Oregon.
“The ravine that my son is in was created winter of ’05-’06 as a result of the damage. It did not exist prior. All of this drains into Kanutchan Creek, a seasonal but important summer steelhead spawning trib in the upper Rogue basin.” Mike Beagle
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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“But its just innocent fun”
Why does someone’s innocent fun have to be so damn destructive.
I think its important to note the location here…this is essentially high desert if I’m not mistaken. Green is rare here. And yet it is so freely destroyed. And we tolerate it.
I think it can be tolerated, if regulated -hopefully rigorously. I don’t do, it but obviously it’s a huge business. These a-holes need to be regulated more.
F-ing hillbillies need their monster truck confiscated. The mind that takes joy out of doing crap like this is child-like.
It’s in SW Oregon, foothills of the Cascades. Radio collared blacktailed deer have migrated to this winter range from over 50 miles away out of the high country. This is mud bogger damage but I also have numerous pics of ilegal ATV trails and damage up higher.
I disagree. If you give people an inch, they will take a mile. Tolerating activities like this in certain areas, or at certain times; only gives these people ‘permission’ and encouragement to violate laws and do it elsewhere. There simply is no valid reason for this activity. It is purely destructive. There is nothing good about it, period. It is a waste of fuel, destructive to vehicle, man, and the environment no matter where its done; it breeds more destructive behavior; and often involves drinking. Unlike racing, it doesn’t lead to improved vehicle technology or driver skills. It is detrimental with no redeeming value, and as such should be banned, period.
The people are asses. We had an episode like this up here in Colorado back in fall 2000 called the Caribou Mud Fest. A radio disk jockey, Uncle Nasty working for KBPI, announced on the air that there was going to be a mudfest up at Caribou, a fairly pristine mountain plateau at 10,200 feet west of Boulder. About 150 of these folks showed up and destroyed 3 acres of pristine wetlands. The caveat – they were on private land. When the owner of the land showed up they threatened to kill him. A real ugly situation. A year later, there were still trucks stuck in the bog. It makes me angry just writing about it. Uncle Nasty got slapped with a fine – the dude should have been fired and had his house set on fire. To this day, if I ever saw him, I’d probably spit in his face.
Here’s the High Country News article about it:
http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=10037
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You’re right Mike. I just don’t know how it can be done. Like Las Vegas. Never been there- though I could have, I’m not interested. Yet, it’s what?- one of the fastest growing metropolises in the U.S. and the great majority of people seem to love it. But look what’s coming to support that monstrosity according to the post in the archive here on the Wildlife Blog. I need to get involved in protesting that as well. I agree, we shouldn’t tolerate these knuckleheads.