Editor:
In response to Betty Ann Kolner's letter titled "Don't crowd out the wildness," I have been following this issue from the start. I may have missed something along the way but I can't remember anyone fighting the plan for more roads. I am under the impression that people of the area are fighting to keep existing access open.
All my life I have loved the mountains for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and just wandering around enjoying their beauty. I have used the Boggy Draw area for teaching my kids and grandchildren to learn to enjoy the outdoors including target practice and learning to ride off-road vehicles responsibly. There will always be disrespectful people ruining things for the law abiders. I myself am getting very tired of rights being taken away for other people's actions. As time goes by, a lot of people in the area are getting older and medical conditions require assistance of ATVs and side-by-side UTVs to continue hunting and enjoying the forest.
It is also getting to the point that the bike riders think the whole world is for their exclusive use at the expense of others. Hunters, fisherman and off-road vehicle operators pay fees to use the forest. These fees include search and rescue fees, habitat stamps, hunting and fishing licenses, OHV permits, etc. People pay registration fees on their vehicles and trailers to use roads. There is not one registration to cover all. They must be individually licensed regardless of the fact you can only use one at a time. Bike riders don't pay any fees for the same rights but demand equal access to all roads and trails. Its to the point that the bike riders insist on others yield to them, as if all the roads and trails are for their exclusive use.
The forest is for everyone's use.
James Wilson
Mancos
Via CortezJournal.com