Stopping a snowmobile without injury

[MNBobcat]

Annoying maybe, but not so awful. There's a lot worse things they could be doing.

It may be a situation of what I call the "fun police". Some people just hate to see anyone else enjoying life.

I don't know what his plan is. Say some 15 year old kid gets home from school and goes for a ride rather than sitting around texting and playing video games like many of the mindless youth these days. Then he gets pulled over by the Sheriff on this guy's land. What next? The guy going to press charges against this 15 year old who most likely didn't even know he wasn't welcome on the property?

Say crossing the land was the only way for the youth to get from his house to the legal snowmobile trails around here. Once on the trails he would go ride for hours and only cross this guy's land on his way home. Now this fellow creates a situation where this youth can no longer ride at all because he doesn't have a way to trailer his snowmobile to the trail head. How sad is that? And it does happen....I've seen it.

I don't know the situation...its all speculation. But given the comment about stopping people riding in a park....I'm betting its the "fun police" scenario.

 

[DarkBlack]

It may be a situation of what I call the "fun police". Some people just hate to see anyone else enjoying life.

That's exactly what I was thinking after reading it twice and thinking about it. I think he's generally unhappy, and it pisses him off to see young people having fun. I know I was young once and did all kinds of crazy things. Lucky for me, the adults at that time put it in perspective.

 

[lockhaven]

Amazing some think that a person paying taxes on property must allow others to use it for recreation. A person does not need a reason to post their property. Snowmobilers like dirt bike riders seem to think that because they enjoy their time everyone should. I like to hunt suppose I just walked onto any ones property at anytime I pleased, is that OK? or is trespassing only OK for snowmobiles.

 

[DK35vince]

I like to hunt suppose I just walked onto any ones property at anytime I pleased, is that OK? or is trespassing only OK for snowmobiles.

Around here any property not posted gets hunted. No permission required to hunt unposted property

 

[BlackRaptor]

Interesting thread. Being from mn this caught my eye.
I guess I have mixed feeling on it. I don't currently own a sled but have in the past and its a sport I enjoy and have for a long time. I do agree though sleds seem to have a nack for going places they are not meant to. Here is an awesome example. Interstate 35 people who live in this area will know where this is. Between albert lea and owatonna a couple sleds got on the freeway late at night and rode the medium from the ellendale exit to the rest stop south of owatonna. I could see the track every day on the drive to work and what a rotten message this gives to sled riders. Most of us are very respectful but it only takes a few clowns to give the whole group a bad name. I use to ride gravel pits in the area with dirt bikes those all got shut down thanks to people dumping trash burning old cars getting hurt and filing law suits.
One thing also to keep in mind with damaging someone's machine. The worst sled riders I've seen as far as rule breaking dont own sleds at all they borrow a friend's so breaking rules means less to them as they are not invested.

 

[Scooby074]

Moss you are right, I have changed my ideas as to what to do, Remember I have not done anything, I was just asking for advice from everyone (which I have taken as sound advice) Other than blocking trails on my land with deadfall and signs, that is the extent of my involvement.
On the other hand I have met with the Sheriff for over a hour last night and they have different ideas as to what to do. The problem is serious enough in anoka county that there was a added 2 patrol unit that pretty much does nothing but investigate snowmobile complaints Full Time during the winter

They are stepping up random patrols on the river starting immediately. There are enough complaints that the river could have some serious restrictions. His words not mine.

You guys seem like a good bunch of people. Please when someone asks for advice, a personal attack most likely not the best course of action. You can see from my post count # I don't post a lot, I do read a lot of the posts
Far as I am concerned my problem will be solved
Just saying i'am done

Do I understand these snowmobiliers are driving on the ice on the river?

If so, you have no rights to stop them. Waterways are waterways.

Now if they are going across your terra firma, then you certainly do have the right to stop them. Best thing is some snow fence and signs. Camouflaged game cameras can do wonders if you need to go to the police.

Trying to damage their vehicles is stupid and opens you up for a lawsuit. Just because its your property does not mean you can set up boobytraps without consequence.

 

[Pixguy]

As a sledder I don't like another rider going off the trail and although I do see some tracks that go off the marked trails, the large majority of us respect and appreciate the property owners allowing us to cross their land.

There have been some good danger free ideas but the orange plastic fence is best in my opinion.

 

[aczlan]

Most of us are very respectful but it only takes a few clowns to give the whole group a bad name. I use to ride gravel pits in the area with dirt bikes those all got shut down thanks to people dumping trash burning old cars getting hurt and filing law suits.
One thing also to keep in mind with damaging someone's machine. The worst sled riders I've seen as far as rule breaking dont own sleds at all they borrow a friend's so breaking rules means less to them as they are not invested.

I agree 100%. Here is a thread from a while back about someone with a similar issue: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/186089-protecting-seedlings-snowmobilers.html
IMO, its his property and if someone wants to snowmobile on it, they should be man (or woman) enough to knock on his door and ASK politely.

Aaron Z

 

[bigtiller]

It may be a situation of what I call the "fun police". Some people just hate to see anyone else enjoying life.

That's exactly what I was thinking after reading it twice and thinking about it. I think he's generally unhappy, and it pisses him off to see young people having fun. I know I was young once and did all kinds of crazy things. Lucky for me, the adults at that time put it in perspective.

You guys just don't get it do you. Strangers are not allowed to trespass on private land and the land owner shouldn't have to stop what he is doing to tell them they are trespassing. Show some respect, ask first.

 

[MNBobcat]

You guys just don't get it do you. Strangers are not allowed to trespass on private land and the land owner shouldn't have to stop what he is doing to tell them they are trespassing. Show some respect, ask first.

You don't get it. In 90% of the State non-posted land is open to hunting and snowmobiling. How the **** is someone riding down a river going to know what County they are in? There are no signs. If they come up off the river onto land that is not posted, why would they think they can't ride on it? Its legal in the majority of the State.

I have absolutely no respect for a land owner who can't take some accountability and get off his lazy butt and post his property. He expects the Sheriff and everyone else to cater to his whims.