Hunting allowed on AT?

[king tut]

Just a quick question. Is hunting allowed on the AT? I was out snowshoeing today up in the Bigelow range, and I came across 3 hunters that did all of their day's hunting on the AT. Literally on the AT, their tracks did not meander at all off the white blaze. I talked to them for a second, and they weren't very friendly, one guy was all ticked off that i wasn't emblazoned head to toe in bright orange. I was wearing a very bright yellow fleece that one can see from miles away. Their tracks went up about 2 miles on the trail. Don't get me wrong, I am pro hunting, but do people need to hunt directly on the trail, when there are thousands of miles of woods in the stratton/eustis/rangeley are?

 

[jjmcgo]

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has a page about hunting on the trail:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.795531/k.AE1B/Hunting_and_the_AT.htm

 

[Frosty]

they weren't very friendly, one guy was all ticked off that i wasn't emblazoned head to toe in bright orange

If you consider his motive, it is only so that you won't get shot. His delivery sounds like it could use some work, but his heart is in the right place.

I've met many hunters while hiking and haven't had a bad conversation with them yet. Mostly they are just guys that like being outdoors, except that they have more means than we do to combat shelter mice

 

[Rick]

Many hunters use the AT here in PA as the trunk trail in, though I honestly think most don't venture more than 100 yards from it - The AT does croos a lot of State Game Land. Same with a number of other trails in PA. I'd personally be glad if a hunter gave me a heads up to put a little more orange on. I know what I think I look like out there with my Blaze Orange, but it is also good to know how you are seen by others out there.

 

[king tut]

Thanks for the info. I should probably get a nice neon orange hat. I normally don't think about it too much, since i'm normally not in the woods too often during hunting season, mostly on purpose. The only thing that alarmed me was that these hunters seemed a bit weird, not the normal types. I also ran into 3 other people and two dogs who were out hiking today on the trail. Unfortunately they did not have any bright clothing on. I also have never seen a single deer in the woods in that area around bigelow, and i've hiked in there quite a lot over the years. I will say that 99% of the hunters are good people and do it right, it's the 1% that cause the problems.

 

[Waumbek]

Just a quick question. Is hunting allowed on the AT? I was out snowshoeing today up in the Bigelow range, and I came across 3 hunters that did all of their day's hunting on the AT. Literally on the AT, their tracks did not meander at all off the white blaze.

It depends upon the state or other jurisdiction through which the AT runs.

In the WMNF and state-owned land of New Hampshire, hunting is generally not permitted on or across hiking trails. Here's the relevant quote from the NH 2005-2006 Hiking Digest (p. 48) regarding WMNF:

[start quote]
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and the
U.S. Forest Service have a long history of cooperative
management on the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF).
Hunting is permitted throughout the Forest, although
some safety zones exist to minimize potential conflicts. In
general, discharging a firearm is prohibited within 150 yards of
a campsite, developed recreation site, occupied area, on or
across a Forest Service road or trail. Hunters need to be
aware of their surroundings at all times to avoid shooting into
or across these areas.[end quote]

And here's the rule for hunting on state-owned land in NH:

[start quote] 13. Are there any special recreation precautions or hunter safety regulations on state-owned forest lands?
Hunting is not appropriate near hiking trails, campgrounds, and other developed recreation facilities. Hunters are advised not to discharge firearms within 150 feet of trails or within 300 feet of any developed recreation area. For example, much of Monadnock State Park is inappropriate for hunting because of the preponderance of recreation trails in the park.[end quote]

Presumably, then, the AT in Franconia Notch State Park is off-limits for hunting (although I've seen hunters on the lower Liberty Spring Trail.) I don't know how it works in WMNF of NH. For instance, is the Rattle River Trail, which is also the AT, a "Forest Service ... trail" in terms of NH hunting rules?

In Vermont, however, it is legal to shoot from or across hiking trails, as this quote from the GMC asserts: [start quote] Hunting is allowed on and near the Long Trail (LT) and Appalachian Trail (AT) in Vermont. [end quote]

I have not looked up the rule on hunting from/across trails in Maine, since, in deer season, I hike there on Sundays, when hunting is banned.

 

[drewski]

hunting

i use the AT all the time to access avery remote basin.very fast and quiet.

 

[Chip]

"Hunting is allowed on or near most of the Appalachian Trail. Hunting has been a traditional use of the land along many sections of the Trail, both on public and private lands, and fishing and hunting groups are among the biggest supporters of protection of public lands.
In sections where hunting is prohibited, hunters on nearby properties may wander near the Trail, not knowing that they are near the Trail. As a practical matter, we cannot post (and maintain) signs at frequent intervals along all the more than 4,000 miles of boundary hunters might cross onto A.T. lands from."

 

[NewHampshire]

Presumably, then, the AT in Franconia Notch State Park is off-limits for hunting (although I've seen hunters on the lower Liberty Spring Trail.) I don't know how it works in WMNF of NH. For instance, is the Rattle River Trail, which is also the AT, a "Forest Service ... trail" in terms of NH hunting rules?

Waumbek, this is a question Ive had for quite a while. What constitutes a "Forest Service" trail? Is it any trail that is contained within the WMNF, or do they consider hiking trails as put there by the AMC, but not technically OWNED by anybody? I was confused by this remark in the hunting digest from the moment I read it. Maybe I should contact F&G and see if they can clarify.

Brian

 

[David Metsky]

Trail maintainers don't matter much, it's who owns the land. Most of the AT in Franconia Notch, except for the parts close to the road on Liberty Springs and Cascade Brook, are on FS land, and so their rules apply. The state park doesn't extend far past the road except on Cannon.

Trails themselves are pretty much afterthoughts, and I don't believe there are any rules specifically about them related to hiking. Roads may be different, occupied dwellings definately are.

Trails aren't owned, they are maintained. Any group that maintains a trail does so by permission of the landowner. The fact that the AMC or RMC or DOC or WODC maintains a trail in the National Forest doesn't give them any particular rights to that area.

-dave-

 

[WhiteMTHike]

I came across 3 hunters that did all of their day's hunting on the AT. Literally on the AT, their tracks did not meander at all off the white blaze.

That part is unusual. I've come across many hunters on various trails and they always bushwhack off the trail to do their hunting. Hikers tend to scare wildlife away so the hunters usually try to get as far away from us as possible. These 3 do sound a little odd.

 

[whcobbs]

Hunting on AT -- bow hunters

Just a quick question. Is hunting allowed on the AT? ... one guy was all ticked off that i wasn't emblazoned head to toe in bright orange...

Three weeks ago I hiked the AT SoBo from High Point NJ to Delaware Water Gap. Monday morning found me enjoying the 1000 ft descent from Sunfish Pond to the Delaware, a section that runs alongside a creek in what amounts to a canyon. I spied a man about 200 yds ahead of me on the AT, in full camo, holding his bow at the ready (not toward me). We had a friendly conversation about bowhunting and I told him about two whitetails on Mt Mohican an hour or two before. Remember what I forgot: bowhunters do not wear blaze orange! They are stalkers and would probably prefer not to be noticed.
Walt

 

[Michelle]

whcobbs - I was in that area this past summer and I saw 2 bears between Sunfish Pond and the parking lot! No hunters that day though!

I did see a turkey hunter in TN (on the AT) with a turkey "in the bag" (literally) I'm not quite sure if he was supposed to be there or not as he was very persistant in telling us that he was NOT hunting from the trail, he was off the trail, and on and on and on. I didn't really care, just wanted to keep moving!

 

[dug]

Michelle,

Not meaning you, but he might have been sick of whining for hikers about the fact he was hunting!! Therefore, he might have been overly apologetic to avoid being browbeaten!

 

[whcobbs]

whcobbs - I was in that area this past summer and I saw 2 bears between Sunfish Pond and the parking lot! No hunters that day though!

Michelle/Chickety--

No bears or sure bear sign noted. I was quite conscious of them because of the incident some months ago, a sleeping hiker was dragged in his bag from the Mashipacong (sp?) shelter by a bear, etc. I slept at the Rutherford and Brink Rd shelters, barred owls and coyotes heard at night, nothing threatening. I put my food in the bear boxes.

Walt

 

[post'r boy]

the guy with the turkey was a nice guy!! i've run into plenty o hunters on and off the A.T. and other trails,all seemed to be nice people to me. we'd talk,wish each other a nice day then move on!!