I must respond to the article by LaVarr Webb about tearing up the hills and ruining deer habitat. As usual, the blame is placed solely upon motorized off-road vehicles. Of course. None of the damage could have been done by the thousands of hikers or mountain bikes running in this state who contribute nothing to the maintenance of public lands because they refuse to have off-road licenses and property taxes charged on their bikes or hiking purchases. Many of which cost as much or more than some ORVs.
I am sure that they are all completely responsible individuals who leave no marks upon the land they don't support. And what about the "thick-skulled young men" who have ruined the deer herds? None of the responsibility for losing the deer's winter grazing lands lies with the greedy homeowners who have demanded to be up higher and higher on these lands so they can pursue their one-upmanship over the last man on top.The huge developments with their roads and lots gouged out of the hillsides certainly wouldn't deter the deer and other wildlife from staying on. And I am equally sure that these same owners haven't cried foul when hunters who have hunted there for years before these greedy people gouged the land came back to hunt only to find they were now too close to homes to legally hunt. The real abuse comes from the people who won't support the lands monetarily that they hike or mountain bike on. And those that whine about others, while they look down from their mountainside homes.
Drew Winegar
South Jordan