I'm So Pissed I Could Spit!

[MountainDon]

All winter we've been snowshoeing up through the woods to the cabin. The weather for the past month or so has been warming up good and the snow's been melting rather quickly. I figured it was more than likely drivable to within a quarter mile of the cabin (foot of the last hill) and figured this would make a good weekend for a drive up.

So I called a friend up there to see what he thought. He said there's only one small problem. The Forest Service placed a couple of jersey barriers (those concrete things) just a little ways before the FS gate.   [Note: the FS closes the gates every Dec 15 or so and opens then back up by mid April to mid May. As land owners we have keys. The road is left closed till the ground dries out some. The soil gets very mucky and rutted when driven on too early in the season by too many people. I've never had any issues with that in the past.]

Well it seems this year the FS has been plagued by an over abundance of a$$hole yahoos with an underabundance of brains. Twice this short spring the north gate has been yanked out and smashed by 4x4 driving cretins with IQ's smaller than their boot size. So to protect the roads the FS dropped in a couple jersey barriers. We've talked with the FS a couple times over the past couple of days. They are apologetic and admit they have the legal requirement and want to allow us access but at the same time have the need to protect the land. I agree and understand the issue of the wet soaked mud and the damage the dickheads can/will cause.

We can likely drive in from the south but that route takes longer, has more potential mud, remaining snow on north facing slopes, etc.  I am irate about having to share the land with airheads.

..... I feel marginally better now.  

[Redoverfarm]

Age old problem Don.  It only takes one to ruin it for everyone.  Maybe you could suggest moving them to just past your and your neighbors property.  I doubt that 1/4 mile would make that much difference.  Maybe offer them the use of your game camera to catch the responsible party.     

[NM_Shooter]

sorry Don....people are jerks. 

I'm still mad about the 4 old men that I caught poaching fish in my pond and stream.  I debated about providing their truck with some additional ventilation. 

[MountainDon]

K had some more conversations with FS people this AM. The latest is that one of the jerks involved in this actually pushed a barrier off the side of the road, down the slope! The FS has thrown in the towel this round and said they had a drive through and even though they'd like to see the roads closed for one more week they have temporarily repaired the gate. We can get through with our key. The FS wants to talk with us about setting up game camera traps for next year. Either that or installing a drawbridge. 

[peternap]

. The FS wants to talk with us about setting up game camera traps for next year. Either that or installing a drawbridge. 

I was going to suggest that Don. I would set up two if you can find a broken one. It's a Judas camera. Put the broken one in plain sight and the good one hidden.

In addition to protecting your camera, you can also charge him with a felony for taking or destroying the Judas Cam.

[MountainDon]

The FS folks have been really good to work with on this. They're fit to be tied. The "key" guy is even sending us a key to another back gate they don't use much or hand out to most authorized users, but gives us another access route. That's a great idea about a Judas camera; just have to find one or make up something that looks convincing.