Off-road, All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) have become an increasingly big problem on Wildlife Preserves property. Be aware— it’s not a matter of IF, it’s a matter of WHEN we will apprehend and prosecute ATV riders on Wildlife Preserves.
Groups of ATV riders who think they can out-run and out-maneuver Wildlife Preserves Rangers are finding out the hard way that it’s not worth large fines and criminal records to ignore the No ATV warning signs legally posted around the Wildlife Preserves.
Wildlife Preserves is catching violators and prosecuting to the full extent of the law.
Wildlife Preserves land is private property—purchased with private funds—no grants, public, or taxpayer funds were used to acquire its property. The land is administered as a natural area and a wildlife sanctuary for the protection of wild animals, plants, and their habitats—hunting and off-trail motor vehicles are prohibited.
In its war against ATV use on State and private property, Wildlife Preserves has set up trail cameras that transmit real-time videos of illegal activity on all ATV trails.
With the assistance of the local police departments, Wildlife Preserves has apprehended several groups of ATV riders, impounded several ATVs, and the police have charged ATV operators with motor vehicle and criminal trespass charges. With the photo and video evidence and unique tire tracks of each ATV, all prosecutions result in guilty verdicts with heavy fines, damage restitution, community service, and criminal records.
ATV riders are forewarned—Wildlife Preserves is not your ATV playground.