Mud Trucks

Long before we had ATV's folks had the old jeep for hunting, trapping, fishing or just exploring. The roads were rough and untamed. Then came snow sleds and ATV's. There is much dicussion on the use of ATV's and damage they might cause. This all goes back to the operator. I have a lease site that in order to get to, I must cross private lands. The owner of my lease site doesn't allow ATV's, the private landowner I cross wants no trucks, just ATV. Each states just the opposite. ATV cause damge, ATV cause less damage than a truck. With the new ATV law one is almost better to invest in a nice registered off road jeep or toyota pickup truck. The terms used today are "muddin" and "rammin". There also seems to a swing by folks, mostly under the age of forty back toward mud trucks. I think this is mostly because ATV trails are very limited, cost more than a mud truck and can't be driven on the roads. I can buy a great mud truck for a lot less than the $8,000 it costs for a new ATV and I can use the truck on the farm to do chores like harrowing field, moving manure, towing the boat or canoe. Up north - Northern Maine Woods you can have a mud truck, but no ATV - whats the choice? I recently attended a DOC planning meeting on the Lower Penobscot Area to Machias - concerns were voiced about ATV's and damage. Within seconds a voice came forward about the people with mud trucks rammin. It seems that when we are younger we like to go forward and explore with our friends, mudin and getting stuck were part of the fun of life. Did it keep me off drugs and from drinking I don't know, but I am sure it helped. Kids will tell you (mostly boys/men) there isn't much to do and we put a lot of attention to NASCAR and Speedways or things with motors on them. So I guess mud trucks are here to stay. However damage to others property is not acceptable and folks with the toys need to understand that. That Maine way of thinking, that all that timber land belongs to the people is not correct - just look at gates and road fee's. Many owners will tell you gates are a result of litter on their lands, camp break ins and road damage. We need to police ourselves to insure these lands remain open and yes I own both an ATV and Mud Truck.