ORV Sticker Required?

**kb8ymf** · April 30th, 2008, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by cheesejeeper

I was talking to some guys who were trail riding in their Jeeps in West Branch. They came off a trail in the Ogemaw Hills area and were stopped by a CO who asked if they had ORV stickers on their vehicles. They did not all have them. The officer told them if they were coming back out on the trail the next day he would site them for the violation. One of the trailriders told the officer that you only needed the ORV sticker if you were in one of the designated areas such as Silver Lake or St. Helens Scramble Area. That it wasn't required if you were on the ORV Route System and were driving an SOS licensed vehicle. The CO corrected him and stated that it used to be that way but not anymore. The ORV sticker is now required any time you are on the Route System with an SOS licensed vehicle.

Did I miss something? Has this law changed? Was the CO mistaken?

Cheesejeeper

Letters should be written to the ORV Advisory Board to educate them to the discrepancies the users face in the woods. They believe everything is just rosy. It's won't be untill we get them to recognize there are as many interpetation as their are officers.
Did anyone happen to get their name or badge number?
Letter should also go to the District headquarters.
Trail Fanatic should be able to help direct you to the correct office.
jim-kb8ymf

**phittie1100** · April 30th, 2008, 07:37 PM

It was a similar incident near Rose City a few years back that brought me here to GLFWDA looking for answers.

I have run into several people lately that have said this is how the DNR is interpreting the ORV statute. Just heresay of course, don't know what "level" of the DNR is making this policy shift, and nothing official, but this does not appear to be an isolated incident.

**Trail_Fanatic** · April 30th, 2008, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by phittie1100

It was a similar incident near Rose City a few years back that brought me here to GLFWDA looking for answers.

I have run into several people lately that have said this is how the DNR is interpreting the ORV statute. Just heresay of course, don't know what "level" of the DNR is making this policy shift, and nothing official, but this does not appear to be an isolated incident.

I hear of people having trouble from time to time too.
Unfortunately they never seem to get the information needed to really do much about it.

We should investigate this and make sure it gets cleared up so users, LED, and MCL are all in sync.

**kb8ymf** · May 1st, 2008, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Trail_Fanatic

I hear of people having trouble from time to time too.
Unfortunately they never seem to get the information needed to really do much about it.

We should investigate this and make sure it gets cleared up so users, LED, and MCL are all in sync.

This is the EXACT problem I have had for years when people tell me of a problem they've had. No one has ever had the ambition to follow up and hence we continue to see our users hassled in the woods.
cheesejeeper, don't worry to much about names and badges if you don't have them, you'll need the exact location, date, and time, how many were you there and any other identifying things about the incident. For instance, was the officer in a truck, or bike? Just one officer, young/old, male/female, in short anything that can be used to identify them so it doesn't appear as though you're (we) are trying whine about an incident that might never have happened.
Thanks for guiding him along Pat.
jim-kb8ymf

**Trail_Fanatic** · April 30th, 2008, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by kb8ymf

Letters should be written to the ORV Advisory Board to educate them to the discrepancies the users face in the woods. They believe everything is just rosy. It's won't be until we get them to recognize there are as many interpretation as their are officers.
Did anyone happen to get their name or badge number?
Letter should also go to the District headquarters.
Trail Fanatic should be able to help direct you to the correct office.
jim-kb8ymf

Spot on Jim.

Terry,
Can you get the information together?

I'd be more than willing to bring it up at the AB meeting.

Before that, a call to Steve K. asking him (as the ORV representative of FMFM) to clarify the issue with LED might also give us an idea how deep this real or perceived 'shift' in policy runs within the Department.

Maybe a conversation with the LED local to the area might be informative too.

**cheesejeeper** · April 30th, 2008, 10:00 PM

Terry,
Can you get the information together?

I'd be more than willing to bring it up at the AB meeting.

Before that, a call to Steve K. asking him (as the ORV representative of FMFM) to clarify the issue with LED might also give us an idea how deep this real or perceived 'shift' in policy runs within the Department.

Maybe a conversation with the LED local to the area might be informative too.[/QUOTE]

I will try to gather the info but I don't think anyone had the presence of mind to get a name or badge number.

Cheesejeeper

**cheesejeeper** · May 3rd, 2008, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by Trail_Fanatic

Spot on Jim.

Terry,
Can you get the information together?

I'd be more than willing to bring it up at the AB meeting.

Before that, a call to Steve K. asking him (as the ORV representative of FMFM) to clarify the issue with LED might also give us an idea how deep this real or perceived 'shift' in policy runs within the Department.

Maybe a conversation with the LED local to the area might be informative too.

It doesn't look like I'm going to get any information that will help us. They are now telling me that they think it was the local Sheriff instead of a CO.

Cheesejeeper

**Trail_Fanatic** · May 5th, 2008, 10:05 AM

Thanks for trying!

**MegaCab Mike** · June 25th, 2008, 02:41 PM

as I understand it you need an ORV permit if you use state trails. (any and all trails) I prefer to err on the side of caution. I have the yearly state park pass, ORV sticker and a license plate. The cost of the ORV sticker is so small it isnt worth the hassle

**brewmenn** · June 25th, 2008, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by MegaCab Mike

as I understand it you need an ORV permit if you use state trails. (any and all trails)

Yes, the the only things called "trails" by the state are for vehicles up to 50 inches wide. Route are for vehicles any size and are roads that and SOS licensed vehicle can travel down.

So based on the laws as I know them, anything outside of a designated ORV scramble area that is legal to drive a vehicle wider than 50 inches wide down only requires that the vehicle be licensed by the SOS.