Introduction to All-Terrain Vehicles

The closer we can get to a game animal, the easier it is to take. Access to game is a serious issue for the future of wildlife and game management.

• Before modern times, people hunted on foot. In Alaska, hunters learned to use dogs to pull sleds. Hunters could hunt farther from home and bring back heavier loads. When hunters have more access into an area, they become more efficient predators, and the number of animals taken increases.
• Many hunters enjoy using all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and snowmobiles to travel into good game country. These hunters enjoy the challenge of riding these vehicles over rough terrain.
• Wildlife managers have set aside areas where hunters can use motorized vehicles to access hunting areas. Alaska’s wildlife managers have also set aside areas where motorized access is tightly controlled or even prohibited. In the Alaska hunting regulations, these are called “controlled-use areas.”