I’ve always been attracted to the wild places when I hunt.
My penchant for those hard-to-get-to remote areas has nothing to do with hunting, however. It’s more to satisfy my sense for adventure and my desire to experience remoteness and desolation – both of which are good things when it comes to the outdoors.
Sometimes it seems that our natural world has become so fragmented and carved up with signs of civilization that it leaves us yearning to find those places that are free of roads, paths and people.
That’s why I was glad when the Pennsylvania Game Commission board voted against a proposal to allow e-bikes on State Game Lands. To me, allowing the use of such bikes would’ve meant more intrusion into wild places and, potentially, more problems. It just seems that the use of motorized vehicles – or anything with tires – in the woods just leads to habitat destruction and a loss of the solitude that is unique to those hard-to-reach areas.
There’s an atmosphere that can only be found in a remote, wild area that is worth protecting. Unfortunately, such places are dwindling as logging roads and even hiking trails dissect those areas at an alarming rate.
The aspect that I like most about a wild place is, once you get there, it fulfills your innate desire to explore. I always yearn to see what’s in the next hollow or on the other side of the mountain.
And as we explore such places we also discover and learn about the natural world. There’s always something new when you venture into a remote area to escape the trappings of civilization.
Sometimes, it’s better to find a place without a path.
All too often, because of paths, trails and roads, the beauty of wild areas is overlooked. Many of us are inclined to opt for the easy walking afforded by a path or trail, and by doing so we’re missing out on what the natural world is really like.
A path is limiting and restrictive. Sometimes it’s better to just wander into the deep woods without adhering to a path or using something with wheels – such as an e-bike – to get there.
Just walk.
So when the PGC board voted 5-3 to keep e-bikes off the game lands, I felt they made the correct decision.
But was it the right call for everyone?
As always, there’s another side to the issue.
While I’m able to trek up mountains and bust through brush to reach those “way back in” places, not everyone is as fortunate. There are plenty of hunters who share the desire to venture into a wild area, but whether it’s because of age or disability, they’re unable to do so.
Shouldn’t they have the same opportunity to get back into game lands and enjoy those remote places like everyone else? And if it means utilizing an electric bike to trek into those places that few others do, are e-bikes really a bad thing?
After all, “access” and “opportunity” seem to be the buzzwords of today, and it seems like e-bikes would be a perfect fit.
To put it another way: Is it really fair to those who can’t get around as well as everyone else to not be granted the means – e-bikes – to access those hard-to-reach areas of game lands?
Well, as odd as it may sound, a lack of access isn’t always a bad thing. The one element that makes a place “wild” or “remote” is the fact that they’re not easy to reach. Not everyone is willing to stomp up a steep mountainside or slog through a swamp to explore what’s on the other side, and the absence of easy access – trails, paths and roads – is what makes a place wild. The fact that not many people can reach a remote area on a game lands is what makes those places special.
Preserving the character of those locales should be a priority, more so than allowing the buzz of e-bikes to shatter the solitude.
And when it comes to opportunity, I feel that’s a need that is already more than adequately fulfilled. There are plenty of designated roads and paths where hunters can quietly pedal a traditional bicycle through game lands, if they prefer. In fact, having a few hard-to-reach places expands opportunity to those of us who want to get off the beaten path and away from others.
That’s why I feel the board’s vote to prohibit e-bikes on game lands wasn’t about denying access and opportunity as much as it was about keeping those remote areas truly wild for the rest of us to enjoy.
