Van Hollen Cracks Down On Pot Farms: Outdoors Enthusiasts Be Warned

http://www.wrn.com/2012/07/van-hollen-cracks-down-on-pot-farms/

Officers seized $13 million worth of marijuana from a remote growing operation in Marinette County — one of the largest marijuana-growing operations on record in the Badger State.
Criminals believe they can grow pot in northern Wisconsin without being detected, but State Attorney General JB Van Hollen says law enforcement is working to stop that from happening. The state’s top cop warns the public that stumbling upon marijuana grows can be very dangerous — and deadly. “So it’s very important for people to know A) that we are out there focused on these things, B) that if you learn about anything that might help give us a lead — if you find a tip — please let us know because this case was made based on a multitude of tips, and lastly, beware.”

Last week, federal search warrants were served at two locations in Marinette County related to a large-scale marijuana growing operation. Van Hollen says while authorities are seeing remote drug operations, it doesn’t necessarily mean the pot farms are on the rise; he says law enforcement is getting better at finding them.
Van Hollen warns outdoor enthusiasts about potentially heavily-armed, hardened criminals who will do anything to protect their multi-million dollar cash crop and avoid going to prison. “Most of these cases, the people who are participating in the marijuana grows are from Mexico; they are not lawfully in this country and so they have a save haven to flee to … they can just as easily grow marijuana and shoot somebody — if they think they’re gonna to get caught — and flee.”

Van Hollen says there’s a multi-state effort working to make Wisconsin very inhospitable for illegal marijuana growers. He says law enforcement gets a lot of tips from hunters, anglers, and loggers. He says both public and private properties are vulnerable to such criminals. The benefit of finding the cannabis site on private land is that money from fines and the sale of confiscated real estate help to pay for future investigative and eradication efforts.

Agencies participating in this ongoing investigation in northeaster Wisconsin include: the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office, the Brown County Drug Task Force and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

National News: Be A Trail Hero or Trail Champion

Be A Trail Hero or Trail Champion Dear TPAC (Trail Political Action Committee) Supporter, With just under 100 days until Trail Election Day on Nov. 6, TPAC is marking that fact with our "Be a Trail Hero" major summer 5-day fundraiser that will run from July 30 through August 3.    For every donation of $200 dollars or more, TPAC will post the donor'sFirst Name, City, and State as a Trail Hero. For a $100 donation, you will be listed as a Trail Champion. Our fundraising goal for this election is 50-80K. That will allow off-roaders to play a major role in 7-9 key Senate races and 10-20 key House races.    Supporting pro-access Members of Congress or candidates who are running for office makes YOU a Trail Hero or Trail Championtoo!    Donate Here to be a Trail Hero   Or Donate Here to Be a Trail Champion *TPAC will update its Trail Hero/Champion list throughout the week. TPAC is proud to have Trail Hero Congressman Wally Herger join in support of our goal to elect pro-trail candidates to the U.S. Senate and grow the House majority.   DOWNLOAD OFFICIAL CONG. HERGER LETTER HERE READ IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM CONGRESSMAN WALLY HERGER TO ACCESS INTERESTS Dear Trail Voter,    Public land recreationists have a lot at stake in the 2012 election. Your participation in this political process is critical. We must elect a pro-access majority to the U.S. Senate and maintain and grow our majority in the House of Representatives.    During my service in Congress, I have fought hard to protect and enhance multiple-use recreation on federal lands.   House members have introduced and passed legislation that defends trail use and stops the aggressive use by EPA and other government agencies of politically motivated-regulations to restrict our access to Forest Service and BLM lands.    Unfortunately, the leadership in the U.S. Senate is blocking all access and regulatory reform and oversight efforts in that body.   America needs to vote in senate candidates who will champion responsible use of our public lands.    I believe that you can make a difference in this critical election. That is why I am asking you to join me in support of the Trail PAC's effort to elect pro-trail candidates to the U.S. Senate and grow the House majority.      By working together we can take on the powerful radical environmental lobby to ensure continued access to our public lands for responsible trail-based recreationists and their families. Sincerely,  Wally Herger U.S. Representative   Please download Congressman Herger's Official letter to trail voters, and share it with your multiple-use network. Our successes in this election cycle will also lay the groundwork for victories in future elections. To Donate $10, $25, $50 - Go Here Thanks for your continued support! Don The Trail PAC www.thetrailpac.com PS - Getting your friends and riding buddies engaged in this election is equally as important as donations.

Live Idle Chat Friday at 3:30pm: TrailCon Updates and Interview with Blue Ribbons Greg Mumm

This Friday (8/3) WATVA's Adam Harden will be hosting a live video chat online (we call it Idle Chat) with Blue Ribbons Executive Director Greg Mumm about his stop at TrailCon during his "Turn the Tide Tour" program. There will also be a time for questions and other TrailCon updates. Watch the WATVA web site, Facebook or Twitter pages for the link to the live show. If you can watch YouTube videos, you can watch WATVA's Idle Chat!

A little about the "Turn the Tide Tour":


Join the Executive Director of the Blue Ribbon Coalition, Greg Mumm, on his nationwide “Turn the Tide Tour” where he will be making a stop at the 2012 TrailCon!

Greg is kicking off his nationwide tour on his dual sport motorcycle right here at TrailCon! He will be holding two town hall sessions at our event to hear your issues and assessments on our recreation programs in the area. Greg will also talk a little about how Blue Ribbon can help your club on a national level.

“I am going to ride around the country on my dual-sport motorcycle... Literally around the country. Along the way, I am going to arrange to stop and visit with our member clubs and/or their leadership, including any events that happen to take place as I am coming through. Blue Ribbon Coalition will make this a big media effort where folks will have the ability to log on to track my progress, see daily social network posts, videos / video blogs, donate, join, comment, etc.”

Your feedback is important to him and Blue Ribbon as Greg will make his last stop in Washington DC to deliver your messages to key legislators and departments that impact our rights to ride.

To learn more about Blue Ribbon, check out their web site at http://www.sharetrails.org

Jackson County: Trails remain open for now... Decided on a week by week basis.

Jackson County has recieved 0.31" of rain in the past week. While this is not as much as anticipated the trails will remain open. Until we are out of this  situation  trail closures will be decided on a week by week basis. Trails have been groomed and are in fair to good condition. Please continue to check back for updates. Until posted trails will be OPEN.

There is an EMERGENCY FIRE BAN in Jackson County. Be extra cautious and make sure you have a working, certified spark arrestor. Smoking is prohibited at this time in the outdoors.

For more information please call our office at
(715) 284-8475 M-F from 7AM to 3:30PM or email jcfp@centurytel.net. UTV's are now a permanent part of the trail system. For more information on registration or out of State trail pass requirements, please visit the DNR website at dnr.wi.gov.

Trails Closed at Dyracuse Recreational Park

Due to the continued dry conditions, the trails will be closed at Dyracuse Recreational Park. We will need a significant amount of rain to lessen the fire danger before we can open the trails back up again. At this point, the supercross and motocross tracks will still be open.

If you're heading up to ride and want to hit the trails, your best bet is to call the Park first at 715-325-8014. You can also call 715-325-8017 or 715-325-8013 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday for updates.

Expanded Minocqua ATV route gains final board approval

http://www.lakelandtimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=9&ArticleID=15690
7/24/2012 6:44:00 AM
Expanded Minocqua ATV route gains final board approval
New route will remain closed for use until ATV club posts signs

By: Joe VanDeLaarschot - Reporter

The Minocqua Town Board gave final approval last week to expanding ATV routes within town borders.

The board had held lengthy discussions on the controversial issue during at least three previous meetings so the second and final reading Tuesday night of the amended ordinance detailed the additional routes and the board’s final vote took just a few minutes.

The new routes will not be open for use until the Lakeland ATV Club completes posting the necessary signs.

The new portions of the route given final approval Tuesday are:

• An extension of about eight miles of Manhardt Road northeast to Camp Nine Road.
• An extension of about three miles on Camp Nine Road east to Cedar Falls Drive.
• An extension of about three miles from Cedar Falls Drive south to Cedar Falls Road.
• An extension of about six miles on Cedar Falls Road southwest to the town of Minocqua from the boundary with the town of Little Rice.

The route approval sunsets each year, meaning the ATV club must seek annual approval. That gives the town the option of not re-opening the routes if there are problems or concerns.

The ATV club must work with the town on deciding on what type of signs will be posted and where they will be placed.

At an earlier town meeting the ATV club agreed to help Minocqua Winter Park officials in putting up gates at Lake Marie and Manhardt Road so ATVs would not be driven over some of the park’s cross country ski trails.

The club also agreed to work with Winter Park officials in displaying signs near the nature conservancy area that will inform riders of the sensitive area (Winter Park Pines Conservancy Area) being located there and instructing them to stay on the trail.

In a final vote, supervisors John Thompson and Sue Heil, in addition to town chairman Mark Hartzheim, voted in favor of the additional ATV routes. Supervisor Bryan Jennings was the lone no vote. Supervisor Billy Fried was absent from Tuesday’s meeting but had previously voted in favor of the proposal.

TrailCon Set for August 17th and 18th in Antigo

Set your calendar for August 17th and 18th for the first annual Trail Conference (TrailCon) event! TrailCon will be free to the public and is going to be held at the Langlade County Fairgrounds in Antigo WI.

TrailCon is a joint effort between WATVA and AWSC! So expect to see vendors for both dirt and snow. TrailCon is geared towards trail building, equipment, land access issues, club products and more.

Some of our vendors already include:

• NORTEC USA Mfg: Featuring dirt and snow grooming equipment
• Re Motors and Lulich Implement: Featuring New Holland and Kubota
• Riesterer and Schnell: Featuring John Deere
• Test Inc: Featuring Camoplast tracks and systems
• US Trail Maps: Featuring digital mapping solutions
• Eco-Counter: Featuring trail counter systems
• Scenic Signs: Featuring trail signs
• Spectra Print: Featuring publication & map printing

We also have club displays (which are free if your club belongs to either WATVA or AWSC):

• Dun Good Riders
• Northern Kettle Moraine Snowmobile Association
• Landover ATV Club
• White Lake ATV Club
• AWSC
• WATVA

There is still time to register your club for free! Email info@watva.org for details.

Also coming this year is the national organization Blue Ribbon Coalition's Executive Director Greg Mumm! Greg will be making his first stop on his cross country town hall tour where he will conduct town hall meetings and take the important issues right to Washington DC.

If you would like to register as a vendor or to check out more information head on over to www.trailcon.us.

You can download a copy of our flyer (updated weekly) by clicking the image below:

Trail North ATV Club Grooming Maintenance Fundraiser 9/29/12

Trail North ATV Club Grooming Maintenance Fundraiser

Saturday, Sept 29th 2012
10am to 6pm
Located in Iron River, WI on the 2 Corridor, next to the Other Place

There will be live music, food and beverages. Also the drawing for our annual cash raffle and tons of other prize raffles will be held that day. We will also be a stop of one of our sponsors, The Valhalla Pub and Grub’s poker run.

For questions or more info call President Jeanne Hultman at 715 372 5371.

Jackson County ATV/UTV Trail Update: July 20th

The decision has been made to keep the trails OPEN for the week of July 23-29. If we do not receive rain within the next 7 days trail could potentially close on July 30. Trails are listed in fair to good condition due to dry weather.

There is an EMERGENCY FIRE BAN in Jackson County. Be extra cautious and make sure you have a working, certified spark arrestor. Smoking is prohibited at this time in the outdoors.

Northeast Regional Meeting: July 28th in Dunbar

Greetings NE WI ATV Clubs:

I would like to invite your club and your members to the 6th Annual Northeast WI Regional Meeting.  This year it will be held at the Dun-Good Riders Clubhouse in Dunbar, WI.  SATURDAY JULY 28th, 2012.

There will be a trail ride that starts around 9:30 AM and it appears you will have a choice of a short ride or a longer ride on some of the most beautiful trails in Wisconsin.  Dun-Good Riders will lead the rides.

We will meet back at the shop for lunch compliments of the Dun-Good Riders at 12:30-1:00 PM.  This will be followed by the Regional Meeting at around 2PM.  I would like the clubs to think about what has worked well for you in obtaining riding opportunities, club events and or meetings with government agencies.  If you could also think about what hasn’t worked well.  Perhaps things that you have tried but haven’t worked.

Please consider attending this Regional Meeting.  There are rooms available for those who travel a long distance.

Grand Motel, Pembine  715-324-5417
Four Seasons Island Resort, Pembine-Beecher  715-324-5244
         reduced rate if you mention you’re with NE Regional Meeting
Richards Motel, Dunbar  715-324-5444

Randy will be there to discuss legislative updates. We’ll take a look at the trails, connectors and routes that have been gained in the last year.  We will discuss how we could establish an East/West corridor and a North/South Corridor.  

It would be fantastic if all clubs in the NE would send a representative or a group of members to participate in this year’s annual meeting.  Your treasury could be used for lodging and expense, after all this is an important meeting for the North East..See flyer for details

Respectfully,

Terry Coplien

Northwest Regional Meeting: August 11th in Spooner

Hello Northwest Region ATV Clubs,

This is an invite to the Northwest Regional Meeting on August 11th in Spooner, WI. This event is proudly hosted by the Wisconsin ATV Association and the Rolling Hills ATV/Snowmobile Club. The Rolling Hills ATV/Snowmobile club is a well-established ATV club located in beautiful Washburn County.

This year the day will start at 9:00 am at Tony’s Riverside, 524 South River Street (Hwy 63) Spooner, WI 54801 with a ATV ride (see below for parking location). We will have representatives from Rolling Hills ATV/Snowmobile Club to provide guided rides if you are unfamiliar with this area. You and your club are welcome to ride on your own if you choose as the trails are well established and marked well for ease of navigating.

At 12:45 pm we would like everyone to meet back at Tony’s Riverside for a light lunch provided by the Rolling Hills ATV/Snowmobile Club, after which we will hold your Northwest Regional Meeting. We would like to start no later than 1:30 p.m. As this is your meeting we are looking for your input, so please feel free to e-mail our call with your ideas for discussion topics that are affecting your clubs and area.

Please mark your calendar for this opportunity to discuss and interact with the other clubs from the Northwest Region. Please pre-register by August 8th below so we have a count for meals.  We are looking forward to seeing you at the NWR Meeting.
Thanks, NWR Coordinators; Greg Olson & Jeff Jordheim
E-mail; nwrwatva@yahoo.com
 Cell; (612)280-1220 e-mail; gdo@baldwin-telecom.net

Due to limited trailer parking space at Tony’s Riverside, we will provide trailer parking space at the Washburn County Fairgrounds, located about a half block south of Tony’s at 8000 West Beaver Brook Ave.  We will have club members present providing directions.  We can unload and assemble there.  Maps will be provided to all riders, and individuals can then make their decision as to how they want to enjoy our trails.  

Jackson County ATV Trail Update: Trail May Close Due To Fire Danger

Due to extremely dry conditions and no significant rain in the forecast, the ATV and motorcycle trails may be closed beginning Monday July 23rd. We will be evaluating fire danger and weather conditions closely and posting our decision by Friday July 20th. Please check this site periodically for updates.

Received from: eupdates@jacksoncountywi.govoffice3.com

3rd Annual SHRINERS ATV/UTV RALLY in Spooner on September 22nd

3rd Annual
SHRINERS ATV/UTV RALLY
Saturday September 22, 2012
Spooner, Wisconsin

Open To All ATV/UTV Riders
$25 per Rider
Includes Lunch on the Trail
65 Mile Ride Along the Beautiful
Wild River Trail and Connecting Routes

Start/Finish at Wolf Point Bar and Grill
W4186 Cnty. Hwy F, Springbrook, WI
Trail 39  Stop #18
Poker Run, Food, Raffles, Paddle Party, and FUN

Sponsored By
Musky Shrine Club & Rolling Hills Snowmobile/ATV Club

For Further Information, contact:
Gerrit: (715) 635-4188 Email: misteredvp@yahoo.com
Or Visit Our Website: www.rollinghillssnowmobileandatv.com

Hidden Bear Trail ATV Club (HBT ATV Club) graduates 39 ATV Safety Course Students

Jim Wisneski, Secretary                                                                                                            hiddenbeartrailatvclub@centurytel.net

14277 Tar Dam Road                                                                                                                  715-276-6612

Mountain WI 54149

 

July 7th, 2012   

 

For Immediate Release:

 

Headline:  Hidden Bear Trail ATV Club (HBT ATV Club) graduates 39 ATV Safety Course Students

 

The Hidden Bear Trail ATV Club held its 1st ATV Safety Course on July 5th & 6th.  The event, held at the Doty Town Hall, Mountain WI, attracted students of all ages from across the eastern half of Wisconsin and IL.  DNR certified ATV Instructors from the Hidden Bear Trail ATV Club, Red Arrow Snowmobile & ATV Club, Crooked Trails ATV Club & the White Lake ATV Club led the two evening course.

 

Students learned about ATV Safety, DNR regulations and respect for the rights of others.  Students were required to pass an exam at the end of the training and were issued a DNR ATV Certificate to operate an ATV.  Students were also reminded to spread the word that anyone born after January 1st, 1988 must complete the course to operate an ATV legally in Wisconsin.  Currently that means anyone 24 years old or younger must have completed the course.

 

Congratulations to all the graduates and their parents who encouraged them to take the course with our club.  The HBT ATV Club was formed in August of 2009 and has over 200 members.  The HBT ATV Club works with the Forest Service, the DNR, Oconto County, and the local townships of Doty, Lakewood & Riverview to open additional ATV routes and trails and to insure the safety of all ATV riders in the area.  The HBT ATV Club annual fundraiser will be held on Saturday August 18th at Animal's Bear Trail Inn, Hwy 64 and T, Mountain WI starting at Noon.

Jackson County Trails Update

Good Morning, 
Trails are listed as fair to poor.  With dry conditions and heavy use the trails have experienced rutting in several areas and are rough.


Extreme heat has been a factor for the last several days and is expected to continue into the weekend. Please be prepared for these if you do chose to go riding. 


For more information please visit our website at www.co.jackson.wi.us by clicking on the trail conditions link. You may also call our office at 715-284-8475.


UTV's are now a part of our trail system. For more information on UTV's please visit the DNR website at www.dnr.wi.gov