Dnr in boulder jct wi

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roc

Member
IMPORTANT INFO FOR PARENTS -

Yesterday the DNR was doing safety checks in Boulder Jct Wi. After ending my day riding with a couple of the BJCT groomers, we stopped in town at a local place and started talking to a couple guys and there sons. All 4 had long looks on there faces and really bummed out. Turns out they were just stopped by the DNR and each son was issued a 100 dollar citation, for riding without having a snowmobile safety course certifi.
The sons were ages 20 and 21 years old and there fathers thought that the law was, under the age of 16 they needed to complete the course. I felt bad for them because they were not aware of the proper law. Im not posting this to bash the DNR in any way, I just want to make other parents aware also. This is from the DNR website

Snowmobile Age Requirements

Who may operate a snowmobile? -- Any person who is born on or after January 1, 1985 and who has reached the age of 12, must have completed and received a snowmobile safety certificate in order to operate a snowmobile in Wisconsin. The certificate must be carried while operating the snowmobile, and displayed to a law enforcement officer upon demand.
 
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sabercat

Member
WoW! Thanks roc for telling us this story. My kids have completed the course but I didn't know that they had to carry that for the rest of their lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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vogelm1

New member
Similar safety class requirements for boating and hunting too...been that way for a long time. I took them all as a kid, and have been sitting in on them for a second time when my daughters have enrolled. Ten bucks, two evenings and they're all certified. Not too big a deal.
 
R

roc

Member
whitedust I agree

Yeh Whitdust I agree with ya, I wish they would have just been given a warning, Also wish the DNR would focus more on the drunks at night. Be nice if they did a safety check at 1am and maybe saved some lives.
 
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jpsted

New member
whitedust said:
Wow! 20 and 21 years old & DNR wants safety certificate on board. Sounds like a reach to me.
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Whitedust, typically I agree with your opinions...not this one though. No reach at all. Requiring the safety certification has been a law for many years now...ignorance is not bliss.

We require a drivers license to drive at any age....why would it matter how old you in order to have to be certified on a snowmobile.

I was grandfathered out of the class, but participated with my kids when they were 13 and 15. It's actually a good class and good information regardless of ones age.

Somebody commented they didn't know it was the law...perhaps they should educate themselves a bit more...$100 small price to pay, IMHO.

But I'm sure this will turn into another DNR bash....
 
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roc

Member
jpsted

As I stated in the beginning of the post, THIS IS NOT A POST TO BASH THE DNR.

what really irks me is this, I ran into 3 guys fri night around 1am 2 out the 3 could barley stand up, yet they were getting on there sleds and driving at night.
We all as sledders know this goes on everywhere! JPSTED why isnt the DNR out at the bars at 1am trying to save lives? some innocent rider is going to run into these guys at a corner!!!
 
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skidoodoug

Member
roc said:
As I stated in the beginning of the post, THIS IS NOT A POST TO BASH THE DNR.

what really irks me is this, I ran into 3 guys fri night around 1am 2 out the 3 could barley stand up, yet they were getting on there sleds and driving at night.
We all as sledders know this goes on everywhere! JPSTED why isnt the DNR out at the bars at 1am trying to save lives? some innocent rider is going to run into these guys at a corner!!!
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Would you want the DNR sitting outside your bar? One weekend of that and you would have 0 business after that. I think there possibly is a law already that a bartender can not serve (over serve) someone who is drunk. Again, that aint gonna happen either. I agree a ticket in this case is a reach, but education is a must.
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
jpsted said:
Whitedust, typically I agree with your opinions...not this one though. No reach at all. Requiring the safety certification has been a law for many years now...ignorance is not bliss.

We require a drivers license to drive at any age....why would it matter how old you in order to have to be certified on a snowmobile.

I was grandfathered out of the class, but participated with my kids when they were 13 and 15. It's actually a good class and good information regardless of ones age.

Somebody commented they didn't know it was the law...perhaps they should educate themselves a bit more...$100 small price to pay, IMHO.

But I'm sure this will turn into another DNR bash....
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All my kids have the DNR safety certification but who knows where that badge & paper is now? They are long married & have larger worries than where their DNR snowmoblie safety certification is these days. Seems to me it should be in the DNR computer files somwhere. What the heck are they going to be 65 & still need the paper & badge when they ride? Seems overboard & a technical revenue ticket to me for someone that did nothing wrong in the 1st place. They don't card my wife for a bottle of wine either. lol
 
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rakins800

Member
......so when these 20 yr olds are 55,technicaly they MUST carry the certificate with them. not bashing,but that seems like bull**** to me.
next,every sled operator will be paying for a license every 4 yrs. too.
 
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sledboy482

Member
whitedust said:
Wow! 20 and 21 years old & DNR wants safety certificate on board. Sounds like a reach to me.
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C'mon guys. This is NOT a new law. Anyone who has been riding since the late 1990's has to have read this law if they have ever read through the law book. I teach snowmobile safety classs and I absolutely drill it into the kids that they need to have their certification with them when they ride only until the day they die. I tell them this at least 4 times during the course. I also enforce this law. My daughter is subject to this law, and she is 23 now. Still makes sure she has her certificate with her if she's out riding. There is no way to check on the side of the trail if someone has the certification or not. It's not a big thing. Just put the dang thing in your wallet and leave it there. If you lose it, go on the DNR website and order a new one. It is not the fault of the DNR that they didn't have their certificates with them. I don't love writing tickets to young riders- or any of them- but we do have a job to do. Snowmobile Safety is an important thing and having the card with you is no more difficult than bringing money with you when riding.
 
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sledboy482

Member
roc said:
As I stated in the beginning of the post, THIS IS NOT A POST TO BASH THE DNR.

what really irks me is this, I ran into 3 guys fri night around 1am 2 out the 3 could barley stand up, yet they were getting on there sleds and driving at night.
We all as sledders know this goes on everywhere! JPSTED why isnt the DNR out at the bars at 1am trying to save lives? some innocent rider is going to run into these guys at a corner!!!
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So, when YOU saw this, do YOU do anything to prevent them from riding, llike telling the barkeep or offering to get them a ride? Not your responsibility to be sure, but one cop cannot be more than one place at one time. Even a 911 call may have helped. We citizens are the eyes and ears of our communities and if WE don't take some responsibility in keeping our community safe, the cops can't either.
 
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fatdaddy

Member
I for one was out on the lakes with my son who is 11 and does NOT have his safety certification and I could care less if the DNR gave me a ticket. My son does not drink, he does not drive reckless and he's in bed at 9:00. Belive it or not I passed two DNR officers just outside of boulder and they gave my son the thumbs up as they passed bye, I had to get on the trail for about a mile or so, to get to another lake to ride on. I guess that would have cost me a fortune. I talked to some locals at the bar this morning having eggs by the way, and they said the Vilas county and local cops have been a real pain in the Butt this winter. I'm not so sure this is the sport I'm willing to hang onto anymore, it cost me a fortune to drive 250 miles stay at a hotel, $40.00 a gal of oil and then to checked at every stop. If you think the manufactures are killing the sport with high prices add the local cops. I'm going to check the local city web page, I'm sure my kids bikes need a lic. too, and my dog, oh yea i might have a small fire in the back yard, better get a permit for that. What next, now ya got me all pissed off.
 
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ubee

New member
With so many sleds around Boulder JCT.for this long weekend I believe the word of DNR patrols prevented accidents and deaths! Just because its the northwoods you cannot run wild and think there are no cops up here!Whoever got a ticket probaly deserved it.whoever got a warning probaly earned it!The word was out that dnr task force would be patrolling,during crusier fest,winter redevous,lando radar run,clubs breakfasts,valentines day,presidents day, and they did their job! pretty simple!!!
 
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jpsted

New member
fatdaddy said:
I for one was out on the lakes with my son who is 11 and does NOT have his safety certification and I could care less if the DNR gave me a ticket. My son does not drink, he does not drive reckless and he's in bed at 9:00. Belive it or not I passed two DNR officers just outside of boulder and they gave my son the thumbs up as they passed bye, I had to get on the trail for about a mile or so, to get to another lake to ride on. I guess that would have cost me a fortune. I talked to some locals at the bar this morning having eggs by the way, and they said the Vilas county and local cops have been a real pain in the Butt this winter. I'm not so sure this is the sport I'm willing to hang onto anymore, it cost me a fortune to drive 250 miles stay at a hotel, $40.00 a gal of oil and then to checked at every stop. If you think the manufactures are killing the sport with high prices add the local cops. I'm going to check the local city web page, I'm sure my kids bikes need a lic. too, and my dog, oh yea i might have a small fire in the back yard, better get a permit for that. What next, now ya got me all pissed off.
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Excellent example your setting for your young son....NOT. I love how door knobs who don't agree with a law feel that they're entitled to break it to demonstrate their rebellion.

You also going to let your son drive an automobile at age 15 without properly being licensed? If not, why would you let him operate a snowmobile without being properly certified. The certification is like having to go thru drivers ed. Snowmobiles are very powerful fast machines...and a few required hours spent learning how to safely operate and ride is not as dumb as you might believe. And for the same reasons we don't allow parents the sole responsibility for training their kids to drive autos, you don't have the sole responsibility for educating your son on snowmobile operation, and I think in your case it's obvious as to why.

And yeah, whoever asked should they have to carry these when they are 50....don't you have to carry your drivers license to operate a vehicle. The mentality among snowmobilers is nearly absurd at times....like now with those trying to argue this requirement.
 
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nic

New member
sledboy wins the prize for figuring it out.... there's no way to confirm if you have a certificate just by looking at the machine as it passes (unlike a trail sticker) so you HAVE to be stopped, talked to, get out your wallet, take off your helmet, etc. (otherwise known as the alcohol check). And yes, if you're not drinking and are legal, you have nothing to worry about. But you have to admit, being stopped every trip up north for a certificate or what have you, is more than annoying. If you got stopped every week on your way to work in your car, would you complain? I have to think the answer is YES. Since most of us can't ride every week- it doesn't seem like a big deal to be stopped once or twice a season, but if you only go on 2-3 trips- that's high in my opinion. I understand it's the law and don't think it's that big of a deal to carry a cert w/ you along w/ your drivers license. But stopping people for these 'checks' is what's a little ridiculous. I've NEVER been pulled over in my car just to confirm I have a drivers license. They want to see it when I've been speeding or whatever- and that's fine. But it seems boating, snowmobiling, fishing, etc- the DNR now have a zillion reasons to hassle you- all under the umbrella of 'safety check'. At some point- you gotta call BS.

That being said, I haven't seen DNR in probably 5 yrs. I really don't have any complaints personally. But these stories make it sound like I've just been lucky to not be in the location they are- or they would have found something- or at least had me pulled over for 20 minutes looking for something.
 
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skidoodoug

Member
Laws are laws and most of them are clearly defined...Relax, I said most of them. If you follow them and do not hink you are above them, for what ever reason, you should not have any issues with the DNR.
I have been snowmobiling in Vilas County for over 25 years and have never been pulled over...ever.
However, I have been in groups who have because they did not follow the rules. Rules say where you need to display your reg and/or trail pass...someone in my group "didn't like it there".
WDNR does not like Illinois registered sleds to have the white back ground cut out so it just has the colored state showing...someone in my group did not believe me when I told them that. They do now.

Point is, the DNR is not the problem...we are.

I can go anywhere in the country to ride and I choose Vilas and surrounding Wisconsin counties for its beauty, trail choices and friendly pitstops. Just follow the rules.
 
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ybpigs

New member
rakins800 said:
......so when these 20 yr olds are 55,technicaly they MUST carry the certificate with them. not bashing,but that seems like bull**** to me.
next,every sled operator will be paying for a license every 4 yrs. too.
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I don't know about the other states, but in Minnesota they put a snowmobile decal on the back of your drivers license if you passed the snowmobile saftey course. Both of my sons age 21 and 17 have it on their drivers license. So this way they don't have to worry about their certificate anymore.
 
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