Arizona officials: Forest Service regulation on trailers unfair to hunters

Arizona officials are slamming the U.S. Forest Service over a regulation making trailers subject to impoundment or citation if left unattended for more than 72 hours in northern Arizona national forests. Calling the move unprecedented, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and Department contend that the regulation hurts hunters, anglers and other recreational users. “This has been real disruptive to hunters and citizens who are trying to obey the law,” said Jim Paxon, chief of information for Game and Fish. A Coconino National Forest news release dated Aug. 16 and titled “Parking trailers in forests prohibited during hunting season” said that many hunters have parked trailers in forests to reserve locations for the season and to avoid hauling them back and forth. “If trailers are left unattended for more than 72 hours, the Forest Service considers them abandoned property and may remove them from the forest,” the release said. “Violators can also be cited for this action.” The release said the regulation applies to all national forests in northern Arizona. Paxon said state officials learned that regulation doesn’t apply in the Apache-Sitgreaves, Tonto and Coronado national forests. There, he said, trailers can park for 14 days, as has been the rule for decades. Paxon said the commission and the Coconino and Yavapai county sheriff’s offices have tried several times without success to get the Forest Service to rescind the regulation...more