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  • Wyre forest night riding ban
  • MicArms
    Full Member

    To clarify…

    We are asking night riders to voluntarily not ride in Wyre to minimise the disturbance to deer during the Deer rutting season which runs from September to October.

    We appreciate this information will not make it to all riders through the signage put out, and so hope that riders will spread the message through word of mouth and social media etc. We are aware that night riding is a popular activity within Wyre but hope that riders will empathise with the FC and that we mange the forest for all users, wildlife and for timber production, and in this case a voluntary no night riding will go some way to helping manage the deer population and allow the forest “a night off”. It is only for September and October each year, and we are also working with dog owners too, who also have an impact on deer disturbance at this time of year.

    If anyone has any queries or comments please feel free to pass on my details,

    Chris MansellRecreation RangerForestry Commission England

    Annnndddd discuss, seeing that the FC also has the FOD and Cannock under its remit, any signs of a ban there too?

    scruff
    Free Member

    Not that I know of but higher deer / car interface rates have been attributed to increased night riding. Never the car drivers fault obviously.

    Im all for wildlife, would probably even just do laps of the built stuff if I had to, soley in the name of conservation.

    Mounty_73
    Full Member

    I think its a more than reasonable request from the FC, after all the deer were there a long time before us bikers! 😉

    Besides there are lots of other places to ride whilst the ban is in place…

    Wyre is a much smaller area than FoD or Cannock with a much higher human population in the area.
    FC cull the deer, so I don’t know why they are now worried about them not breeding.

    nealglover
    Free Member

    FC cull the deer, so I don’t know why they are now worried about them not breeding.

    You don’t know much about wildlife management do you ?

    You’re on the ball today neal. Was it the words “…I don’t know why…” that gave it away.

    nealglover
    Free Member

    Ah so you weren’t criticising then like it sounded.

    Saying it was pointless to help them to breed when they also cull them.

    Fair enough, sounded like that though.

    I live in the Wyre Forest, so I take an interest in all aspects of the forest, not just mountain biking, although I will admit I don’t know much about deer management.

    This article claims deer numbers have fallen from 800 to 300, mainly due to culling.
    This one shows 14 culled, 18 killed by road traffic and 37 missing, presumably poached, in one year.
    Both are a bit out of date in relation to the rise in popularity of night time mountain bike riding.

    Mountain bikers tend to stick to the same few routes in the forest. Do they really have a significant effect on deer rutting ?

    Suggsey
    Free Member

    Its a shame nothing quite like ending up in the middle of a herd of deer as they all turn and look at you…never seen any at it though at the Chase.
    Surely is it not just the case that the deer tend to stick to certain areas more than other areas so just signage those areas like they did at the Chase for the SSI trails that they trashed with a drag plough causing way more damage and disturbance than a few riders off piste?

    Ming the Merciless
    Free Member

    Fenton…..Fenton…..ohhh Jesus Christ!

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    is this the same Fc whos “manager” stopped me and told me biking wasn’t allowed in the forest apart from the family and sustrans route? this is good news in a way as they now seem to be officially allowing riding in all areas of the forest, good news!

    i will observe the voluntary “night off” though, seeing Deer in the forest when out riding is one of the highlights of being in the wyre

    stratobiker
    Free Member

    I think it’s a fair request from Mick, and good to see that mountainbikers and forestry geezers are getting together for the betterment (Is that a word?) of the forest.

    Wyre Forest – a truly fabulous place.

    SB

    Mantastic
    Free Member

    The group I ride with are going to adhere to this, not only for the sake of the deer but also to work with the FC. Doing this may go along way towards a better relationship between riders and the forest.

    The forest on Wednesdays can be a busy place at night so there must be some distrubance for the deer.

    votchy
    Free Member

    When were the signs posted and where are they posted? Never saw any signs, nor any deer, last week on a night ride at Wyre. Any evidence that deer only get jiggy at night? All the Attenborough progs I have ever seen show rutting during the day in the UK.

    zangolin
    Free Member

    When were the signs posted and where are they posted? Never saw any signs, nor any deer, last week on a night ride at Wyre. Any evidence that deer only get jiggy at night? All the Attenborough progs I have ever seen show rutting during the day in the UK.

    afaik – rutting only takes place when there is some light available – could be wrong though?
    What happens in the day? – there must be a far higher level of disturbance for the deer – walkers, dogs, horse riders, mountain bikers, etc.
    Would be interested to hear what the FC have in place for managing daytime disturbance/disruption.

    cakefacesmallblock
    Full Member

    I think it’s perfectly fair and reasonable to go along with it. I’ve ben a Wyre rider for 12 years or so, much more in the last 3 and regularly ride at night too.
    Was out last weds night, but saw no signs and didn’t see anything when I grabbed a coffee at the VC the other afternoon after a cheeky stretched lunchtime ride.
    As I understand it, there is greater tolerance of riding in Wyre than at any time over the last few years. A couple of the well known “trails” still seem a bit sensetive, but the only people who have ever given me any grief for riding were an odd looking bloke with too many Jack Russels to be sensible, who told me to stop, then ran away when I did. Then there’s stickman, not stick wind or stick accidentally knocked across the trail. Stickman (or woman).

    Fair one. See you all around in the dark in November.

    P.S I’ve just texted the half dozen or so in our group, so daytimes for us for now, too.

    I_Ache
    Free Member

    I hope they don’t bring this in on The Chase. There is an e.coli outbreak in Sutton Park and the wife has banned me from riding there.

    cakefacesmallblock
    Full Member

    Apparently the signs have gone up last day or so and are only asking that bikers don’t night ride until after end of October.
    The guy I chatted with, on the phone, at Wyre a few mins ago, to be honest couldn’t have been more pleased, that at least someone had ‘phoned to find out for sure. This is not the start of something more sinister, simply ( in my view too ) a reasonable request, both by signs and via the “jungle drums” to ask those who nightride to give it a miss for a few weeks.
    There is no hint of an official move toward or away from attitude toward mtb’ers up there. However, there is acceptance that we do what we do and could we perhaps give due consideration, for their work and the deer for a little while.
    Fair do’s methinks.

    Solo
    Free Member

    Why this no sticky ?.

    spudnick
    Free Member

    got my text from cakefacesmallblock earlier today about this. seems reasonable to me

    nick

    bullandbladder
    Free Member

    Fair one. It makes a nice change for the FC to ask nicely, rather than telling people on bikes they’re not welcome in the Forest. Duly observed.

    cakefacesmallblock
    Full Member

    At the visitor centre this morning…

    I have no idea how to resize this 😳

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

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