Trail guides in the Kane County area have reported increased sightings of tour “poachers” taking trips to The Wave - with “poaching” in this case meaning guides and hikers attempting to access The Wave without winning the Coyote Buttes North Lottery that limits regular visits to the buttes and The Wave.
Photo via blm.gov.
According to the Kane County Office of Tourism, who co-manage the orientation and admission process into the Buttes with the Bureau of Land Management, poaching poses greater risks than just the environmental impacts and financial mitigation imposed by the lottery: according to the Office of Tourism’s Dwayne Baird, it can impart significant personal risk as well. “If you go out there without an official licensed guide and a permit,” says Baird, “it could be any Joe Schmoe off the street who claims to know how to get there. If you go out there like that, we can’t assist you because nobody knows you’re there. More than that, illicit guides will be actively avoiding people who could be of assistance during an emergency, because those same people - rangers, qualified trail guides - are the same ones that will get them in trouble for poaching. They’re actively trying to avoid being noticed, which means no one knows you’re there if something goes wrong.”
The Office of Tourism cites instances of poachers guiding hikes late at night or early in the morning when visibility is significantly worse, temperatures vary as the day turns and dangerous night wildlife are more active. The final summary point is, according to Baird, “If something goes wrong, nobody will know to look for you.”
Poached tours also miss the advice given by the orientation and safety briefing by BLM and Office of Tourism officials, which could result in hikers being less informed on road conditions, weather conditions and more. Says Baird, “I’ve worked with the BLM guys for three years on this thing, and I’ve never had a complaint with them; the local guys really do have local best interests at heart. They sometimes have to toe the party line with the higher ups in DC, but they do their absolute best to protect the people here and this area.”
Numbers from the Office of Tourism reports poached hikes are almost four times as likely to experience injury than sanctioned hikes, adding, “And that’s only the ones we know about.” Additionally, should an unsanctioned hike be caught, there are significant fines and potential for additional criminal punishment in cases of natural resource damage.
For questions and information on permit regulations, check the BLM’s page on the Coyote Buttes North at blm.gov, call 435-688-3200 or email blm_az_asdoweb@blm.gov or utknmail.@blm.gov
