(Orleans)– The abundance of fresh snow cover has local authorities reminding snowmobile operators of where the machines can and can NOT be operated.
Jeff Morrison, an enforcement officer with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, tells KUOO news snowmobiles are NOT allowed on private property unless you first have permission from the property owner. That includes the yards of homeowners. Morrison says he’s shocked over the amount of snowmobile operators cutting across people’s yards. Morrison says that’s a violation of the trespass law, and anyone caught doing that could be cited for that.
State parks and wildlife areas are also off-limits to snowmobiles and ATV’s. Anyone caught operating in those areas will be fined up to $195.
Snowmobiles CAN be operated on designated trails, lakes and certain rights-of-ways.
Morrison adds registrations for snowmobiles and non-resident use permits for the machines came due at the first of the year. First time registration for snowmobiles must be obtained through your local County Recorder’s Office; renewals and non-resident permits, which go with the machine, are available wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold.
