What do cigarettes, guns, spray paint, knives, and rocks have in common?

They account for the majority of vandalism and litter I see on the trail and at trailheads. I often wonder what person does this. Maybe I know him. Maybe he's a friend of mine.

This Ice Age Trail route sign is a perfect example of someone with a gun, boredom, and low braincell counts. OK, that wasn't very nice, but really? I mean, Come On!
This was at a point where the trail crosses a fairly remote dirt road and that small yellow sign makes a great target.

I also imagine the vast majority of trail vandalism is done by males, and probably young males. Does this sound like a good opportunity for discussion the next time you go hiking with some youth? Keep your eyes open for vandalism and ask what they think of it.
Who does it effect?
What cost does it have?
How does it diminish the outdoors experience?
What can we do about it?

This is a small kiosk sign on the IAT. It was slashed and cut with a knife which allowed water and freezing to damage it further. The IAT has many informational signs like this along its route. I learned about kames and kettles last week by reading these.
Now this one will take volunteer time and money to replace - efforts that could have been spent on trail improvements elsewhere.

Hike On