bad weekend.

[225nontypical]

I know it is hunting and nothing is a guarantee but i really thought we would have 2 in the truck opening morning. a friend of mine and i have been working our tails off scouting setting up trail cams and tree stands and replenishing baits all summer (since June). we have over 5000 pictures of deer and elk. so like i said we had lots of hope that it would be a short deer season. when i got to the unit we hunted i could not believe all the people (triple last year). most of these guys where frustrating (one camp was even set up in the middle of a road to block everyone from entering)
so the first morning we crawled into our stands about 2 hours before light, and waited at dawn i had a doe and a fawn in front of me and then nothing until 9:30 when 3 4points showed up but they circled my spot at about 80 yards and went on there way and that was it. i went and get my buddy who told me that he had not seen anything all morning. so we went to a ground blind i had setup and discovered that someone had set up there ground blind 100 yards from mine on the same game trail.
to make a long story short i ended up only seeing one more buck a forky i did not want to shoot. on Monday i discovered that someone decided to sit in my tree stand and then walk up and down the game trails and left there crap everywhere.

i just can not get over how rude some people can be, i understand that it is public land but have a little respect, if you see a tree stand that is not yours move on, if you see a ground blind do not put yours up next to it, and for crying out load do not block a road with a RV, and 4 trucks just so other people can not get in.

this had to be the worst opener i have ever had, and then to top it all off on the way home my generator fell over and spilt gas on my ground blind and tree stand, as well as one of my friends things.

hopefully things well get better.

[beardbuster]

Thats too bad... Seems like for every good hunter there are 10 bad ones sometimes. few years back - We had a guy cut us off one a logging road to get around us, then proceed to park in the road half way to the top.

I was livid! We pulled up behind his truck and laid on the horn for a couple minutes

[Eagleclaw]

Sorry to hear that... yeah the unit i was hunting was packed with people more than i've ever seen before.. I would have called forest service and told them about the camp blocking the road...

[Bugle4em]

I feel ya. Walked in to where my trail camera has been and found that someone dropped a salt block 50 yards away from mine and put up a tree stand. Couldn't find any other spot that 50 yards away from mine.

I spent the next hour, as I quietly walked away, thinking about what I would like to do.

There are lots of spots where I can run into those elk, and maybe he can help me find my elk after I stick it.

[6x6xBow]

It always hurts when you put so much effort into it and it gets messed up by humankind. I shot a spike elk a few years ago in a unit that wasn't heavily hunted. The next year there were 24 vehicles parked on the road leading into my "honey hole" on opening day. We found out later that several national publications were telling the whole world that the best hunting in Oregon was in our unit and in our drainage. My new hunting spots are always at least three miles off the road and always in the meanest, ugliest country I can find.

[225nontypical]

Originally Posted by 6x6xBow

It always hurts when you put so much effort into it and it gets messed up by humankind. I shot a spike elk a few years ago in a unit that wasn't heavily hunted. The next year there were 24 vehicles parked on the road leading into my "honey hole" on opening day. We found out later that several national publications were telling the whole world that the best hunting in Oregon was in our unit and in our drainage. My new hunting spots are always at least three miles off the road and always in the meanest, ugliest country I can find.

trust me i next year it is going to be a hard hike to get to my spots (atleast a few miles in)
the thing is i have never had to go a long way to get to big deer, but for some reason this year the area was covered in people.
if i could have found a ranger or a cop i would have told them about the camp but i spent all of my time trying to figure out where the animals went instead.

the good thing is i did not see any of these boys with deer in there camp

most of the people i talked to told me they had not seem anything so i hope they never come back.

[CombinationLicense]

That sucks 225nontypical – I’m not a bow hunter but have experienced similar problems both big game rifle hunting and while upland hunting. I don’t know what gets into people to make them think it’s ok to set up on top of another stand or drop into a field that’s already being hunted. Besides being discourteous, often times it’s unsafe and it’s always “just not right”!

It’s interesting that when ODFW originally pitched the rifle “controlled hunt tag draw” on the eastside one of the benefits was supposed to be a more even distribution of hunting pressure. Notwithstanding the problems of reduced access and reduced herd numbers, the system did limit/control/redistribute rifle hunters on the eastside. Now there are a few units that archery hunters also need to “draw” for and with the increased popularity of the sport it might be coming to more areas.

I seriously am curious what you and/or other bow hunters think about that concept? Is a controlled hunt system for archery the answer to problems like this? Or not? A controlled draw does limit the number of hunters in any given area but that also means that somebody has to miss out. So which is better - to have the general season tag and deal with the silliness or have a controlled hunt process and miss out on your favorite hunt once and a while?

“CL”

[Eagleclaw]

Originally Posted by CombinationLicense

.

I seriously am curious what you and/or other bow hunters think about that concept? Is a controlled hunt system for archery the answer to problems like this? Or not? A controlled draw does limit the number of hunters in any given area but that also means that somebody has to miss out. So which is better - to have the general season tag and deal with the silliness or have a controlled hunt process and miss out on your favorite hunt once and a while?

“CL”

I'm hoping they go to draw hunts for archery on the eastside...

[Joe]

Originally Posted by CombinationLicense

I seriously am curious what you and/or other bow hunters think about that concept? Is a controlled hunt system for archery the answer to problems like this? Or not? A controlled draw does limit the number of hunters in any given area but that also means that somebody has to miss out. So which is better - to have the general season tag and deal with the silliness or have a controlled hunt process and miss out on your favorite hunt once and a while?

“CL”

I was amazed at how little pressure there was over east on a three day opening weekend compared to when we wait 3 years to hunt with a rifle tag. Far more idiots and rude people out during the "limited entry" gun season from what I've seen. I don't see a limited entry/reduction in opportunity improving things unless the number of tags was severly limited. Jerks are gonna be jerks......

[225nontypical]

Originally Posted by Joe

I was amazed at how little pressure there was over east on a three day opening weekend compared to when we wait 3 years to hunt with a rifle tag. Far more idiots and rude people out during the "limited entry" gun season from what I've seen. I don't see a limited entry/reduction in opportunity improving things unless the number of tags was severly limited. Jerks are gonna be jerks......

i was over east and it was packed where i was at maybe it was everyone from where you hunt LOL.
seriously i am torn on the idea of a draw, with limited access you get less people but at the same time i want to hunt that unit every year. so i want the best of both worlds. i could handle more people if they were not rude and did not set up right next to us. most of those people over there were just trying to benefit from some else's hard work. if this means i have to go deeper in i will just to get away from everyone. most of them will not work that hard, hell most of them would not get out of the truck.

[quackersnacker]

Originally Posted by Eagleclaw

I'm hoping they go to draw hunts for archery on the eastside...

I'd like to see a "select you weapon" when applying for tags, then if necessary go controlled for archery.
I'll post in another thread a question about whether the Ochoco unit has changed since the controlled tags have been required.

[ommedia]

I have a long piece on the 'controlled hunt' topic, will wait for "quaker" to open that thread.

Here was my rant, and it supports my key issue "ethics":

Opening morning, we do want many of us have done, get in early, locate animals where we found them scouting, only to be rudely interupted (and the herd spooked and busted) by two guys on an ATV riding cross country.

Two guys, one ATV, both wearing "slip ons" with only one bow. No range finder, no binoculars, just them and the open country (sounds like a movie)..... They litterally drove right to us. I stood there is disbelieve and expressed my thoughts (professionally actually). They said sorry, but when I asked them "why in the heck are you on a 4 wheeler this far from a road? are you hunting from it?" they said "yep, my buddies has back problems and can't hike these hills" (we were at 7300 ft. elev)...I just don't get it. They were 4 miles from the road they turned off on.

I saw them the next day and they said Hi. I asked if they saw anything from their ATV, and they said..."only hunters"....DOH...really?

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Originally Posted by ommedia

I have a long piece on the 'controlled hunt' topic, will wait for "quaker" to open that thread.

Here was my rant, and it supports my key issue "ethics":

Opening morning, we do want many of us have done, get in early, locate animals where we found them scouting, only to be rudely interupted (and the herd spooked and busted) by two guys on an ATV riding cross country.

General season tag for me.

There is way to much country in Oregon to not find a place to hunt. I have about 5 back up areas. I try to find at least 3 new areas a year, so I always have a fall back.

I told a friend of mine to scout National Forest or BLM in case the private timber shut down for the fire season.

There is so much land out there for Bow Hunter's with a General Season tag, that I would hate to see a draw only.

I think the weather on the eastside had the deer out of their normal routine as well.

It was 26 degrees where I was in Central, OR. It was like hunting the late season for Blacktails.

My

[lor]

Originally Posted by BlacktailBowhunter

General season tag for me.

There is way to much country in Oregon to not find a place to hunt. I have about 5 back up areas. I try to find at least 3 new areas a year, so I always have a fall back.

I told a friend of mine to scout National Forest or BLM in case the private timber shut down for the fire season.

There is so much land out there for Bow Hunter's with a General Season tag, that I would hate to see a draw only.
My

Agreed

[strictlyRUM]

Something needs to be done. There are not as many deer as there was 10 years ago. Either side of the mountains. More hunters too.

Jason

[ehunter]

I would support a draw even on the west side I can tell you this I don't know where we are losing hunters at because it is a zoo over here. I love road closed areas but it is getting to point that you can't find a place to park at the gates. While hunters in general may be down they are certainly not where we hunt in the coast.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by 225nontypical

i was over east and it was packed where i was at maybe it was everyone from where you hunt LOL.

Two years ago we tried to hunt the same ridge on opening morning of rifle season and I counted 19 hunters within sight. That's why I don't think limited entry helps....

Bowhunting elk here on the coast is just as bad. Last year I got disgusted and killed a cow the third day just to end the season so I wouldn't have to deal with idiots any more. Only the second cow I've shot in 20 years of bowhunting. I hate nothing more than having a hunt ruined and I can feel your pain. Try not to let the doughballs get you down...go kill a big one! I'm gonna go out tonight and hope to find a small piece of the coast range to have to myself and find a bull.

[Catch 22]

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are a lot of folks hitting the coast for elk rather than Eastern Oregon because of fuel costs. I was surprised at how few hunters I saw in our Western spots. I expected a surplus of hunters looking for elk without making a trip to the East side.

[12pulls]

Originally Posted by Joe

.....Try not to let the doughballs get you down.....

Isn't funny we consider the others as doughballs while we consider ourselves above reproach and good sportsmen? Grow angry when someone is in our hunting area or camping where we usually camp or parked their car at a gate we were planning on parking? Don't like the crowds or having them in your personal hunting space? Hire an outfitter and hunt a private ranch. As long as there are choices, don't be surprised someone else had the same idea as you did, perhaps they feel the same way.

[beardbuster]

Unfortunately, this is public land hunting.

Like 12pulls mentioned, more people are heading to private property - I know I have in instances for both turkey and deer.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by 12pulls

Isn't funny we consider the others as doughballs while we consider ourselves above reproach and good sportsmen? Grow angry when someone is in our hunting area or camping where we usually camp or parked their car at a gate we were planning on parking? Don't like the crowds or having them in your personal hunting space? Hire an outfitter and hunt a private ranch. As long as there are choices, don't be surprised someone else had the same idea as you did, perhaps they feel the same way.

I don't know about you but I don't climb into other peoples tree stands or block public roads. I don't ride around gates or across county on a quad cause I'm too lazy to hike. I don't run toward the sound of somebody calling in a bull hoping to get in the middle of their hunt. There are a ton of DOUGHBALLS out and about and I don't like it! I guess were screwed if that kind of stuff is just the way it is hunting public land in Oregon. Personally I would rather attempt to educate the ignorant idiots than pay to hunt private land but it is probably a loosing battle given the direction the country is going....the overall quality of humans out there is going down hill! Not saying it's the majority but there are enough to be a huge problem.

[Eagleclaw]

Originally Posted by Joe

I don't know about you but I don't climb into other peoples tree stands or block public roads. I don't ride around gates or across county on a quad cause I'm too lazy to hike. I don't run toward the sound of somebody calling in a bull hoping to get in the middle of their hunt. There are a ton of DOUGHBALLS out and about and I don't like it! I guess were screwed if that kind of stuff is just the way it is hunting public land in Oregon. Personally I would rather attempt to educate the ignorant idiots than pay to hunt private land but it is probably a loosing battle given the direction the country is going....the overall quality of humans out there is going down hill! Not saying it's the majority but there are enough to be a huge problem.

100%

[225nontypical]

i have no problem with some one else thinking this is a good spot to hunt and hunting it but when i have things set up already LEAVE THEM ALONE, GO FIND A NEW SPOT. i have walked into lots of setups, i slowly back out and make as little noise as i can. people work hard for there spots and to have someone think it is OK to use your tree stand or put there ground blind next to your is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!! again i understand it is public land but do not block the roads, and use other peoples gear. i spent a lot of time on all of these set ups just to have other people benefit from it **** me off. put in your own work!!!! i probably have over 100 hour into scouting and set up plus at least a $1000.00. maybe it is my fault for doing it on public land but again i would think a respectful person if they saw someone else's set up would find a different place to hunt, i know i would.

there is just a lack of respect anymore in general (i see it at work all the time) and the bugs me in a big way.

work hard and gain the rewards do not sponge off of others hard work!!!

have i asked people for help before, you bet i have. and i would like to think i would do the same if someone came to me and asked for help. would i give up a honey hole, probaly not but i have lots of areas that have been good in the past i would and have shared them.

this year a person asked me about a few areas and i gave them some info i even offered to let them sit in one of my stands. they how ever chose to do the work them selves. i have a lot of respect for them for doing that. would i have helped them more, yes. i believe however this person is trying to raise a respectful young man that knows the value of hard work and working for what you want with out instant gratification.

that is another problem now everyone want to have things handed to them, well life is not like that. you have to work hard and fight for everything you want (at least that is what i believe). i could go on, i will get off of my soap box.

good luck to everyone, i hope you all have a great season.

[Capin' Dan]

Go back this weekend and see what you see or even next. all the wanna bees will be gone and you can get down to it and the bulls will be even more coopertive. I say forget about opening weekend give it a week and then enjoy your sport

[Blacktailfiend]

Originally Posted by 225nontypical

i

there is just a lack of respect anymore in general (i see it at work all the time) and the bugs me in a big way.

work hard and gain the rewards do not sponge off of others hard work!!!



good luck to everyone, i hope you all have a great season.

Boy Arch you couldnt be more right........ I am to the point where I look for the worst looking crap to hunt so that I can have something to myself. I may not see as much game as the guys in the hot spots but I will trade that for peace. And its not just hunting. I was out for the fall chinook opener and there were guys argueing as soon as we were ancored and the sad part is it is such a regular occurance anymore that you just come to expect it........ Sorry to hear about the generator issues that sucks....

[beardbuster]

Originally Posted by Joe

I don't know about you but I don't climb into other peoples tree stands or block public roads. I don't ride around gates or across county on a quad cause I'm too lazy to hike. I don't run toward the sound of somebody calling in a bull hoping to get in the middle of their hunt. There are a ton of DOUGHBALLS out and about and I don't like it!

I am with you 100% on this one. I have seen more crap from people who wait all year to hunt. If this is their idea of hunting they have it all wrong. I truly don't understand people who have no ethical morals to leave other peoples stands alone.

I understand Chris's frustration. I would be livid too, and actually have been. I have been backpacked into areas to have some guy who tore the signs down to drive his truck or quad back into the spot. I cannot tell you how many bulls I have had run out from underneath me by a greedy hunter. I have drove up to a group of hunters who treat you like CRAP and you're thinking "this is the general publics impression of hunters".

These things are is why I personally will jump on any private land opportunities I can. I want my daughter or friend who doesnt hunt to experience a good hunt.

Is private land always worth it? Not always. I have friends who own thousands of acres. I have heard that most spent the weekend chasing off trespassers and one of them actually prosecuted two hunters with the authorities.

Honesty and courtesy are a dying breed in the outdoor community.

[northriver1]

I guess I don't understand the complaint. You have blinds set up all over the hunting area and you expect people to back out and leave the area alone. Now if you are sitting in the blind I understand but to think because you took the time to set up a bunch of blinds the area is yours is a little much. Me, if you are not sitting in that blind one hour before shooting time you will be in trouble. Should you show up the blind is yours but I will be hunting the area as I was there first.. Duck hunters who practice their art of competitve duck hunting on the refuges are faced with this situation each and every time they enter the field. There is an awful lot of people good and bad these days hunting. Also, it will not get any better so you might want to rethink how you choose your hunting area in the future. But I guess you have already figured that one out.

[baltz526]

the central oregon bow hunters where out in force this weekend . the normal "stand" is an f250 with 2 stands in the back (lawn chairs) with three guys in the double cab (tree stand) up front. all in the latest camo. then with the new 12mph speed limit on the paved forest service roads (i must have missed the speed limit sign) i can understand the frustration. it is amazing but the above bow hunter discription is magnified 10 fold durring any rifle season. i have hunted units with 1000 plus rifle tags and never found more than a couple boot tracks in 12 days of hunting. 100yrd bows, 1000yrd rifles, 900cc 4 wheelers, 12' tall trucks, no respect is what we get.

[12pulls]

Originally Posted by Joe

I don't know about you but I don't climb into other peoples tree stands or block public roads. I don't ride around gates or across county on a quad cause I'm too lazy to hike. I don't run toward the sound of somebody calling in a bull hoping to get in the middle of their hunt. There are a ton of DOUGHBALLS out and about and I don't like it! I guess were screwed if that kind of stuff is just the way it is hunting public land in Oregon. Personally I would rather attempt to educate the ignorant idiots than pay to hunt private land but it is probably a loosing battle given the direction the country is going....the overall quality of humans out there is going down hill! Not saying it's the majority but there are enough to be a huge problem.

It has been this way for years. And some use a truck or quad to hunt due to health reasons, I just give them a benefit of the doubt. Why you may ask? Here is the story: In 1995 some kid on the passenger side of an old truck was riding along with his rifle next to him. All of a sudden the truck pulls off the road, the kid sticks the rifle out the window and blamo, he takes a dry doe about 70 yards up a hill. Then the driver gets out, hikes up the hill, guts the deer and drags it back to a vehicle. He hears the teenager getting threaten by some hunters who witnessed the action. They are threatening to beat the h@$$ out of the kid and call the cops. The guy dragging the deer down the hill comes down with fury on his mind, hearing the yelling and the kid trying to talk but the concerned citizens were too concerned with tearing a new one and teaching the doughball a lesson. Those men came close to losing their lives when the driver showed, if not for their realization they perhaps had chewed off a little more than they expected. You see, the kid was paralyzed from the waist down and had the legal right to shoot. The hunters didn't bother to listen until they were met by the kids father, the guy dragging the deer. I witnessed this whole thing. And during the last years since then I have found out that many "doughballs" road hunting were also within their rights due to meeting the term legal disability. So before we pass judgment on all, remember, some may be disabled. Now before a bunch of the ethical never do wrong hunters flame, I haven't said all, I said some and I give all the benefit of the doubt. Besides, if all the real hunters were off the road hiking for miles, what concern is it to them if people are driving 12 miles an hour? And if one is riding the ATV while following the rules, we have nothing to complain about. Hunting should be for pleasure, relax and enjoy, again you are hunting on public land.

[gottafish]

My son and I went west today uesday and there were still people everywhere. we hiked in behind a gate that had no cars parked near it. we ran into 3 groups of hunters. Im don with bow hunting in this state. till theres a draw this is just ridiculas

[Joe]

Originally Posted by beardbuster

Is private land always worth it? Not always. I have friends who own thousands of acres. I have heard that most spent the weekend chasing off trespassers and one of them actually prosecuted two hunters with the authorities.

Honesty and courtesy are a dying breed in the outdoor community.

I fish around a guy that owns a big ranch over east and every October like clockwork he starts in on me on how bowhunters (the ones he associates with anyhow) are the worst hunters of all and he spends his entire September chasing them off his property. I actually feel sorry for him for owning the place! Shouldn't be that way but it is. All we can do is try and encourage other hunters to be respectful I guess. I hate being too cynical since most people are good hearted but man the bad apples can really ruin it for everybody. Don't get me wrong, I would spend all my time on private land if it was an option but for me it's not so I gotta make the most of it.

I hunted with the wife tonight and we saw a small bull and three cows and no hunters so I can't complain. Hope tomarrow morning goes as well....

[fergy61]

Originally Posted by quackersnacker

I'd like to see a "select you weapon" when applying for tags

If you apply for a rifle tag, you should HAVE to hunt with a rifle. If you apply for a bow tag, you should HAVE to hunt with a bow.

[shinook65]

Originally Posted by northriver1

I guess I don't understand the complaint. You have blinds set up all over the hunting area and you expect people to back out and leave the area alone. Now if you are sitting in the blind I understand but to think because you took the time to set up a bunch of blinds the area is yours is a little much. Me, if you are not sitting in that blind one hour before shooting time you will be in trouble. Should you show up the blind is yours but I will be hunting the area as I was there first.. Duck hunters who practice their art of competitve duck hunting on the refuges are faced with this situation each and every time they enter the field. There is an awful lot of people good and bad these days hunting. Also, it will not get any better so you might want to rethink how you choose your hunting area in the future. But I guess you have already figured that one out.

I guess I don't understand your responce? 225 set up 1 (that's ONE) ground blind. And 1 (thats another ONE) treestand. Are you implying that you'd climb in his blind if you beat him there? Or you'd set up your blind right on top of his, and then think that its okay as long as you beat him in there?
Hmmm. Me think'ith this is exactly the kind of hunters he had to deal with this weekend..

[canes_venatici]

Originally Posted by fergy61

If you apply for a rifle tag, you should HAVE to hunt with a rifle. If you apply for a bow tag, you should HAVE to hunt with a bow.

What if you don't apply? What if you wish to simply hunt general season?



On another note, i wonder how many hunters will be out next year with the mandatory reporting rules in place this year. Will any of these guys not be able to purchase a license because of failure to report? More importantly, will not being able to purchase a license keep them out of the woods?

[Idahoan]

Originally Posted by 225nontypical

I know it is hunting and nothing is a guarantee but i really thought we would have 2 in the truck opening morning. a friend of mine and i have been working our tails off scouting setting up trail cams and tree stands and replenishing baits all summer (since June). we have over 5000 pictures of deer and elk. so like i said we had lots of hope that it would be a short deer season. when i got to the unit we hunted i could not believe all the people (triple last year). most of these guys where frustrating (one camp was even set up in the middle of a road to block everyone from entering)
so the first morning we crawled into our stands about 2 hours before light, and waited at dawn i had a doe and a fawn in front of me and then nothing until 9:30 when 3 4points showed up but they circled my spot at about 80 yards and went on there way and that was it. i went and get my buddy who told me that he had not seen anything all morning. so we went to a ground blind i had setup and discovered that someone had set up there ground blind 100 yards from mine on the same game trail.
to make a long story short i ended up only seeing one more buck a forky i did not want to shoot. on Monday i discovered that someone decided to sit in my tree stand and then walk up and down the game trails and left there crap everywhere.

i just can not get over how rude some people can be, i understand that it is public land but have a little respect, if you see a tree stand that is not yours move on, if you see a ground blind do not put yours up next to it, and for crying out load do not block a road with a RV, and 4 trucks just so other people can not get in.

this had to be the worst opener i have ever had, and then to top it all off on the way home my generator fell over and spilt gas on my ground blind and tree stand, as well as one of my friends things.

hopefully things well get better.

was it a portable tree stand or built onto the tree?

[spurcrazy]

Originally Posted by 225nontypical

on the way home my generator fell over and spilt gas on my ground blind .

I bet there will be a cheap ground blind on craigslist soon!!

I"m really sorry to hear about your bad weekend. It seems to get worse every year on all public land. The nice thing is there is plenty of back country and it seems this may be the only way to escape the weekend warriors. I too saw rigs parked in front of roads this weekend. I just don't understand that mentality.

[Eagleclaw]

i found a nice patch of timber between two main roads that no one was hunting but me and my hunting partner. The elk where using it to hold up after they crossed the main roads.. We could hear rigs driving up and down the roads all day but no one stopped to hunt it i guess they where in to much of a hurry to get to where everyone else was hunting or they where just road hunting... anyway it worked out for us we where in elk all weekend. I'll be back up there next week hunting that same strip of timber.

[225nontypical]

Originally Posted by Idahoan

was it a portable tree stand or built onto the tree?

sky scraper 22 foot ladder stand.

[micah]

Seen more people in the area I hunt in central than i ever have. The road hunters were out in full force.

[ORsouthpaw]

Playing devils advocate here, I'm assuming it was a closed road? Even so, I'm not so sure I see the real difference between someone putting up a stand or a blind versus setting up and blocking a road other than the actual effectiveness of it to try detour and limit other hunters from hunting an area. Do you feel that that was "your" public area only becasue you put up a stand and a blind? Perhaps they didn't see your blind. Perhaps those guys had scouted that area a year earlier than you and you set up a blind in "Their" area. Either way when you put up a stand or even block the road your are essentially telling other hunters that you have claimed an area as your own. Some guys will be respectful of that and most won't. For me it depends on the circumstances.

I had an area that I had scouted out several times through out the year. It was accessed via a closed FS road and on opening morning I went to it only to find a small group camped there right in front of the gate. I had went there the evening before and it had been all clear so they must have set up camp in the middle of the night. I knew that there were (or had been) several elk on the other side so I started to walk around their camp at O dark thirty. They were just getting up, saw me and told me they already "had" this area staked out and I should find another spot. I told them I had scouted this area already and that they had set up in the middle of a National FS road and even though it was gated they are not supposed to block access and I also told them that if I had to get back in my truck and leave that I'd make sure that the FS knew that they were camped and blocking one of their fire access roads. I also told them that the area was large enough that all of us could go hunt it and probably not have to see each other all day. I guess they felt it was better to let me pass than to send me away and have to pack up move camp later when and if the FS arrived. YES I was nervous and was looking over my shoulder the rest of the day. To top it all off the elk had moved out. Proabably spooked from them setting up camp, I suspect.

If I hadn't already invested the time to scout that area beforehand and I would have pulled up to see their camp that morning I would have simply moved on to a new location as I have done many times before. Even though I had scouted it, if they would have simply had the decency to set up camp off to the side instead of the middle of the road I would have also moved on to a new spot as well. I try to always have a back up to a back up plan

To me this all comes down to one question... Do you respect your fellow hunters? Blocking access to a any public area is just plain disrespectful. Setting up a ground blind in the same area as someone else is also disrespectful. Some people just don't get that.

Hopefully you'll have better luck your next time out.

[225nontypical]

this was not a closed road it is a wide open road that someone decided to block off so no one could get access.
and no i do not think it is my public land but again is it OK to sit in someone elses stand? i do not understand how anyone can think that is OK.

[ORsouthpaw]

Originally Posted by 225nontypical

this was not a closed road it is a wide open road that someone decided to block off so no one could get access.
and no i do not think it is my public land but again is it OK to sit in someone elses stand? i do not understand how anyone can think that is OK.

I 100% agree. Since it was an open road I think I would have seeked out a FS Ranger or State trooper to take care of the problem(even if it meant giving up some hunting time). There's no excuse for someone to do that on a closed road and especially if they do it on an open road. By them not having to move on this trip it just means that they are likely to do the same thing next season. Also I absolutely don't think that it's alright for someone to use your tree stand. Like I said there are those that just don't care about being respectful.

I guess I just don't get the part about having a problem with the other blind being set up especially if you weren't in yours at the time that the other one was set up. Was there someone in the other blind when you went to yours that afternoon? You said that you went to the blind after hunting the stand location in the morning. Maybe the other hunters hunted from their blind that morning while you were in your stand and then moved to another location in the afternoon? I don't know that I can really fault a guy for hunting a good spot just because there's a empty blind 100 yards away. If you had been in your blind when they sat theirs up then I would fully expect them to take notice and move on but you weren't so it's not like they were actually hunting on top of you just hunting adjacent to an empty blind.

[thefishslayer]

gets worse every year

[225nontypical]

Originally Posted by ORsouthpaw

I 100% agree. Since it was an open road I think I would have seeked out a FS Ranger or State trooper to take care of the problem(even if it meant giving up some hunting time). There's no excuse for someone to do that on a closed road and especially if they do it on an open road. By them not having to move on this trip it just means that they are likely to do the same thing next season. Also I absolutely don't think that it's alright for someone to use your tree stand. Like I said there are those that just don't care about being respectful.

I guess I just don't get the part about having a problem with the other blind being set up especially if you weren't in yours at the time that the other one was set up. Was there someone in the other blind when you went to yours that afternoon? You said that you went to the blind after hunting the stand location in the morning. Maybe the other hunters hunted from their blind that morning while you were in your stand and then moved to another location in the afternoon? I don't know that I can really fault a guy for hunting a good spot just because there's a empty blind 100 yards away. If you had been in your blind when they sat theirs up then I would fully expect them to take notice and move on but you weren't so it's not like they were actually hunting on top of you just hunting adjacent to an empty blind.

i set the blind up for a friend of mine. i guess my complaint with that is they set it up on the way to the bait i had set up and it happened to be on the trail the deer us to come in. so they were just trying to get the upper hand. i am not sure when they set it up but my friend was in the one we set up 2 hours before light and when he got out there was the blind. he may have missed it in the dark i am not sure.

[ORsouthpaw]

Well either way there's 3-1/2 weeks left for you and your buddy to get your animals. Hopefully the next trip out will be more productive for you guys. Opening weekend always seems to be the most problematic in terms of the rudeness level displayed by our fellow hunters and crowding in general. It should get better as the season progresses as less guys are going afield. Good Luck!

[baltz526]

blocking roads is always a bad deal. but if the road blocked is a 1/4 mile long i would look at it a lot different than a blocked road that was a few miles long, that lead into a long ridge or valley. in the first case i would grumble and drive by. like i have done a hundred times before. in the second case, this camp is going to get woke up and people are moving trucks and tents, and the USFS, BLM is getting called. i'm getting gumpy and i know how to shake trees. it is amazing whos phone number you can get by dialing 411 on your cell phone.

[Doc_Rhen]

I have always found it interesting to try to figure out how to let the "doughballs" run me the animals. A couple years ago on our usual opening morning hunt I walked up over the ridge and sat in a clearing. About 15 minutes after settling in, I heard a bugle behind me and a response from down below me (both hunters). These guys started cruizing down the ridge honking their calls about every minute, so after they were past me I circled back behind them and low and behold, there was a nice herd of elk. I wasn't quite able to close the deal but it taught me something about using the clueless to cover some ground and improve my odds.