Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting National Forest Land and Outfitter Camps: Hunting Etiquette?

+1. Common courtesy, and common sense.

lots of people carry smart phones, or even video cameras while out hunting. Remember to take out your phone and record the confrontation. Even if your phone doesn't record the incident,it might take away some of the bravado.

If I found a tree stand hanging on NF land, I would avoid it simply from a safety perspective. How well was it hung? Is it tight enough? Is every attachment method duplicated in case on breaks? Are all the components in good shape (no rust, kinks, tears, etc)? No way do I risk my life to climb up in some knucklehead's tree stand.

My original question was not about getting in someone else's stand but that the local outfitter had put up a stand on every water hole in the area so as to keep hunters out. Doesn't really matter though. I did not draw the tag this year.
John

Google earth is only revealing if the shot was taken in season. Remember, those are not real time images.

If it's public, go wherever. My tangent would be an attempt to capitalize on their movements. I.e. out well ahead of them and sitting on likely crossing spots.

Last season out on the first weekend, I scored a bull with hunters in sight on 3 sides of me. I got there first.

Two seasons before, I unknowingly ended up pushing for some horseback hunters. They got there first.

On the stand deal. Pre pronghorn last year, a gentleman that interrupted Cookies photo efforts volunteered that he had three other water sources already equipped with inexpensive Ebayed blinds solely to claim turf. Her spot would be his fourth. He would put in the good gear the day before the season. A "Scissor Bill" in my book. If folks respected his turf, he essentially had exclusive use of about 50 square miles.

With that knowledge and a tag, I just might have spent the night before the season in my blind of choice.

Some folks are simply butt heads of the first order. We've had instances of folks tarping over water holes to force movement to an exclusive open source.

Sorry scopey for 2 things....first, I didnt mean to hijack your thread and even more so that you didnt draw. I didnt draw this year either. I just wanted to point out a safety issue.

Yea, Berettman, you are right about safety. Some of those stands have been up at least 5 yrs that I know of. Most are chained in though. Not drawing a tag is going to be more of the norm in the future though. Just have to put in more places. I was able to draw a cow tag in WY for November. wow. To think that I'm now willing to drive a thousand miles one way for a cow elk. guess I'm just desperate to hunt.
John

Nothing wrong with that, good luck in Wyo.

scopey58, at our age now and with the difficulty in drawing tags its not about trophy's or antlers any more. We were around when the hunting was grand and tags for antlered critters were abundant. I just want to hunt and get out into God's creation with whatever type of tool to hunt with. A lot of these younger fellows will never get the opportunities we had to hunt elk and deer every year.

Folks lets also remember that Texas is an awfully big State. A wonderful state to live in and be a native of. Not all of us so called Texans hunt from stands or on feeders. Here in West Texas there ARE not trees and no one puts out feeders either. It is mostly private ranches with mule deer and pronghorn and all spot and stalk. I'm not saying it's inexpensive to hunt but there is some good hunting. No whitetails out here. From what I've read Washington State is not very hunter friendly for drawing tags. Beautiful state though but a bit to liberal for my taste. Guess we'll have to stick to hunting NM,CO,WY,KS, or Montana! Good luck on your hunts this years guys and gals. Just Enjoy and be RESPECTFUL!

If a guy is hunting a water hole, I try to figure out how to set up on travel routes TO the water. These animals any more are real cagey and holed up in staging areas before going to water. They are usually very nervous at water holes and sometimes don't give you a great shot anyway. Why not let the hunters SITTING these permanent stands help you to score. Find the travel routes to water and let them walk by you and get the shot. I would report them to FS because it really hurts the tress for stands to be left up year round. If I find them in the summer while scouting I just cut the down and toss them in the a trash dump on the way out of the woods. All's fair in love, war, and spot hogging!!!

Fixed it for ya

This is actually quite simple... How much room would YOU like THEM to give you?

That is your answer. Give to them what you would want them to give to you.

Back many years ago I was in a similar situation. The archery hunters were cutting trees (NF) and building permanent stands and leaving them there, year after year. Along with various garbage and accumulation. On a snowy november day, several were hit by man cause lightning and burned up. They were not rebuilt.

One option if an outfitter is in the area is to go to his camp, introduce yourself, explain your hunt preference and see how he responds. If it works out, everyone's happy.
If it's not favorable, sneak back in when everyone's gone and piss in the coffee pot.

This has been my experience far too often over the years. They're making money on PUBLIC land, your land.

On public land, we all have the right to hunt equally. I think common courtesy should rule, though sometimes it does not. It can get a little tense at times when your way back and a pack string of guided hunters goes by you on the trail when you're hunting solo and the wrangler and guide all but threaten you to turn back "or else"� and all you've got in your hand is a recurve.