Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Garbage

Just a rant...<P>Just got home from 3 splendid days of ML for Spike Elk east of the Cascades in Washington. <P>Saw many cows... many does... not many hunters... but many RV's... and way too much garbage. <P>There were beer and pop cans, paper plates, plastic bags... all littering many of the campsites we passed... there was even one with a still warm fire place!<P>Talk about stoooooopid. It only takes one or two morons to agitate those who would rather us not hunt at all.<P>I know most of you pack out what you pack in, but those of you who don't... don't be so selfish.

Cayuse I don't know since I am not a camper outer any more but for my own information what ever happened to burn and bury. Any thing burnable was burned, cans were burned so they would rust faster and then flattened and buried. Can that still be done?<BR>BCR

The RV guys are the worst in my opinion. Many never camped. They were never taught about campfires or garbage. They live in big cities and turn the campsites into something familiar looking.<P>And yes I know I lumped in some good RV guys with the bad here and I aplogise.<P>But folks that think they are getting out on a camping trip "to get back with nature" with a 27 foot "apartment" on wheels, parked around 5 to 50 more of the same, make me laugh. Might as well just stay home and cook on a grill in your backyard. I admit to wanting a few more luxurys at times as I have grown older but ......<P>OK I'm thru. So flame me.<P>Tex

Cayuse, I was out getting familiar with the lay of the land in the Snoqualmie Tree Farm Monday and up into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. (Had the day off and I'm not even a banker!) And every, and I mean every, time I came to the end of a road there was garbage, spray painted targets, shotgun shells, some brass and generally a mess. No question it was people shooting. Made me sick that these goofballs could make us look so boorish. I am late to hunting and shooting and come out of that crowd that would like to pack their poop out because it was an intrusion and defiled the natural order. (I was never close to that bad, but those extreme environmentalists worship "man free nature".) What got me most was the tag tacked to a tree where a tree hugger group had cleaned up an area not too long ago and someone had already come in and left a 24 pack, fast food and shells all over the place.<BR>Too bad their parents never taught 'em any manners. Had we done anything like that we'd a been back there cleaning it up with a sore backside.<BR>Don't know what can be done other than to clean up after 'em.<BR>Oh well, enough whining. Let's go hunting and do our part by keeping the herd in check you bunch of predators!

While we're bashing the RV crowd, what blows me away are the people who "camp" at Walmart. Every night from May until the snow flies (perhaps tonight), there's anywhere from a couple to probably twenty RV's parked in the Walmart parking lot. This is in gorgeous Bozeman, MT, where there's no end of wonderful camping places close at hand. Incredible...At least they don't litter, that I've noticed. We got a good chuckle out of one a couple of nights ago. He was "only" using a pickup camper, and was outside cooking on a little propane grill. Talk about roughing it! Oh, well, at least he didn't have a campfire in a shopping cart...

Rimrock : Thats where they are comfortable in their apartments on wheels. In a apartment complex with others like themselves all around. Thats what I want alright?????<P>I camp to get away. <P>But in fairness we all do this for differant reasons and they may well be some lucky winners in a "Worldwide Walmart Camping Spree" or something..... You know the One... 1000 Walmarts in only 365 days. <BR>Very big with retired couples wanting to get out and see this big O country we live in? (grin) But not really quite willing to see it like we do?<P>Cheers<P>Tex

On my first elk hunt several years ago we walked waaay back into the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness area near Crested Butte, CO. After several hours, I was in a saddle along a ridge very near the Continental Divide and stopped to admire the overwhelming beauty of the place. I'm thinking that surely not many humans have had the priviledge of this view. Then I noticed the opened tin of pork & beans at my feet someone had carelessly tossed. It took something out of the moment. [img]images/icons/frown.gif" border="0[/img] ....cowdoc....

It disgusts me too. I have my theories about people, but I suppose there's really no figuring them, other than it all comes down to arrogance of one kind or another. And beer cans and 12-pack boxes aren't as bad as it gets. I've always figured, if you want to dump old appliances, and you're too cheap to pay the $5 at the dump, why not dump it in the city instead of in the country? The city is already ugly anyway. <P>I've always thought the horse-packers were worse than RV-ers. How else can you explain getting 20 miles into the wilderness, to find empty chili cans and 2-liter coke bottles? I doubt backpackers are toting that crap in there. And of course, that's not to say anything about ALL horse people, or all backpackers for that matter. Many RV-ers have a strange idea about what makes an "outdoor experience", but I haven't found them to be slobs necessarily. The area where I hunt actually seems to be relatively clean, but it's not a well-known weekend recreational spot, being well off the beaten path and hours from the city and not near any sort of tourist attraction. It's basically visited only by elk hunters, most of whom dot the area with little RV camps in the fall, and the rest of the year it's deserted. It doesn't see very many of the road warriors who go out into the woods once a year to get drunk on opening weekend of deer season. You know the type.<P>We'll never change them, so all we can really do is pick up after them. It gets old, but it helps a little bit, at least until next Saturday. -al

I hate litter and people who litter are lowlifes, plain and simple. <P>I have spent several years cleaning up this ole ranch I bought and now it is more or less clean. Have a pile of junk out behind my house as big as several dump trucks waiting to be pushed in the ditch abd covered or recycled whichever comes first. All of it off of that ranch. Of course, that is understandable, when you lived somewhere 20 or 80 years ago, there was no garbage pickup and there was usually a ditch around to throw it in.<P>I pick up litter whereever I go, being a firm believer in leaving a place better than I found it. Take only photos and leave only footprints is a mantra.

I aint a camper, but when I'm out ANYWHERE, I go by these words. "If you packed it in, you can pack it out." This kind of trash and the garbage they leave reflect on all of us.<BR>7mm

Where I live you can no longer find a side road that does not have it's entrence blocked by a gate or a large berm of dirt blocking it with a deep ditch behind. Not long ago if one were to travel off the main road onto forest land you would find enough discarded chairs, sofas, appliances and any thing used by people that has become useless or discarded. The amount of just plain refuse was unbelievable. So the land owners blocked every one out. The forest service is following suit. The soloution would have been simple but the political powere did not have the political-balls to do it. That would have been to make manditory garbage pick up for all residents and charge a limited surcharge on property taxes to cover all costs. Inm the end the bill would have been the same to the county for disposal and a few new jobs would have been created. Stupid commisioners.<P><BR>Bullwnkl.

Many RV travelers use the Wal Mart parking lots on their journeys and are welcomed by Wal Mart. They are not slobs or cheapskates, just people traveling and need a place to park and sleep, they have everything with them that they need without the high dollar motels of today. Most are not hunters and have more tied up in their equipment than any wilderness camp. Most have their wives and families with them not looking for a remote campsite. To belittle them here showes little respect for anothers rights to their way of enjoyment. Now if you want to pick on me get after it, I take my breaks anywhere I want with my travel trailer or camping trailer. If it behooves you, get over it, my trip is for me, not you, or your ideas of what you want or think I should do. Been camping overnight on Wal-Mart in Alamosa, CO since they built the store with permission from the store manager years ago. My hats off to any store allowing RV's overnight parking free of charge and they get my business. Most of the bitchers don't have an RV anyway so they don't know the difference. Pay your $50 to $80 for a bed and bath and tend your business, we do. -- no

NO: I don't think I see any referance to you here in any way or form Bud?? Thanks for dropping in. Now please wipe the foam from around your mouth and just gel out dude.<P>What could you of seen here that made you think anyone referred to you? I can't see you leaving trash in a campsite which is the theme of this thread basicaly? You are a very experianced camper ! Probably one of the cleanest camp guys around I would bet from your posts.<P>I want to be alone to camp and we mad fun of the large groups of RV's hanging at a Walmart... was that what got you all riled up for petes sake? I can't picture you pulling in with 20 other campers crammed togther either .. but I could be wrong I guess?<P>We promise to work with you thru these trying times but you have to help OK?<P>Despite what you see in your twisted mind, there is no conspiracy to gang up on you and nobody enjoyed the last "gasmask" tango. I also feel I speak for everyone involved that we all want to avoid another of your meltdowns OK?<P>Just gel out. No one is picking on you. <P>Although when your wrong it would help if you would just admit it instead of tap dancing all around the real question and trying to change the subject around into something no one was ever talking about?<P>Hang in there its probably just a bad phase your going thru..... Have you changed meds lately or something ??<P>Tex

I camp roughly a month out of the year in the National Forest out my way, in Virginia. Every time my friends and I go, we leave the site we stay at cleaner and in better shape then we found it. Just 2 weeks ago, a buddy and I went for an over nighter to do a little scoutting. When we got there one of the gates to get to the area we wanted to camp was locked, so we back tract up the road a few miles. We found a spot where some folks used recently. Beer cans, plastic bags, 22 cal boxes and brass, big for sales signs (target), tennis shoes, t-shirts, all manner of crap was left laying about. I decided to camp there just mainly to clean it up. Looked sweet when we split. Look we can never police all the maggots out there, and it is a shame we, and I hope I speak for all of us, have to clean up other peoples messes. I really don't mind all that much doing it, cause it needs to be done. Just trying to do what little I can. Oh I forgot to mention, in all that trash I did find an envolope with a name and address on it, guess who has it now [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img]

Loven: GOOD FOR YOU !!! Gee they could of matched DNA from the tee-shirt also ! (LMAO)<P>Have A Great Day !<P>Tex

Hey Catfish, -- so glad my posts get your attention and give you pleasure responding. Like you stated before you would stay out of my posts and hoped I would pass yours. I do, but you are showing what you really are. Have you made your phone calls and e-mails trying to solicit others to help you yet? Like you used to do me, to boycot or pick on someone around the board because they didn't suit you? Guess you got angry because I never jumped on your wagon. Since when have you become the moderator telling anyone to do your bidding. I have joined the ranks of your in-laws, there is no place in my life for a 43 year old kid that has a fast mouth and no worth. Sorry to be so blunt but what do you expect from a dumb old man,(that you call me), that hasen't had to work since 83? Guess I should have addressed my post to you since the topic was, "GARBAGE", but will refuse to lower myself to any conversations with you. Have a nice day. -- no

Dugaboy 1:<P>Just to keep the record straight, the Pittman Robertson Act's self imposed taxes are not imposed on RVs. Therefore the RVers do not contribute anything to wildlife restoration when they purchase their RVS, unlike hunters do when they purchase most of their gear. I'm not opposed to RVs, just pointing out this fact. Interesting that when there was a movement to add binoculars and backpacking gear to the PR acts tax list, there was a great up roar and it was quashed as far as I know. Many of the bird watchers and the backpack crowd want to criticize hunters for our activities but they sure don't want to come up with any extra out of their pockets to support Wild America.<P>And, like many things they do, Walmart should be applauded for allowing RVers to use their parking lots.

Yeesh...Sorry if I hurt anybody's feelings by picking on RV'ers. Sure, if you're travelling & it's late & you know you can just pull into a Walmart, that's probably a good alternative. I still can't fathom it, personally. At least around here, if you put in just an absolute minimal amount of planning, and drove about another five minutes, you could be camped somewhere with trees, water, & scenery. An awful lot of these big rigs have satellite dishes on top, though, so I guess they get their scenery that way ;-). See, I just can't help it...RV'ers just present such a target rich environment for humor...

Point of clarification....Nobody "camps" at Wally World. They spend the night on the way to and from somewhere. Generally when they are not sure where their schedule is going to get them to that day and don't want to risk reserving at a park for the night and then not making it and forfeit the deposit. Which do you think it's easier to find when traveling late in the evening on a trip you've never made...a Walmart or a campground? It's convenient, free and supplies are right at the doorstep. When we go ELK hunting in NM, the Amarillo Walmart is about the right spot to pull into about 9 p.m., sleep and get on the road again early the next morning. We usually make the Wichita Falls location on the way home. We camp in tents in the mountains once we get there.<P>I don't think you will find any difference between RV people, tenters and any other "categories" you want to label in regards to "trash". It's sad so many of all walks won't make an effort. It's kind of like saying "hunters are the ones shooting road signs, power lines, etc". There's always that small percentage that give the rest a bad name.