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Hunting Incident

bj139

bj139

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2019
Messages
5,377
Location
SE PA
Today, I was hunting at a state park and I decided to leave at 6PM. I started walking out

heading directly for the parking lot. I heard a loud shout that alerted every deer

within a mile. There was a hunter in a ladder stand ahead. He had walked past

me an hour before and I wasn't sure if he saw me but I stayed quiet. He said

thanks for ruining his hunt and I told him I had no idea where he went after he

passed me. I did not think once that he had ruined my hunt when he walked by

me. He said why didn't I go out further up the trail. I said I'm going to the parking

lot. He tells me its easier to get out up further and then says he will help me get

out to the trail. I tell him I'm OK and don't need help. I said aren't you staying tlll

dark and he said with all the yelling there would be no point. I yelled at him at that

point that he was the only one that had been yelling. He didn't seem so belligerent

after that but I headed out to the trail and back to the parking lot. I guess he's not

used to people yelling back..He came out within two minutes and we put away our

gear in silence. I got in my truck and drove off. I've been thinking WWJD? I will

follow His orders and do nothing to hurt. I think he must have been mad at me

climbing a tree about 100 yards from him. There was an empty ladder stand 40

yards away from me that was between him and me. I never saw his stand until he

yelled. I am not so upset now and will forget it. If I go that way and see him in his

stand I will go to the nearest tree and start climbing. No, I won't but it would be

funny. I guess you encounter all types out in the woods.
 
He wants to stake his claim early season so when November comes you take the long route around. On one level it’s a thought out strategy. On another level, you now know he’s a **** and where his ladder stand is so it’s not the smartest play on his part.
 
I’m convinced with Covid 19 this year that this trend will continue. Way more people on edge and definitely more people out hunting public. There were a lot more vehicles and hunters yesterday (opening day), than I ever have before. Be thankful it was just yelling and that it’s not gun season yet.
 
fbwguy said:
I’m convinced with Covid 19 this year that this trend will continue. Way more people on edge and definitely more people out hunting public. There were a lot more vehicles and hunters yesterday (opening day), than I ever have before. Be thankful it was just yelling and that it’s not gun season yet.
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It never would have gotten that far unless he shot me in the back. He toned down a bit after I yelled. There are so many deer stands in these woods I should just not hunt Saturdays. I am retired now and weekdays are so much better.
 
bj139 said:
It never would have gotten that far unless he shot me in the back. He toned down a bit after I yelled. There are so many deer stands in these woods I should just not hunt Saturdays. I am retired now and weekdays are so much better.
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I’m glad it worked out ok, of course those experiences still dampen our day. Hopefully it won’t happen again, to ya. Bottom line though is there are a lot of angry people in the woods this year. We all need to keep our senses.
 
I have been hunting years ago and many times seen a hunter walk through and 5 minutes later a deer wandering the same way the hunter was going. I think they circle around and get behind. I like hunters to keep my deer moving. If you found a spot where nobody goes so much the better since they will push the deer to you.
 
bj139 said:
It never would have gotten that far unless he shot me in the back. He toned down a bit after I yelled. There are so many deer stands in these woods I should just not hunt Saturdays. I am retired now and weekdays are so much better.
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Public land is your land too man. Don’t change your hunting patterns or schedule because some jerk decided he is having a bad day. That awful etiquette on his part .
 
Buckhole75 said:
If you hunt public ground you will have run ins sooner or later.Just part of it.Any guy that hunts right on the road or trail coming in and doesn’t expect someone to walk by is an idiot.
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Most people I see out there on public near me are sitting directly on the road/trail or at most 50yds off it. I don't want to walk by u but I'm not going outta my way either if u on a road. If I notice a person in the woods I'll do everything I can not to interfere... I've never had a bad experience with another hunter but I've had more than a handful with anti hunting people
 
Etiquette.....

I put my dad in a spot one year on public. Went in the day before the opener and built him a ground blind. He was recovering from nearly being killed by a drunk driver and it was his first hunt since missing the previous season due to the injuries.

Got him to his spot before light and set up and then I headed off to hunt deeper, in a spot I like. I was super bummed to find out from my dad that a guy came by mid-morning claiming my dad was "in his spot," which he "had been hunting for the last 20 years." There was no reasoning with the fellow, who proceeded to walk past my dad every 10minutes until my dad eventually couldn't take it anymore and packed up.

I've at least a half dozen really aweful stories of hunter disrespect and it really frustrates me when I hear others having poor encounters with hunters too.

On the other hand, I've had fellow hunters show real kindness and kinship as hunters. One hunter and his son, who I had never previously met, helped me drag and boat out a buck that would have been a really tough task to get out without their assistance. Another hunter put me in his personal stand on his private because my car broke down on the way to public (for a destination hunt) and he didn't want me to miss out on a day of hunting. BTW, He had some super deer on that property. As well, he had a friend of his from a garage come out and fix my car. Wouldn't accept a dime from me for the repair either.

I've seen some fantastic etiquette demonstrated in the forums here and hope we can, as hunters, be challenged by our quarry rather than pitted against one another. The cutthroat hunting tactics and piss poor hunter etiquette diminish what this should really be all about.

BUT, there is very little in the way of hunter etiquette police and so...
 
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