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Hunting Incident

Ontariofarmer said:
I try to avoid weekends. And even Monday. The weekend hunters spook the deer so u wait til Tuesday


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Hunt Tues, Wed, Thur only? Friday may have those early work leavers wandering around yelling.
 
what if you bag a deer before sunset, would it be bad etiquette to be dragging your deer and equipment out?
 
Yea @bj139 if you are retired or not working full time weekdays are where its at.

Hunting Etiquette may be worse than baseball etiquette. For me: If I accidentally walk up on someone I'll give a polite nod and a mouthed 'Sorry brother' and back out. If I am slack on time or too far in I'll back out at least 100 yards from the guy or out of sight. (only ever did this once and there were no cars in the parking lot so I don't know where the heck this dude came in from). I have never had anyone walk up on my spot (yet) but I recon I'd just wave em down and hope they back out a little as well.

Unrelated, I try to avoid confrontation with other people I don't know, especially ones that carry lethal weapons. You never know what someone will do.. I posted in another thread that I got my tire slashed two years ago and never ran into anyone.. another feller in south alabama was shot right in his tree stand by some meth heads...
 
There is a reason I started saddle hunting. I don't trust people, I don't like being around them have you watched the news they are crazy. Saddle hunting allows me to get in the woods away from them mostly. I have learned over the years most people wont walk 200 yards from where they park. saddle hunting allows me to go deeper because I'm lighter and move easier if I need too. Don't get me wrong I have meet good people hunting but honestly I have meet more idiots than good people. examples below
*The dude that just got out of prison
*The group from Tennessee that drove ATVs all day road hunting and would walk to my stand to ask me if I have done any good. of course this was after I told them were I was hunting because they said they didn't want to disturb me.
*The guy that told me after meeting him on the trail that he seen something move in the thicket and shot in there but when he went to see what it was he didn't see anything dead.
*The group of guys I meet smoking pot while wearing hunter orange and told me a story about how his buddy shot a monster but they couldn't find it.
*The guys that shot a small buck beside the road while in there truck and was dragging the deer still alive kicking because they didnt want to shot it again. I walked up and asked them if they was mounting it they said no. So I shot it with my 454 causal in the head. brain matter went all over them. LOL not to mention they asked me why I putting in ear plugs. I told them I was sensitive to sound. After the shot they was standing there holding there ears in pain. I didn't say a word I just got in my truck and drove off.

The list goes on and on.
 
SNIPERBBB said:
No reason to really be ashamed, though that feeling can't really be helped. Unless you're ashamed for not getting in earlier because you hit the snooze button :p or you met in the parking lot and discussed where each of you would be and you got lost or misunderstood each other
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Only times I ever walked on a hunter was around midday. I’ll hunt in the morning and scout mid day and hunt in the evening, unless I’ve found THAT SPOT that I want to sit all day. Then I’ll sit all day and end up like the guy I walked up on and have someone else scouting walk on me. Lol
I never had a bad run in with anyone. Usually they wave at me or whistle, I spot them and wave back and turn around exiting the way I came.
 
swampsnyper said:
Only times I ever walked on a hunter was around midday. I’ll hunt in the morning and scout mid day and hunt in the evening, unless I’ve found THAT SPOT that I want to sit all day. Then I’ll sit all day and end up like the guy I walked up on and have someone else scouting walk on me. Lol
I never had a bad run in with anyone. Usually they wave at me or whistle, I spot them and wave back and turn around exiting the way I came.
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The only run ins I've had are with guys that leave ladder stands on public land (which is not legal in my state, you can only leave a stand up for a few days). They think that means they've claimed that spot so long as the stand is there, and they expect everyone to know that their ladder is there.
 
So here's a lesson on why you never confront somebody. A few years ago, a buddy shows up at his hang-on stand on state land and a guy is in his stand. After a vigorous conversation, my buddy threatens to whoop this guys butt. The guy climbs down and cleans my buddies clock, broken nose and the works.
After a few days of rehabbing, my buddy goes back out the the stand, better prepared lets just say, hoping this guy is still hunting it. he's not there, so my buddy climbs up in it to hunt, and as he's getting situated, the stand straps give way and dump him, all the way to the ground where he sprains both ankles. (Yes, no safety strap). The guy who beat his butt had apparently cut his straps holding the stand in place, but not all the way through.
You just never know what can happen out there....
 
bj139 said:
Do you know where all the hunters in your area are located?
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No, I don't. So, in my mind, the only way I can respect them as fellow hunters is to stay in place up until an acceptable time to get out, which we've already discussed.

Sharing something(public land) with all of the ones that want to be involved is tough at times. If there is not some form of rules that guide out behavior we will not be able to get along, especially since we all share it and own the same percentage, 100%.

I hope you don't feel cornered here as that is not my intention at all. I just wanted to share a different perspective to consider. Asking WWJD after you've created the offense doesn't make sense to me, especially when I was the one who created it, and knowing that people will react that way and continuing to do it wouldn't be what he would do imo.
 
Sniper4hire said:
So here's a lesson on why you never confront somebody. A few years ago, a buddy shows up at his hang-on stand on state land and a guy is in his stand. After a vigorous conversation, my buddy threatens to whoop this guys butt. The guy climbs down and cleans my buddies clock, broken nose and the works.
After a few days of rehabbing, my buddy goes back out the the stand, better prepared lets just say, hoping this guy is still hunting it. he's not there, so my buddy climbs up in it to hunt, and as he's getting situated, the stand straps give way and dump him, all the way to the ground where he sprains both ankles. (Yes, no safety strap). The guy who beat his butt had apparently cut his straps holding the stand in place, but not all the way through.
You just never know what can happen out there....
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Someone with a clear head would've simply popped the bottom 2 sticks off of the tree and walked away.

"I didn't come out here to hunt this morning. I actually came out to take my stand down. I'm-a take these back to the truck now. I'll be back later, bud. Sit tight."
 
DB4x4 said:
Someone with a clear head would've simply popped the bottom 2 sticks off of the tree and walked away.

"I didn't come out here to hunt this morning. I actually came out to take my stand down. I'm-a take these back to the truck now. I'll be back later, bud. Sit tight."
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I didnt say he was smart
 
Sniper4hire said:
So here's a lesson on why you never confront somebody. A few years ago, a buddy shows up at his hang-on stand on state land and a guy is in his stand. After a vigorous conversation, my buddy threatens to whoop this guys butt. The guy climbs down and cleans my buddies clock, broken nose and the works.
After a few days of rehabbing, my buddy goes back out the the stand, better prepared lets just say, hoping this guy is still hunting it. he's not there, so my buddy climbs up in it to hunt, and as he's getting situated, the stand straps give way and dump him, all the way to the ground where he sprains both ankles. (Yes, no safety strap). The guy who beat his butt had apparently cut his straps holding the stand in place, but not all the way through.
You just never know what can happen out there....
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just this past year I had a good friend hunting some public land and when he was walking through an area that a local has "hunted for 20 years". He walked by well before day light and the guy whistled at him. He looked to see where the guy was and walked over 100 yards away(bow hunting only area). About 830 or so a hog comes by, he shoots it and then a little while later a deer comes by and he shoots it as well. Around he climbs down to get his game and the guy he walked up on earlier comes over to investigate and tell him how he wasn't happy that he "walked up on him and then stunk up his place". He then went on to tell him that if he caught him back in his area that he would be sure to come over and give him the proper greeting. My buddy is a little hot headed and told him there wasn't a purpose in waiting and jumped on him. The other guy walked away needing stitches and threatening to be better prepared the next time they met.

The wardens found out and they went to court, etc. Turns out this is not the first person the guy has confronted over the years. I don't care about it that much. I just moved to a different area. I go hunting to relax and do my best to avoid conflict.
 
DanielB89 said:
just this past year I had a good friend hunting some public land and when he was walking through an area that a local has "hunted for 20 years". He walked by well before day light and the guy whistled at him. He looked to see where the guy was and walked over 100 yards away(bow hunting only area). About 830 or so a hog comes by, he shoots it and then a little while later a deer comes by and he shoots it as well. Around he climbs down to get his game and the guy he walked up on earlier comes over to investigate and tell him how he wasn't happy that he "walked up on him and then stunk up his place". He then went on to tell him that if he caught him back in his area that he would be sure to come over and give him the proper greeting. My buddy is a little hot headed and told him there wasn't a purpose in waiting and jumped on him. The other guy walked away needing stitches and threatening to be better prepared the next time they met.

The wardens found out and they went to court, etc. Turns out this is not the first person the guy has confronted over the years. I don't care about it that much. I just moved to a different area. I go hunting to relax and do my best to avoid conflict.
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Yup, Classic lines meant to intimidate or shame:
  1. I've hunted this area since 1922
  2. I have a bunch of guys coming in.
  3. My kid is coming in for a few days, sure would like him to have a good hunt
  4. I can't get around too well so I'm kinda stuck in this spot I've had set up for the last couple years
  5. There's a guy that hunts in here, he's kinda crazy, I'd watch out for him
  6. I'll be out here every day
  7. They found human remains out here last year... *
*Kidding on that one, but you know the song I'm sure.
 
I guess I am pretty blessed not to have much pressure around my area during archery/black powder seasons. Generally I’m hard pressed to actually encounter anyone during these times in the places I hunt. With my old climber I’ve been sitting close enough to parking areas to see/hear other guys pull up but go else where when they see my truck. This year I plan on being far enough out to even avoid that distraction. Although I do have to deal with dogs sometimes blowing through my spot.
Now gun season is a whole different story. The dog hunters have the woods so stirred up you never know who you may run into. But it can be used to your advantage, but that may come with conflict from guys who don’t like you killing deer in front of their dogs. It’s like if their dog is running them, then they or the club has rights to it. Ha! But that’s not all of the hunters. Some of them just enjoy hearing the dogs run and can care less who actually kills the deer.
 
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I'm pretty sure no one here is going to knowingly tromp on someones set. If you do your a turd. I think most of us understand the etiquette surrounding public land hunting and the fact that it's not ours and we don't have dibs on any spot or expectations that we won't be interrupted at some point. It's how you handle yourself when it happens. I do try to make contact with other hunters before going in to figure out how we all can go in and have as much uninterrupted hunting time as we can get. Mostly I want to be in first and since I walk in I don't have a car in the parking lot. That being said I've had them under a 100yds blowing their deer calls like the trumpeter in a band, oh well. I won't sit a stand more than I want because I'm afraid I may inadvertently bump into someone going out. If I've planned my entrance and exit routes into a spot that I know is good, then first I shouldn't run into anyone and second....sorry. If I hit a deer at first light no one should expect me not to go after it, ever. If I get a call and I have to leave the woods through no fault of my own....sorry. I know when prime time is so mostly I'm not going anywhere at those times but if I had to I would. Like I said before we don't always know what's going on with someone else. I want to give the benefit of the doubt that no one is going to knowingly stomp on someones set. That also being said, there are some turds out there. They will be dealt with accordingly.
 
Kurt said:
I do try to make contact with other hunters before going in to figure out how we all can go in and have as much uninterrupted hunting time as we can get.
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This is definitely the best approach we can take. When we meet someone out scouting or pulling into/about to leave a parking area during season, making contact can often times avoid unwanted conflicts. Besides, most of us all are chasing the same passion and share a common interest that may just spark up a new friendship. And even if that contact is made while 20’ up we should maintain civility and understand no one can predict another hunter perfectly so mistakes often times happen, the learning experience we gain from it is what matters.
I’m sure @bj139 has taken plenty of value away from this hunt, how he approaches it in the future is up to he and that hunter.
 
Confrontations are not worth it no matter who is in the "right" and even more so if the other guy is all spun up. Think past the moment and of all you have to lose, there's the possibility of injury, hospitalization, death, vandalism, financial impacts, law proceedings etc if the conversation goes south . Be the better man and don't engage an idiot. Best thing to do is swallow your pride, apologize (you don't have to mean it) and move on knowing lady Karma will pay him a visit one day. Never allow someone to bring you down to their level of stupidity.

I do have self imposed rules of etiquette within my control that I follow to help keep accidental meetings to a minimum. If I see cars parked at a spot I won't hunt that area nor will I hunt near a known treestand location even if I'm in there first. Adapt and overcome never to be seen...

I also try to stay away from known heavy use public areas on weekends and holidays because I know the weekend warriors and nature lovers are out in force. If they happen past me I play hide and seek with them and watch them walk off never knowing the ultimate predator was above watching their every move. I've had all sorts of hikers, dog walkers and bird hunters with dogs go by only to have deer walk those same trails ten minutes later. Shot a doe last year with my son making a racket with his bucket of lacrosse balls and banging shots off the posts no more than 60 yards away. Deer carried on feeding like it was no big deal.

Good luck and be safe!.












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As others have said, it’s hard to completely avoid public land encounters with other hunters. I don’t think you did anything wrong in leaving early. You couldn’t have known where the other guy went to. I would have figured he was headed back to the parking area. Though when he started yelling I probably would have just ignored the guy or gave him a wave and kept walking. I’ve hunted public land for years, and I’ve had a few walk in on me and I’ve walked in on folks a couple of times. It usually ends with a nod or a wave and heading off to another area.
 
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@bj139 I would have shot you if you walked by me at that time of day! Not cause you ruined my hunt but because I need need the practice :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy: Seriously though, in my eyes you did absolutely nothing wrong. Nobody knows why someone else is walking though at prime time. You could have had a family emergency at home or gotten suddenly very sick and had to leave. I think we can all pretty much agree on here that none of us would intentionally walk through someones setup on purpose. I would imagine most of the time this happens it's cause the guys a greenhorn or just stupid and you can't blame them for either:)
 
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