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Public land etiquette

Those cat eyes are the bane of my existence. It’s not uncommon for the woods to light up like a dang Christmas tree on some of the pieces I hunt. I usually just ignore them, and try to get in to my tree well before daylight. I’ve shined a light at mote than a few people who stumble in after me.
 
Sometimes there is no out doing the crowd. In Georgia pine trees are grown, thinned, second thinning, them clearcut. There is a decent road system on most wma land but every step away from the road you parked is just a step closer to another road. There aren’t too many places you can get a half mile away from a road but there are places you can get a couple miles. There is always someone else willing to go the extra mile. It’s just something we have to deal with. As mobile hunting becomes more popular the successful guys are going to be the ones who spend the most time post season scouting that have learned to differentiate between sign that was likely made in daylight vs after dark.
 
I love finding other hunters clues.....I followed a ribbon line last year and discovered the very best access to a spot I hunt and the very best way to drag a deer out of it too! I leave them for other hunters and make notes of where the deer are less likely to be from the pressure. Also when picking stand locations I hope other hunters use their marked access trails and I try to hunt places the deer will go if someone else approaches. I have hunted in the southern part of NY places that every other tree had pins going in in the dark....when the pins end you know your almost there to the less pressured area!
 
Change the ribbon route so he walks in circles on his opening hunt. Then hunt a few hundred yards away and enjoy the show. I killed a nice 8 this way when a hunter left me a message on my stand he pulled down. He deer drove that beast right over me. Out think the unethical is my way to beat them at their game.

Aim small, miss small. Happy Hunting....
 
Look at it as a positive. Anyone that would flag one of there areas like that is obviously not a great hunter..... they just showed you an area to avoid. Now go find the overlooked areas near by. i really think most hunters would increase their success rates by paying more attention to human sign as it is often far easy to read and will lead you to the same spots where the deer sign will eventually show up..
 
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I roll with the punches more then most. I hunt for the meat mostly. Only set my sites on bucks every few years and then I go deep in the cover like "Johnny E". I have only seen 2 other hunters cross over me in my public spot in 10 years and they were a ways away or lost. I have been blessed to have such luck but have to work to achieve it.
 
MJH said:
It is public land - anyone can use it, nobody can claim it.

If the flag tape is not permitted in that area, then remove it but leave the dudes other **** alone.
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Try to tell that to the guy who felt he needed to take down my stuff. At least it was not stolen. I felt a treasure hunt for his stand was in order. It was fun to watch him wander through the woods and the 8 point looked good on my wall of fame. LOL
 
DaveT1963 said:
Look at it as a positive. Anyone that would flag one of there areas like that is obviously not a great hunter..... they just showed you an area to avoid. Now go find the overlooked areas near by. i really think most hunters would increase their success rates by paying more attention to human sign as it is often far easy to read and will lead you to the same spots where the deer sign will eventually show up..
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What DaveT said.....
 
tkohuntsMI said:
Try to treat others the way you’d hope to be treated and realize that just because some people have no morals or ethics doesn’t mean you should stoop to that level. If no one else hunted any spots other people thought were potentially good spots then half the public land would be off limits and no longer “public”
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Same...just because there is one Jack Wagon does not mean you have to be the second. Best to just treat others the way you would want to be treated and things tend to work out in the end. I have always just accepted it as PUBLIC HUNTING and you cant control what others do or don't do. In fact, it is what makes it the ultimate challenge after all. It makes it that much sweeter when you feel like you outsmarted the rest of them and got the job done! Not trying to make a competition of it but there is some pride to be had in that.
 
Depends on the rules of that piece of public. Anything not in line gets reported. Anything not allowed that gets left in the woods is considered trash and should left in the nearest trash can.


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DaveT1963 said:
Look at it as a positive. Anyone that would flag one of there areas like that is obviously not a great hunter..... they just showed you an area to avoid. Now go find the overlooked areas near by. i really think most hunters would increase their success rates by paying more attention to human sign as it is often far easy to read and will lead you to the same spots where the deer sign will eventually show up..
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Or he's just running markers to everyone'spot he finds to scare them away.
 
I agree with others, take the flagging as an indication that the spot is likely over hunted and move on.

I must say I strongly disagree with taking down other people’s flags. I know they’re a pain and typically illegal. But I’m not an enforcement officer. Nor do I get to be the one to decide that a dad/husband/son/brother should spend the night in the woods. Should he have better woodsman skills? Probably. But I don’t think we should be the ones to punish or police that.
 
I personally dislike seeing any forms of human presence in the woods, or maybe I should say human refuse left behind by selfish people. Being public land means everyone has the right to use it provided they leave it as they found it but leaving markers, cats eyes and flagging tape behind (all forms of trash in my mind) is not acceptable. So if that means someone stays in the woods for a night because they lack woodsmanship or a gps then so be it, maybe next time they'll go in prepared or wont go in at all. It's the price they for my cleanup service.
 
slonstdy said:
I personally dislike seeing any forms of human presence in the woods, or maybe I should say human refuse left behind by selfish people. Being public land means everyone has the right to use it provided they leave it as they found it but leaving markers, cats eyes and flagging tape behind (all forms of trash in my mind) is not acceptable. So if that means someone stays in the woods for a night because they lack woodsmanship or a gps then so be it, maybe next time they'll go in prepared or wont go in at all. It's the price they for my cleanup service.
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Just to pose a question. And respectfully at that. Do you think your opinion would be the same if said individual was hurt or killed? Or that you’d be willing to hold that opinion in front a a family that just lost their dad? I know that’s an extreme hypothetical, but I don’t think I could. Im with you on hating to see people’s trash (i.e. flagging) they leave behind. But I’m not comfortable enforcing that.
 
I wouldn’t want someone to get lost or die but I don’t think they’d make it very far once they realized the tape was gone.

Do flangers usually remove their flags at the end of season? They don’t based on my experience.


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My opinion wouldn't change because it's what I believe and how I live my life. I'm a big believer in natural selection/ only the strongest survive, a person shouldn't assume an external force (police, govt, guardrails etc...) is going to protect them at all times. The only one protecting you is yourself, know your limitations.
Now with that said, the areas here I am talking about removing markers and such are no more than ONE mile from a road in any direction most times less than half that distance so realistically they can listen for cars or follow empty water and soda bottles right back to civilization.
Would I want someone to die, absolutely never but it's on them to know their capabilities.
 
Letemgrowitllshow said:
First thing I would do is remove the markers. If you need a marker to find your way through the woods you need to work on your woodsmanship.
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Totally disagree. I've been hunting for 46 years. I've taken dozens of deer, turkey's, two bull elk and a pronghorn. All on public land. No guides. Some people have a better sense of direction than others. Different terrain, snow covered branches and other variables can't leave you lost. True with GPS, it is much easier. But flags and reflective tacks can help you avoid tangles that are almost impenetrable, water that is over your boots, cliffs, or bedding areas you want to avoid. I hunt many diverse areas, from swamps where I canoe in for 2 miles, to small lots, to vast national forests or game lands. Areas where you can see for miles, and areas where you can see only a few feet. I am always amazed that no matter how far back in I go I see other hunter activity. I try to avoid an area someone else is hunting. But that is not always possible. especially in PA or NY on public land when so much land is posted, and folks have no alternative. But be respectful. I have had people literally stand within 30 yards of me, when I was there first.
 
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