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Would you let it slide?

ofor

ofor

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
1,072
I need a little hunting etiquette therapy. I’ve been scouting a piece of Public land for a while now that doesn’t open for hunting until Nov 15. I have gotten several good bucks on camera over the past month and found a number of hot spots to hang from the saddle over the past year. I went out to check my camera last weekend and found a hang on stand and sticks set up about 25 yards from my camera. In the area of the state I am in, you are required to set up and remove your stand daily and are not allowed to set them up before season when hunting public land (one of the reasons I switched to a saddle). I don’t have a problem at all with someone else finding this same hot spot. It is public land after all and I have several other spots on the property that look just as good.

Would you 1. Report the illegal stand to the local warden. 2. Let it slide as an uninformed hunter and hunt one of the other spots. 3. Put a note on the stand reminding them they are not following the laws and see if they remove it themself 4. Pay them a visit at the stand location come November 15. 5. Other action of your liking (explain)

Honest mistakes can happen and I’d hate for someone to get pinched or lose their stand on an honest mistake so I’m leaning towards #3.

What option would you take?
 
Id take it down and leave it at the base of the tree with the note. Tell him that he better take it with him on his way out or you'll tell the warden.
 
I did move the camera that day. there were no pictures of the stand owner on it so they didn’t go further in than the stand location when they hung it.
 
Yes, cameras can be left out as long as they are labeled and not placed over a walking trail or bathroom
 
ImThere said:
I cannot come up with a reason not to report it


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Snitches...lol ;)

Only thing I've ever reported was corn on public, because that could potentially get ME in trouble. I've passed dozens if not hundreds of illegal stands. I just make a note of them and move on.

Only once have I had a guy set up on me. It was my fault for picking an obvious spot and then leaving a trail of tacks to it. Lesson learned.
 
It's our responsibility as sportsman to know and abide by the laws. Ignorance to, or not knowing is no excuse. In the state I live and hunt too many people just don't care about the laws and have zero Hunter etiquette and will do whatever it takes to get a buck, legal or not. In your case, I bet that guy knew what he was doing and was just trying to beat you to the spot. I would report it to the Game warden and move on. On a good note at least your camera was still there.
 
I think @Nutterbuster is trying to say

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I wouldn’t leave a note as he probably wouldn’t return until the opener so it will do no good. Pull your camera and drop a deuce at the base of his tree. Call the warden if you want but either way the spot will be ruined for your uses.
 
If you bother to read the rules it's not a honest mistake. If you don't know the rules thats on you. Leave a note if you want but don't just walk by and let it slide. I try to follow the rules but every year more and more don't seem to care what the rules are and hunt however they want. Now that guy has that area staked out as his own so any work you did before season was a waste of time and effort. You should not be the one moving on or before long you will find more spots staked out and it will be you that is moved out again.
 
It sounds like you wouldn’t care if you found his set in a crappy area to hunt. But because you like the spot you’re allowing emotion to cloud the decision. Do what you would do if you didn’t have skin in the game.
 
I know someone who manages a 1500 acre watershed and they have specific rules on its use. You can't believe the stuff people try to pull, the trees they ruin and the unauthorized encroachment with vehicles that are not supposed to be on the property. The managers value reports of use and abuse of the public's property. Every hunter has a responsibility to read, understand and follow the laws. To do anything less shines a negative light on us all. In my opinion, its not snitching, its making sure everyone knows and follows the rules. Let the Warden(s) do their job and figure it out. We are not commissioned to enforce the rules we are responsible to follow them and to report violations. I look at it this way, if it were my personal property I would want to know if there are people using and abusing it. Public land is all of ours, those not following the rules should be admonished on some level. The Wardens are trained and understand if it is an honest mistake. Maybe this will ensure this person follows the rules from here on out. I'd report it and leave it at that.
 
Food for thought, You call game warden, he gets in trouble. It’s public land so he’ll probably be back, then he finds you in that spot one day. 1 he don’t care about breaking the law, and 2 he now thinks it’s your fault he got that ticket. Not saying do it or don’t do it. Just saying know that it probably doesn’t end there either way.
 
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