Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

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JonNc
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Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby JonNc » Fri Feb 15, 2019 2:07 pm

Has anyone ever hung a stand or purposely put “hunter sign” in an area in efforts to keep others away? It’s crossed my mind because it typically steers me in another direction. I’m just not sure if the average joe would be even more inclined to hunt it if they see others hunting it.
Also, I’m talking about in the off-season, not going in during a time that would alter deer movements in case you weere wondering.
Just curious if anyone has done this and their opinions.
Thanks


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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby Steelhead125 » Fri Feb 15, 2019 2:43 pm

I personally wouldn’t bother with it. Normally where I go not many hunters venture there. If you are hunting easy access areas the guys that hunt there probably won’t care if there are signs of another hunter close by. If you are messing around in a more remote location to try and shy hunters away you may be doing more harm than good. I guess it may not be a bad idea to get your scent in area close by that you don’t plan on hunting. It will probably keep mature bucks out of the area and away from them. At the same time I wouldn’t hang a stand. It may give a hunter the impression that it’s a good area and he may end up moving by you.
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby Gregkrause » Fri Feb 15, 2019 2:51 pm

I regularly have guys piggy back on my set ups if I’m not careful. I drive different cars, get dropped off, park far away. If anything I’d leave fake sign is spots I wanted them to hunt. I think you’re better off with people and deer by going in low impact.
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tgreeno
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby tgreeno » Fri Feb 15, 2019 2:59 pm

Nope. I'd be afraid they'd steal the stand. Or set-up in the same tree I left the sign. Many public land hunters have no shame.

I just avoid hunters, as much as I can. And remember, "loose lips, sinks ships"! Posting your huge bucks on social media, is just going to draw attention to you. That's why I only shoot little bucks 8-)
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby greenhorndave » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:03 pm

I remember a certain hunter putting down deer sign... :whistle:
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby Steelhead125 » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:15 pm

Gave this some more thought sand now I am thinking about it from a different angle. I realize there is a bit of competition when it comes to hunting public land. At the same time you probably have more in common with the public land hunter than someone who hunts private property that has everyone else locked out. Putting up a stand for the purpose of chasing others away seems to get into the area of poor sportsmanship. Just hunt man and don’t worry about the other guys. If you’re doing it right most of them won’t be coming into the areas you want to hunt anyhow .
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Dewey
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby Dewey » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:17 pm

I don’t have time to mess with other people. My time is better focussed on myself and what I can do to improve my odds. Most times that involves getting as far away from other hunters as I can so I never have to deal with those issues.
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elk yinzer
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby elk yinzer » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:34 pm

I had a buck I was after a couple years back leaving really nice rubs right along a gravel forest road. I might have taken care of a few of those so nobody else saw. That's about all, I don't think I wanna be drawing any kind of attention to where I hunt.
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headgear
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby headgear » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:49 pm

elk yinzer wrote:I had a buck I was after a couple years back leaving really nice rubs right along a gravel forest road. I might have taken care of a few of those so nobody else saw. That's about all, I don't think I wanna be drawing any kind of attention to where I hunt.


I have done things like that before too, along with making a rub/scrape in a dumb place to maybe distract someone but like others have said it isnt worth your time and effort to do it all that often.
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby hambone » Fri Feb 15, 2019 5:30 pm

My public spots are already picked out. Hot sign will trump my predetermined trees, though. Rarely do I encounter human sign in the places I hunt. There is something about some people though, that draws them to "follow" others. I see it all the time. If my neighbor can see a stand anywhere on my property from their side of the fence, they will inevitably set up a stand right across the fence and have no problem climbing up in a tree while I'm already on stand, steering at them. The first time I hunted public, pre-Beast, I had been drawn for a managed muzzleloader hunt. There were people literally following my foot tracks in the snow and setting up once they could see me. The closest dude came within 30 yds!! He waved. :roll: Try Walleye fishing below the dam. If another boat see's you catching fish, here they come. Let somebody see you checking your trotlines. If they don't steal your fish, there will be another line real close, the next time you run yours. Personally, I like to leave as little sign that I have been there, as possible. If you do leave fake sign though, make sure it is hunter sign you leave and not deer sign (mock scrapes or fake rubs) because there is a good possibility that an actual buck will begin using the fake sign. You don't want to end up crappin, in your nest. :whistle:
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby KyleWI » Fri Feb 15, 2019 11:16 pm

I purposely step on big tracks if they are in an area where others might frequent
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Bonecrusher101
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby Bonecrusher101 » Fri Feb 15, 2019 11:28 pm

That sounds like too much work with too little to gain. I would think that if a hunter went through the effort to set up a permanent stand it must be worth the effort to them.

The permanent stands I've left in the past on public were always difficult to find or get into. Most need climbing sticks or screw on steps to get into. Once, I left an old noisy steel climber up 20 ft in a tree with a grapevine attached and climbed up and down the grapevine to access. It was dangerous and now I just stick with my harness and mobile setup.

Most public land hunters wouldn't mind sitting in an easy access ladder stand. Even if only to climb it during scouting to inspect rust on the ratchet straps and determine when the stand was set.

We also run into erroneous posted signs which is unethical IMO, and most are sharp enough to recognize them as bogus. I could see how leaving trash and an old ground blind might keep someone away with minimal effort, but I don't have the heart to litter my public land in an attempt to keep others away.

Good luck!
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Drenalin
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby Drenalin » Sat Feb 16, 2019 12:35 am

I have put in false trails with orange flagging and/or night eyes in the past, but I can't say it helped. Even went so far as to make fake scrapes along the route. I rarely see anyone else in the areas I hunt now.
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby Thesouthpaw » Sat Feb 16, 2019 12:47 am

I typically don't mess with it, but I would not condone someone if they did. In WV and PA, the public chunks that I have to hunt get very little pressure during archery, so there is no need for it. On my Midwest trips, I typically don't have time to worry about it.
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Re: Putting down “hunter sign” to keep others away

Unread postby JShea » Sat Feb 16, 2019 4:56 am

The only thing I do on our farm right before rifle season is put some blaze orange out in the woods overlooking some grown up pasture. We have parades of road hunters riding by all day with lots of road frontage. This hopefully gives them second thoughts about touching one off from the road. Also lets some of the neighbors see some orange in there as a deterant to trespassing.

Public I don't bother just try to stay off the grid.


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