Trail markers

[Tufrthnails]

Anybody else pull trail markers they come across. It is illegal to use bright eyes, flagging, and anything no biodegradable on the WMA's here in FL. Just about every scout trip this year I have come out of the swamp in any new area I have scouted with a pocket full of flagging. I was asking the check station guys what was up with it. Several of the guys at the station said they pull them as well. I mark them on my GPS and go back at the house and enter them on Google earth and see if I can figure out what they are heading too, but so many of them just make absolutely no sense to me. I've took the time to follow a few to stands, but typically don't waste my time.

[Bogle]

I pull them on public. Marking them on google is probably a good idea. I usually do the same thing by going back and trying to see where they are setting up.

[ Post made via Android ]

[BassBoysLLP]

I clean up litter.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Florida]

I don't think tape is illegal here Tuf. You just have to pick it up at the end of the season for that area. I know some guys mark and date it. I personally don't want anyone else to see where I'm going. I might put a single bright eye to mark my tree.

I pick it up if it's old, but I'm not into messing with other people's stuff. I think it is most often used by newbies and hunting public in Florida is hard enough without others making it more difficult. If it's new tape then I know where not to go because chances are that spot is burned out.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Tufrthnails]

I don't think tape is illegal here Tuf. You just have to pick it up at the end of the season for that area. I know some guys mark and date it. I personally don't want anyone else to see where I'm going. I might put a single bright eye to mark my tree.

I pick it up if it's old, but I'm not into messing with other people's stuff. I think it is most often used by newbies and hunting public in Florida is hard enough without others making it more difficult. If it's new tape then I know where not to go because chances are that spot is burned out.

[ Post made via Android ]

According to the FWC officer tape is definitely illegal whether it is enforced is another question. Had one threaten my buddy with a littering ticket while I was standing there. Green swamp is freaking littered with old flagging when I asked the check station guy he also said they are not allowed to use it, but tons of people still do. I haven't used any trail marking in 10 years at least after guy followed me into a setup in Devil's hammock and killed three bucks within 50 yards of my tree during one season. Another buddy that lived up there hunted the other side of the trail but kept seeing his truck parked there and went in and found his stand. I got back in gun season and the place was a wreck with water bottles and crap everywhere. Wish I could have gotten an officer to give that slob a ticket.

Side note my buddy was told he could use toilet paper to mark his trail if he needed that the next rain would wash it out and it would degrade.

[Hawthorne]

I see them on public in Michigan alot. I don't know if they are illegal here or not. I don't see the reason to pull them to mess with another hunter. Not my style

[ Post made via Android ]

[Dewey]

I pull everything I find. It's illegal to litter and really becomes an eyesore over time. I feel it is my duty and expect the same from others to keep public land clean. Seems most of it comes from gun hunters. When they have it every 10 yards you know they are very scared of getting lost.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Hawthorne]

I understand the flagging that's an eyesore but to you pull the glow tacks also? That's what I mostly find

[ Post made via Android ]

[Edcyclopedia]

Yup, litterbugs...

[Tufrthnails]

I don't usually pull the tacks because I rarely use a light going in or out unless it is really really dark, so I don't see them often. It is funny to round a bend and headlight go into the woods and there is a landing strip of bright eyes heading off in the woods! My GPS has a glow function. I should say if they are obviously very very fresh I don't pull them because I would hate from a hunter to get lost but if they are hard and faded they go to my pocket.

Someone said something about guys putting there names and dates on them and I have seen that on a couple WMAs in North Fl, but I havn't run into that here in Central Fl.

[Florida]

I don't think tape is illegal here Tuf. You just have to pick it up at the end of the season for that area. I know some guys mark and date it. I personally don't want anyone else to see where I'm going. I might put a single bright eye to mark my tree.

I pick it up if it's old, but I'm not into messing with other people's stuff. I think it is most often used by newbies and hunting public in Florida is hard enough without others making it more difficult. If it's new tape then I know where not to go because chances are that spot is burned out.

[ Post made via Android ]

According to the FWC officer tape is definitely illegal whether it is enforced is another question. Had one threaten my buddy with a littering ticket while I was standing there. Green swamp is freaking littered with old flagging when I asked the check station guy he also said they are not allowed to use it, but tons of people still do. I haven't used any trail marking in 10 years at least after guy followed me into a setup in Devil's hammock and killed three bucks within 50 yards of my tree during one season. Another buddy that lived up there hunted the other side of the trail but kept seeing his truck parked there and went in and found his stand. I got back in gun season and the place was a wreck with water bottles and crap everywhere. Wish I could have gotten an officer to give that slob a ticket.

Side note my buddy was told he could use toilet paper to mark his trail if he needed that the next rain would wash it out and it would degrade.

I guess it would depend on ones definition of hunting equipment. Some would consider game cameras litter as well.

I saw where a guy took a machete and hacked a spot, then spray painted orange on every tree he marked. No logging either.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Tufrthnails]

I don't think tape is illegal here Tuf. You just have to pick it up at the end of the season for that area. I know some guys mark and date it. I personally don't want anyone else to see where I'm going. I might put a single bright eye to mark my tree.

I pick it up if it's old, but I'm not into messing with other people's stuff. I think it is most often used by newbies and hunting public in Florida is hard enough without others making it more difficult. If it's new tape then I know where not to go because chances are that spot is burned out.

[ Post made via Android ]

According to the FWC officer tape is definitely illegal whether it is enforced is another question. Had one threaten my buddy with a littering ticket while I was standing there. Green swamp is freaking littered with old flagging when I asked the check station guy he also said they are not allowed to use it, but tons of people still do. I haven't used any trail marking in 10 years at least after guy followed me into a setup in Devil's hammock and killed three bucks within 50 yards of my tree during one season. Another buddy that lived up there hunted the other side of the trail but kept seeing his truck parked there and went in and found his stand. I got back in gun season and the place was a wreck with water bottles and crap everywhere. Wish I could have gotten an officer to give that slob a ticket.

Side note my buddy was told he could use toilet paper to mark his trail if he needed that the next rain would wash it out and it would degrade.

I guess it would depend on ones definition of hunting equipment. Some would consider game cameras litter as well.

I saw where a guy took a machete and hacked a spot, then spray painted orange on every tree he marked. No logging either.

[ Post made via Android ]

Hahaha That one I have never seen. I would imagine they would frown on that pretty heavily.

[wmahunter]

I usually end up with about 30 tacks and a pocket full of tape after doing a scouting trip to the woods. Amazing how people get lost so easy in the woods and they are only 30 yds off the road.

Some of these tapes go into some nice spots because I am checking the same area.

Best markers found are orange thumbs tacks with refective tape, they do not rust like the regular bright eyes and can be used many time.

Next glow in the dark fishing line, reflective tie wraps. (re used a few), regular bright eyes , the tiny square tacks that you can barely see. Reflective tape.

Close pins with reflective tape. These are like a scavenger hunt, once you find the first two you know the rest are the same distance apart.

I find so many, I do not have to buy any.

Best thing is if you use any of these, you mix them up because people are to use to following the same object.

[Buckshot20]

One of the Ares I hunt you can use tape but it has to have your name and hunt number. Also if you leave your stand it has to have the same. It has to be pulled after the hunt or its a ticket. Flagging just lets you know somebody else was there. I tend to ignore it. I met a guy this year who had about 10 spots flagged and I was walking into that block and he said something to me. I asked him how many spots he was going to hunt that day? Needless to say I was headed somewhere different anyway.

[ Post made via Android ]

[DaveT1963]

I actually ran across a ladder stand two weekends ago where the dude had marked a trail with bright orange spray paint on the trees going and coming????? Guess he was not worried about someone finding or taking his stand (which was still up two months after season closed).

I never mark my trail - work to dang hard to find a good spot without publicizing it. I only put one tack and that is way up the tree at hunting height and it is a brown reflective tack that you have to be pretty close and shining up to see. It helps me find my stand in the pre morning darkness when I have not been there in a while. I use my phone GPS to get me close then hit the tack with my red lens headlamp if needed to find the exact tree (they shine better with red light for some reason). It also helps me ensure I hook my saddle up at the right height for the shooting lanes I prepped long ago.