Territorial Hunters

[badfaulkner]

Short, special seasons are the worst on public land. Special hog seasons or turkey seasons tend to bring people out who normally avoid public land hunting, want free scouting tips, and drive great distances to hunt unfamiliar public land. What could go wrong?

If I see a truck already parked, I go elsewhere. Unfortunately, there are those who don't pay the same courtesy. That can be good and bad; I firmly believe another hunter pushed some deer to me last fall. That's good. But I hate hearing a rifle shot from someone who pulled up later than me and followed my path into the woods. They knowingly used my vehicle as a scouting tip and perhaps put me in danger of them or vice versa.

[PASwamper]

I forget which forum it was on said something about lying to be a good hunter, but it definately applies here.

[UPbowhunter]

I like most will not be around other hunters if posible. I try to use all of the areas in my public land and float around with the sign throught the season. As our season wears on I find myself by myself on alot of my spots, and alot of sign will start to show up closer to entry points, with the less pressure.

[Singing Bridge]

thought about this when making another post... here in high pressure Mich. we get territorial hunters who attempt to claim a hunting area by blocking a road with their trailer or tents, etc. Curious if other states see this? If anyone tries to hunt behind "their camp" they get "territorial" about their hunting area. You aren't supposed to block the road, legally, but it frequently gets done anyway unless a badge makes them move.

[virginiashadow]

I am usually honest with them. I hunt a large public military base and the vast majority of the guys I hunt around have respect for one another during archery season.....now when the guns go off......

[Singing Bridge]

ttt... this is one of my faves, some truly great responses from seasoned hunters on "The Beast!!"

[GRUD]

Honestly have not run into many other hunters. I rarely hunt public out of archery season. I have some public spots that I have never seen a hunter during archery season. Even late muzzleloader I rarely see anyone in the areas I hunt. The locals say that you wont see anyone more than 200 yards from the parking area in the southern part of our state. I have never hunted down there during gun season but it seems true during archery.

[Brandon]

i try to ask 1st, then says some random spot that not by them... then i decide where i want to go... which will NOT be anywhere near them.

typical response is: "i usually go...".. most guys go the same spots/areas over and over.

when they see me jump put and grab my lone wolf and bad bow they know i aint playin.. LOL... im usually in a hurry, dont have time to talk, and I dress and get movin faster than the average joe shmo.

[Dor]

If someone is there already, I'm not stopping. If someone come in on me, I'm leaving.

[NatureBoy]

If someone is there already, I'm not stopping. If someone come in on me, I'm leaving.

x2, unless they are just passing through, which rarely happens to me. But, that can be a good thing as sometimes deer will follow a hunters track. I know I've had them on my tracks before .

[dan]

On Tuesday I hunted a public spot that is a long narrow 100 acres. There is an old field just before the swamp starts. I noticed a car in the parking spot. Spring scouting I had noticed where someone had camped out over a nightime scrape and rubline along the field edge. My goal Tuesday was to get to a bedding area at the back of the property. As I entered the field I could see the hunters back tag sticking around the side of the tree near the night time buck sign. He was facing the swamp waiting for deer to come from downwind ( must of had scentloc )
Because of how narrow the property was I had to walk right past him to get to my area... That or go home. To late to go to a different property. So I went past. The guy whistled and waved at me. I made believe I did not see him and just kept going... No buck sightings, a lot of buck sign but windy as all heck till sunset.

[Dewey]

He was facing the swamp waiting for deer to come from downwind ( must of had scentloc )

I am amazed by how many people don't have a clue when it comes to the wind. I purposely don't hunt area's during the wrong wind yet I drive past some of my spots and other people are always walking in with the wind to their backs screwing everything up and then complain there are no deer.
Opening weekend I hiked way into the marsh where I have never seen another person and circled way out of the way to keep the wind in my favor. I was sitting at about noon and had a peaceful afternoon until 1 hour before closing. Two guys came stumbling in making all kinds of noise and totally scenting the area up and proceded to set up 50 yards from me even though they saw me in the tree!! Needless to say I never did see a deer that day and the buck I had pre-scouted had probably moved his bed from all of the commotion!!

[Singing Bridge]

I am amazed by how many people don't have a clue when it comes to the wind.

Some hunters just don't seem to think it makes any difference, or they've scouted out one spot and will hunt it no matter what. I've got some public land just down the road from my house, and the same truck is parked in the same spot nearly every night. He's hunting the edge of a thick clearcut, and has for the last several years. He hunts the same stand every night no matter what the wind. I'm sure if you got within sight of him he'd whistle, wave and scream bloody murder.

[dan]

bump

[oldrank]

I usually say the same thing.... "Around the bend a little ways". . Its very vague and I usually don't stop to converse. I did stop a couple weeks ago on my way out and ask someone if they were hunting. He was taking bait out but was heading towards the thicket I was wanting to hunt. He told me he'd just be a few minutes but I decided to move on. I usually get the "Where r u hunting" opening day of gun season as I drag my buck out. I never see anyone till I get a few hundred yrds from the rd then all the yahoos flock to me at the trail...I always make a few mock drag trails on the way up to confuse anyone that might back track my trail and I never gut until im far from my hunting area... and I always give em the "just around the bend" answer.