Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

You everhave concernabout some of the local's around you that might end up on this
or any website that you are on and try to gather info on your hunting spots?
That is part of the reason I got rid of my last name as my nick.
After my kill in 06 last season was ruined on the private I hunt by tresspassers
and the farmers son granting request to hunt the same properties. Im sure this
happened because of word of mouth but I was just curious and it got me
thinking about it. (Doesn't help I wear my HNI hat everywhere)

I kind of think about Hunting shows glorifying area's around the country and wonder
how bad they get ruined from all the plublicity. I wouldn't say IL is ruined but
it sure helped the non resident fee's go among other things.

By us hunter's posting our wonderful Pic's of the animals we kill are we
opening ourselves up to unwanted guest's I guess you could call it to
our area of the country?

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

Since I can't afford to hunt any prime ground here in Tx I don't worry too much. When I did still have the lease I was a bit worried that someone would find out how much I paid and then outbid me for the place. The owner sold the place, I got kicked off, and I'm not worried about it anymore :(.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

I've often wondered that myself. I've had allot of people PM me and ask me about where I bear hunt in Minnesota. I've mentioned it to one hunter I shouldn't of, not you (Kyle)!! I didn't mean to being I thought it was someone else, got the names mixed up![:@] I hope that doesn't turn around and bite me in the ass. Some people are nosey and they will go to any length to take what they don't rightfully deserve!

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

The guys I'm worried about by me can't read.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

LMAO, same up here, just look at dukemichaels and GregH.;)[8D]:D:D:D:D

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

Yes. I worry about it. A local that I bumped into on the public access road that runs through the middle of my honey hole knew me from here, and I had never met him before. I really regret posting everything about my plots and stand locations now. My father knows this guys family well, and I don't think he was trespassing on the property but I'm not 100% sure to be honest. I do know he used to hunt it before I posted it, and I don't believe anyone has had permission to hunt it ever......even before the posting. Iknow he hunts the surrounding edges of it still though, and took a shot at and missed a really nice buck right close to the property line as the buck was headed to my plot this year. Unfortunately I made one of my plots this year visible from the road so I think a few locals caught on to what I had been doing in there.

I know others have been in there with no permission as welldespite it being posted, I actually caught one guy last year during rifle season.This is why I'll be putting the cameras up this year. I've got 6 of the camerasnow, and will likely be buying a couple more. Probably 2-3 of them are for scouting, the others will be for catching trespassers, strapped in high in the trees where they won't be noticed. In my opinion, I've gotta get pictures of them to turn into the law and prosecute to the fullest extent. I really think it's the only way it's going to stop. Word travels fast in small towns and I'm hoping to become the guy that it's just not worth to mess with. Once a few names make the paper over trespassing charges I think my issues will be reduced.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

its amazing how many guys show up in your area when you kill a monster buck.. or how many had hunted that same buck and had almost killed him..

I had one guy tell a friend of mine that he had sheds off of my 03 buck.. Funny thing was I killed the buck 40 miles from where this guy supposidly picked up my bucks sheds.. heck of a "range" my buck had I guess...

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

Lmao!! Thats funny stuff there shed!!

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

Ouch, Steve. I thought we were tight[8D]I'm getting you bear bait:eek:LOL

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

I don't even like to tell people what state I am hunting in let alone breaking it down any farther than that.

I'mactually dreading all the publicattention PA is getting lately with the decent sized bucks.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

Not you Kyle!! You know better then that, were good!;) This fellar was located in Northern Minnesota. I edited my previous post, check it out.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

lmao, nice.

As far as keeping my spots a secret, I do the best I can. ESPECIALLY my turkey hunting spots. "Oh where'd you shoot that big tom"? My reply is either

a) In the woods
b) In a field
c) In the body, maybe I should shoot for the head next year.

There isn't much tresspassing happening in my areas (that I know of:eek:), I do my best to keep it that way.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

My hunting spots aren't that great - so if they get any more crowded, I'll just pull up the stakes and move somewhere else.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

Oh this happens all to often, I have had others stroll into my locations after seeing a few years results, bottom line most hunters have the same opportunity in the spots they currently hunt they just don't have the know how and experience to make it happen so they think they will go into a "hot spot". No doubt there are some spots I refer to as "honey holes" that will jusut produce year after year as long as a good effort is made to hunt it right. but the truth is there are more of these location than most hunters think. I have moved around in NY a few times from one are of the state to the next, not having ever owned big tracks of land I have somehow been able to locate, pattern, andshootP&Y bucks. I think often it becomes a factor of holding out and not just shooting a buck to shoot a buck, most of the time you will never know what the next deerdow nthe trail might be. I have learned that sharing info on your hunting should be kept to a minimum, in fact I actualy go as far as not broadcasting big bucks, the less attention you put out there to peak others interest the better.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

I don't have great spots, but value the ones I do have. I don't post aerials of my spots, I don't talk about my commute to my spots I don't say if they are close to work or home (except public land), and I make sure there are no landmarks in pics of my deer. I will only take those closest to me to my spots to hunt and I usually drive so my vehicle is the only one that's familiar. It's a shame that this is the way it has to be, but that's the way it is.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

I hunt public land and it's a game of leap frog. One year a bunch of people move in then the next year they are gone only to be replaced with the next group. I've even had guy's from my own camp move in on my spots when they think I won't be there.

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

A few experiences...
First few years in a new archery spot I got a 6pt, 8 pt & big Doe. I had told a few "loose lipped friends" and the following year it was world war II and they posted the hell out of the place and won't let anyone in, even archery hunters.

So I had to pick up, and I found a few new places. Wouldn't you know, the 3 new places I recently found had the same few butthead's follow me into these spots and set-up stands within 75 yards @ all three places.

Just remember, words travel quickly and then when your a little successful, wham, the bloodsuckers will find ya!

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

Tell me about it. :eek:

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

I hear ya Greg!

RE: Keeping Great Hunting Spots
 

If you want the real kiss of death just have a magazine do an article about your area! This happened to me once. Now it happened again with an area that I fish. I will get to see the effects of that one this year. Canuck33 hit the nail right on the head. Most guys probably have great spots but just don't know how to hunt so they think your spot is something special. A good hunter is going to be successful whereever he goes. We prove it all the time. many of us are pressured out of an area and relocate and shoot big bucks elsewhere.