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Hunt Etiquette
Went out for my first gun hunt today to a spot my buddy told me to go. Got out a little later then I wanted: Finally in a tree about 6...wanted at least 5. I noticed a blind behind me while setting up but it was empty. I got up in my tree about 6 or so. At about 630, down the trail I was watching, comes a hunter...I knew where he was headed..I chirped at him but no luck. He set up right behind me (20 feet) and the minute he settle in, he saw me...he quickly apologized and moved out. So...my point is...Is it first come first serve so to speak? You own the ground if you are there first?
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
id say so, wat was he going to do steal your deer?
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
No not steal my deer....I am new to hunting...and if I see you out there..I want to do the right thing....
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
Ive done that, makes the heart skip a little when you look up and realize someone IS looking at you. First come firts serve is the rule of thumb I follow when on public land.
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I was agreeing with you that was just a comment
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
used a small flash light to let them know you are there.
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
on public land , it's kinda first come first served.since he already had his blind setup, then I would say he was first come. JMHO
I always take my light and flash it a couple times to let that person know I am there.whistle or speak lowly.ya never know when they may shoot at a turkey or other bird that takes off flying in youre direction.ya may get shot outta your tree;let them know you there.. |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
First of all, if it's public land is he allowed to leave a blind there? And second of all why would you set a stand in front of someones blind and then be shocked when someone comes to hunt it? Doesn't make sense to me. I would have just looked for a different spot to begin with. You sort of ruined the guys hunt by throwing a stand up in front of his blind.
Paul |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
ORIGINAL: Paul L Mohr First of all, if it's public land is he allowed to leave a blind there? And second of all why would you set a stand in front of someones blind and then be shocked when someone comes to hunt it? Doesn't make sense to me. I would have just looked for a different spot to begin with. You sort of ruined the guys hunt by throwing a stand up in front of his blind. Paul |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
atleast he apologized he probly didnt know that your climbing stand was rite there he probly put up that blind before you he was there first........im suprised he left......
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
ORIGINAL: deerslayer270 ORIGINAL: Paul L Mohr First of all, if it's public land is he allowed to leave a blind there? And second of all why would you set a stand in front of someones blind and then be shocked when someone comes to hunt it? Doesn't make sense to me. I would have just looked for a different spot to begin with. You sort of ruined the guys hunt by throwing a stand up in front of his blind. Paul |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
I get the blind being up first...however; There are a lot of what ifs here. Scenario: I go out and put up an blind; however only have time to hunt on weekends. So no one is allowed to hunt there during the week? What if he didn't come out that day? I would have flashed my light at him however he showed up almost an hour after first light. I set up pretty much in the dark.
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
Ok, I got a what if for you. What if this guy works his butt off at some job he hates all the time and has a family at home leaving him very little time to hunt. He spent what precious time he had scouting in the pre season and setting up a blind. He manages to get a few days off from work and the family to go hunt during an already short season (don't know what state your in) goes out to hunt and you screwed it all up by throwing a stand up in front of his blind.
I know guys that live this scenario, I am pretty close to it. Some guys have very full schedules and jobs that could care less what hobbies they enjoy. And if your new you don't have any vacation time, or don't have enough seniority to get any time off during hunting season because others took it already. Some might get one weekend, or say screw it and take a day off in the middle of the week and lose the money so they go hunt. Maybe he works seven days a week. And they don't have any property so they are stuck using public land. Maybe someone should have showed some initiative and done some homework instead of going out in the middle of the season and throwing a stand up in the dark? (you) I know I'm sounding like an A hole here, but we are telling you what you did was wrong and you are trying to justify it. On the upside maybe the guy went home and got laid? Paul |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
you might as well have been hunting out of his blind....Ive had this happen to me and it pisses me off to no end. I work all week, some years Im overseas and go 2 years without hunting. How would you feel if you had been out scouting an area or hunting an area all season and some guy sets up on your spot. Yea he may only hunt once a week, and he may not have showed up at all during your hunt, but why take the chance of ruining someone elses hunt, there are plenty of woods, plenty of deer to hunt. If your that bent on hunting that area why nt leave the guy a note in his blind, try to make a friend, he may not mind showing you some good spots, or orienting you in another direction near him...
JMO |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
I get it. I am not trying to justify what I did. I just did it. I went to that area only because I was directed to it by a buddy who had been hunting that spot for the past 7-8 years and he hunts strictly tree climbers. I WILL be more considerate next time I go out. FYI...I am also in your same scenario; I am active duty military and have been deployed during hunting season for the past 6 years and have a 16 month old right now. I didn't mean get all your goats. JMHO....It IS public land...and there are a lot of woods out there...I do have some other spots to go to but it just seems to me that if EVERYBODY set up blinds (or two or three of them for that matter) and you can't hunt that area then is it really public land?
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
The way that I look at it that if I go to a spot and there is a stand or blind I try to leave as quiet as possible. I look at it in the of first come first served in the other since. They beat me to it so it is there spot to hunt.
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
You didn't do anything illegal, just something that many would frown on. You did say etiquette, not rules. And in most of our opinions what you did would be bad hunting etiquette.
In MI I don't think you can leave a blind up on a state land, unless it's natural ground cover. So it wouldn't be an issue here. It's not the end of the world, your young, or new or both. Now you know, it's up to you to decide what YOU will do next time. Don't fret over what is done and over with. Hunting public land sucks, pure and simple, and that is one of the reasons why. And thank you for your service. I honestly feel all active duty military should get to hunt for free. If you are good enough to die for your country (or someone elses) you should be good enough to kill a few of it's deer. Paul |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
"you might as well have been hunting out of his blind....Ive had this happen to me and it pisses me off to no end."
Any blind or stand unoccupied on public hunting ground is public property and if you leave it there you should expect it to be used by other hunters. This isn't the old west , you can't just steak out your claim and call the area yours. You want your own private hunting area, go buy some land. If you don't want someone to use your stand or blind on public land, either do not leave it there or make damn sure you are there before anyone else. That does not give anyone the right to take someones stand or blind off of public land though, that is stealing. First come, first serve is the rule of thumb. Some seem to think that's on a seasonal basis, I think it's on a day to day basis. I don't know how anyone could expect to put up a blind and expect anyone to honor "your claim" if you are not there. Deer hunting starts just before sunrise. You got your butt out of bed and got to the woods before that if you want to be successful. If you couldn't drag your butt out of bed in time to get out before sunrise, you've got nothing to gripe about when you walk in an hour after sunrise and find someone beat you too your spot. I hunted public ground this gun season and some of the other hunters were in treestandS at 3:30 am. If I'm in my stand at 3:30 am and someone walks in after sunrise, they'd best move on, blind, stand or not. In the senario above, I believe cal was in the right and the other hunter did what was right also by leaving but you can't ever count on someone else doing the right thing. Pissin' off strangers with guns is never a good idea no matter how right or wrong you are or think you are. We are all brothers in the woods and the spirit of cooperation and brotherhood can go along ways to make the best out of any situation. If georgiahick finds me sitting in his blind and approaches me with a pist off attitude, neither one of us are going to have a good hunt. He shows up with a good attitude, friendly demeanor, I'd move on or maybe even work together to make it the best hunt possible for the both of us. Be nice, make a new friend and you've got another hunter hunting your area to watch your back. Think about it. Rip on someone sitting in your blind or stand? Just what might trhat get you? The only difference between hunting with your buddy and hunting with a stranger is communication. The old saying, 2 heads are better than 1, talking to a stranger hunting the same area you are can be a real learning experience for both hunters. With the wrong approach, it can get ugly quickly. We're all doing something we love to do or we wouldn't be out there. Work together. One of my most memorable public ground hunts I had a guy who I kept running into several days in a row. He scared deer away from me, I scared deer away from him, we were both getting frustrated. One the 4th morning, we found ourselves 40 yards apart again, had deer go right between us and neither could get a safe shot off. I walked over to him, introduced myself and told him I had an idea. The deer we had just seen went into a lot of thick cover but had nowhere to go, had to either cross a big fast river or come back, but we had to move fast.. My stand, I could cover both eascape routs but he'd still be in the way if they chose that rout. I invited him over by my stand to cover the way they came in. When the 1st deer, a doe, stepped out by the river I dropped it. That sent the rest the other way, in 30 seconds we each had 2 doe down. Another 30 seconds later, we each had a buck down. My new friend and I spent the rest of the day gutting and dragging and we both agreed that it was the best hunt either of us had ever had but verry easily could have been our worst. |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
I'm new at this but I would have gotten down (he had his blind up first) and talked quietly to him. Maybe he knew another spot that was great for a climber but not a stand. Maybe he knew some spots for stillhunting but because of a bad back, couldn't do the leg work. Basically for me it comes down to the Golden Rule and communication.
I am in your shoes with just starting hunting but I've found those 2 things-the G.R. and Communiocation unlocks alot of possibilities. Wanting something to the exclusion of others only shuts things down. I mean no offense but next time think what you'd like to have done to you. |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
If your the kind of A hole that would sit in someone else's stand or blind I really don't want to be your friend so I don't care if your poed or not. I don't care who's property it is, if isn't yours keep your grubby hands off from it. That is common sense and courtesy to me. If I come out and your sitting in my stand or blind both our hunts are ruined because I will be taking my property with me right at that moment, just so you can't use it.
I would have to read the regs for my state again, but I don't think you are entitled to hunt someone else's stand even if it is on public property. Your stand is supposed to be marked with your name and other info. Setting up a stand by someones blind is one thing, especially if it was dark and you may not have seen it. But sitting in someone else's blind or stand on purpose is completely and utterly wrong in my and probably most others opinion. That's like using someone else's toothbrush, why would you even think about it?;) Paul |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
I just read our regs and it does indeed state that having your name and address on a stand or blind does not give you exclusive rights to it's use.
Doesn't mean it makes it morally right to use someone else stuff though. Paul |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
Id sure feel stupid in someone elses stand. But just because someone went into some public woods and put up a stand, doesnt give him any claim to the area. Especially if he isnt there. Ive seen folks leave ladder stands up for months of bow hunting, and hardly used them.That doesnt shut down the area for everyone else.
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
Just to clear a few things up with some guys. I wasn't IN his stand....I was about halfway up the tree when I noticed it...it was too late for me to turn back and move before first light. Yeah I read Tennessee's regs and it says that prepositoned stands cannot be left in place more than 24 hours without prior consent of the area manager...but I know what everyone is saying about a blind being in place and etiquette. But again....such as a couple of guys have said...it shouldn't shut down the area for everyone else.
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
ORIGINAL: wack "you might as well have been hunting out of his blind....Ive had this happen to me and it pisses me off to no end." Any blind or stand unoccupied on public hunting ground is public property and if you leave it there you should expect it to be used by other hunters. This isn't the old west , you can't just steak out your claim and call the area yours. You want your own private hunting area, go buy some land. If you don't want someone to use your stand or blind on public land, either do not leave it there or make damn sure you are there before anyone else. That does not give anyone the right to take someones stand or blind off of public land though, that is stealing. First come, first serve is the rule of thumb. Some seem to think that's on a seasonal basis, I think it's on a day to day basis. I don't know how anyone could expect to put up a blind and expect anyone to honor "your claim" if you are not there. Deer hunting starts just before sunrise. You got your butt out of bed and got to the woods before that if you want to be successful. If you couldn't drag your butt out of bed in time to get out before sunrise, you've got nothing to gripe about when you walk in an hour after sunrise and find someone beat you too your spot. I hunted public ground this gun season and some of the other hunters were in treestandS at 3:30 am. If I'm in my stand at 3:30 am and someone walks in after sunrise, they'd best move on, blind, stand or not. In the senario above, I believe cal was in the right and the other hunter did what was right also by leaving but you can't ever count on someone else doing the right thing. Pissin' off strangers with guns is never a good idea no matter how right or wrong you are or think you are. We are all brothers in the woods and the spirit of cooperation and brotherhood can go along ways to make the best out of any situation. If georgiahick finds me sitting in his blind and approaches me with a pist off attitude, neither one of us are going to have a good hunt. He shows up with a good attitude, friendly demeanor, I'd move on or maybe even work together to make it the best hunt possible for the both of us. Be nice, make a new friend and you've got another hunter hunting your area to watch your back. Think about it. Rip on someone sitting in your blind or stand? Just what might trhat get you? The only difference between hunting with your buddy and hunting with a stranger is communication. The old saying, 2 heads are better than 1, talking to a stranger hunting the same area you are can be a real learning experience for both hunters. With the wrong approach, it can get ugly quickly. We're all doing something we love to do or we wouldn't be out there. Work together. One of my most memorable public ground hunts I had a guy who I kept running into several days in a row. He scared deer away from me, I scared deer away from him, we were both getting frustrated. One the 4th morning, we found ourselves 40 yards apart again, had deer go right between us and neither could get a safe shot off. I walked over to him, introduced myself and told him I had an idea. The deer we had just seen went into a lot of thick cover but had nowhere to go, had to either cross a big fast river or come back, but we had to move fast.. My stand, I could cover both eascape routs but he'd still be in the way if they chose that rout. I invited him over by my stand to cover the way they came in. When the 1st deer, a doe, stepped out by the river I dropped it. That sent the rest the other way, in 30 seconds we each had 2 doe down. Another 30 seconds later, we each had a buck down. My new friend and I spent the rest of the day gutting and dragging and we both agreed that it was the best hunt either of us had ever had but verry easily could have been our worst. couldnt have said it better myself, I try to be as nice as possible except the one time a guy was a total butt plug to me |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
oh and I was being sarcastic about sitting in his blind....sorry I didnt make it clearer....
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
In my state it is illegal to leave a blind on public land open for hunting. My rule of thumb is 1st served - Though others have not respectd that right at times.
One reason I am always the first out - rather enjoy that hour and a half wait int he dark - yes I do use a flashlight. JW |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
In MI you can leave them there if you are disabled. I really wouldn't want to hunt in some disabled dudes blind, would you?
Paul |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
What kind of blind was it? Was it a brushblind or a storebought/homemade?
I hunt public land alot. I've found many brush blinds that have been up for years. With these I try to evaluate thier use. If they are fresh or appear to be used. I skip that area for that day, but I try to keep an eye on it to see if it is in use. I've used brush blinds that others have set up a few times. I am sure and would hope that if (ur not suppose to in the Adirondack park) I set one up others would use it.Too me thats part of hunting on public land and it is first come first serve to an area. Now if its a storebought/homemade I assume somebody is in the thing and move away, but I've never seena bought/homemadeblind left unattended on Public land. Honestly I don't think anybody did anything really wrongin this caseother than showing up a little late and not properly scouting, a problem I believe we all have had. In fact I applaud the fellow that apologized and left. Its a problem any of us that hunt public land face. I remember when I was a kid hunting the Allegheny forest I walked in based on a buddies advise before light found a comfy spot to sit and waited. I was sitting on the side of swale maybe 30 yards across come daylight, I was looking directly at another hunter on the other side. We meant in the middle and decided I'd go up (i was considerably younger than him) 50 yards and he would go down 50 yards. When it really comes down to it, the only way you can "stake" a claim on Public land is by standing on it. |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
I think that it's first come first served. I hunt public land all the time. If I set up a stand before opening day, on some land you can leave them up and on some you can't, I would plan to get there early on opening day because if I'm not occupying my stand, then I know that some other hunter can set himself up in that area. If I see a stand, I keep an eye out to see if anyone is using it. I'd try to set up somewhere else if I saw one like you did. But if he doesn't show up until later in the day, sorry, but it's public land. Best thing to do if he shows up it talk to him about his plans. I think the guy with the blind recognized that he was late and didn't have a right to that land.
The thing about groundblinds is interesting. I was scouting some national forest land last year and came acrossa veryelaborate ground blind made of logs all tied together with a bench built into sit on, a roof with brush tied on it, almost like a little log cabin. Theguyhad shooting lanes cut, which is legal on nat. forest land if the brush is under one inch., and everything. Now ifthat guy showed up on opening morning and you were in his stand, that would be bad.If you said, hey, this is public land andI was here first,I think fists would be flying.By putting all that effort into it,I'm sure he would feel like he had rights to that property. I'm not sureI think that is right, but I think some folks have been hunting on that public land a long time and have clearlystaked their claim. |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
It was a home-made prefabricated blind. Basically military vehicle netting masking a stand. And just so everyone is clear....I did not set up IN his blind. I was setting up on the exact tree my buddy had described to me next to huge log that had been there ten years...etc...I was heading up the tree and commited by the time I saw it. I could have moved but then I would have been THAT guy moving in the woods after first light......
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
I have been in your shoes before. Get out in the woods, get up a tree. look over and there is a hang on stand about 40 yards away.....oops. No one is in it and I generally dont scan the trees looking for other stands. If I see one I will move on just to avoid any situations like you describe. Once I was in the tree and and settled in I wasnt moving. Luckly the guy never showed up and it was never an issue. If he had shown up I would have probably moved out of the area because I had a climber and his was a hang on. You just have to treat others as you would want to be treated. Im out in the woods to get away and relax and hopefully bring some meat home. I wouldnt want to ruin my day getting into an argument over being in someone elses spot. Its public land and everyone just has to get along and have a good time
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
Who goes in 20 minutes after first light? I'm sure it screwed up alot of peoples hunt. I'm surprised nobody wooped dudes a$$.
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
Who goes in 20 minutes after first light? I'm sure it screwed up alot of peoples hunt. I'm surprised nobody wooped dudes a$$. Remember - the one starting a fight is not always the one to win. |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
ORIGINAL: SteveBNy Who goes in 20 minutes after first light? I'm sure it screwed up alot of peoples hunt. I'm surprised nobody wooped dudes a$$. Remember - the one starting a fight is not always the one to win. |
RE: Hunt Etiquette
Wouldn't be smiling either!:)
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
this is why I havehunted public land once. My first and last time. Not deer hunting but duck hunting. We got all our decoys out and noticed a decoy bag off in the distance. Sure enough, a father and son come in and things started to turn ugly until we let them hunt with us, then everything was fine. Especially when we realized this guy could call in ducks with the best of them. They thought that because they left their decoy bag out overnight that they were entitled to hunt there. Just glad things didn't turn as ugly as they could have.
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
You should do the best you can. How would you like to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot? IfI knew a guy's blind was there I would give him some space just incase he showed up. Many years ago, I was up in a treestand in the dark when a guy comes in with a flash light and sets up on the ground against a tree 40 yards from me. He knows I'm there and stays the morning. I'm 20 feet up, I can see where he can't. I shoot, he never even sees what I am shooting at. Eventually he left after a few hours. Not a very fun way to hunt.
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
Just a follow up to the original statement at the beginning.....about prepositioning blinds and who was their first so to speak. Well, I moved spots...tried hunting another area. The same stateland...but completely on the opposite side of a ridgeline...at least 1000 meters away. Again, another spot where my buddy, who has been hunting this area for the past 10-15 years, and sure enough....permanent stand.We had seen this a few weeks before but thought it was just a temoporary blind...but I checked it out and it was a homemade wooden treestand...almost like a tree house. Anyway, I guess this was point earlier....where does it end? Did some more research...this is illegal in TN on public land....
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
cal516..your buddy put you into a tight spot....public land..no reservations required
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RE: Hunt Etiquette
No...I know the deal with public land....it is a good area...just been busy this year. If you read some of the replies to the original post, it goes towards my argument that you cannot "save" your spot by throwing up a blind. There was nobody there, but some guys just got spun upa little because of the original post.
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