Somethings been bugging me...
 

Hello guys,

I'm a fairly new hunter, been hunting only waterfowl for 2 years now. This past December I decided to go out for Deer hunting. I did a lot of reading in magazines and on the internet to try and educate myself to the proper techniques and strategies.

I didn't have too much luck, had one in range just after legal time but other than that didn't see anything. Only got out 4-5 times in the 2 weeks the season was open due to work travel.

I had a lot of fun with it until my last day... It was the last day of the hunting season, typically I was heading out at 4am and was in the woods by myself but since this was the last day and it was a saturday there were quite a few trucks parked at the entrance to the woods. I started wandering down an old logging road, my spot was about 2 miles in. I was probably 3/4 of the way there when I had to enter the woods to go around a flooded out portion of the road. While I was in the woods I heard a fairly close shot. Stopped for a minute and continued on my way. Once I had avoided the flooding I popped back out of the woods onto the logging road and was about 50 yards from another hunter who was prone looking further down the logging road. I froze for a second, to figure out exactly what I should do. I decided I would head into the woods and try and find a suitable place to not waste the day. I went about 200 yards off the road and set up against a tree. I probably stayed there for an hour to an hour and a half when I saw the other hunter walking down the logging road back towards the vehicles. There was still plenty of time left before hunting close so I decided to head to my spot. I went back out on the logging trail and hunted my spot till sunset. After packing up my blind and walking the 2 miles back to the truck it was very dark. When I got to my truck I noticed there were two guys hanging out near their vehicles. One of them jokingly shouted look there is a deer! And I joked back Don't shoot! I then asked how they had done and thats when things got ugly.

One of the guys says I don't know why don't you tell me how I did since you were so far up my butt! He proceeded to drop as many F bombs as he could possibly fit and informed me about his 50 years of hunting experience and how I better not pull a stunt like that again or it might not go so well for me. I tried explaining why I was so close and that I had every intention of respecting his space, but he really wasn't interested in anything other than swearing at me. At this point I was pissed off, but I bit my tongue apologized and went on my way.

My question for the more experienced hunters is what should I have done in this situation?

Exactly what you did and don't look back!

First of all, I'd rethink dragging a deer 2 miles!

I've been on both sides of that situation, it's tough. If nobody was hurt or arrested, you did just fine.

Are you on public land? leased land? private with landowner permission? hunt club?

Yeah I know 2 miles would be a long haul, but I typically try to stay away from the hunting pressure so I can do my own thing. It was on a public wildlife management area. Thanks guys. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't something else I should have done for next time.

If on public land, you did more than a lot of people out here in Montana do. The first day my son was old enough to hunt, 12 years old in Montana, we got to a spot early, sat and waited. Soon after it started to get light, the deer started moving, but so did the lazy hunters who chose to sleep in. They saw us from a couple of hundred yards away but still walked along the creek bottom right in front of us by about 50 yards. I new that the morning hunt was a bust and I was not in the best of moods at that point so we left. On the way home, I asked my son how he felt about those people walking right in front of us. He said he wasn't happy about it. At that point I told him that he learned that he should never do the same thing to someone else. I guess if nothing else, he learned a good lesson on hunting respect that day. HD.

You didn't do anything wrong. You just met some jerks.

Sounds like you did things correctly.

There will always be those out there that just do not get the "Public" part of government hunting ground.

Sounds like you did the right thing. Thats what sucks about public land sometimes, but its part of it.

You met some redneck hunters and did the right thing. If you like deer hunting and do not have private land access, look into bow hunting - you will find it is a lot less hectic and hunters like you met will less likely to be out on the public lands. And I am not saying all gun hunters are rednecks - I gun hunt and so does my son. But on public land, things can get pretty ugly during the gun season, as you found. I hunt public land with my bow, but I choose smaller parcels that are generally overlooked and avoid the "nice looking" spots where everyone tends to hunt. For gun hunting I generally hunt our own private land but I have gun hunted one small public parcel a few times that is always overlooked by other hunters. Another option for public land gun hunting is the muzzle-loader season - this is a lot less hectic on public land as well - last fall I almost got a deer on public land this way - nobody else was anywhere near.

Back in my younger years hunting on public land,I would hunt near where everyone parked.Found as all the hunters stomped way out that the deer came back to the road where the hunters just left.Shot three deer from the same tree,as I watched the school bus going by(I was bow hunting).

you did the right thing! I wouldnt swet it and def do not let it bring your hunting experience down. Keep at it! you just so happened to come across some hot headed and dumb hunters! if you want to complain about people hunting right on top of you then you know what....work harder, save some money, and buy your own land or a lease! Thats just the name of the game when hunting public land, what can you do. I give you a lot of credit, it would have def been hard for me to bite my tounge. But you def did the right and smart thing to do

Action/Re-action
 

You did exactly the right thing except for this:

1) Write down their auto make and model, color and tag number - not in that order. After the incident, write down everything about what you can remember about their physical makeup, what they were wearing, etc.

If these bozo's can flip you off like that, they can be bigger jerks, such as keying your paint or worse.

If you run into these bozo's again out there (could even be in a different place, you never know) and your car comes up damaged somehow, you have a possible suspect. If someone steals your shot game, you have a possible suspect. If someone steals your trailcam or tree stand, you have a possible suspect.

Knowledge is power friend, your actions were spot-on but think ahead next time for your own protection, even as far as reporting the incident to your local Warden/CO. Not to lodge charges, just to report an incident. Creates or maybe even adds history that may have meaning to those in LE.

Some may say too far but Be Prepared. Not all folks you meet are like that though. Maybe this guy just had a sh!tty day and took it out on you but you don't know that for sure. His comment, "Look, a deer" would have grabbed my immediate attention and guard as I'm sure it did yours.

Not too late to do all of the above, depending on what you can remember. Maybe you already wrote this stuff down?

Anyway, YMMV.

Best of Luck, God Bless and Welcome.

Thanks for the suggestion guys.

Not much private land for hunting in my area so I'm pretty much stuck with public land. I'm going to scout some more remote locations over the summer and hope to find something a bit more off the beaten path.

I haven't got a bow yet, but I already purchased my archery tag for 2013... Figured that might get my butt in gear over the summer to get a bow. The local archery season up here in MA is 30 days while shotgun is only 14 so It will give me plenty more time to hunt.

I didn't get any information on the guys, but the vehicles were there pretty often. I'll make sure to keep a lookout for them next year.

I have hunted for over 40 years and have had my run ins with idiots like you did. According to what you said you did the right thing and you have as much right to hunt there as anyone else does. Most hunters don't act that way and you should file this under slob hunters. Hope this is the last time you have to deal with a situation such as these idiots.

This is kind of what I do on public land. Hunt closer in rather than in some remote "great looking" spot. In one place that consists of a fairly small woods very near a parking area I am yet to ever see another hunter (I hear them as they slam their car doors though). And I am also just barely out of sight from the road. These types of spots get overlooked and thus have little pressure.

Another thing to look into is private land that gets government subsidies for forestry, wildlife management, etc. (if you have this in your state). This land will be open to the public for hunting but often receives little pressure. Contact your DNR for more info - they can direct you to a list.

Hate to hear you had to deal with a couple IDIOTS. Dont let it discourage you.

Anyone who is hunting right off a logging road or trail and then is surprised when another hunter walks by is an idiot to begin with. On public land, you don't get to shut down an access road, trail, etc., just so you, and only you, have a place to hunt. I wouldn't have apologized myself, because you didn't do anything wrong in the first place. His expectation of privacy on a logging road like that isn't reasonable.

Unfortunately there are many who think that they have exclusive rights on public lands. Fldeerman and MZS are spot on. I too hunt entirely on public land in northern WI and learned a long time ago that the deer have a knack for finding spots that people avoid. Most times thats right under everyone's nose and usually much closer to the road and parking areas than many would believe.
Don't get discouraged, just change your tactics and hunt areas that the experts don't.

I'll bet if he was alone he wouldn't have talked to you like that. Sounds like a jerk!

Hey don't let it deter you. Theres A holes out there. Just find a different spot stay away from logging roads it attracts people. I always find a spot of the hwy with no rds leading into the woods. You don't risk as much chance of bumping into someone. Can't quit now.

You did the right thing. Just don't get discouraged from deer hunting. Not all hunters are pom-piss a__es!

You said you went in at 4:00am. They were already there and you heard a shot on the way in?

Sounds like they did have some action and that they also shot at something before legal (or safe) shooting light.

I'm surprised these guys were out that early and still there at quitting time. I figured guys like this would have alrdeady had their 3 hour nap and be drunk by 5:00pm.

Great advice by all. I especially like the hunt close idea.

I commend you for not blowing up as I would have given them at least an "f u 2" before I left.

You did everything right, they did everything wrong.
Most hunters are solid respectful people, there are a
few bad apples in every barrel.

You know, it always floors me when I meet hunters that aren't solid, respectful people.

Not that it surprises me that some are just lazy screw-ups with bad attitudes, but that I actually have to share the woods/plains and a 'title' with these idiots.

As hunters, we should all be respectful of our fellow hunters, animals, the fields we frequent (and don't frequent), our communities and others. We should be one of the tightest communities in this country, but we also have some of the biggest losers in this country "in our ranks."

It saddens me a bit, but all I can do is continue to try and set a stellar example, in the hopes that when others look at hunters as a whole, they look at us as a good group of people.


TL;DR... Mushy stuff, set a good example, sucks that some don't. :confused0024:

You done both right and fine. Deppedy Dog had some neat ideas for a future referrence to this dealing if it ever comes up again.

As long as we are allowed to hunt, you will find these people out there who have no hunting ethics, or respect for anyone else who is out hunting. They poach and trespass, and think nothing of it. After all, you're not hunting your land, why shouldn't they be allowed to hunt it for you. This is the mentality. They have probably been hunting this public ground for years, and now there is someone new encroaching on their hunting spot. (It doesn't matter that it is public hunting ground). Your actions were exactly as any ethical hunters should have been. At no time should you risk a confrontation with them. You have no idea what they may be capable of doing. As has been said, log any info about the incident and report it to the local DNR/CO/Sheriffs Office. Try some of the other tactics suggested, such as hunting closer to the road, and away from the logging road. This is an access that will be used by anyone going in on the property, except for the smart ones. The deer are going to learn to stay away from the log road. You need to be where you can intercept them. Go in on the ground this Spring and summer and see where the good trails, funnels, pinch points are away from the public access.

Another thing for you to do, is to talk with some local land owners, and try to gain access to hunt. Offer them some potential meat from what you may harvest. Stop by during the summer and offer assistance in farm chores, for the right to hunt. There are many things you can do, to outwit the local rednecks. lol

It was "down an old logging road"
 

On public land there are several things to remember.
A lot of hunters go in on old logging roads and trails. It's easy to travel and easy to find. Some hunters hunt within yards of a hunting trail, so they don't get lost.

For any newbie, use a trail but don't hunt near it. Cutting off a trail early is better than staying on a trail for a long time. Staying on a trail would only work if no one else is in the woods. But hunters use trails should expect to find others on a trail or near it.

And if you're new to an area, look for the hunters who think they have a secret hunting spot. Even if it's right near a trail.

I only used trails to get deeper quickly, and then it was off on an unmarked trail through the woods. Only then do you have a chance to get away from any hunters, the hunters of old logging roads.

agree 100%

There will be PLENTY of times that your hunt gets broken up in the future.
I had everything from mushroom pickers to Border Patrol, to k-9 cops training dogs to horses to kids walking dogs to YOU NAME IT ! I even saw a Orstrich once going to my stand ! IN NEW YORK ! I SWEAR !

The guys were just douches. If they weren't they know it happens

"I even saw a Ostrich once going to my stand ! IN NEW YORK ! I SWEAR !"


Sure you did and I'll bet he was traveling with a pink elephant, LOL!!!

Hey Tool........... he got loose from a local 4H farm in Suffolk.

However ...keep dreaming about your Pink Elephant.

Like that would benefit me in any way to post about it ? wake up

Buckyou---Lighten up tool man! It was a joke!!!

Wow,....it was pretty obvious he was joking. Speaking of tools......

You did the right thing. I had a guy glass me from a field that is on top of a hill that I face. It was rifle season so I was in blaze orange from head to toe with snow on the ground, so there is no way he didn't see me right away. I hunt private property, and he has permission to hunt the property if my car isn't parked at the barn. At 8:45 a.m. opening day he proceeded to walk from the top of the hill (150 yards directly in front of me), through a little bit of woods and straight to the foot of my stand, kicking out 1 buck and 2 doe to the next property in the process. He looked up and said, "Have you seen anything?". It took every bit of everything I had in me, not to throw all 260 lbs of me onto him in the form of a frog splash from the top rung of my stand. I was the angry hunter that day, but think I was justified in my f bomb tirade.

I suggest You do some Scouting now in the off-season and find You a better area off from where the disrespectful Hunter was at!If You take up Bow Hunting it will give You more chances to be out in the woods when most Gun Hunters won't be there!You did the right thing by not starting a fight or arguing and escalating the situation!

I would also try finding some Public Ground to Hunt or even join a Lease so You can Hunt in peace!

i live about ten miles from a national forest that is full of deer and turkey and when deer season roles around its full of hunters from all around and every type of hunter you could imagine from the nicest person even if you walked up on them in a stand to the worst as you found or worse. When i first started deer hunting i found this spot down in one of the biggest hollows in the forest, it had a swamp with beavers and a few large trees that had blow down or lodged in other trees that were perfect for sitting in. But all the others knew of this spot also and it never failed someone would show up after daylight or when it got daylight you would be able to see orange in trees all around. After a few years of hunting that spot and taking many nice bucks and does i stopped walking the long walk to (my) spot and started hunting close to the parking spot in the same place. I even quit getting there before daylight and waited till the parking spot got full of trucks then i would find me a spot over to the side park and sneak down the side of the hill just far enough to be legal and sit till everyone came out for dinner. It never failed me deer would come out in herds running for their life. I would get me a buck or doe and there was always someone right there to help me drag it out. Use the other hunters to your advantage and i have found its best to stay of the beaten trail.