Swampmonster

Don't hunt public land much at all. But did it last year. Something happened that I need to know about.

I knew this area from years back, had hunted it a lot long ago. Last season I visited it for the first time in years. Got there really early in the dark. Saw pink tape entering the wood. I mean A LOT OF IT! Thought it was from prior seasons. Didn't pay much attention to it. Walked in deep, still seeing TONS of pink tape. Looks like someone had once found the same area I used to hunt. I set up my stand and shimmied up the tree.

About daylight I hear a guy crashing through the woods. Sound is getting louder. Look around and he is coming right for me. I realize that the guy wants to set up right next to me. I whistle and he looks a bit surprised, but crashes out of the area.

Thought about this for the whole year. Do ou think I did something wrong? Should I have just gone elsewhere the minute I saw all of that pink tape? Don't want to repeat the problem if it was wrong. Honestly thought the tape was from prior years.

LeeinVa1

there doesn't seem to be much etiquette while hunting public land. i have had drives made over me, had a group of about 8 show up at daylight one morning, hop out of their trucks and hit the woods and we were camped 20 feet from where they parked, no questions asked. ended up we moved to another area seeing we did not want to be around that group. it is actually first come, first serve. the guy that came in after you did the right thing and i assume you never went back to that spot.

Swampmonster

Thanks for the reply. No I didn't return to the spot. I felt badly about it and would have even come down for the guy, but once I was up, it was just a bit late for that.

Thanks again.

mossy33oak

the early bird gets the worm..... I have hunted public land before, and most GOOD hunters that I have met usually get there about the same time, (BEFORE daylight) and if you have a central parking area, you can discuss where everybodys going. The ones who show up late, too bad, find another spot. I dont want to sound harsh, but I have zero tolerance for hunters who roll out of bed late, show up at daylight, and expect everyone to get out of their way because they are now there.

cardeer

When I see all them markers from other hunters I dont want to be anywhere near people so I get along somewhere else

WVCritter

I used to hunt WMA's a lot and I had my favorite spot but the rule I always hunted by was first, come first serve. If I made it to that spot first then it was mine until I left and if someone beat me to it then it was theirs until they left. I always thought it was common courtesy not to invade another hunters stand but on public land it's not your stand unless you're the first one there. Another lesson to be learned is hunt as far from the road as you can and this will eliminate seeing 90% of the other hunters.

bowhuntinoh

i hunt public land a lot most of the time im the only one around but where i go requires a lot of walking i use my garden cart to carry my stuff i dont hunt during gun season here thats when they all think there hunters i take that week off im normally done deer huntin by then

timbercruiser

One reason I never hunt public land.

coyote caller

Seriously, the way I hunt state land or public land is screw you. No offence to anyone on this forum. But when it come's to hunting state or public land it's first come first served. Well I'm sorry, but that doesn't seem to apply anymore. There are just too many slob hunters out there now, they don't care if they are infringing on another hunter or not. They think that since their taxes are paying for that property they can do what ever they want. They can care less if someone has spent umteen hours scouting an area out, setting up a blind or what ever. They have the right to be there. Well in my book that is nothing but bullsh.t. I have for years tried hunting state land and come opening day had someone ruin it for me. People don't scout during the off season, but come hunting season they seem to find where you have scouted during the off season and will setup right next to you. As far as I'm concerned, I will shoot off my gun make all the noise in the world and make the other hunters leave the the area. And I will do so until everyone leaves! I now hunt private property and I am the only one allowed to be there. It doesn't pay to be th nice guy anymore.

Jack Ryan

When ever I see all that crap tied up in the trees along with cups, bottles and cans, I follow it along to see where they are hunting and tear it all down along the way.

It's littering and trashy. Most times the idiots could see the car from where they are hunting if not for the trees.

This way I know where the deer won't be opening day and if you eliminate enough places... well they gotta be somewhere.