[HotShot88]

I have never been in this situation and hope I never am, but I do hunt on public property and is vey real possibility. Here is the situation. You are set up in a great spot at about 20-25 feet up in your climber, when a fellow bowhunter comes in and climbs a tree within 50 yards of you and sets up. You try getting his attention by whistling. You dont want to be too loud because you know there is a nice buck frequenting the area. Do you stay there and stick out and leave after he does, or get down and leave and let him have the area, or do you blow the spot, get out of your tree and scold the guy for hunting in your area? Also any stories would be cool hear if this has happened to you, or you have done this to someone else.

 

[teal325]

I would wait it out. Never know what may be dumb enough to walk by. You can not get mad at the guy - it is public land. He may have bad manners but has done nothing illegal and if you were to do something to spoil the area or confront the guy BAM Harassment of hunter charge.

Public land hunters are generaly hunting close to their truck or parking lot - when and if I hunt public land I would get a good GPS and walk my butt at least a good mile in. Most guys won't go that far and a flashlight is a must but if you must hunt public and want good bucks - you need to go where the people aren't. The big bucks know this too.

 

[HotShot88]

The public land im used to hunting does not have a great deal of pressure at least in bow season. The ones that do hunt with I know, and generally know where they hunt so we know where we can hunt without disturbing each other. However me and my buddy are going into an area that is more heavily hunted and we plan on going in DEEP. We know we gotta get where other people dont in this area in order to get on the bucks.

 

[sgrem]

if he knew it that is messed up. get his attention for sure. if he starts putting up a stand get down and let him know. have courtesy on public lands and dont make a bunch of noise early or late. i hate having my self all set up and the guy 100 or even 200 or more yards away slams his tripod legs together at 7:30 am looking for greener pastures. they worked just as hard as you. respect peak times.

here is a general on public lands. most guys look at a map and go to the end of a road. so hunt the beginning or middle of whatever access road. usually all the trucks are parked at the end because they think they are further in away from the main roads. but i beleive more deer get hit by cars near the main road than killed by hunters at the end of the hunt access roads. and most public guys dont go more than 400yds from their truck. get on foot or a bike and get after it. worry about dragging him out after you get him. you will never have to worry about dragging one 400yds if you never see him. after the kill go back and get some help for the mile or more drag. i have had to bring two deer out from almost two miles on my gps. one took me 10 hours but that is easy time compared to spending all season in an unsuccessful area. 10 hours is cheap compared to the rest of the time spent.

 

[old Graybeard]

Nothing you can do about it because he has the right to be there too. Best thing would be to set tight or if you have the time to relocate DO IT. Like others have said most guys don't to get to deep into the woods so if you go further in it probably wouldn't happen.

 

[powderfinger]

A few years back before the IN gun opener we had picked out everyones spots a couple days in advance. We always get up early because....its public land. Well, my buddy was in his stand WELL before first light and about 20 minutes after he settled in 2 guys come crashing through the woods to a lock on (w/ screw in steps) not 30 yards from my buddy in his climber. He told them, "Hey, I'm here man" They replied "Yeah, so are we", and proceeded to climb up next to him. My friend climbed down and walked over the next hill and set down. (I wouldn't have). Said he heard the guy shoot a little after he left. Some people have no manners, they need to be taught manners. We went back to his stand at lunch time and chucked his steps in the woods as far as we could throw them.

 

[ruchak]

I have accidently walked in on a guy. I waved and walked back to my car and hunted another spot. If you are there first you get to hunt that spot. If the other hunter sees you and sets up anyway. Then let him get settled. Get out of your stand making as much noise as humanly possible, take a zigzagging way out of the woods, now would be the time to stock the woods with a toilet trout upwind of the idiot, on the way out make sure you yell "good luck" to show sportsmanship.

 

[buckfeverben]

During gun season last year myself and about 5 other guys had this one particular ridge covered. There is an annual hunt on some protected state land near me that generally pushes deer out in this area. So we setup accordingly, and had everything all mapped out in advance. We get setup in the dark, and await daybreak. Just as it starts getting light, we have these 3 guys start coming in to setup right where we are, we politely tell them we have the entire ridge lined with guys, and this one guys says I don't care, I hung a stand back on thanksgiving and I'm hunting it... so these guys walk right through our setup and this one guys sits down literally 40 yards directly in front of me. I don't recall ever being so angry at another hunter in my entire life. Public land is public land....but rude is rude....these guys were the type of slob gun hunters that I can't stand, and the main reason I mostly bowhunt. I elected to relocate and go in some thick stuff where I could have a little privacy and also feel a bit safer.

 

[ArcheryhunterSD]

I had this same thing happen to me turkey hunting about 4 yrs. back I know how upsetting it was. My response may not be right but it sure made me feel good at the time.
Well, I am also a preditor caller so I carry a skunk cover scent in back of vehicle most all time. After they moved in with-in 30 yrds. of me between me & roosted birds. I told them they said "to bad they going to stay right where they were." I left to find they parked next to my truck. I gave them alittle gift in the vent infront of the window. Poured in the whole bottle in in matter of fact. Sure Felt good at time smiling all the way home. Wonder how their trip home was? Wonder if they ever figured it out & if they still are squatters.
But since I have went on to new area & have had better luck then before. Thinking back I think they did me a favor. Sorry Guys

 

[MHU]

That's why I bust my butt to get private land access. :wink:

 

[BigBirdVA]

I've had a guy jack up a tree while I was 39 yds away already set up and waiting in mine. There is nothing you can do, it's called public land hunting. Try to go deeper or in places less traveled.

And ArcheryhunterSD one day when you come out and your vehicle has several flat tires or worse, remember the vent window gift. If he got there after you he knows your vehicle. The only thing worse than a rude inconsiderate hunter is a guy who hits your vehicle while you're in the woods.

 

[ruchak]

Archeryhunter, Bravo!bravo!:thumb: Those guys think "We're going to do this , what the hell are you going to do about it?" Well, you demonstrated actions and consequences. What comes around, goes around. Maybe next time they will think " If I bully this guy out of this spot it probably will not be worth the touble"

 

[carp]

YOU SHOOT HIM! yes deffinatly shoot him! opps did I say that out loud again , damm! wheres my medication! keep this in mind it may be me you set up next to!

 

[coues hunter]

hunters on public land tend to push deer around. Useit to your advantge. scout the area before, hunt. try to see where deer will go when pushed. then chose your area. sometimes this works for me.

 

[3L_Archer]

I once had a guy come in and set-up about 50 yards from me. He walked right past me on his way in and I whistled and waved at him, he waved back and went over to a swamp chestnut oak, which was on the side of a slough and very limby, and just raining acorns. Anyway, this idiot climbs the tree via the limbs and fastens a Loc-on stand to the tree about 18 feet up. All this took place about an hour and a half after daylight. Now, the guy gets his stand hung and then climbs down and leaves. I guess his plans were to return that afternoon and hunt. Well guess what I did? I took my stand down, went over to "his" tree and sawed off every limb from his Loc-on to the ground!

3L

 

[HotShot88]

You guys are harsh.:rofl: The one about pouring the bottle of skunk in the guys truck is hilarious, that would be horrible.

 

[goat 834]

You guys are my heros I hope you're raising your kids to be this way also. Talk about slob hunters! I have been interupted before and I've also walked into peoples spot before too, thats the way it is on public land! I can't believe you guys can call yourselves hunters, tell them they're wrong and be a complete ass and be happy about it. Someone said what goes around comes around you should hope it doesn't as the person you do or did this stuff to might not really give a crap about you or your wellbeing it could be the last time you worry about whos in your spot or where you'll be hunting that day! JMO

 

[Airhead]

goat 834
Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: central OHIO
Posts: 229

You guys are my heros I hope you're raising your kids to be this way also. Talk about slob hunters! I have been interupted before and I've also walked into peoples spot before too, thats the way it is on public land! I can't believe you guys can call yourselves hunters, tell them they're wrong and be a complete ass and be happy about it. Someone said what goes around comes around you should hope it doesn't as the person you do or did this stuff to might not really give a crap about you or your wellbeing it could be the last time you worry about whos in your spot or where you'll be hunting that day! JMO

Gotta agree, it's just not worth the hassle. I have been bumped a few times already, in my short time bow hunting. I have lots of back-up plans. It's public land, even if you were there first, fair, no, rude, yes.

Most of us teach our kids to walk away, shouldn't we lead by example?

 

[Wolfman88]

I park at least 1/2 mile from wher I enter the woods and I dont marke my trails and I go deeper than the weekend warriors are willing to go.

 

[brokenblade]

Unfortunately i have before been on the other end of this. Last year my dad and i went in the predawn hours on private land with my climber to set up. Problem is i was only about 14 feet up and didn't see another hunter about 30 yards away 25 feet up in his tree until about 9:00. I climbed down feeling like a total jerk but we relocated and all was well.