Public land hunting etiquette question.

[Speedgoat]

Ok, so here is my delima (pet peev if you will) and my question. If you hunt public land is it ok to set up within sight of another hunter's setup if he was there first? When I set my stuff up I always do a 100 yard circle to make sure that I am nowhere close to another hunter. Some yahoos have no respect for others where this issue is concerned. I have seen hunters walk right in on top of others who are in their stands before light long after the sun has come up. I know some folks hunt differently, but from my personal experience, you should never venture anywhere near another hunter's setup out of respect for them and their area. Currently on my spot a Lake Georgetown I know where ten feeders are and they are all within a stones throw of one another. The park regs say that a set is not supposed to be within 100 yards of a trail and that stands and feeders are to be marked with name, telephone number, and Park License number. Some are not in compliance with the regulation. What do I do when I find stuff like that? I do not wish to turn folks in, but some of them are outright defiant and disrespectful. They obviously have not read the regulations. I left a note on a guys feeder last year that hung a set not 40 yards from my stand. He and I finally made contact and squared it away, but if he was observant it would never have come to that. Oh well, I love hunting the Lake and for the most part like the people. I just do not like some of their ways.

[Shaun]

If I'm sitting in a stand hunting an someone comes up that close and sets up, I wouldn't be interested in hunting at that spot. If I'm searching for a place to put my stand up and hunt and come up on another hunter. I will go somewhere else.

[bowhuntntxn]

I usually look for Shaun's set ups, and hunt from the ground under them. After of course I have thoroughly hand corned the area!!

[Buckrunner]

Ok, so here is my delima (pet peev if you will) and my question. If you hunt public land is it ok to set up within sight of another hunter's setup if he was there first? When I set my stuff up I always do a 100 yard circle to make sure that I am nowhere close to another hunter. Some yahoos have no respect for others where this issue is concerned. I have seen hunters walk right in on top of others who are in their stands before light long after the sun has come up. I know some folks hunt differently, but from my personal experience, you should never venture anywhere near another hunter's setup out of respect for them and their area. Currently on my spot a Lake Georgetown I know where ten feeders are and they are all within a stones throw of one another. The park regs say that a set is not supposed to be within 100 yards of a trail and that stands and feeders are to be marked with name, telephone number, and Park License number. Some are not in compliance with the regulation. What do I do when I find stuff like that? I do not wish to turn folks in, but some of them are outright defiant and disrespectful. They obviously have not read the regulations. I left a note on a guys feeder last year that hung a set not 40 yards from my stand. He and I finally made contact and squared it away, but if he was observant it would never have come to that. Oh well, I love hunting the Lake and for the most part like the people. I just do not like some of their ways.

It's just my stuff brother! I can't shoot straight anyway!

[Shaun]

Oh...That reminds me...I need to go help Bowhunttxn tune his bow before the opener .
Hi Glenn!

[strangmusic18]

If I'm sitting in a stand hunting an someone comes up that close and sets up, I wouldn't be interested in hunting at that spot. If I'm searching for a place to put my stand up and hunt and come up on another hunter. I will go somewhere else.

Exactly my thoughts. Not to hijack but I also have a question. I am hunting my lease opening weekend and public land the next week and a half. If I put up a stand tomorrow, and someone is near me when I get there on Monday, should he have to move or should I have to move? If he hunted there on the weekend but my stand was up first what is the call? Again sorry to hijack but it's on the same topic.

[Speedgoat]

Exactly my thoughts. Not to hijack but I also have a question. I am hunting my lease opening weekend and public land the next week and a half. If I put up a stand tomorrow, and someone is near me when I get there on Monday, should he have to move or should I have to move? If he hunted there on the weekend but my stand was up first what is the call? Again sorry to hijack but it's on the same topic.

I would say that first come is first serve.

[strangmusic18]

I would say that first come is first serve.

But first to hang the stand or first to hunt the area? I am willing to move if need be so I guess it is a mute point but I was just wondering...

[TxArcheo]

that's public land hunting and therein lies the problem - "your" spot is everyones else's spot too.....

common courtesy should be the rule but as you've experienced, that's typically not the case.....

[bboswell]

Never seen anything to make me think that the words public land and etiquette could be used in the same sentence.....sad but true

[BTLowry]

Exactly my thoughts. Not to hijack but I also have a question. I am hunting my lease opening weekend and public land the next week and a half. If I put up a stand tomorrow, and someone is near me when I get there on Monday, should he have to move or should I have to move? If he hunted there on the weekend but my stand was up first what is the call? Again sorry to hijack but it's on the same topic.

I say if you get to the stand and he/she is there then you have to go to plan B. I do not believe in anyone "claiming" a spot on public land. Now if you get in the stand first then he should have to go somewhere else.

Not sure about the public land you hunt but on the APH I blieve there is a rule about how long you can leave a stand up on th area (72hrs I think)

As far as the feeders not in compliance, take a GPS reading and report to the manager/ranger. If you will break one rule by not following guidelines, what else will you do?

[bowhuntntxn]

If you hang your stand that early and it is still in the tree when you get there then you should consider yourself very lucky. Also, most places have a 48 or 72 hour rule for leaving a stand in the woods. Might want to look into that before it gets jerked by either the feds or the WMA managers.

[BigL]

I was hunting in hunt area 5 at Amistad and saw some Mouflon on a hill side and decided that I was going to stalk up in range. Over 1 hour stalk a lot of low crawling on my stomach to get there. Got behind some brush and gathered myself, nocked an arrow, got ready to raise up for my 35 yard shot. At that time an arrow hit the ground in front of the ram. I looked back and this guy is about 50 yards behind me and starts running past me. As he runs by, he says stay there i'll chase them back. He was lucky my fat butt couldn't run him down. He saw me get in position and took a desperation shot. I don't know where he came from, if he was there before me, etc.

If I would have been in his spot watching them and saw someone slip into position like that, I would have watched and then congradulated him and helped him find it. A stalk like that on public land is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity.

[DeadeyeDeb]

Sad to see that the every day lack of respect people have for each other is permeating the hunting world. Guess these same people live in both worlds.

[dangerous dan]

Call me a nark but when I find illegal items such as perminent stands or blinds and baiting where it isn't allowed I turn it in. If I see them commiting an illegal act I tell them the rules in a respectful manner. Hunting public land is a privlage when people abuse this privlage and don't follow the rules it can go away.