Last year I helped out another archery hunter. He was having trouble getting shots at elk. He stopped by my camp and asked if I could help him the next day since his partners had to go back and work. I somewhat knew this kid since he is from the same town. I accepted his offer since it would be easier to pack out an elk if we got one. Saturday he came to my work and asked if I was camping in the same spot this year. I told him I planned on it but wouldn't be able to get up there to set up til next weekend since work was super busy. He then told me he set up camp there already. He really liked the spot when he saw it last year and decided to set up his camper and tent there. I didn't know what to say. I told him that it was fine (it is on public land, first come first serve) go ahead and camp. I couldn't help but feel a little betrayed after thinking about it for a while. I can only imagine that he will be heading to the same two spots I showed him while we were hunting. At least I didn't show him my really good spots. I have a couple other spots to camp but kinda feel like it is too much into the elk. I will brush this off. What has everyone else done in this situation? I'm sure I am not the first this has happened to. At least he told me before I drove into that area and set up my camp. Any suggestions on what to do besides not helping him out in the future?
Helping out other hunters???
- Thread starter birdhunter
- Start date
that's a damn shame. my brother does that same crap. had to stop sharing areas with him because he moves all his buddies in. some people just aren't geared with common sense. if he is able to drive up a camper he is no kid and he's big enough to know better. he will notice you don't show up and he will ask about it, be honest with him.
Wow that is a shame. I have to agree some folks just don't get it. I've had a area ruined by saying to much to the wrong person. What I've learned is this. I like to get to know someone a bit before discussing areas. I never give out MY own honey hole to anyone that I haven't personally hunted with and trust that person to not tell anyone. I still will
Be hesitant on going to my exact spot with anyone. What I usually do is give folks spots that I know will hold animals but aren't where I hunt anymore that way if they screw it up it doesn't affect my hunting.
Sorry but your the better person by letting it slide. I don't think I could with out a few words first.
Be hesitant on going to my exact spot with anyone. What I usually do is give folks spots that I know will hold animals but aren't where I hunt anymore that way if they screw it up it doesn't affect my hunting.
Sorry but your the better person by letting it slide. I don't think I could with out a few words first.
Topgun 30-06
Banned
My buddy out in Wyoming and I are the same way about our spots. The only way anyone gets invited to hunt with us is by almost taking a blood oath BEFORE we agree to take them with us. So far we have only had one guy that was a jerk. He worked for the company my buddie's Dad owned up here in MI. He hunted with them for a few years before I even met them and all of a sudden a few years ago he told them he wasn't going with them any more. Then we found him with a couple other people we had never met right where we hunt. Then in 2012 he had five people with him and we didn't even get close to him we were so mad. Last year he didn't show up and I hope it goes that way this coming season. I remember back in the early 50s when I was just starting school and could only hunt with Dad on a few weekends. Once he took a guy that worked with him to his duck honeyhole and they limited out with five mallards a piece. The following weekend he took me and right in our spot was the guy with three of his friends that Dad didn't even know. I don't remember my Dad ever taking anyone else but me to any of his hunting spots after that.
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jjenness
Very Active Member
Ahhhh how damn frustrating! Same thing has happened to me a couple times, I gotta stop being the nice guy too.
Bonecollector
Veteran member
Work2hunt
Veteran member
Hilltop
Veteran member
It can be hard but being honest with him to me is the best approach. Sometimes we have to be hit over the head with the obvious before we understand some things in life. I would take the time to explain how you feel to this kid and hope he understands. At least your words will have a chance at helping him in the future. I was lucky and had an experienced hunter teach me the basics when I was young.
mrcowboy
Member
I agree with you, ivorytip. Half the fun is finding and exploring new territory. Spent six weekends this summer backpacking with the spouse in a unit that we didn't even draw for this year but we'll draw some day again in the unit. We found lots a neat nooks and crannies. Yeah, the game will move around but we know the terrain very well for the future.
Never in Doubt
Active Member
- Jul 9, 2012
- 304
- 0
You should tell him you're not happy with him taking your spot, just because you helped him out before doesn't give him the right to take the place over.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Sorry, but I guard this information like it was my secret money stash!!
Reminds me of when I was commercial fishing. I did it part time as a way to pay for and write off a boat many years ago. No GPS then and when you found a spot that always had fish on it, you never told anyone. You watched and made sure no one was around when you fished it and guarded it's location and never talked about it. I had several spots for deep water rock fish that would produce at least $500 bucks worth of fish every time it hit it. Needless to say I kept it to myself.
Reminds me of when I was commercial fishing. I did it part time as a way to pay for and write off a boat many years ago. No GPS then and when you found a spot that always had fish on it, you never told anyone. You watched and made sure no one was around when you fished it and guarded it's location and never talked about it. I had several spots for deep water rock fish that would produce at least $500 bucks worth of fish every time it hit it. Needless to say I kept it to myself.
Topgun 30-06
Banned
I just reread the OP and this may be a little different than what we have been talking about. Last year it sounds like the guy was already hunting the area the OP was in when he stopped by camp and asked for help, which was given. This year he stopped by to tell the OP he had already set up camp where the OP was last year. Maybe he was just trying to be nice and let the OP know that so there was time for him to decide whether to go to another spot or maybe even ask if he wanted to hunt together. That's the whole problem with hunting public land since it's sort of a first come first served deal, even though we all hope everyone is ethical and uses a little common sense about it's use. There are plenty of people out there that have no idea how to coexist with others. In this instance I may have at least told the guy that I was planning on that area and to expect to see my camp set up pretty close to his. The only other way would have been a confrontation asking him why he did that and maybe offer some free advice on how to work with others when this kind of stuff comes up. Heck, maybe in his way that's what he was trying to do and it just didn't come out right.
brushcreek
Active Member
It is very possible the new hunter does not know he did anything wrong. I would take the time to explain it to him. If he's a good honest hunter, he won't do it again.
okielite
Banned
^^^^ yes.
Always be up front about stuff like this . When you take someone be clear that you don't want them coming back with other people to hunt this area. If you are clear about this I think you will have less issues moving forward. When you are not clear about your expectations and the other person' doesn't' exactly understand how it works a misunderstanding is likely to occur and feelings hurt.
Always be up front about stuff like this . When you take someone be clear that you don't want them coming back with other people to hunt this area. If you are clear about this I think you will have less issues moving forward. When you are not clear about your expectations and the other person' doesn't' exactly understand how it works a misunderstanding is likely to occur and feelings hurt.
The day I went out hunting with him was the first and last day. Found out quickly he was one of "those" types of hunters. Said he had permission to hunt of private land. He did for a wolf that was there but not for elk. I knew this information before I went up hunting. Didn't know he was hunting elk on the piece of private land. I stayed on FS land and he couldn't believe I wouldn't go onto private when he said he had permission. I gave him a suggestion to change pitch a couple times during his bugling. He would start off low and not change it, kinda sounded like a wolf. The elk just ran the other way. He got mad and told me I was doing it wrong. I just went with that instead of making him upset. He drew a bull tag this year and I drew 2 cow tags. He figured he had the bull tags so he got preference of camping spot over me. I already found a new camping spot, a little closer to a ridge of elk he doesn't know about.
Topgun 30-06
Banned
Well why didn't you just say the guy was a jackass, LOL! I'd be polite and not get into a big tussle if you run into him again, but I'd let him know he's not too ethical. Not that it will matter to him though if he has his head up his butt as far as it sounds like he does!