Just got back from 9 days on the Oregon Coast. Couple close calls, but no dice, yet...
Ran into a situation about 6 am friday morning. Having scouted a particular clearcut earlier in the week I got up early and drove into the unit and arrived around 5:30. Waited for shooting light to appear and started down the road. Standing atop the clearcut glassing and waiting for my partner to finish his morning business, I heard a truck pull up and park behind mine about 500 yards back up the gravel road. I was standing at the intersection where the gravel logging road goes left back into the trees and a dirt cat road takes off down the unit, along the tree line to a landing below.
I heard foot steps and looked up expecting my partner and was greeted with a brief hello by a hunter as he walked right past me and started down the cat road. I quickly got the guys attention and let him know I was hunting that unit. He told me he was too and that he had been hunting there all week. I told him I understood but we had gotten up early and been there first. I told him it was a tough break and that we had dibs on the unit today. He then tried to tell me he had guys coming from the bottom, which happens to be private farmland might I add. Again I told him I understand, but they will have to adjust their plans. He responded with its public land and I agreed that it was, but that it was good hunting ethics if another hunter is in there first, you got to move on. Feeling half way bad for the guy, I told him we'd be willing to let them come along, so he started down the road again. I stopped him once again and told the guy he was welcome to join, but we were heading down first. He disgruntling responded with a "go ahead then." So I started down and as I past in front of him, he calls me a prick. I quickly turn, looked him dead in the eye and ask why I was a prick. Surely he wouldn't follow other hunters right after the worked a tree line. Why would I?
Off I went and come to find out, he had some choice words for my buddy as he past by too. The road ended up being maybe a mile in length. During the hunt I felt bad, like I had been to direct and could've done more to work with the guy. But I feel that I was spot on after thinking about it and that it is a rule of common knowledge in hunting ethics to not impede on anthers hunt. Am I wrong?
Ran into a situation about 6 am friday morning. Having scouted a particular clearcut earlier in the week I got up early and drove into the unit and arrived around 5:30. Waited for shooting light to appear and started down the road. Standing atop the clearcut glassing and waiting for my partner to finish his morning business, I heard a truck pull up and park behind mine about 500 yards back up the gravel road. I was standing at the intersection where the gravel logging road goes left back into the trees and a dirt cat road takes off down the unit, along the tree line to a landing below.
I heard foot steps and looked up expecting my partner and was greeted with a brief hello by a hunter as he walked right past me and started down the cat road. I quickly got the guys attention and let him know I was hunting that unit. He told me he was too and that he had been hunting there all week. I told him I understood but we had gotten up early and been there first. I told him it was a tough break and that we had dibs on the unit today. He then tried to tell me he had guys coming from the bottom, which happens to be private farmland might I add. Again I told him I understand, but they will have to adjust their plans. He responded with its public land and I agreed that it was, but that it was good hunting ethics if another hunter is in there first, you got to move on. Feeling half way bad for the guy, I told him we'd be willing to let them come along, so he started down the road again. I stopped him once again and told the guy he was welcome to join, but we were heading down first. He disgruntling responded with a "go ahead then." So I started down and as I past in front of him, he calls me a prick. I quickly turn, looked him dead in the eye and ask why I was a prick. Surely he wouldn't follow other hunters right after the worked a tree line. Why would I?
Off I went and come to find out, he had some choice words for my buddy as he past by too. The road ended up being maybe a mile in length. During the hunt I felt bad, like I had been to direct and could've done more to work with the guy. But I feel that I was spot on after thinking about it and that it is a rule of common knowledge in hunting ethics to not impede on anthers hunt. Am I wrong?