Ethics regarding spot "sleuthing" - what's your take?

[JeffRaines]

Surely we've all been there at some point in time...

You're watching YouTube, looking at social media, or looking at websites and you discover you know right where these folks are hunting.

Would you feel okay using that information to your advantage(i.e personally hunting the area)? or would you not feel right about it?

I feel like its a double edged sword - on one hand its not like anyone leaked it to you, for all intents and purposes you found it on your own accord... but obviously, you weren't meant to find it.

Whats your take?

 

[GSPHUNTER]

If they had any concerns they would't be stupid enough to make post with identifiable land marks but if they did, I wouldn't hunt the area unless they also posted pictures/videos of game, then game on. Their bad.

 

[Wetwork]

In my trophy duck hunting day's, I would use birdwatchers to target exotics. Exotics were the birds that had flew over from Asia to the West Coast during duck season.

 

[JeffRaines]

If they had any concerns they would't be stupid enough to make post with identifiable land marks but if they did, I wouldn't hunt the area unless they also posted pictures/videos of game, then game on. Their bad.

I thought about this after watching a video on YouTube - the people in question went way out of the way to completely blur the trailhead but then in the middle of the video there's a pretty damning landscape shot that completely gives away the location to anyone with google earth and 2 minutes of time... much less time if you've actually been to said location.

 

[swampthing]

If people post it I will use it. I call it internet scouting

 

[BRTreedogs]

It's not for me. I don't feel as accomplished and I figure lots other people have found it to. So I feel bad for the people that been in there for years who's spot is now ruined.

But now I look for elevation, feed, and habitat clues and use those to find my own spots.

 

[JeffRaines]

It's not for me. I don't feel as accomplished and I figure lots other people have found it to. So I feel bad for the people that been in there for years who's spot is now ruined.

But now I look for elevation, feed, and habitat clues and use those to find my own spots.

This is where I’m at with it - I could be the guy who’s up there next year hunting it, but I find it’s good to look at and compare my own found spots to and to compare for future spots.

I don’t carry the same feelings for hikers who post trip reports involving animals - if I’m wondering about a spot or area close to a trail I’ve been known to look up trip reports and read and see if there’s been any animal sightings to decide if it’s worth my time to go into an area.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I have been fishing off the cost of Cal. When we are near one of the islands and we always make sure any pictures we plan on posting online do not have islands in back ground.

 

[JeffRaines]

I have been fishing off the cost of Cal. When we are near one of the islands and we always make sure any pictures we plan on posting online do not have islands in back ground.

That’s smart

 

[Bighorse]

I'll bite....No!
I like hunting, as in, I like the chess match. I'll spend years, figuring out a location. I'll get to know a location and know it well and realize it's not necessarily the location that produces results but your understanding of the details associated with said location that yield game. The devil is in the details and you won't learn without time and effort. Once you understand this....You'll embark on your own journey and learn a location that you know is unique. Be bold and embark into the unknow. Hunt gentlemen! Be honorable about our pursuit. You and the game deserve respect.

 

[JeffRaines]

I'll bite....No!
I like hunting, as in, I like the chess match. I'll spend years, figuring out a location. I'll get to know a location and know it well and realize it's not necessarily the location that produces results but your understanding of the details associated with said location that yield game. The devil is in the details and you won't learn without time and effort. Once you understand this....You'll embark on your own journey and learn a location that you know is unique. Be bold and embark into the unknow. Hunt gentlemen! Be honorable about our pursuit. You and the game deserve respect.

I’ve been saying this for awhile too -

people who ask for handout spots who have no idea what they’re doing aren’t gonna magically become good hunters. If you don’t know how to hunt said animal in the first place it doesn’t matter how good of a spot you’ve got - odds are you’ll end up pushing the animals out and you’re right back to square one!

 

[Button]

There’s a few fishing spots on the beach I ensure landmarks are not in the photos. I don’t post pictures but my wife sometimes does. Over a decade ago we posted some fishing pictures with a landmark. Ever since that we saw more people. Can’t definitely say the pictures did it but certainly didn’t help.

 

[Bighorse]

There's some goats here........Best of luck to the man who places his boots there. I mean it!

I should elaborate.....It took me three days to build a trail up the valley. Two years monitoring this herd. One day to stage equipment. Three days of backpacking to get there. Three days of heavy packing to extract. Social media and youtube be damned. Boot leather and sweat baby! Those peaks in the background, I carried this goat across those high elevation snow fields.

 

[JeffRaines]

There's some goats here........Best of luck to the man who places his boots there. I mean it!

I should elaborate.....It took me three days to build a trail up the valley. Two years monitoring this herd. One day to stage equipment. Three days of backpacking to get there. Three days of heavy packing to extract. Social media and youtube be damned. Boot leather and sweat baby! Those peaks in the background, I carried this goat across those high elevation snow fields.

What an awesome place!

 

[Jbehredt]

I’d hunt it. Have found some great fishing holes in other people’s pictures.

 

[orionsbrother]

If I’m recognizing somewhere, I’ve been there. I might look at the picture and be a bit deflated that someone else is posting that area.

I am not looking at someone’s pics and then trying to “Sherlock” or sleuth the actual location.

I am not following anyone around and noting where they are parking their truck or setting up camp.

 

[roadrunner]

Surely we've all been there at some point in time...

You're watching YouTube, looking at social media, or looking at websites and you discover you know right where these folks are hunting.

Would you feel okay using that information to your advantage(i.e personally hunting the area)? or would you not feel right about it?

I feel like its a double edged sword - on one hand its not like anyone leaked it to you, for all intents and purposes you found it on your own accord... but obviously, you weren't meant to find it.

Whats your take?

Would you never put in for a particular unit because someone else hunted it?

Same thing...

 

[Jstumbaugh]

Is that like going with a guide? I mean the slut part. Asking for a friend……

 

[WhatToHunt]

Is that like going with a guide? I mean the slut part. Asking for a friend……

Well that's more like a hooker because of the whole payment part, right?

 

[Billy Goat]

I ain't too bright, if I can figure the spot out, I assume a good several thousand others can too.


I don't like company so I wouldn't bother.


Of course I'd need to be watching hunting shows for any of it to matter.

Guess none of it applies.