Hunting near outfitters???

[Jethro6x6]

View attachment 441222
Single Wall tent

ah-ha,,,, thats better,,, progress,, ty

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

Ok talk to me, I've been wondering something for a for a while and I'm sure someone has the answer. Is there a site I can jump on that shows me where outfitters have their USFS concessions in Colorado? I'm sure that information is somewhere, right? If not I'd guess talking to a forest service representative might be able to able to answer that? I try to be respectful of other people's space or outfitters in general, but saw this thread and thought I'd ask.

I've not been able to find specific coordinates for each outfitter camp but if you go to the USFS Ranger District web site you should be able to see who has the concession for a particular drainage and what activities they're permitted to do.

For example:

San Juan National Forest - Event/Commercial Permits

San Juan National Forest - Event/Commercial Permits

www.fs.usda.gov

 

[SoloWilderness]

I try and give them a wide berth. I've met some nice guys wrangling the horses, or cooking, who usually say "Holy S%^*!! You hiked back in here??" Those guys can be pretty friendly. I've had issues with guides being disrespectful of our space though. We were set up on a canyon (which we have hunted for years, from the same camp), quite obviously glassing it and prepping to go down on opening morning (multiple spotters on tripods, tents carefully tucked back out of wind and sight over the ridge), and had guides ride right up the day before, ask if we were hunting the basin, to which we said yes, planning on getting into this herd we are glassing.

Come 4 am on the opener, they ride right through our camp as we are eating breakfast (without a word, as you could tell they had decided to get into the canyon before us, to beat us to the elk), drop into our basin, ride right into and blow out the herd we were glassing (which you could see quite plainly from where we were set up the day before), so they could get to the next ridge over, to find a $10k bull they spotted the day before from their plane. Guys did this a couple years back, pushed all the elk further back into the canyons (you can't ride horses in without getting spotted the way it's set up, you have to enter quietly in the timber on foot to not blow out the basin, they knew damn well they were ruining our opening morning hunt). Client shot a nice 6x6 (2 guides, 1 hunter) but you could tell he felt like a dick riding back by us as we humped another couple miles in to find new elk, instead of killing one of the herd we had glassed up for the opener.

Understandably, this was public land, and I'm sure they had been keeping tabs on that bull for the client, but it was still an asshole move. My buddy actually complained to the DOW about it and the outfitter got sanctioned for it, as apparently they had a pattern of similar behavior (how dare these DIY guys try and hunt in our area??!!). So, yah, if I see outfitters I won't camp within a mile or two at the least, 500 yards would be way too close to me. This is also on a ridge that often holds 5-6 longstanding locals camps, that are mindful and respectful of each other, and give each other wide berths, even though we camp within a 1/4 mile or so of each other.

 

[Seamaster]

Not all camps are occupied. I know fellows that go into an area early before season and set up unused tent camps just for the purpose of keeping someone else from camping nearby. I knew one outfitter that would leave a few stock trailers at a trailhead to make it look like there were a large number of hunters in the area, when it was really just him and his clients. Those tricky tactics do work, and make some of the other guys look elsewhere for a place to hunt.
If it is indeed an occupied outfitter camp I would think that at least 1/4 mile upstream, and hopefully out of sight, would be about right for a DIY camp.

 

[Indian Summer]

You use the term “outfitter tents” as if every wall tent is used by an outfitter. Not the case at all. Many of us have camps that you might think is used by outfitters. This is our typical base camp. Usually only 2 guys hunting from it.

 

[SoloWilderness]

You use the term “outfitter tents” as if every wall tent is used by an outfitter. Not the case at all. Many of us have camps that you might think is used by outfitters. This is our typical base camp. Usually only 2 guys hunting from it. View attachment 441722

I'm going to be looking for your green tent roof on Google Earth now. I'll figure out where you are hiding the BOAL. That's a nice set up.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I would not give any concessions to outfitters that are hunting or guiding on public… it is public. I’m not going to be mean or rude, but I’m also not going to move or change my plans for them. They make a lot of money off of a public resource, and pay very little in comparison. I’ve encountered a couple and one was nice, one acted like he owned the mountain. I know of an outfitter near where I’ll be hunting this year, I’m going to do my thing and hope to never see him, but if I do it will be like when I encounter any other hunter on public. I will be courteous and polite and then keep hunting

 

[GotDraw?]

Two ways of thinking about this:

1. Camp far apart to be "polite"-- all this does is screw up more hunting area by spooking game with more base camps spread out over a larger area.
2. Camp near each other and get over it-- this concentrates the camp impact to one area and has less impact on game in the larger hunting area.

Pick your poison.
JL