Pet Peeve of mine...

[TagEater]

Laws Unenforced Aren't Laws At All

Also, it seems to be a single way that locals have any benefit over NRs

 

[goathunter]

Laws Unenforced Aren't Laws At All

Also, it seems to be a single way that locals have any benefit over NRs

I don't think so I have seen plenty of out of state hunters with season long camps.

I see both points of view from reading this thread.

I try to be considerate of others so I, like the OP, get a little annoyed when people aren't.

One time though I had someone leave a nasty note on my truck about how I parked on public land when I had to park that way due to how other cars had parked, that left before whoever left the note got there. What if my tires were slashed, you don't always know the whole story is my point.

That post about setting up a fake "decoy" camp is pretty damn funny though

 

[svivian]

Just set mine up tonight for this weekend and rest of archery

 

[Indian Summer]

Ready for October rifle season!

 

[Laramie]

We should live by “leave no trace”. I’m referring to people that stash tents/sleeping bags/water cans/etc in the woods for weeks or even the season. This is garbage that needs to be removed. Public lands are not to be abused by selfish people, or karma will get them if certain people are around. By all means I prefer LE handle it first but like we all know the are far too understaffed and not utilized enough in most situations.

How is "stashing" a water can or a tent or other camping supplies "abuse" or "selfish"? The OP was discussing camps left in one spot too long and you take it to ATVs, Ebikes, stashing water or tents, or whatever else may seem to bug you about others hunting your public land. Leave no trace is a great concept that I embrace. I however believe your interpretation of that, and many laws, are over the top and unnecessary. As far as karma goes, you will get a big dose of it if you are caught messing with another mans stuff. Feel free to call the area warden or ranger. If there is a violation, they will handle it.

 

[goathunter]

How is "stashing" a water can or a tent or other camping supplies "abuse" or "selfish"? The OP was discussing camps left in one spot too long and you take it to ATVs, Ebikes, stashing water or tents, or whatever else may seem to bug you about others hunting your public land. Leave no trace is a great concept that I embrace. I however believe your interpretation of that, and many laws, are over the top and unnecessary. As far as karma goes, you will get a big dose of it if you are caught messing with another mans stuff. Feel free to call the area warden or ranger. If there is a violation, they will handle it.

Say it was the only prime campsite in a whole drainage you planned to hunt. It's a little awkward to camp there when someone has taken "ownership" of it but making "their" camp permanent. Maybe you camp there, they show up and are cool about having to remove everything, but that's doubtful. Now I'm talking about people that leave their camp stashed months or for the next year.

As far as karma goes you will get a big dose of it if you show up and your stashed camp is gone. I won't be too empathetic

 

[Indian Summer]

I am all about the Leave no Trace policy. But they could easily change that to Have Respect. Stashing some propane bottles or a small woodstove or other items where they can’t be seen is totally different than granola bar wrappers, plastic of any kind, or toilet paper everywhere. Fine tooth comb your camp site and fill in your hole before you leave and you’re good in my book.

Touching another person’s gear is unacceptable no matter what. You’ll go from being the one who calls law enforcement to the guy they are looking for. And realistically you could get hurt. Not wise at all.

 

[cnelk]

There’s a trail cam watching my camp when I’m not there. More like watching the way in/out so I’ll see your vehicle.

 

[Laramie]

Say it was the only prime campsite in a whole drainage you planned to hunt. It's a little awkward to camp there when someone has taken "ownership" of it but making "their" camp permanent. Maybe you camp there, they show up and are cool about having to remove everything, but that's doubtful. Now I'm talking about people that leave their camp stashed months or for the next year.

As far as karma goes you will get a big dose of it if you show up and your stashed camp is gone. I won't be too empathetic

One campsite for a whole drainage? lol come on man. If there was only one campsite, I would no desire to hunt it with someone else so I would move on.

I would disagree completely with someone leaving camp setup year round - again that had nothing to do with the original purpose of this thread. However, If someone is setting up a remote camp and only has weekends off to pack stuff in, I see no issues with them having stuff on the mountain for a while before and after.

Lets cut to the chase fellas - some of you guys are mad that others beat you to "your" spots. Just go camp down the road and hunt.

 

[FLATHEAD]

There’s a trail cam watching my camp when I’m not there. More like watching the way in/out so I’ll see your vehicle.

Been thinking of getting some cams just for this purpose.
Those that send pics to my phone.

 

[goathunter]

One campsite for a whole drainage? lol come on man. If there was only one campsite, I would no desire to hunt it with someone else so I would move on.

I would disagree completely with someone leaving camp setup year round - again that had nothing to do with the original purpose of this thread. However, If someone is setting up a remote camp and only has weekends off to pack stuff in, I see no issues with them having stuff on the mountain for a while before and after.

Lets cut to the chase fellas - some of you guys are mad that others beat you to "your" spots. Just go camp down the road and hunt.

We are basically in agreement and saying pretty much the same thing.

I wasn't talking car camping - although maybe its the same difference. I'm talking about horse camps I seen stashed miles in. Just trying to give the other perspective with an exaggerated example.

My whole point was - don't cry if someone packs your stuff out which you've illegally cached the year before. It may be the Forest Service that does it.

I apologize if I've gone off topic I'll quit now

 

[Pony Soldier]

I have put in a lot of horse camps that stay for the entire season. By the time I put in a toilet. Pack enough weed free hay to last that long. Build a pole enclosure to protect it. Build a trail to get to it. Develop a spring for camp and stock water and raise log walls to protect my tent during heavy snow, And split enough wood for the stoves I'm inclined to use it for an extended period of time.

At the same point, I usually find a place with weather protection, and secluded enough that if you don't know where it is - you aren't going to find it. In fact I think the boys in green only found my camp once in 40 years. There concern was it was an unlicensed outfitter camp. They had a real problem with me having a sleeping tent and a cook tent for my dad and I. I hunted out of there for ten years. I hunted out of my last camp for 15 years. I've never even seen a visitor but they would be welcome. My rent ? I cut all the trails within 10 miles.

One year we had some gents ask if they could use the site since we were moving to another drainage. When I came back in two years, I found they cut the tent logs for campfires, Left the site cluttered with trash and spread the stacked wood they didn't burn all over the area (no idea why).

After that I never found sign that they ever returned anywhere in the drainage. We left because the elk numbers had dropped off but would scout it occasionally to see if they returned.

In general I have found horse camps to be clean and orderly. However a number of backpack camps I've seen were trashy because they didn't have much invested in it and weren't coming back.

 

[goathunter]

We used to do the same as you Pony Soldier. No cook tent - isn't that called glamping? - but small wall tent camps packed in for most the season. These days much lighter. I don't even know why I chimed in, I think mostly sticking up for another poster because I see both sides. The difference is, do you stash your whole camp for next year, and would you be mad if someone was in "your" camp next year? Rhetorical question I'm sure you don't. But who cares - not trying to be a "Karen" as they say, I have bigger things to worry about. This is why I stay out of the General forum. Good luck hunting.

 

[svivian]

There’s a trail cam watching my camp when I’m not there. More like watching the way in/out so I’ll see your vehicle.

Youre going to catch a glimpse of my buttcheeks as im driving away with your BOAL

 

[Pony Soldier]

Goathunter : you are correct. All I have ever left in camp when I left was a coffee can with matches and a can of coleman fuel in case someone has an emergency. Sometimes we left the stovepipe hanging in a tree and of course our split wood. Other than splitting- that's where it came from.

I guess a key issue is availability of camp sites. There is an endless amount around us. Horse people prefer to develop their own and at 5 miles in we never even cut human tracks. Now if you can't drive to it on a quad - there is no interest.

The only conflict we ever had was when we were awakened after midnight by a quad going by. The area is closed to motorized vehicles or I wouldn't be there. We ran them down and held them for the sheriff and fs law enforcement. Really upset the whole group. Cost them $900 apiece.

Their logic was there were no elk where you can drive so as long as they drove at night it was only reasonable. I'm guessing part of my success was the fact that my partner is a sheriff, my neighbor was the head of FS law enforcement at the time. Later one of them threatened to shoot me on sight. Later when I was assisting a group of BATF people with an explosives issue I brought it up. They gave me their cards and said to call if it was ever mentioned again. Things have been peaceful ever since.

 

[WeekendWarrior89]

Insightful info, I always wondered why some camps looked abandoned.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I guess I should mention that my camps are chosen at least 2 miles from favorable elk ground. Unless you have horses, there is no competition for your camp.

 

[Gila]

It gets out of hand down here as well. Generally there aren’t that many tags handed out so no one really has a problem parking their RV. I have a tent camp that I can pull with a polar trailer behind my SxS so I can get to places RVs can’t go anyway. Last year I came across a couple of RVs that were parked right on top of some water tanks. They thought they had their own private ponds. Problem with that is in New Mexico it is illegal to park or camp within 300 yards of a water source (public land or private). F&G can impound the vehicle if not occupied. One of them was in the middle of a meadow about a half mile from any road. Down here if you leave your RV for longer than a couple of days it will most likely be in Mexico by the time you return.

 

[Gapmaster]

Had a group move in right beside us once. I’m talking 10’ literally. This was 3-4 days before end of archery. Set up a wall tent and a huge stack of wood. Nothing else. Said they’d be back for 2nd rifle. I thought it was a little rude to claim a spot 2 weeks out from a season…but we sure did enjoy all that free wood!!!

 

[KOK]

Had a group move in right beside us once. I’m talking 10’ literally. This was 3-4 days before end of archery. Set up a wall tent and a huge stack of wood. Nothing else. Said they’d be back for 2nd rifle. I thought it was a little rude to claim a spot 2 weeks out from a season…but we sure did enjoy all that free wood!!!

Not cool