horst Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Heres the basic layout.Theres a farm nobody can hunt thats leased by a guy that tagged out over a month ago.Its got a big grove, a couple acres of pine trees and tall, a creek and everything running through it, after the guy is done it becomes a sanctuary area for deer to bed in where they dont get bothered.What it doesnt have is anything for them to eat. East of the farm is about 3/4 of a mile of really nasty public hunting ground, sloughs, chest high switchgrass, waist deep snow, and a lotta bad ice covering the sloughs you have to get acrossed.Nobody ever goes into this chunk of public ground but the deer come acrossed it every night.To get where you need to be to intercept the deer you have to go through a little over 1/4 mile of this junk to find a spot to sit. Theres a highway on the east side of this public ground, and on the other side of it there is another chunk of public ground.This ones much nicer, they bail it, it has mowed paths, food plots etc...Now theres a guy hunting this, he walks back maybe 100 yrds into the property and hides behind a dyke on a dried up pond, Ive seen him there and knew he was hunting it.I left it alone and took my kid into the worse chunk across the road. We parked the car over a mile away from this guy .When we set up we are roughly 3/4 of a mile away from him on an entirely different property.We hunted it for 3 nights and never fire a shot, we watched deer go past us in the private ground where we cant hunt and head up towards this guy. The other night he shows up madder than heck, despite the fact were almost a mile away, let the deer go past us, and parked in the other side of the section so we didnt screw up his hunt he starts screaming weve set up on the trail he is hunting and are screwing up his hunting Hes actually hunting right beside a large slough, it has deer in it and I actually thought he was probably hunting those deer, why he is laying so far from the deer we were watching hoping they cross a major highway to get to him Ill never know:confused: Apparently were hunting the same trail, just 3/4 of a mile apart.My personal opinion is the guys just to lazy to walk into where we were sitting, his opinion seems to be Im deliberately setting up in front of him to shoot at deer he has been hunting.Im not sure what expectation of privacy he has hunting on public ground but I actually though I was being pretty respectfull by staying that far away, I could have set up right across the road fromhim and saved myself a nightmarish walk. So, in your opinions am I in the wrong here?Is it bad etiquette to set up as I have done?Or is this guy expecting something unrealitic where public ground is concerned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okiedog Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I personally do not think you are in the wrong. After all, it is public hunting. I have seen multiple hunters on public land that could see each other before:rolleyes:. If he feels you are "cutting" him off, he needs to go deeper than you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I don't think so at all Chris. Sounds like you were very considerate of him even though it's public ground. Heck, strictly by the law, you could sit right next to him if you wanted, and he couldn't do a thing about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QDMAworks4me Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I don't think so at all Chris. Sounds like you were very considerate of him even though it's public ground. Heck, strictly by the law, you could sit right next to him if you wanted, and he couldn't do a thing about it. I agree 100%. If he wants that much privacy than he needs to spend his own money and buy a piece of property he can control. Keep doing what you are doing and if he bothers you again, maybe it is time to call your local LEO to set him straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Public ground, think the distance you gave is more than enough Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3whunt Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 You were well within your right's. The other guy needs to get a life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Sounds like you were being extremely considerate and extremely respectful to that guy Chris. He was way out of line with what he did. Basically he was trying to intimidate you to stay out of that public area. Maybe you were on the same trail (maybe not too) but there sure is a lot of choices the deer can make to turn off that trail between the 2 of you. They aren't his deer until he puts a hole in one. Until then they belong to the state of Iowa. I would have let him know I was trying to be respectful to him by putting 3/4 of a mile between the 2 of you but from now on all bets were off. If he had done that to me I can promise you, I would have gotten the last word in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohiobucks Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I would have let him know I was trying to be respectful to him by putting 3/4 of a mile between the 2 of you but from now on all bets were off. If he had done that to me I can promise you, I would have gotten the last word in. Got to agree with Al on this one, sounds like this guy is a moron. And not the good type of morons like we have around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnf Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I would just go a little earlier and sit where he usually does. Apparently it must be a pretty good spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horst Posted January 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 The thing is I guesse I hate it when Im on public ground and people set up right beside me, I never say anything since theyre not doing anything actually illegal, but I do find it very inconsiderate and if theyre to close Ill do everything in my power to make sure nobodies getting a shot at anything that night:D Most guys are great about it around here, we all occasionaly mess each other up by walking into an area thats being hunted accidently, I know Ive done it and had it done to me as well.But were also for the most part respectfull about it, apologize and get back outta the area as quietly as possible. Thats why it really floored me this dude thought I was being rude setting up where I did.3/4 of a miles a long ways for a deer to go in a straight line, in all reality the ones I seen wouldnt have even reached him by dark, most probably turned off the trail well before hitting the highway as a matter of fact. Where he was sitting was IMO a ridiculous spot to set up, he stuck out like a sore thumb and would have had to shoot directly at the highway to get a shot off before being busted, thats why I thought he surely must have been hunting a different group of deer coming in from behind him somewhere:rolleyes: But since nobody else seems to think I was to close Im not gonna worry about it, if he wants to push the issue with only 3 days left I can guarantee hes not going to fill his tag, Ill sit close enough to hold hands with him:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CSRoth Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I too think you were being awful considerate...there is plenty enough room there for you to have not been seen as "cutting him off" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIwhitetailhunter Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 I would just go a little earlier and sit where he usually does. Apparently it must be a pretty good spot. That's just rotten! Funny though!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiteRunner Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 Public Land is just that, PUBLIC. Just as public as your local library. I think you're being nice by what you were doing. Someone could put a ground blind right under your treestand and there's nothing you could do about it. I'll never forget this one time when we were on Public ground turkey scouting. We parked in the parking lot and began to walk in. Some guy is maybe 50 yards in and says he's roosting the birds for the opener of the regular season and was very nice and polite. We came to roost some also but we chose to go deeper and listen for more. Came back out he was gone. Well next time we saw him was the first morning of Youth Turkey Season. He was in the same spot listening again. He freaked when we walked in and started hollering that we couldn't hunt there, He was going to call the Game Warden and blah blah!! We just ket walking and came ever so close to getting them birds but never did, Why? Because someone else interecepted them and shot a nice big one! I was a little ticked I admit, because them birds were hot on there way to us and then BOOM! But hey, that's public hunting for ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigalt78 Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 I think the only time you're in the wrong is when you're screwing up someone that is a friend of yours or hunting where a buddy took you and you're only suppose to go with him. If its public land or private and someone else is hunting there i say get yours and dont worry about what he thinks. I would of been a lot worse about it. Because this kind of thing happens to me all the time on private land and i get pretty tired of it. As long as i have permission where im hunting, Im playing cut throat with whoever else is there because you can guarentee one thing they're going to do the same to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskybnd Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 i think that i would have explaned how i was trying to respect him in how i was parking and that i was 3/4 of a mile away, and if he still wanted to be a butt about it i would than remind him that it is public land and that if i wanted to be a butt about it you could sit next to him and theres nothing he could do about it, or maybe we would have to take a walk from my stand to his to see where i might be hunting his trail, in 3/4 mile there could be many trails crossing one another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 Im not gonna worry about it, if he wants to push the issue with only 3 days left I can guarantee hes not going to fill his tag, Ill sit close enough to hold hands with him:) ROFLMBO:D:D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Finn Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 I'd write him off as a moron and not worry about it Remind him of the public land and his option is always open to buy 400 acres so no one is close to him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horst Posted January 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 Suppose if he bought 400 acres Id be out of line asking him if I could hunt his property:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylegz70 Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 I personally think that if it were me i would have had a few "choice" words myself to say back to him. I have ran into this kind of situation before. You might be hunting the same trail he is on however, you just chose your location better than he did. Just hope to god you dont shoot a booner that runs past him and he hits it again....LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Heck...you should come to PA and hunt rifle season if someone thinks 3/4 of a mile apart is too close...LMAO! Most deer around here won't travel that far to get to a food source...with winters cold temps....they conserve as much energy as posible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HUNTINGMAN Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 The last I knew public ment for everyone,at least you showed enough respect for your fellow hunters that should mean something to them.If they dont like it then they should not be so lazy.Dont let this discourage you from hunting a good spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYBowhunter71 Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 I agree with everyone else. You gave more than enough space. I had someone this year set up right across from me on the opposite side of the same trail. He ended up spooking a monster doe that I had seen several times, but never got a shot at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreeStandBowHunter Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Sounds like you're doing the right thing man. You're far enough away from him to give him his space. Heck, even a 1/4 mile away and you're good enough. Now if you were hunting close enough to see him, that would be a different story but your over a 1/2 mile away from him. Sounds to me like he is just blaming someone for what he couldn't do. I call it strategy, not poor etiquette;) It's always easy to blame something or someone for not being successful in life;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambo Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 I agree with everyone here you were very considerate and ethical in your setup on public land. As far as the same trail anyone who has walked a deer trail for 3/4 of a mile knows how many times it splits in other directions and intersects with other trails. Deer are very unpredictable. How many times have a deer been walking a trail to you and suddenly changed direction on to another trail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Being 3/4 of a mile away from each other, I would be very surprised if you were both hunting the same deer herd. I suppose that coincidences can occur, but that is all that would be. Personally, I would just simply recognize that he is a butt-head and continue hunting the way you want. Chances are that no matter where you were to set up the guy would still have the same complaint. Basically, he wants to have the whole darn area all to himself. Well, that's a nice thought, but that isn't the way it actually works on public land. The fact is that even on private land, you have to have one heck of a huge parcel of land to guarantee that nobody is within 3/4 of a mile of you. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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