Public land, admit it, what do you do with....

First, logging guys are performing a job that REQUIRES the use of said tape. And yes, we do need to "police" our woods, as law enforcement/DCNR can't be everywhere! Let's be realistic. How about if people didn't turn in poachers? The above sounds like you're condoning the use of this litter, and yes, it is litter. The real bottom line is, if you can't/ won't go by the RULES (no excuses) don't go at all.

 

Yep, they're marking boundries and thier job depends on it. If I see the tape up after they are done logging, I pull it......just not if they are still using it.

I'll also add that I believe that loggers, surveryors and the like should be required to remove the flagging tape when it has outlived its purpose.

 

Talking with some of the loggers around here. Most of the "woodlots" are marked by GPS. The surveyor goes in and marks it. The cutting operator has a GPS on his machine. Flaggin tape is fewer and fewer nowadays for the logging industry here.
Myself, I take the tape down, most of it is a year old or better.
Reese

 

Hit the nail on the head. Not everyone who enjoy's hunting has the time to live in the woods year round. Like my old man, he has hunted Forbes St. Forest for damn near 50 years. Does he know that forest like the back of his hand? NO. It is thick with laurel, and he only hunts on weekends. He usually takes a day or two off work a year to go and that's it. He worked a full time job and raised a family, and was involved in church and other clubs and organizations around town. Not a lot of time to spend in the woods. But he loves to hunt. And maybe it's different in your woods, but around here you would mark an entrance from the road, then another mark aways back showing the general direction you want to go. It's not like there is a 2' long ribbon every 15 yards.

 

Those still exist? LMAO.

 

The voice of reason:D

 

I could not fathom taking someone tape or trail markers out in the public land woods.

 

I agree with Tee Jay on this one. The markings could be there for a reason and not just by someone too lazy to take them down. If they look worn or old I'll pick them up but you just never know.

I work for an archaeology company and one time when we went to do a job, the surveyors apparently ran out of stakes so they started flagging the route of a pipeline with flagging tape. Halfway through the project the tape just ran out. After arguing with the surveyors for not doing their job (oops) we found out that a construction worker from another pipeline in the area had picked them up thinking a hunter had left them. So, next time you're picking up flagging tape you may just be causing an archaeologist to wander aimlessly and waste an afternoon. Like I said, you just never know

Otherwise, if your putting the stuff out, take it down. It's pretty simple. If you're motivated enough to get off the couch and go hunting, you shouldn't be that lazy that you can 't clean up after yourself.

 

Well I dont see ribbons or tacks where I hunt now unless I tack a tree for my son. BUT im thinking ill see some of it to as im going to be scouring some public land to, something I never do!

 

I don't think it's illegal to put up flagging on the public ground near here. It's illegal to cut trees and take antlers (which people do all the time). It's also illegal to interfere with a hunter attempting to take game...so it may be illegal to pull down tacks and flagging. ??? Like I said, I don't mess with it.
There are already too many people wandering around out there lost or confused. I don't want to add to it. I once had a guy walk past me (20-30 yards) three times in the last hour of hunting time in the middle of November. It was all I could do to not shoot him and toss his carcass down into the ravine the third time he came by me. (K was hunting a couple hundred yards away and this same guy walked right up to K and tried to have a conversation)

 

I think that would be prohibitivly expensive. And as evidence for lines and corners, it still serves as legal evidence as to the property line, even when it's crumbling off the tree. I would be a big supporter of a biodegradable sort of flagging however. Perhaps in 3mo/1yr/5yr varieties.

 

To be honest, I've never come across any markers...the area where I usually hunt in pretty secluded and unless you know the area, you'll get lost to the point where it could be life threatening.

 

First of all, loggers can take it with them or use a gps also. Second, if you think that you are the police or that you are in a position to take action, maybe we can get you a police light and a ticket book and you can pull people over for speeding too! It is not you responsibility to remove another hunters markers, just like it is not you job to write speeding tickets. Maybe the person that put the flagging or brite-eyes out is planning on removing them after their hunt. The weekend, the week or even the month??

The fact is, those that pull down another hunters flagging do so to either prevent somone else from easily getting to a spot that they want to hunt or to just plain be a jerk. And they are doing so using the excuse of picking up litter?? I call BS. I do believe that most guys here would pick up "true" litter. I believe that, but after reading many of the posts here the true motives of removing any form of trail marking are not easily hidden.

 

Now, that...made me laugh. I needed that. Thanks

 

Well, I do it to be a jerk because I hunt farther back than 50-100 yds from the parking area, which is where I find the majority of this stuff, so its not in a spot I want to hunt.

 

Now, that is honest. No sense sugar coating it.

 

"Well, I do it to be a jerk " Really??? WOW thats a really bold statement there bruce. I hunt very little public land but I sure would not want to share it with someone who is intentionally being a jerk. When Im hunting public land I enjoy talking to the ohter hunters and seeing how their hunts are going, but I like being friendly and enjoying the outdoors. I have never used the tape in question, nor have I taken any down.....but also I have never been a "jerk" to another hunter either. Im in the woods for my own enjoyment and to set a good example for other ethical hunters....I hope you are too.

 

Where this is legal and a comon practice I sure hope nobody is messing with fellow hunters. Especially my kids or wife. Well I have spoke my feelings on this, i'm done.

 

I try to set an example for other hunters by cleaning up the many messes they leave behind. You know, "leave the woods as you found it" kind of thing. Imagine what the forest would look like if every hunter used flagging tape. If it's OK for a few it should be OK for all. even if they took it down at the end of their season, during the season it would look like a garbage dump. Most times, at the end of a tape trail I find empty gatorade bottles, beef jerky wrappers, empty sandwich bags and more. Usually pick that up too when scouting.

Yeah, I'll continue to be a jerk by cleaning up the woods.

 

Bruce, The empty soda cans, candy bar wrappers, etc. is what really upsets me. IMHO anyone that is leaving trash behind is giving All hunters a black eye.

Dan