[Apologies for the wall of text but I need to rant] On the off chance you are a member on this forum, I'd like to take a few minutes to explain why common courtesy isn't a bad thing to have. It was shaping up to be a lovely evening on this 135-acre piece of public land. The only two people that should have been hunting there were you and I (following regulations, etc.). I showed up at about 2pm and noticed you were still parked in the same spot from that morning. No problem! Good for you for being able to hunt all day. I had three stand sites picked out in the hopes that if you were in one of them, I would just move to my second or third choice. I took my time walking in, took the long way around through the corn fields as to not spook anything bedding in the thick hedgerows bordering the fields. I stopped and glassed the tree I wanted to sit in 3 times to be sure you weren't already there. "Success! I had this great spot to myself!" I thought. I setup my stand and got situated right around 3:30pm. Everyone who gets to hunt this area knows this spot - it's great. Perfect tree, good cover and a great location between two fields (one corn and one un-planted & uncut this year). I didn't see anything until about 5pm when a small doe came crashing in from the field and went right under my stand. Exciting stuff. Got to watch her for a minute. Then at about 5:45pm, the same doe came back and fed in the corn, slowly working away from me. A few minutes later I see more deer feeding in the corn and making their way towards me. One is a good sized doe that I'd like to shoot. A few minutes later two does from the field behind me go bolting across and a nice 8pt stops short of my shooting range. They're already starting to chase - great stuff! He disappears so I return my attention to the does in the corn. At about 6pm - about 30 minutes before sunset (aka primetime) I see you appear to my right in the corner of the field - about 60 yards away. I know that you see me and I know you know I can see you. You stand around there, check your phone and sit for a few minutes. Why you thought it was a good idea to just sit that close to another hunter on a field edge is beyond me at this point. But I figure if you're just going to stay there that's fine. It's a good spot after all and I can't shoot that far and the deer action is way off to my left. But here's where you go from a slight, yet understandable annoyance, to a rude/ignorant/selfish excuse for a hunter. You decide to head directly over to my stand. I was 99% sure you knew I was there but on the off chance you didn't notice me, I gave a little whistle and whispered "hey there" when you're about....say 10 yards from my stand. You reply loudly with a "SORRY BUDDY FORGOT MY HAT". Right at that time, I look up to see another 8pt buck watching your bumble around the brush. He stomps once, then turns and high-tails it back the way he came. The 8pt buck was literally feeding directly towards me and would have been within 30 yards in a matter of a minute if it hadn't been for your walking right up to me during prime time. I was without words for a few minutes. I couldn't believe you had just ruined my possible shot opportunity TO GET A FRICKING HAT AT PRIME TIME. Was the hat made of gold? Was it a gift from grandma? Could you not bear to be without it for another 30 minutes? You had already left it there for at least 4 hours and now you want to get it? Right at primetime huh? We all make mistakes but yours was an utterly stupid and selfish one. I might expect that from someone on their 2nd day hunting EVER, but I met you briefly last year on this same property. You seemed like you knew what you were doing and talking about. You seemed like a 20-year hunting veteran when we spoke briefly. I don't know what was going through your head when you made the decision to ruin my hunt. Obviously you are not that good of a hunter, or you at least lack common sense and common courtesy. Here are a few tips for public land since you obviously need them: - If you see another hunter, be courteous and give them plenty of space. Two hunters' effective ranges shouldn't cross one another - at least 100 yards to be safe. This eliminates fighting over who's deer it is to shoot. - If you know there's another hunter on the property, don't wander around at primetime. - Leave no trace - that means remember to take all your stuff - including your stupid hat. Have some common sense and common courtesy and everyone has a good time. P.S. - I hope the rest of your season sucks!
Has anybody seen the gold hat that my grandma gave me? Jk, sorry about your hunt. Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
That sucks! Some people just dont have any common sense. That reminds me of a story about 15-20 years ago. I went out to a buddy's farm and asked permission to hunt on his land and he said sure. He mentioned that another guy had hunted there in the past but he hadnt sen him in years. The only place to hunt was a small patch of woods (not much more than a treeline) that butted up to a neighboring apple orchard. I scouted things out in late August and found an old stand that seen better days so I decided to fix it up. There werent any shooting lanes so I cut some and the boards were rotted out so I replaced them. I think it was the second time I was on the stand after I had been sitting there for an hour or so I heard something to my left. I look and here is a bow hunter walking along the corn and he proceeds to walk straight up to me and tell me that I was sitting in his stand. I told him that I had permission to hunt here and that this stand wasnt even huntable until I had come in and fixed it up. He told me that I had ruined it and probably scared away anything for the season anyways. I got down and told him that he was an idiot and left. I never went back or told my buddy what happened because I didnt want him to think bad of hunters. It still makes me mad that he walked straight up to me even though he saw me. I made sure that I made plenty of noise on my way out.
I was so pissed. I knew my ability to make a good shot was gone because I got so angry. Packed up and left with light still remaining. Not going back out for a week or two. I'm so tired of investing all this time/energy/money/miles only to have a chance ruined.
That sucks! I had something similar happen to me last year (first year) My buddy and i set up in this raised blind we got in early for a afternoon hunt and.about a hour before sundown this guy who hunts the patch of woods walks up to us and tried to talk to us he seemed nice and said he would let does walk through so i would have a chance at my first deer since he only wants a big buck. I see deer walking in so i get ready then i hear him shoot and they take off. I was pissed because he had shot one of the smallest deer out there after he lied right to our face. People just dont think! And it seems like there are alot of them out there Sent from my HTC Hero S
I remember several years back I was hunting the Barbours County WMA here in Bama, big public hunting area and had some clown come up while I was in a stand during rifle season and pulled the same thing saying it was his area. Not to mention, he wasn't wearing any blaze orange which is required during rifle season...what a jackass
Wow That guy needs some flat tires! Keep hunting now you know where that deer is try to hunt him a little farther away from the morons. Good luck!
happened to me twice once last season and once this season already. it sucks but just means you get to hunt longer!
Similar thing happened to me 3 days into the season. Only 1 problem. IT WAS MY LAND. I post no hunting signs and every year they are torn down by kids on quads or hunters. I had a kid 3 yrs ago get hurt pretty bad in an atv accident on my property. Mom came over the next day saying she was going to sue me since I cut trenches across their atv paths. Not how he wrecked het hit a tree going way to fast. So I politely explained that he was tresspassing and she should be happy he #1 is alive and going to be fine and #2 that I didn't press charges.
How'd that ever turn out with the mom? When does the statute of limitations run out in Ohio? Lawyers like to drop bombs at the last moment... be warned... been there... A sure sign is when their behavior changes all of a sudden as if they are getting legal advice from someone. Word
Turned out well. I have had this problem ongoing for years. I asked the police and my insurance man what to do. I was told to post no trespassing/hunting signs and document them with pictures. That way when they take down the sign I can prove that it was posted. Dad came over a few days after and we had a nice chat about it. He apologized for his kids actions and his wife. As a parent I get being upset. She was told by the neighbor kids that we allow them to ride and I quickly set her straight. It's never good to fight with neighbors so as a peace offering, I offered to allow the father and son to rabbit hunt anytime as long as they call 24 hrs ahead. This incident happened around 10 yrs ago so I am safe from legal problems. We are actually very friendly towards each other. I have even hired the boy to odd chores around my property as he got older.
not cool, had mine slashed one year on public land. didn't see another hunter, didn't spook any deer.. walked out well after everyone else (11am or so) and someone had slashed my tires. it's only a deer people, now i had to go drop $100 i didn't have. I've had many hunts ruined, once when hunting a field edge, I watched as a nice buck approached, didn't rush the shot, finally he got within range and some dude on a 4 wheeler comes riding by yelling "LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT ONE!!" as he rode off I figured "well, maybe next time" sure i was angry, but cutting tires? uncool.
