Irritating end to an Elk Hunt

[skeeter 20i]

5 days of elk hunting, with very little sign of elk and nothing bugling, averaging about 15 miles of hiking per day.  Yesterday evening, the last evening of hunting, I'm sitting on a stump where I'd seen a monster buck with double drop tines a few days prior and hear a bull elk bugle twice, about 500 yards away.  As I'm trying to figure out where he is, so I can stalk in on him, I hear 2 car doors slam, a horn honk and then gun fire from the OK Corral!  30 yards from me, a dad and his 2 teenage sons decide to target practice with their 22s!  Ugh!  I walked up behind them and said, "Archery Elk season in the middle of nowhere, elk are finally bugling and you decide this would be a good place to target practice?!"  The dad just about jumped out of his skin, not realizing I was there. He apologizes and says "We're out of here."  I relocated about 2 miles away, with a couple mountain ridges between us.  I could hear them shooting still, 2 hours later!  GRRRRR!!!!!

As I walk out, I see his truck blocking the Forest Service gate to the road I'd walked in on...

Is it wrong to admit I wondered how his tires would stand up to a broadhead?

With all do respect, um noo let's stop with the internet commando account of the events shall we? 

Yeah I'm the father that was there and those were my two sons and yes we came out to spend a little father sons time shooting some .22's mostly because the youngest is nervous as all get out about passing his hunters ed class.

"gunfire from the OK corral"  The youngest had a single shot .22 cub and the oldest still only gets 5 rounds at a time. Sooooo maybe perhaps a slight exaggeration?

Did I forget to check the regs?  yes and I apologized and I told you I could absolutely understand your irritation as it would have irritated me as well.

Did I offer to move? yes three times to which you replied "might as well stay here you're here now"  Which we did. 

"jumped out of my skin?" Hardly Sir, but whatever, I'll let you have the chest thumping on that one.

Broadhead to the tires was your thought?   You should have turned around Sir I was slowly walking right behind you as you walked out, I suspected that if you had you been a person with no integrity you might have done something like that, I'm very glad for both our sakes that wasn't the case and I'm glad that line was a joke.

Yeah yeah state land I had just as much right to be there as you etc etc. that's a given.  But still I would have shook your hand and apologized for my oversight  on the regs and gladly relocated had you just came up and given me the "hey man do you realize it's elk archery season".  Instead you came out of the brush saying what you said and getting told you need to calm the hell down, which you did and that was appreciated.

"They were shooting towards my camp trailer, which they knew was there."  Both targets were back dropped by hillsides and there were NO campsites visible.  Besides if we were shooting at your camp why did you walk away and continue to let us shoot in that direction without so much as a word? 
........

Again I apologize for the negative encounter and regret that it caused you a frustrating end to your hunt.  There was no ill intent on our part and I hope there is none moving forward on yours.

P.S.  Sorry this had to be my first post.

[Jonathan_S]

5 days of elk hunting, with very little sign of elk and nothing bugling, averaging about 15 miles of hiking per day.  Yesterday evening, the last evening of hunting, I'm sitting on a stump where I'd seen a monster buck with double drop tines a few days prior and hear a bull elk bugle twice, about 500 yards away.  As I'm trying to figure out where he is, so I can stalk in on him, I hear 2 car doors slam, a horn honk and then gun fire from the OK Corral!  30 yards from me, a dad and his 2 teenage sons decide to target practice with their 22s!  Ugh!  I walked up behind them and said, "Archery Elk season in the middle of nowhere, elk are finally bugling and you decide this would be a good place to target practice?!"  The dad just about jumped out of his skin, not realizing I was there. He apologizes and says "We're out of here."  I relocated about 2 miles away, with a couple mountain ridges between us.  I could hear them shooting still, 2 hours later!  GRRRRR!!!!!

As I walk out, I see his truck blocking the Forest Service gate to the road I'd walked in on...

Is it wrong to admit I wondered how his tires would stand up to a broadhead?

With all do respect, um noo let's stop with the internet commando account of the events shall we? 

Yeah I'm the father that was there and those were my two sons and yes we came out to spend a little father sons time shooting some .22's mostly because the youngest is nervous as all get out about passing his hunters ed class.

"gunfire from the OK corral"  The youngest had a single shot .22 cub and the oldest still only gets 5 rounds at a time. Sooooo maybe perhaps a slight exaggeration?

Did I forget to check the regs?  yes and I apologized and I told you I could absolutely understand your irritation as it would have irritated me as well.

Did I offer to move? yes three times to which you replied "might as well stay here you're here now"  Which we did. 

"jumped out of my skin?" Hardly Sir, but whatever, I'll let you have the chest thumping on that one.

Broadhead to the tires was your thought?   You should have turned around Sir I was slowly walking right behind you as you walked out, I suspected that if you had you been a person with no integrity you might have done something like that, I'm very glad for both our sakes that wasn't the case and I'm glad that line was a joke.

Yeah yeah state land I had just as much right to be there as you etc etc. that's a given.  But still I would have shook your hand and apologized for my oversight  on the regs and gladly relocated had you just came up and given me the "hey man do you realize it's elk archery season".  Instead you came out of the brush saying what you said and getting told you need to calm the hell down, which you did and that was appreciated.

"They were shooting towards my camp trailer, which they knew was there."  Both targets were back dropped by hillsides and there were NO campsites visible.  Besides if we were shooting at your camp why did you walk away and continue to let us shoot in that direction without so much as a word? 
........

Again I apologize for the negative encounter and regret that it caused you a frustrating end to your hunt.  There was no ill intent on our part and I hope there is none moving forward on yours.

P.S.  Sorry this had to be my first post.

Baam!  Accountability at it's finest.

I love a plot twist.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

5 days of elk hunting, with very little sign of elk and nothing bugling, averaging about 15 miles of hiking per day.  Yesterday evening, the last evening of hunting, I'm sitting on a stump where I'd seen a monster buck with double drop tines a few days prior and hear a bull elk bugle twice, about 500 yards away.  As I'm trying to figure out where he is, so I can stalk in on him, I hear 2 car doors slam, a horn honk and then gun fire from the OK Corral!  30 yards from me, a dad and his 2 teenage sons decide to target practice with their 22s!  Ugh!  I walked up behind them and said, "Archery Elk season in the middle of nowhere, elk are finally bugling and you decide this would be a good place to target practice?!"  The dad just about jumped out of his skin, not realizing I was there. He apologizes and says "We're out of here."  I relocated about 2 miles away, with a couple mountain ridges between us.  I could hear them shooting still, 2 hours later!  GRRRRR!!!!!

As I walk out, I see his truck blocking the Forest Service gate to the road I'd walked in on...

Is it wrong to admit I wondered how his tires would stand up to a broadhead?

With all do respect, um noo let's stop with the internet commando account of the events shall we? 

Yeah I'm the father that was there and those were my two sons and yes we came out to spend a little father sons time shooting some .22's mostly because the youngest is nervous as all get out about passing his hunters ed class.

"gunfire from the OK corral"  The youngest had a single shot .22 cub and the oldest still only gets 5 rounds at a time. Sooooo maybe perhaps a slight exaggeration?

Did I forget to check the regs?  yes and I apologized and I told you I could absolutely understand your irritation as it would have irritated me as well.

Did I offer to move? yes three times to which you replied "might as well stay here you're here now"  Which we did. 

"jumped out of my skin?" Hardly Sir, but whatever, I'll let you have the chest thumping on that one.

Broadhead to the tires was your thought?   You should have turned around Sir I was slowly walking right behind you as you walked out, I suspected that if you had you been a person with no integrity you might have done something like that, I'm very glad for both our sakes that wasn't the case and I'm glad that line was a joke.

Yeah yeah state land I had just as much right to be there as you etc etc. that's a given.  But still I would have shook your hand and apologized for my oversight  on the regs and gladly relocated had you just came up and given me the "hey man do you realize it's elk archery season".  Instead you came out of the brush saying what you said and getting told you need to calm the hell down, which you did and that was appreciated.

"They were shooting towards my camp trailer, which they knew was there."  Both targets were back dropped by hillsides and there were NO campsites visible.  Besides if we were shooting at your camp why did you walk away and continue to let us shoot in that direction without so much as a word? 
........

Again I apologize for the negative encounter and regret that it caused you a frustrating end to your hunt.  There was no ill intent on our part and I hope there is none moving forward on yours.

P.S.  Sorry this had to be my first post.

skeeter 20i....thanks for coming on and setting the story straight. Too bad your boys had to see a fellow hunter respond the way he did to what was a perfectly legitimate activity.

[Curly]

Wow, Skeeter 20i..............how did you ever find this thread? 

[returnofsid]

5 days of elk hunting, with very little sign of elk and nothing bugling, averaging about 15 miles of hiking per day.  Yesterday evening, the last evening of hunting, I'm sitting on a stump where I'd seen a monster buck with double drop tines a few days prior and hear a bull elk bugle twice, about 500 yards away.  As I'm trying to figure out where he is, so I can stalk in on him, I hear 2 car doors slam, a horn honk and then gun fire from the OK Corral!  30 yards from me, a dad and his 2 teenage sons decide to target practice with their 22s!  Ugh!  I walked up behind them and said, "Archery Elk season in the middle of nowhere, elk are finally bugling and you decide this would be a good place to target practice?!"  The dad just about jumped out of his skin, not realizing I was there. He apologizes and says "We're out of here."  I relocated about 2 miles away, with a couple mountain ridges between us.  I could hear them shooting still, 2 hours later!  GRRRRR!!!!!

As I walk out, I see his truck blocking the Forest Service gate to the road I'd walked in on...

Is it wrong to admit I wondered how his tires would stand up to a broadhead?

With all do respect, um noo let's stop with the internet commando account of the events shall we? 

Yeah I'm the father that was there and those were my two sons and yes we came out to spend a little father sons time shooting some .22's mostly because the youngest is nervous as all get out about passing his hunters ed class.

"gunfire from the OK corral"  The youngest had a single shot .22 cub and the oldest still only gets 5 rounds at a time. Sooooo maybe perhaps a slight exaggeration?

Did I forget to check the regs?  yes and I apologized and I told you I could absolutely understand your irritation as it would have irritated me as well.

Did I offer to move? yes three times to which you replied "might as well stay here you're here now"  Which we did. 

"jumped out of my skin?" Hardly Sir, but whatever, I'll let you have the chest thumping on that one.

Broadhead to the tires was your thought?   You should have turned around Sir I was slowly walking right behind you as you walked out, I suspected that if you had you been a person with no integrity you might have done something like that, I'm very glad for both our sakes that wasn't the case and I'm glad that line was a joke.

Yeah yeah state land I had just as much right to be there as you etc etc. that's a given.  But still I would have shook your hand and apologized for my oversight  on the regs and gladly relocated had you just came up and given me the "hey man do you realize it's elk archery season".  Instead you came out of the brush saying what you said and getting told you need to calm the hell down, which you did and that was appreciated.

"They were shooting towards my camp trailer, which they knew was there."  Both targets were back dropped by hillsides and there were NO campsites visible.  Besides if we were shooting at your camp why did you walk away and continue to let us shoot in that direction without so much as a word? 
........

Again I apologize for the negative encounter and regret that it caused you a frustrating end to your hunt.  There was no ill intent on our part and I hope there is none moving forward on yours.

P.S.  Sorry this had to be my first post.

First off, the "arrow through the tire" thing was a complete joke and something I'd never even contemplate. It was never an actual thought and I regret typing it and apologize for doing so.

I'm glad you got to spend father son time, I really am.  I was doing the same with my son.  After a lot more thought, I do feel that I overreacted, especially at the time.  I was very frustrated but I understand that you and your sons had just as much right to be there, doing what you were doing, as I did.

Yes, my camp trailer was parked about 75-100 yards directly in front of your targets actually.  From where I was standing, when I approached you, I could clearly see it, so I'm at a bit of a loss to explain how you missed it.  You probably actually heard me start up my Suburban and pull out, about 15 minutes after our encounter.

"Gunfire at the OK Corral" is exactly how it sounded by about 6:00PM, shortly before all gunfire ceased. 

"Saying what I said?"  All I said was "Archery elk season, there's elk finally bugling and you decide to come out target practicing?"  Even that was uncalled for and I apologize for that.  Even before approaching you, I yelled out, to at least let you know I was in the area.  When I yelled out, I didn't know what direction you were shooting, I only knew you were very close. 

As for your apology, I was frustrated but you have no reason at all to apologize!  You really don't. Again, you had as much right to be on public land as anyone and I overreacted.  Spending quality time with your sons, teaching them to shoot is very admirable and I commend you on that.  I also feel I owe you an apology, personally, for my behavior, which most likely led to the negative encounter.  I absolutely realize that you had no ill intent and again, I sincerely apologize for how I overreacted.

[quadrafire]

Hey Skeeter......
Tell that young one not to fret the hunters ed class. The ones I have been involved with are not concerned about accuracy, It is more about muzzle control and safety issues while in the field.
 

[returnofsid]

5 days of elk hunting, with very little sign of elk and nothing bugling, averaging about 15 miles of hiking per day.  Yesterday evening, the last evening of hunting, I'm sitting on a stump where I'd seen a monster buck with double drop tines a few days prior and hear a bull elk bugle twice, about 500 yards away.  As I'm trying to figure out where he is, so I can stalk in on him, I hear 2 car doors slam, a horn honk and then gun fire from the OK Corral!  30 yards from me, a dad and his 2 teenage sons decide to target practice with their 22s!  Ugh!  I walked up behind them and said, "Archery Elk season in the middle of nowhere, elk are finally bugling and you decide this would be a good place to target practice?!"  The dad just about jumped out of his skin, not realizing I was there. He apologizes and says "We're out of here."  I relocated about 2 miles away, with a couple mountain ridges between us.  I could hear them shooting still, 2 hours later!  GRRRRR!!!!!

As I walk out, I see his truck blocking the Forest Service gate to the road I'd walked in on...

Is it wrong to admit I wondered how his tires would stand up to a broadhead?

With all do respect, um noo let's stop with the internet commando account of the events shall we? 

Yeah I'm the father that was there and those were my two sons and yes we came out to spend a little father sons time shooting some .22's mostly because the youngest is nervous as all get out about passing his hunters ed class.

"gunfire from the OK corral"  The youngest had a single shot .22 cub and the oldest still only gets 5 rounds at a time. Sooooo maybe perhaps a slight exaggeration?

Did I forget to check the regs?  yes and I apologized and I told you I could absolutely understand your irritation as it would have irritated me as well.

Did I offer to move? yes three times to which you replied "might as well stay here you're here now"  Which we did. 

"jumped out of my skin?" Hardly Sir, but whatever, I'll let you have the chest thumping on that one.

Broadhead to the tires was your thought?   You should have turned around Sir I was slowly walking right behind you as you walked out, I suspected that if you had you been a person with no integrity you might have done something like that, I'm very glad for both our sakes that wasn't the case and I'm glad that line was a joke.

Yeah yeah state land I had just as much right to be there as you etc etc. that's a given.  But still I would have shook your hand and apologized for my oversight  on the regs and gladly relocated had you just came up and given me the "hey man do you realize it's elk archery season".  Instead you came out of the brush saying what you said and getting told you need to calm the hell down, which you did and that was appreciated.

"They were shooting towards my camp trailer, which they knew was there."  Both targets were back dropped by hillsides and there were NO campsites visible.  Besides if we were shooting at your camp why did you walk away and continue to let us shoot in that direction without so much as a word? 
........

Again I apologize for the negative encounter and regret that it caused you a frustrating end to your hunt.  There was no ill intent on our part and I hope there is none moving forward on yours.

P.S.  Sorry this had to be my first post.

skeeter 20i....thanks for coming on and setting the story straight. Too bad your boys had to see a fellow hunter respond the way he did to what was a perfectly legitimate activity.

There's no story to set straight. His boys saw minor frustration, nothing more.  As I'd mentioned earlier, my language was kept completely G rated and the only time I raised my voice was to initially let them know that there was someone very near where they were shooting, before I started walking out.

Wow, Skeeter 20i..............how did you ever find this thread? 

I'm actually glad he did.  It gives me a chance, once again, to apologize for my behavior

[Becky]

  plot twist indeed..

Hey Skeeter......
Tell that young one not to fret the hunters ed class. The ones I have been involved with are not concerned about accuracy, It is more about muzzle control and safety issues while in the field.
 

  coming from a newly passed, they don't care about accuracy at all. They don't grade on the shoot, it's more or less watching you load and unload. They do grade how they handle the rifle and they have a 0 tolerance policy for muzzle control. I'd practice walking your sons around with the rifle, setting it down without facing it towards anyone, checking the barrel while facing it towards the sky after unloading, going through gates/fences, getting in and out of boats, passing the rifle back and forth to each other - and make sure they unload before each of these actions, and watch the muzzle control.

[Curly]

Awesome guys!  An apology from Skeeter and an apology from returnofsid.  This could have gotten ugly.......but you guys show class.
 

[returnofsid]

Unfortunately, I didn't show as much class out in the woods...

[skeeter 20i]

5 days of elk hunting, with very little sign of elk and nothing bugling, averaging about 15 miles of hiking per day.  Yesterday evening, the last evening of hunting, I'm sitting on a stump where I'd seen a monster buck with double drop tines a few days prior and hear a bull elk bugle twice, about 500 yards away.  As I'm trying to figure out where he is, so I can stalk in on him, I hear 2 car doors slam, a horn honk and then gun fire from the OK Corral!  30 yards from me, a dad and his 2 teenage sons decide to target practice with their 22s!  Ugh!  I walked up behind them and said, "Archery Elk season in the middle of nowhere, elk are finally bugling and you decide this would be a good place to target practice?!"  The dad just about jumped out of his skin, not realizing I was there. He apologizes and says "We're out of here."  I relocated about 2 miles away, with a couple mountain ridges between us.  I could hear them shooting still, 2 hours later!  GRRRRR!!!!!

As I walk out, I see his truck blocking the Forest Service gate to the road I'd walked in on...

Is it wrong to admit I wondered how his tires would stand up to a broadhead?

With all do respect, um noo let's stop with the internet commando account of the events shall we? 

Yeah I'm the father that was there and those were my two sons and yes we came out to spend a little father sons time shooting some .22's mostly because the youngest is nervous as all get out about passing his hunters ed class.

"gunfire from the OK corral"  The youngest had a single shot .22 cub and the oldest still only gets 5 rounds at a time. Sooooo maybe perhaps a slight exaggeration?

Did I forget to check the regs?  yes and I apologized and I told you I could absolutely understand your irritation as it would have irritated me as well.

Did I offer to move? yes three times to which you replied "might as well stay here you're here now"  Which we did. 

"jumped out of my skin?" Hardly Sir, but whatever, I'll let you have the chest thumping on that one.

Broadhead to the tires was your thought?   You should have turned around Sir I was slowly walking right behind you as you walked out, I suspected that if you had you been a person with no integrity you might have done something like that, I'm very glad for both our sakes that wasn't the case and I'm glad that line was a joke.

Yeah yeah state land I had just as much right to be there as you etc etc. that's a given.  But still I would have shook your hand and apologized for my oversight  on the regs and gladly relocated had you just came up and given me the "hey man do you realize it's elk archery season".  Instead you came out of the brush saying what you said and getting told you need to calm the hell down, which you did and that was appreciated.

"They were shooting towards my camp trailer, which they knew was there."  Both targets were back dropped by hillsides and there were NO campsites visible.  Besides if we were shooting at your camp why did you walk away and continue to let us shoot in that direction without so much as a word? 
........

Again I apologize for the negative encounter and regret that it caused you a frustrating end to your hunt.  There was no ill intent on our part and I hope there is none moving forward on yours.

P.S.  Sorry this had to be my first post.

skeeter 20i....thanks for coming on and setting the story straight. Too bad your boys had to see a fellow hunter respond the way he did to what was a perfectly legitimate activity.

There's no story to set straight. His boys saw minor frustration, nothing more.  As I'd mentioned earlier, my language was kept completely G rated and the only time I raised my voice was to initially let them know that there was someone very near where they were shooting, before I started walking out.

Wow, Skeeter 20i..............how did you ever find this thread? 

I'm actually glad he did.  It gives me a chance, once again, to apologize for my behavior

To be absolutely clear here, Returnofsid was never out of line he only showed signs of frustration, his language was appropriate, and the encounter was non confrontational. 

I apologized, he apologized, I would like to chalk it up to an unfortunate event.  No hard feelings, and the boys are no worse for the encounter.

Returnofsid  's if we ever meet again sir.

[mrmoskillz]

 

[returnofsid]

Skeeter, I agree and the first round is on me!   

Also, if it hadn't been for the fact that I'd heard an elk bugle, twice, 30 seconds before I heard your doors close, after not hearing a peep for 5 days, I wouldn't have been irritated at all.  So, I guess we can blame it all on the elk!  BTW, that elk was close, right up on the hill behind where you were standing when I walked out...maybe one of us will get him.

[deerhunter_98520]

Awesome guys 

[DBHAWTHORNE]

Good...ending to the situation.