Where has the sportsmanship gone?

[Screaminreelz]

So at what point did people elk/deer hunting and fishing decide that sportsmanship is no longer necessary? Time and time again you are apart of or, hear of rude inconsiderate people pushing and bullying their way around in the woods and on the streams. Maybe this isn't the right forum but as far as I'm concerned it's a bunch of B.S. People getting killed, shot, and stabbed over jealousy.

GMU's are turning into redneck ghetto's. What's next tweakers pimpin drugs to you on the cut off roads and spurs? Boy can't wait to come out of the timber next time.

[Tony 270WSM]

I have heard of many negative encounters in the last few years. Luckily I haven't had that sort of issue in the past few years and certainly hope I, nor any of you, do as well.

On blacktailcountry I recently read a story of a father and a young boy out hunting. Some guy came driving up to where they were, the father was a bit annoyed. Even more annoyed when he continued to come up to where they were. However, he came up to tell them he saw a spike and wanted to know if his son wanted to take it. They showed them where it was and the boy got his first buck shortly after.


A few years back I was hunting with my grandpa's old 303 that I mounted a Simmons Aetec on (mistake). Thought the scope was good, but when I took a 200 yard shot at a forky, he stood there without a care in the world. My hold was good, the shot should have been good, the scope couldn't hold its zero. A few minutes before I came across another hunter and spoke to him for a few minutes. When he heard the shot, he came back to see what I got, but since it stood there and I didn't know what was going on with the rifle I let him have it. I had a good hold and wasn't going to fling more lead without knowing where it was going. Anyway, I let him have the buck after that and he went home with venison.

Two years later I came across that same guy in nearly the exact same place. He had to go for something and couldn't hunt anymore that day (last day of the late season) and told me of a forky he saw with a doe, pointed me in the right direction, and about 90 minutes later, I got him. I gave him one, he returned the favor. Good things till happen, hope your bad luck in the woods turns around.

[300rum]

I hear you.  I went to one of my favorite spots to do some spotting today and there were two keystone light beer cans laying there empty and an empty cardboard box that blew into one of the bushes.  They didn't come to drink beer there, they were spotting, there is no other reason to do this as hunters.    

[Screaminreelz]

Pack it in pack it out enough said.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I blame competition.  When too many people are competing for too little resource, it brings out the worst in a bunch.  A lot of the best drop out too, bringing down the average. 

[G.R.K]

To many 206 and 425'ers is the problem

[edmondshunter]

Hold up man 206/425ers aren't the prob.  Its just a-holes in the woods.  Ever noticed how parking lot manners have gone to the wayside?  No one pays attention to reverse lights, instead just speed on by, always in a hurry.  The woods have turned the same.

I had a guy let his dog take a crap 20 yards from my set-up while I was in it and visible to him.  I followed him out to his car and handed him a baggy to go pick up the poo, he told me to go f*** myself. He also said he hoped he had screwed up my hunt.

Being a 206er myself I think you outta rethink your disdain  for us Mid-Line Westsiders. We aren't all good, but there are a-holes in every zipcode and Buckley seems to have no shortage as far as I can read....GRK   Just my 2cents

[Huntbear]

I actually had a couple of good experiences during elk season.  I was walking up a spur road just at daylight.  A truck started to pull up the road.  Seen me, and backed off and turned around.  I was shocked to say the least!    Then, a guy came out below me and walked right up thru my hunting area, and to me.  He had no idea where the road was, so I pointed him in the right direction.  He apologized if he had F*cked up my hunt, and headed for the road.  Again, I was shocked to hear an apology from him.  But, it kept me from fuming about it the rest of the day, and 20 min. later 4 cows came walking out from where he had came out of the brush. 

However, I packed out about 20 empty beer and soda cans, thrown on the side of the road, uncountable candy bar wrappers, etc.... over the course of the hunt.

Just another day in the low country.  Which hopefully will be our last hunt there.  We are headed back to the high country next season.  Thank God!  Get away from road hunters and most of the idiots out there.

[Longbowz]

So what's wrong with people from Buckley?

It used to be common for hunters to ask which way you were going if you were obviously there first.  But just like everthing else in today's world it's all about ME now.  Drive down any highway for a great example of it. 

I had a couple young punks try to race me down a trail so they could get there first a few years back.  No surprise when the elk that happened to be there headed for the next county when these two nimrods got there - first.

[skynyr]

There's no excuse for the litter but I always figured if I was hunting close to a road, I had to expect a certain amount of disruption. People aren't going to hike in 2 miles just to drop a deuce.

[KillBilly]

A couple of years ago BTKR & I were drawn for spring Bear in the Copalis Unit. It was a new hunt area andwhen we went scouting for the first time we decided to take pictures of all the trash. The brush pickers and Cedar salvagers had made the place a mess. We sent the pictures to Rayonnier and reminded them that the mess already exists and please don't blame the Spring Bear Hunters. They haven't cleaned it up any.

[high country]

a bunch of blame goes to the state. when you have 75 hour seasons for elk, guys don't have time to shoot the breeze, it's too bad really. I tend to visit with bird hunters often.

[dreamingbig]

To many 206 and 425'ers is the problem

Boy someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.  I grew up in Whatcom Co. and now I am in the 425.  These kind of statements make no sense.  Love thy neighbor!

[mrgoodwrench]

A couple of years ago BTKR & I were drawn for spring Bear in the Copalis Unit. It was a new hunt area andwhen we went scouting for the first time we decided to take pictures of all the trash. The brush pickers and Cedar salvagers had made the place a mess. We sent the pictures to Rayonnier and reminded them that the mess already exists and please don't blame the Spring Bear Hunters. They haven't cleaned it up any.

I think I may have talked to you guys about this issue during the first part of this season, rubber bands in coyote crap? I think you were going to try some calling....any luck?  We didn't get reports of many bears taken in that season.  The timber companies know that most trash is not from hunters; its hard to police non-english speaking people working on your tree farm, and the tweakers in the Copalis area are the worst for dumping.  Thats why you see so many blue gates with red dots.

[Dave Workman]

a bunch of blame goes to the state. when you have 75 hour seasons for elk, guys don't have time to shoot the breeze, it's too bad really. I tend to visit with bird hunters often.

Weeelllllll, now, I think "high country" may be approaching a moment of true enlightenment.

The elk seasons ARE TOO SHORT and are TOO EARLY on top of that!

Right now, we should be out there in Eastern Washington, hunting elk with the old '06 and enjoying a genuine opportunity.  To set elk season over there at the end of October is almost fraud..

And this brevity of season contributes to a general lack of sportsmanship, perhaps, but then again, we must remember that the WDFW is now fully-devoted to "Watchable Wildlife" rather than putting "game" in the bag and in the meat locker.

[Sportfury]

This post struck a cord with me. My dad, my son, and I like to go to Scatter Creek to do some pheasant hunting. It is fun for the dog and my son, whose in his first year hunting, and gets my dad and I out instead of sitting at home. Usually if we arrive at a gate and someone else is there we always ask them which way they planned on going and then set up from there. Yesterday the older gentlemen at the gate said he wanted to take the corner and push straight out into the field, so we went out the gate and to the left of him. Three younger guys showed up at the last minute, threw on their gear, and proceeded into the field taking over the corner the older gentlemen said he wanted to hunt. No "Hey which way are you guys going?" just a curt "How's it going" from one of the guys while his two buddies moved into the corner of the field. The older gentlemen looked at us and my dad told him we would move down, so he could hunt. I think he was a little more than dismayed. I know its a pheasant release site and a lot of people want to "run and gun", but what happened to a little common courtesy?