Early camp set up

[Jingles]

Bear season where I'm going opens the 15th and I taking everything in on the 9th or 10th and staying. Good grass and water for the stock to just get turned loose at night and picketed during the day and turn the wrangle horse loose during the day. No fences, no barriers other than natural just a couple of cow bells. Be doing the same thing for the high hunt.

[Styles]

At what point is gear that is left behind considered abandoned? I know Oregon tries to enforce this law!! I personally don't put my camp up early and leave it!! Pretty *censored*!!

[MarkyMark]

The Blue Mountain Motel lets you move in two weeks ahead of time as long as you keep paying for the room. Now that's a comfy camp with the animals just a few miles up the road. 

[washelkhunter]

Dummy camp, I like that. Theyre so obvious. A small cheap kids tent and maybe 2 chairs usually blown over. Tents always empty and unkempt. Guys setem up the wknd before, we always go setup 3 days before the opener. Guys show up, hey this is our spot! Yeah? How do you figure? We left a tent. What tent?   

[grousefether]

I left a tent 2 chairs and a tarp set up between two trees up in winston creek 3 years ago came back and everything was torched. Just a melted pile of plastic on the ground. That sucked

[Optimusprime]

Sounds like some pretty sketchy business going on. A little ridiculous if you ask me. I feel like if someone bothers to stake out an area and put their stuff up, people should respect it. I certainly wouldn't move or disregard someone else's effort. Maybe I'm alone on that.

[vandeman17]

I don't mind people leaving their camps a few days to maybe a week or two before their hunt. My issue is if they get upset if their stuff gets stolen or if someone moved their stuff. I view it as hanging trail cameras. I know that by leaving them out, they are at risk of either being messed with or stolen and that is a risk I accept.

How would you know they aren't still actively camping there? Maybe they are out scouting for the day. If I setup a camp, I shouldn't have to sit there 24/7 cause some jackwagon thinks it is ok to steal or move my stuff should it be left unattended...

Its not that difficult to pick out a "dummy" camp. When you pass by it several times going to and from your hunting area at different times of day and never see anyone in it, then the day before the opener there is a trailer and a wall tent in the exact spot, its pretty obvious what was going on. I always arrive 2-4 days early for ML elk season and I pass by plenty of these camps while I'm out scouting before opening day. I don't appreciate it but it has yet to interfere with my camping or hunting.

Exactly. I am not saying I would drive up and just set up but you can tell a dummy camp and if after a day or two nothing has changed then by all means camp there. Sounds a bit like a jerk move but where do you draw the line? If that is ok then I might as well start going out to my actual hunting spots, leave a chair and then when I come back expect to be able to hunt there... 

[pianoman9701]

You guys ever hear of people straight up jacking other people's camping stuff?

Absolutely, for a couple of reasons. One: plain theft. Two: some people get ticked when someone sets up a camp on public land, illegally holding a spot until they come up for real a week later. I wouldn't do it, but I know people who would, especially if we're talking about a prime location.

Sounds like some pretty sketchy business going on. A little ridiculous if you ask me. I feel like if someone bothers to stake out an area and put their stuff up, people should respect it. I certainly wouldn't move or disregard someone else's effort. Maybe I'm alone on that.

Really? So what's a reasonable amount of time for someone to reserve a piece of public land for themselves? 3 days? A Week? A month? All year? This discussion rears its ugly head each year. You don't get to tie up public land if you're not there. I pay taxes on that land just like everyone else (everyone else who pays federal income tax, that is). If you or at least one of your hunting partners can't get the time off to get out there early enough to get your spot, you're SOL. Simple. Now if it's private land you're hunting, that's between you and the landowner and their rules.

[Tbob]

I nipped this in the bud this year as I was worried about all the "dummy" camps already going up. I found a little hidden campground really close by my hunting area and secured a spot with them for my season.. Annnnd it hopefully cuts down the worry about my things being stolen while I'm out hunting from dark till dark. I feel pretty lucky this time! Easy!

[Optimusprime]

Really? So what's a reasonable amount of time for someone to reserve a piece of public land for themselves? 3 days? A Week? A month? All year? This discussion rears its ugly head each year. You don't get to tie up public land if you're not there. I pay taxes on that land just like everyone else (everyone else who pays federal income tax, that is). If you or at least one of your hunting partners can't get the time off to get out there early enough to get your spot, you're SOL. Simple. Now if it's private land you're hunting, that's between you and the landowner and their rules.
[/quote]

That's a good point. I have never experienced the dummy camps before, as I am still new to hunting. I was more thinking of just getting your stuff there and set up so when you head up, you are good to go already; just seems like it would allow soemone to bring more consumable supplies that wouldnt make it up in one trip. Shame people will burn down a camp and trash/steal stuff.

[washelkhunter]

Good dispersed camping spots in the NF are at a premium these days. The FS doesnt like it but has to tolerate it. I expect competition this year for sites to be stiff due to the Weyco etc access fees. You can always find a spot but it may not be the one you dearly wanted. Go early and plan to stay, simple. 3 nights before the opener and you will have a good site. A considerate hunter should pick the site appropriate for the need. If its just 2-4 guys in a tent dont setup in the site that you could park and swing around big trailers. AZ's FS branches last year put a stop to dummy camps and i expect Wa. to soon follow that lead. Buy a hitchrack or rent a trailer to bring all your gear up. Dont be the jackwagons setting up DC's, you dont have the right or legal standing to such, and if you pull in screaming about how this is your site, well, good luck with that.   

[idahohuntr]

That's a good point. I have never experienced the dummy camps before, as I am still new to hunting. I was more thinking of just getting your stuff there and set up so when you head up, you are good to go already; just seems like it would allow soemone to bring more consumable supplies that wouldnt make it up in one trip. Shame people will burn down a camp and trash/steal stuff.

When I hunt from the road on public ground we usually setup camp a weekend or two before season, but its not to "reserve" some specific campsite...its more just logistics.  I want to have a bunch of camp chores done, a place setup for some stock, some firewood cut, rv setup if we bring one etc.  That way when I show up a day or two before season there is a lot less work and a lot more scouting time. 

I have seen groups put up "dummy" camps in what I perceived as a deliberate attempt to discourage others from camping/hunting an area...I think thats bs...not that there is a real difference in the end between that and setting up early I guess.  I do abide by the dispersed area camping limits established by the USFS...most areas are 14 days, some areas are 18 days.

[birddogdad]

had a buddy setup like this 2 years ago in south central GPNF and came back to find everything GONE....

[Fl0und3rz]

Dont be the jackwagons setting up DC's, you dont have the right or legal standing to such, and if you pull in screaming about how this is your site, well, good luck with that.

I like that.

[Buzz2401]

We set up our 3 wall tents around the third weekend of September and leave them up till the end of general rifle.  We are up only on the weekends until deer opens then there is typically someone there till the end of elk when we break camp.  Have been doing this for last 20 years and have yet to have anything stolen but it will be a *censored*ty day when it happens.  I think if a camp is run down and tent is falling down then it should be considered abandoned. But just cause you havent seen someone in a few days doesn't mean you should take it down.