Early camp set up

[pianoman9701]

According to this response, there's no minimum time limit you can leave your stuff.

"Hi, Sorry, but dispersed camping is 14 days at one location maximum.  No leaving equipment or placeholders, campers must be present at the campsite.

Abandoned campsite locations can be reported to the Ranger Districts at:

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Headquarters
42218 N.E. Yale Bridge Rd.
Amboy, WA 98601
360-449-7800

Cowlitz Valley Ranger District
10024 US Hwy 12
PO Box 670
Randle, WA 98377
(360) 497-1100

Mt. Adams Ranger District
2455 Hwy 141
Trout Lake, WA 98650
(509) 395-3402

Hope this information helps,
Respectfully,
John Givvines
Information Assistant
Gifford Pinchot NF"

[baker5150]

We talked with a Forest service enforcement guy last year (said he enforced atv laws?) who stopped in our camp.  Nice guy, was looking for info on some guys who built mt. bike tracks around where we camp.  Anyway, he also asked about a tent someone left up the hill from us.  Asked how long it had been there.  We informed him that it had been there a day or two and it's there every year for those guys to hold their spot.  He understood their intention and didn't seam to care, but informed us that our campsite can be vacant for no more than a 24hour period. 
The next day another FS guy came and took the tent down.  He stopped by and told us if we see the guys to let them know they could pick their tent up at the Naches Ranger station. 
So, we told them that night when they arrived, and they went down there and got their tent back no questions asked. 

[bowhiker]

What a debate. I found a new area to hunt this year and a nice camp site to go with it. My thoughts were to have my friend drop a camper up there and I would pack in for several days scounting until opening day, then head back to camp to hook up with him once he was able to make it. It sure would suck to come back to nothing instead of my stuff to resupply and a bed. Obviously, we would leave the camper on day one to have the spot for later. I didn't see anything wrong with it but now I don't know. I sure respect other people's stuff and I assume other hunters would respect mine. Crazy I guess.

[KFhunter]

I run into this boat camping on lake Roosevelt - it's more than just a mild irritation.

Especially when a dummy camp was in a coveted location;  I respected the dummy camp and camped in a less than desirable spot and got to watch that dummy camp go unoccupied during my entire stay. 

Won't make that mistake again.

[bigtex]

It's amazing how many calls go into WDFW, DNR, USFS, and BLM every fall about hunters exceeding their time limits, "reserving" spots, etc. Typically it's somebody who showed up and found that "their spot" had been taken. All it does is take time away from these officers for patrolling for the serious wildlife violators. And it's not just WA, one of my closest friends is a USFS LEO in Northern Idaho and he says every Monday during hunting season his voicemail is full of hunters complaining about some type of camping violation observed over the following weeked.

[RadSav]

hunters complaining about some type of camping violation observed over the following weeked.

I saw into the future once...but I didn't see any camping violations!  It did scare the heck out of me once the present caught up and validated the event

Sorry Bigtex.  I couldn't resist!

[Quaka Wacka]

Wow. There are some interesting views on this subject, and interesting justifications for stealing and vandalism.  I guess some guys were just raised different than others...

[pianoman9701]

Wow. There are some interesting views on this subject, and interesting justifications for stealing and vandalism.  I guess some guys were just raised different than others...

While I wouldn't condone any stealing or vandalism, holding a campsite is stealing a resource that we all own. I would venture to say that if someone were raised right, they'd know better than to try to stake out territory on public lands for their return, whenever that may be. It's an unreasonable expectation that I should be able to keep others from using a resource today that I intend to use 5 days from now.

[northcoast]

So if I have a base camp setup and I'm out on a bivy hunt for a few days that means I'm stealing a resource?

That's ridiculous.

If I setup a dummy camp and somebody moves in next to me I don't mind.  Could be a future hunting buddy.  But if my stuff is moved, stolen, or destroyed chances are I'm going to go off.

[pianoman9701]

So if I have a base camp setup and I'm out on a bivy hunt for a few days that means I'm stealing a resource?

That's ridiculous.

If I setup a dummy camp and somebody moves in next to me I don't mind.  Could be a future hunting buddy.  But if my stuff is moved, stolen, or destroyed chances are I'm going to go off.

No, it doesn't. And you'd be smart to notify the local ranger station to let them know. You know full well that's not what this discussion is about. The discussion is about people who come up a week before they're going to stay and try to reserve their favorite spot with a crappy tent and a chair.

[northcoast]

 The discussion is about people who come up a week before they're going to stay and try to reserve their favorite spot with a crappy tent and a chair.

Only problem with that is if I come up the weekend before the season starts, it's usually by myself so all I bring is the crappy tent and chair. If I leave camp in my car I don't leave my bag or kitchen stuff because I don't want it stolen.  Just because it looks like a dummy camp doesn't always mean it is.  I figure I have 14 days at that spot, if I set up on 8/23 that means I have until 9/6. Just sayin'.

[pianoman9701]

 The discussion is about people who come up a week before they're going to stay and try to reserve their favorite spot with a crappy tent and a chair.

Only problem with that is if I come up the weekend before the season starts, it's usually by myself so all I bring is the crappy tent and chair. If I leave camp in my car I don't leave my bag or kitchen stuff because I don't want it stolen.  Just because it looks like a dummy camp doesn't always mean it is.  I figure I have 14 days at that spot, if I set up on 8/23 that means I have until 9/6. Just sayin'.

I posted the reply from the forest service above. They're very clear that you have to be actively using the site. Feeling entitled to a spot just because you leave a tent on it doesn't make it so. You're not entitled to it unless you're there.

[northcoast]

Feeling entitled to a spot just because you leave a tent on it doesn't make it so. You're not entitled to it unless you're there.

According to this logic, if you're out on your morning hunt I can go to your camp site, move all your stuff and set up my own site.  Your not entitled to the spot because your not there.

Doesn't make sense. 

If I'm out on a bivy hunt I'm not actively using the site. If I'm out scouting and have my car parked at the trailhead I'm not actively using the site. In either scenario I'm going to have my crappy tent and chair still at the site and the tent will be empty.

The woods are big enough that people can go find another site.  I've had my intended spot taken before, not a big deal, I just found another one.

I get more irritated at the guys who set up the circus tents, with generators and music blasting, in the meadow I was planning on hunting. 

[pianoman9701]

Feeling entitled to a spot just because you leave a tent on it doesn't make it so. You're not entitled to it unless you're there.

According to this logic, if you're out on your morning hunt I can go to your camp site, move all your stuff and set up my own site.  Your not entitled to the spot because your not there.

Doesn't make sense. 

If I'm out on a bivy hunt I'm not actively using the site. If I'm out scouting and have my car parked at the trailhead I'm not actively using the site. In either scenario I'm going to have my crappy tent and chair still at the site and the tent will be empty.

The woods are big enough that people can go find another site.  I've had my intended spot taken before, not a big deal, I just found another one.

I get more irritated at the guys who set up the circus tents, with generators and music blasting, in the meadow I was planning on hunting.

Again, you know full well that's not what I'm talking about. But feel free to keep bringing up scenarios that aren't what anyone's talking about. 

[Knocker of rocks]

Feeling entitled to a spot just because you leave a tent on it doesn't make it so. You're not entitled to it unless you're there.

According to this logic, if you're out on your morning hunt I can go to your camp site, move all your stuff and set up my own site.  Your not entitled to the spot because your not there.

Doesn't make sense. 

If I'm out on a bivy hunt I'm not actively using the site. If I'm out scouting and have my car parked at the trailhead I'm not actively using the site. In either scenario I'm going to have my crappy tent and chair still at the site and the tent will be empty.

The woods are big enough that people can go find another site.  I've had my intended spot taken before, not a big deal, I just found another one.

I get more irritated at the guys who set up the circus tents, with generators and music blasting, in the meadow I was planning on hunting.

Again, you know full well that's not what I'm talking about. But feel free to keep bringing up scenarios that aren't what anyone's talking about.