peaches ridge/ natches hunters etiquette

[belkaholic]

Just need to vent a bit guys.  After 10 points my cousin and I drew peaches ridge archery tag. We put our time in and some cams.  Opening weekend we get on a bull and half way into the hunt a dog starts barking way up the hill and gets some coyotes going. I thought, must be jeepers around, it happens. Next day we get on the bull again, same area, and as I'm working my way in on the bull, I call then it calls. All is starting out good. Then  on my next bugle two guys came up on me down the trail and started calling. At first I thought, okay they must not know I'm here. So I got into the open of the trail did some turkey calls with my reed and made it very obvious I was right in front of them. They did not care. 1 guy stayed on the trail calling and the other followed me in on the bull using his hoochie mama. Three different times I had the bull almost in the open and the guy came within 20ft of me with his hoochie mama. The bull finally left and so did they two guys. Later I found there camp. Right in the middle of the clear cuts we were hunting. And the dog, ya that was there's. They left it in camp all day every day. We  could hear it a mile away in the morning howling at the Coyotes or just crying and moaning in their tent.  A white F150 4 door.  A dark gray or silver truck a couple tents and a Portapoty behind a blue tarp TP.  I hope they read this and realize how big of dooshbags they are.  Sorry to be a downer guys but I can't stand idiots.

[rudysts]

That sucks had that happen to me late buck season last year while I was helping my son fill his tag. had a couple guys  come our way I stood up to make our presence known when they saw us they stopped and decided they were gonna stay in the area with us 75 yards away. my son and I wasted 2 hours hiking up that ridge to set up before sunrise.

[belkaholic]

It's a bummer when other hunters just don't care.

[steelhead13]

Hard to believe that ppl don't have the decency to respect a fellows hunters hard work.  Oh wait i do believe it, happens all the time. Sorry this happened to u guys.  Probally a small bull. 

[JJB11B]

Id be hard pressed not to be an A-hole and start talking really loud and just generally being an idiot. Of course that's my immature inner child coming out

[SureThing]

Unfortunately that is the downside to hunting public land you have to factor in the shoemakers. Typically if you want to get away from the you have to go were the shoemakers don't like to go. I feel your pain it has happened to me more times than I like. It is particularly painful when you do get off the beaten path and put a half day stalk on an animal only to have some shoemaker think he can cut you off and spoke the animal away. I have particular heart ache with the mentality that I see a lot is the guys that see animals before the season and think they can camp in the same meadow or core area that the animals are using regularly. They don't give the animals much credit. If you had someone that wanted to kill you are you going to hang around them and let it happen.
I get why they do it. I think it is every ones dream that they are going to wake up step outside the tent and Hal with the bummer of a birth mark is going to be standing there waiting for you to lock and load.

[ghosthunter]

There are so many hunters after so few animals. Anything goes it seems like.
Everyone wants theirs at all cost.
Disgusting.

[Naches Sportsman]

Sounds like a normal early archery season outing in gmu 346 . Some crazy stuff happens up there.

[predatorG]

I would go have a little conversation with them. It's rude, and someone needs to talk some sense into them.

[Fl0und3rz]

Sounds like a normal early archery season outing in gmu 346 . Some crazy stuff happens up there.

Go archery they said.  Won't have to deal with the pumpkin patch, they said. 

Sorry, OP, for your experience.  I have met some really considerate hunters, and then some, not so considerate ones. 

[Todd_ID]

I hiked 1.75 miles in the other day. There were 3 guys camped in the meadow I was going to hunt. Nice guys, so I told them they could have the area, and I hiked that 1.75 miles out. It's better to lose that evening hunt than to ruin your evening and theirs as well as the next morning for both.  I stay away from pressured elk.

[CAMPMEAT]

Exactly why I don't elk hunt anymore and anywhere near Yakima or CleElum. I bet these guys were trying their darndest to get you outta their spot....

[Vandal44]

Some people don't have any hunting educate.

I have a friend who hung his tree stand when he was finishing up he heard a bunch of noise; he went over to investigate and another guy was hanging a stand 75 yards away. They had a few words the guy said "this is state land and I can hang my stand anywhere I want.". my buddy said no problem went back and pulled his stand.  My buddy came back a few days later and cut the tree down that the guys stand was in.

I am not saying that the right way to handle the situation but I was laugh hard.

[ribka]

I hiked 1.75 miles in the other day. There were 3 guys camped in the meadow I was going to hunt. Nice guys, so I told them they could have the area, and I hiked that 1.75 miles out. It's better to lose that evening hunt than to ruin your evening and theirs as well as the next morning for both.  I stay away from pressured elk.

I gave up hunt g meadows in WA years ago. blues, Yakima..... Always dbags that will camp right on top of where the elk bed and feed.

[CAMPMEAT]

Some people don't have any hunting educate.

I have a friend who hung his tree stand when he was finishing up he heard a bunch of noise; he went over to investigate and another guy was hanging a stand 75 yards away. They had a few words the guy said "this is state land and I can hang my stand anywhere I want.". my buddy said no problem went back and pulled his stand.  My buddy came back a few days later and cut the tree down that the guys stand was in.

I am not saying that the right way to handle the situation but I was laugh hard.

A guys gotta do, what a guys gotta do.....

[gonehuntin68]

I would go have a little conversation with them. It's rude, and someone needs to talk some sense into them.

 

[tgray]

No reason for that at all, no respect.
I have a muzzy tag and I have avoided scouting certain areas because I wouldn't want to mess up someone's hunt. That's too bad, could've been a good day.

[time2hunt]

That blow but your hunting the most popular area with the easiest access around if your not 4-5 miles in your SOL way to many hunter anymore  


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[SniperDanWA]

Two years ago, I hiked in 2 miles and set up at 5:00.  Shooting lanes set, yardage marked, etc.  5:30, I hear noises.  I look to see a red headlamp and he's coming right towards me.  I figure, he's seen me.  Nope, he is less than 10 feet from me and starts hacking up a hair ball.  I turn towards him, turn on my headlamp and said, really?  He states, oh, man I'm sorry.  I didn't see you.  Say what?  I can almost touch him.  I walked in another 3 miles that morning.  Twisted my knee and broke my tailbone doing it.  Torqued off for days as it ruined my hunt and I ended up going home early because I couldn't walk down hills or sit down.

I'm sorry you had that experience, I feel for you.

[GameHunter1959]

20 years ago my father hiked thru the timber to get out to a herd of elk feeding in a field on opening day of the modern season. My father had his pick between 3 nice bulls less than 150 yards away. He gets ready to shoot, and hears crunching in the woods behind him. Two guys heading his way. Rather than shooting my father stops and motions the guys over to him; thinking if they played their cards right they could all get a nice bull. In the middle of the conversation one of the guys runs towards the elk and opens fire. He ended up killing a really nice bull. So my father gets screwed out of an elk. The idiots hunting buddy also gets screwed out of an elk. Soon they all gather back up together to check out the bull the idiot killed. The idiot asked for help, and my father and the guys "soon to be no longer hunting partner" walk out of the woods together. Told the guy to pack out his own elk and you screwed two other people, including your own hunting partner.

Next time my father will shoot and not try and help two guys get an elk. Lesson learned...

[Eric M]

So I didn't have time to scout this year. Hunted close to home. It was great until Labor Day weekend. Bears, elk-no bucks but seeing lots of does and fawns. I understand everyone wants to hunt, but after 5 trucks drove by on the forest road near where I was, I was ready to pack it in. Then a guy drives his truck up and parks his truck 75 yards from me, SLAMS his truck door, gets into his truck bed with a lawn chair, and sits with his bow waiting for the deer to walk by. I should've video'd it for YouTube.  I walked the mile back to my truck and said the h#@! with hunting on the weekends.

[bracer40]

So I didn't have time to scout this year. Hunted close to home. It was great until Labor Day weekend. Bears, elk-no bucks but seeing lots of does and fawns. I understand everyone wants to hunt, but after 5 trucks drove by on the forest road near where I was, I was ready to pack it in. Then a guy drives his truck up and parks his truck 75 yards from me, SLAMS his truck door, gets into his truck bed with a lawn chair, and sits with his bow waiting for the deer to walk by. I should've video'd it for YouTube.  I walked the mile back to my truck and said the h#@! with hunting on the weekends.

Only five trucks?!? Sounds down right peaceful

[Eric M]

So I didn't have time to scout this year. Hunted close to home. It was great until Labor Day weekend. Bears, elk-no bucks but seeing lots of does and fawns. I understand everyone wants to hunt, but after 5 trucks drove by on the forest road near where I was, I was ready to pack it in. Then a guy drives his truck up and parks his truck 75 yards from me, SLAMS his truck door, gets into his truck bed with a lawn chair, and sits with his bow waiting for the deer to walk by. I should've video'd it for YouTube.  I walked the mile back to my truck and said the h#@! with hunting on the weekends.

Only five trucks?!? Sounds down right peaceful

Ha Ha Yeah. To a degree I think the animals in there are used to the vehicle traffic so it wasn't that exactly (although I saw 4 more trucks on the walk out to my truck and it was only about a mile walk) but slamming your door?!?! The lawn chair was funny though.

[Gamblin Guy]

So I didn't have time to scout this year. Hunted close to home. It was great until Labor Day weekend. Bears, elk-no bucks but seeing lots of does and fawns. I understand everyone wants to hunt, but after 5 trucks drove by on the forest road near where I was, I was ready to pack it in. Then a guy drives his truck up and parks his truck 75 yards from me, SLAMS his truck door, gets into his truck bed with a lawn chair, and sits with his bow waiting for the deer to walk by. I should've video'd it for YouTube.  I walked the mile back to my truck and said the h#@! with hunting on the weekends.

He was probably waiting for his driver to show up, its usually at least two guys in lazy boys in the back of the truck.....

[Eric M]

He was probably waiting for his driver to show up, its usually at least two guys in lazy boys in the back of the truck.....

ha ha crazy right?

[js139]

Sorry to the original poster that had this happen. I've been hunting 346 for about 12 years now. The worst and rudest people i've ever met hunt this GMU. So bad infact, we had a group of hunters damage out trailers and rigs (slash tires, cut valve stems, remove lug nuts, etc.), because they weren't happy with the place we camped at cause they thought it was too close to where the elk bed down. To top it off, the jerks sit on an open hill, hoping people (like us) walk around in the canyons and push elk up to them. If you walk between them and the route the elk come out, they throw rocks at you and yell and cuss. If I walk 4 miles in to get to some of these spots and walk between you and the elk so you can't get a shot, tough luck. Get off your @$$ and walk yourself. And leave my crap alone or this is going to end badly.

To top it off, I have on more than one occasion walked the top of the ridge where these guys sit and found dead elk where these morons shot an animal coming up the hill and never got off their butt to go see if they hit it. Well they did and the animal died 200 yards from where they sit and they never walked by the trees it fell down next to. Just stupid. I should've turned them in and if I ever see it again, I totally will. The idiots in this area are ridiculous. Just watch your back.

Anyways, I would have just grabbed my sidearm and fired a couple shots as I was walking off to make sure no elk stayed in the area. That just what I would have done, but that's me. Sorry this happened. Hope you find some better hunters in this area. I can't wait to see what type of people I encounter this year with my big bull tag. It should be tons of fun getting away from those idiots.

[ipkus]

So I didn't have time to scout this year. Hunted close to home. It was great until Labor Day weekend. Bears, elk-no bucks but seeing lots of does and fawns. I understand everyone wants to hunt, but after 5 trucks drove by on the forest road near where I was, I was ready to pack it in. Then a guy drives his truck up and parks his truck 75 yards from me, SLAMS his truck door, gets into his truck bed with a lawn chair, and sits with his bow waiting for the deer to walk by. I should've video'd it for YouTube.  I walked the mile back to my truck and said the h#@! with hunting on the weekends.

Don't take this the wrong way, but you walked a mile to get 75 yards off of a road?

You're doing this hunting thing all wrong!

[Eric M]

Well yeah only because I didn't want to drive up to the spot I was hunting. It's probably stupid but made sense at the time

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[Eric M]

I hadn't seen another vehicle in that area for a few days thought it would be quieter to park and walk to the spot where I was sitting. I does sound stupid.

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[Gringo31]

I can't say I've ever had these kind of problems in that area. 

Maybe I'm just fortunate? 

[MADMAX]

  same here
we spent from the 9th up there to yesterday at noon scouting/hunting/working the elk.
Met a few members from this site and had no problems or issues whatsoever,,,,,,,,,,,,, except the crazy wind, lack of bugling and lots of cows.
all the folks we encountered were decent nice guys, was PO'd at some woodcutters lighting chainsaws off at 0730 but hey its public land and they also had a barking dog.

too bad about your bad experince, trust me it was far better than the last 10 years hunting Winston

no bull for me, RT I hope you got yours.

Ghost Hunter, you should do well up there also.

[Gringo31]

Welcome to the site js139!

[greenhead_killer]

I made the mistake and went in the colockum this year with open season on cows. What a joke. Last five years I have not seen other hunter in there. This year was a zoo. Really couldn't go anywhere people were not. Anyhow, I did walk up on people and I always try to get a conversation going on what their plans are. I will always go the opposite direction.  I did walk up on one guy, gnarley hike in, I wanted to do the same, ask his plans and move on, walked within ten feet of me and wouldn't make eye contact. What do you do. This open cow is a fail on fng though. What a sad way to stack people up. Too much pressure and stress on these animals. I did have peaches tag last year and never had a problem with anyone imposing on me. Never saw anyone in the field while I was out. I think most people road hunt up there. Just too many people hunting too small of tracts with too much access and too few animals. Welcome to Washington hunting.

[js139]

Welcome to the site js139!

Thanks! Figured it would be good to chat about the upcoming hunts and maybe learn something. Getting ready for my Peaches Ridge big bull tag. Been scouting several 6point, 7point, and 1 8 point bulls. Hope they get through the quality tags so I can get a crack at them.

[Band]

,,,,,,,,,,, except the crazy wind, lack of bugling and lots of cows.

Sorry to hear you didn't fill that tag, Steve.  I didn't either but I gave it 8 days of serious effort, passed on 2 easy shots at spikes and saw 2 other spikes and three 6-7 pointers up close.  Just couldn't get a shot at them.  You're right about the crazy wind.  All but the last 2 days the wind switched direction constantly and blew several chances I should have had.  It was extremely frustrating!

My second to the last day I was surrounded by 4 bulls, all within 300 yards, that were answering my bugles the last 45 minutes before dark.  I picked one and went after him, got within 40 yards but never saw him before it got dark.  He was bugling and huffing and puffing but wouldn't come out of the thick trees.

I encountered...are you ready for this?...one other hunter in those 8 days!  He walked by me on the last evening I was out.

Oh well, there's always late season.  Grumble, grumble...

[T-Dozzer]

There is always going to be a turd in the punch bowl. 2  ago days we finally got the bull we had been playing for 5 days to come within shooting distance  just to have some guy in jeans and sleeveless shirt walk through our set attempting to bugle. If  we weren't in shock with what we were seeing it would have been hilarious.
Bull obviously boogied. We waited till dark at the end of valley to let them know how much we appreciated their tact and cunning hunting prowess.
3 dudes come walking out.....all drinking beers and pin point pupils like they had been popping oxy all day. We shrugged it off and hiked the 5 miles back to our rigs.

[MADMAX]

Thanks Dave
it was a tougher hunt than we thought, we also saw minimal guys in the "woods" it was weird not to have people all over so i liked that
cows on the late hunt and deer hunting next up

,,,,,,,,,,, except the crazy wind, lack of bugling and lots of cows.

Sorry to hear you didn't fill that tag, Steve.  I didn't either but I gave it 8 days of serious effort, passed on 2 easy shots at spikes and saw 2 other spikes and three 6-7 pointers up close.  Just couldn't get a shot at them.  You're right about the crazy wind.  All but the last 2 days the wind switched direction constantly and blew several chances I should have had.  It was extremely frustrating!

My second to the last day I was surrounded by 4 bulls, all within 300 yards, that were answering my bugles the last 45 minutes before dark.  I picked one and went after him, got within 40 yards but never saw him before it got dark.  He was bugling and huffing and puffing but wouldn't come out of the thick trees.

I encountered...are you ready for this?...one other hunter in those 8 days!  He walked by me on the last evening I was out.

Oh well, there's always late season.  Grumble, grumble...

[Odell]

I think we just need to accept reality and change our expectations of what 'quality' means.