Teaching the youth good ethical hunting choices

[BBD87]

Just needed to vent more than anything... I was hunting yesterday evening at a location that I have been hunting everyday since opening day of rifle season. Also my brother hunted the same location during bow season. Neither my brother or myself have seen a single other hunter at this location. It's about a 2 mile hike.

While I was sitting in my little spot watching over a large 2 year old clearcut that is split by a 100 yard section of standing timber and joins another 4-6 year old clearcut. As I was glassine the older cut I noticed a father and son (I'm assuming based on age). The son appeared 10-12 years old and was carrying a rifle as was the father. The were walking a road that runs the ridge of the older cut about 1/2 mile away from me. I figured they snuck in sometime in the afternoon and I just didn't notice them.

I made a point to stand in a location I was visible to them hoping they would see me and not come to the location I was at. The road only goes about 200 yards in the timber that splits the two units.

I WAS WRONG... I watched the father who looked to be in his mid 30's, stop in the road to look at me several times before walking within 100 yards of me and proceeding down the road. I even watched the boy point me out and tell his father.

The two disappeared into the timber. As quick as they were walking and lack of effort to be quiet, I figured they would be out and walking back in the next 10 minutes.  I WAS WRONG AGAIN!

About 45 minutes later I hear three consecutive shots from the road that runs through the timber.

I packed up and left the area, highly irritated.

I know of 5 bucks in this unit. 2 real good, mature bucks and 3 smaller young bucks I would not harvest. I was close to harvesting one of the larger bucks the night before until a yote came tearing through the clearcut and chased the buck, doe and a yearling off.

I am not bothered that someone else harvested a buck in this location. (Assuming it was a successful hunt). I am not bothered that someone else was hunting in this location. I am however bothered that people are teaching young impressionable hunters that it is okay to hunt on top of others, disregard someone else's effort they put in to get into a location and set up and I personally consider these poor ethical hunting choices!

I was taught by my father that if some else was hunting at a spot we wanted to, you just leave and find a new better spot. Heck he wouldn't even stop at a gate if there was another rig there.

Just looking to see what y'all think of this and is it a common thing to experience.

[jay.sharkbait]

Congratulations to the father and son on a successful hunt.

Looks like their tactics were better than yours?

[singleshot12]

Maybe they thought you were in their honey hole Public land I assume?

[BBD87]

jay.sharkbait - I agree. Congrats to the duo on a successful hunt.

singleshot12 - Yes this is public land but I don't think it would be their "honey hole" considering I have scouted the area and made trails to allow me and my brother to be quiet when entering and leaving the area and like I said never once saw anyone even remotely close to this area. Not even any boot prints or other sign of other hunters being in the area. This is one of the reasons we chose this area to hunt this year.

Am I wrong for thinking that someone should not come into an area that someone else is set up and has been there for sometime (that day) before you were there? I understand if you are at a gate that accesses a large area. But I am referring to a single clearcut.

[jay.sharkbait]

jay.sharkbait - I agree. Congrats to the duo on a successful hunt.

singleshot12 - Yes this is public land but I don't think it would be their "honey hole" considering I have scouted the area and made trails to allow me and my brother to be quiet when entering and leaving the area and like I said never once saw anyone even remotely close to this area. Not even any boot prints or other sign of other hunters being in the area. This is one of the reasons we chose this area to hunt this year.

Am I wrong for thinking that someone should not come into an area that someone else is set up and has been there for sometime (that day) before you were there? I understand if you are at a gate that accesses a large area. But I am referring to a single clearcut.

I just don't see an issue here.

They could have easily pushed an animal into the cut for you.

[Mark Brenckle]

If you hadn't seen them in the area before today, maybe they were just exploring a new area. I would've kept walking just like they did, not knowing the road ended a little further in. And then, if I saw sign or a buck, where you couldn't see them, I'd have shot them.
 Or, maybe they walk by that cut every year knowing the bucks hang out further in. 

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

I dont think they did anything wrong.  Sounds like they made the right decision and bagged one.  Remember you dont own the forest.  Maybe they had been in the area all day and thought you had just showed up? To me it sounds like you have ot of time in this area and may be a little sour theygot one right out from under you idk?

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[Naches Sportsman]

There is nothing wrong ethics wise.

A couple years ago I had the same situation, except I was in thick timber.

All morning I was in the same spot watching over an elk trail in heavy timber. I knew the elk came up in the mornings and down in the evenings. It was about 1130 or so in the morning and I was watching a cow and calf hoping they'd get somewhere less dense so I could get a shot at the calf. After e0 minutes of watching them, I hear a lot of branches breaking about 200 yards below me. The elk take off like a bat out of hell. Glassed down and there was a dad and his son. Ended up they both had bull tags. After talking a bit, he said he was given this area to look at by a knowledgeable guy we both know. I ended up telling the dad and his son all the info I knew about the area and gave them additional spots to check out.

I ran into the dad this summer up north. He said they didn't connect on the trip, but we're thankful for the info I gave them and that they feel better prepared the next time they draw the tags.

[dmoua]

Imagine having atv riders drive all around you on national forest. I'm talking off roading where they shouldn't be. Now that's irritating.

[hunter399]

I know your not gonna like this but,sounds like he taught his son how to out hunt you,but really hunting is all about being at the right spot at the right time ,i see nothing wrong with there actions ,deer where hideing from you in that timber maybe who knows