"I survived the battle of Ellensburg"

[Bobm]

I survived the battle of Ellensburg!

We all know that public land hunting has it's drawbacks but hey we get to hunt and have a chance at putting some of the best meat in the world on the table.  Last year I took a spike and was hoping to stay lucky this year.  Not so, 

I have never run into so many goofs in my life while elk hunting!  I felt like a pin ball in the field trying to find a spot just to sit on and hope the rest of the crowd would push one my way.

Day one in the evening hunt.  I'm preparing my pack to go sit on a stand near my truck of which I had parked that early morning. 

5 big trucks pull up right in front of me on my departure point and 10 hunters jump out.
Slam doors.
Light up smokes.
Set car alarms. "beep"
Talk loud,  "you go over there!" 
Laugh loud, "HAHAHA"
Load rifles while pointing barrels at each other.
Stomp, stomp, stomp......

I loaded up and left for home.  I had had enough, and yes I'll try again next year, maybe not there though.

I'm sure the rest of you guys have hunting spots that are not this way.

[Cougeyes]

That sounds about right for that area, i could have told you not to hunt there, its the same every year. 

[Buckshot Bill]

More and more the public hunting areas are getting like that.  Buddies out slammin brews and having a social outing away from the wives.  It's not about hunting with respect for others.  It's about what they want.  Too many yahoos using RV's to hunt and not using them for just transpo close to hunting areas and then getting off and hiking around.  Since I'm getting old and decrepid, the use of a trail bike has been my saviour but I don't use it to get up to the tops of ridges and such.  I remember back in the early 70's and would hike up to the top of ridges in the Teanaway and would be wiping sweat of my face and look up and see some jacka** riding his dirt bike on the ridge across the way.  Piss me off big time .  That's when it started and it happens all the time these days unfortunately.  Wish there was a way to stop it but I don't think it will get any better.

[Cougeyes]

No not as long as there are trails and roads open to these areas, doesn't matter if they aren't supposed to be on them or not.  We use motorcycles, but ride on the motorcycle trail to get to our spot out in the Teanaway then  hike the mile over to our camp.  I just can't stand seeing all the road and ATV hunters, but i guess if everyone got off and hunted normally there would probably be less animals out there because the success rate would most likely go up. 

[dbllunger]

It is Wa.  We had several hunters actually walk up and sit within 20yds of us. The first time we confronted them, then we just started talking real loud and making a lot of noise right next to them.  Amazingly a couple got mad then we pointed out their actions and asked if they thoght what they did was reasonable or even half way courteous?  Not a one said what they did was ok.  Not a suprise for Wa.

[jackelope]

you all should try hunting in upstate new york during deer season some time  . we have it pretty good here compared to other places.

[ICEMAN]

Sadly, occasionally, we pick our hunt areas based more upon other hunters than on game. What I mean is; instead of going to where we believe animals will be, we change our plans to put ourselves in areas where other hunters will not be, let them push out the game during pre-dawn light, into bedding or rugged terrain. You can plan on this happening. Yahoo's will slam the doors, set the alarms, etc.... and spook game to you if you work it right. Even this sucks, as I would rather hunt undisturbed game.


Nothing ruins my vacation more, than being on a hunt, and having it saturated with idiots. I would rather stare blankly into a gameless canyon, than look across and see orange. 

[1371Marine]

These are many of the reasons I went from rifle to archery tag for deer. Less people and deer have died every season.

[jae]

I hate confrontation, I love to be in the out doors (out of sight of others), and I love making a stalk on an animal without someone else interupting. This year I was making a stalk on a 6x6 Roosevelt that I had been watching for two months. when I was at forty five yards, an other archer shot all most over my shoulder from 90 yards and hit the bull back and low. When I approached the other man and asked him if he had seen me, he said no. I have a hard time believing that. I helped him track the bull for about 200 yards. At that point we caught up with the bull. I ranged the bull at fifty yards and stepped to the side to let him shoot. The bull stepped out broadside and stopped, giving him a shot much better than the 90 yard shot he had taken. He had twenty seconds and did not shoot. The bull walked off. I was sick to watch this magnificent bull walk away gut shot. within two minutes the rest of the herd started toward us from behind. I knocked an arrow and prepared to shoot. I looked at the other archer and he also was ready to shoot. At that time I said "hay pal you have one bull that is wounded that I could have killed twice. You are not going to shoot at any other elk until you find out if that one is dead or dying". He said "oh ya I was just going to back you up". He stood up, the herd spooked and we parted ways.
Five hours latter that day I stopped at the spot I had last seen blood and followed the trail. The other archers tracks stopped about fifty yards from were I left him. I was sick at what had happened. I cannot believe he would not stay with that animal for the rest of the day. I wish people would think more about the quality of the hunt, other that just the harvest. If the rolls were reverst, and I harvested an animal that someone else was stalking I would not be very proud of it. I hope that goes for the rest of you. Take care and be courteous to other hunters (we are a minority).

[ICEMAN]

jae, horrible story. I have found that some guys just "don't get it..." You will never be able to make them understand what they should do, or what they have done is wrong. I am done trying to spend my time "educating" others. I just try to lead by example. Pick up the trash. Take the quality/responsible shot. Track that game. Hell, some guys will take a shot and will not even go to where their target was, to even look for blood. Saw the deer run off, must have missed....

Sorry you had this *censored*ty experience.

[boneaddict]

That is the most believable unbelevable story I've heard for some time.  That just blows me away.  What an A$$.  People like that really get me fired up.  I so wish it would be legal to hand him his head on a platter.  Thats just nasty.  I'm sorry you had that bad experience, and for the elk as well.

[Skyvalhunter]

First of all a 90 yard shot is rediculous!! I don't care how good you think you are the chances are null to little that you will make a lethal shot. Then you are waisting an animal. Then to have him shoot from behind you is very unethical!! Guys like that give the rest of the ethical hunters a bad name. I might not be the best with a bow but I know my limitations and know when another guy has made the stalk to let him proceed. Jae you were in the right and I am sorry that you had to come across one of the lower class people in our sport. It is too bad that guys like that never get a clue and hopefully in time they get their just deserved.

[TheHunt]

I had two guys follow us in and when we parked they drove right out to the clear cut parked got out real fast and set up.  We in turn got our stuff were quite and walked right out two their location I glassed the area we walked down about 300 yards.  I pulled out by antlers and started rattling.  We moved into the wind about 500 yards and rattled again.  Moved up the ridge and kept doing this for about two hours.  When we came back out they were gone.  We got into the truck and moved to another area.  We got out and simular thing I was glassing a huge clear cut and two trucks stop and start glassing no further then 50 yards away.  I got out the antlers and started rattling right next to my truck with my son.  My son said what are you doing?  I said real loud... It worked as a hunter repellent earlier this morning I am hoping it will work again.   

Got a one finger solute and they left. 

People...