Backcountry Pressure and Etiquite

[knob221]

You've spent summer weekends, PTO, hundreds on hundreds in fuel, sweat, and boot leather to scout an area for your backcountry hunt. Season comes around, you get into your spot, and there is a hunting camp set up already. What do you do?

[GOcougsHunter]

Good scenario to discuss, same would go for duck hunting spots and similar.  Depending on the size of your group and their group, you could introduce yourself and offer to join forces.  A little crowding in an area can be helpful and helps stir up the critters.  There is a fine line...  I also know that I have to always have a plan B or plan C when my plan A is public land.  You never know what you will get or who will be there.  Putting all your hunting plans into a single spot is a really good way to set yourself up for disappointment. 

[BigredRusch]

Hopefully transition to plan B or plan C. Putting all your eggs in one basket will lead to disappointment.


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[Skyvalhunter]

Ask them very politely to leave and if there any meat left from your harvest You will consider giving them some. 

[pickardjw]

We showed up to about a dozen people in the spot we wanted to hunt last year. Ended up being 16+ people up there when the weekend came. Everyone was cordial when passing each other on the ridgelines and around camps. We even set up camp next to some guys that said it was cool. Not that many safe places due to standing dead timber.

Still got a buck, and a few others did as well. One guy shot a bear off my buck's carcass. I think communication is key. As long as everyone is cordial and no one is intentionally blowing up your hunt it can actually be nice to chat with people and see how their hunts are going. Though I would obviously prefer to be alone.

[Karl Blanchard]

I'd move on to another spot

[Westside88]

I think the same question applies to land behind gates. I prefer to have a conversation about what is planned and let them have first choice if they got to the gate first, but I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect to claim an entire area. If it’s an area that can only reasonably provide a hint for one or two people I’ll move on

[hunter399]

Respectful communication goes along way.

[pickardjw]

Yeah I always try to coordinate. Only had one guy be a jerk about it. He slept at the trailhead, we pulled up and were ready to hike in before him and he acted like since he slept there we should leave. He didn't want to say where he was going, so I showed him our plan and turned out he was going the opposite way. No reason to be a jerk in the first place.

Every other time I either offer to change my plan or they offer. I've even talked to guys that were glassing the same basin and we weren't aware of each other. But we put a stalk on that failed and he said he watched us the whole time haha.

[mcrawfordaf]

I went out this weekend to a walk in area. We arrived Friday afternoon and went out for a glassing session on the ridge that evening. When we came back to the trail head where camp was made there was another hunter setting up. We went right up to him and introduced ourselves and our intentions for the morning/day and he shared his. Turned out he was archery deer hunting while we were bear hunting. He was cutting out in a completely different direction then we in the AM so no conflict of interest. We had a nice chat and shared any information on each other's respective target species for the area. I know this may not always be the case in chasing different animals but I would say communication and respectfulness is paramount.

As a new hunter though the showing up to a large swathe of public land behind a gate to find others there is something I'm not entirely sure how to navigate. Is there a general "acre to person" ratio one could use? In general any gate I've come across over the last two seasons with a truck in front of it I just move on.

[pickardjw]

I hunted timber land down by Chehalis where there were 4-10 trucks at the gate at any point in the day. Plenty of land behind it for everyone. I wouldn't shy away from a trailhead because a truck is there unless it was a very small piece of land. Like, one that you are guaranteed to run into the guy.

I am more vigilant about looking for the person or people that might be back there in the interest of not blowing up their spot.

[GOcougsHunter]

I went out this weekend to a walk in area. We arrived Friday afternoon and went out for a glassing session on the ridge that evening. When we came back to the trail head where camp was made there was another hunter setting up. We went right up to him and introduced ourselves and our intentions for the morning/day and he shared his. Turned out he was archery deer hunting while we were bear hunting. He was cutting out in a completely different direction then we in the AM so no conflict of interest. We had a nice chat and shared any information on each other's respective target species for the area. I know this may not always be the case in chasing different animals but I would say communication and respectfulness is paramount.

As a new hunter though the showing up to a large swathe of public land behind a gate to find others there is something I'm not entirely sure how to navigate. Is there a general "acre to person" ratio one could use? In general any gate I've come across over the last two seasons with a truck in front of it I just move on.

Depending on the size of the swath of land, I would welcome another hunter or two in the area I was hunting.  If another hunter bumps deer or elk, there is a greater chance the animals will work their way towards me.  Now, if there is a small bowl or a small clearcut, I would say the rule is one party for those areas.  No reason for everyone to have a crappy hunt.  Communication will always be key, but as others have said on this string, be polite and creative.  One of my closest hunting buddies today is a guy I met at a trailhead with the same cow permit as me.  We ended up harvesting both of our elk at the exact same time during that hunt and have been close ever since.

[jrebel]

I'd move on to another spot

 

Isn't the purpose of the high hunt to eliminate 90% of the hunters that are not unwilling to go that far to kill a deer.  I wouldn't want to be around others if I could help it and would find another drainage / ridge / etc., further up the trail or ridge.  The high country is a vast area.....I can't imagine it would be to hard to get away from other hunting parties. 

[pickardjw]

Depending on the size of the swath of land, I would welcome another hunter or two in the area I was hunting.  If another hunter bumps deer or elk, there is a greater chance the animals will work their way towards me.  Now, if there is a small bowl or a small clearcut, I would say the rule is one party for those areas.  No reason for everyone to have a crappy hunt.  Communication will always be key, but as others have said on this string, be polite and creative.  One of my closest hunting buddies today is a guy I met at a trailhead with the same cow permit as me.  We ended up harvesting both of our elk at the exact same time during that hunt and have been close ever since.

That's an awesome story! I have a 554 late cow muzzy tag this year and the prime huntable area is pretty small, limited to about four locations after my discussion with a bio. Wondering if I'm going to meet one of the other three tag holders.

[hunter399]

At gates roads ,on a few occasions.
Somebody will beat me there,or they are camping or sleeping at the gate.
But anyway a few times,I talk to them,yada yada.
Then I would give them about a 30min headstart.

I would just sit there,drinking coffee, smoking cigs,waiting.
Then I would take off,take the high ground at all cost . Climb to the top ,side hill ,whatever.

Then pretty much have the best advantage on glassing,watching them walk the long switch backs of the main road.
All the while ,I'm just up top waiting for them to push something my way.

I've also just gave them there 30minutes ,end up going the same direction. Then have them come back by later in the day.
I'll wait an hour or more,before I walk out.
Shot a few bucks that way too.
Sometimes animals will think everybody is gone,and come out.
Boom , gotcha.