Saving Hunting Camps Early

[Arrow]

Anybody have issues with muzzle loaders setting up their hunting camps early like the first of Sept? We have camped at the same spot for a few years now and last year someone got there before us  . We thought it was a bow hunter which I didn't have an issue with but it turned out to be a muzzle loaders spike camp for his Oct hunt. I have never had to set up camp early until now but I was just curious if this is an issue anywhere else? 

[Woodchuck]

Nat forest? or.....?

[Arrow]

Yes, Peaches Ridge area

[Woodchuck]

Get ahold of the district ranger and br sure to apply for an extended stay permit for that spot now. Then you can have it "reserved" and if someone is there early you can show them that and maybe clue them in on the "14 day rule" or needing a permit. 

[GreatWhiteHunter]

 

I hate that crap!

[ribka]

Anybody have issues with muzzle loaders setting up their hunting camps early like the first of Sept? We have camped at the same spot for a few years now and last year someone got there before us  . We thought it was a bow hunter which I didn't have an issue with but it turned out to be a muzzle loaders spike camp for his Oct hunt. I have never had to set up camp early until now but I was just curious if this is an issue anywhere else?

Cannot legally set-up a camp a month before season. Call the local ranger and let the hunters setting up a spike know you are hunting there. It is public land and common sense and courtesy goes a long way. If they start complaining go get a ranger to help you out.

[Crunchy]

Dont make enemies out there fellas.  Nothing worse than leaving camp, hoping nobody comes by and messes with your $hit.

[dreamingbig]

Call the rangers.  They like to deal with these sorts of things.  They might even let you set up your camp early if you ask.

[Bean Counter]

Dont make enemies out there fellas.  Nothing worse than leaving camp, hoping nobody comes by and messes with your $hit.

True that.. Good reason to bring along a non-hunting companion or two that can babysit the camp.

[Drifterat]

Dont make enemies out there fellas.  Nothing worse than leaving camp, hoping nobody comes by and messes with your $hit.

True that.. Good reason to bring along a non-hunting companion or two that can babysit the camp.

Although I totally agree with both of these statements, it still pisses me off. I want to live in a world that you never had to worry about someone messing with your camp, because they'd expected to be shot for doing so... 

As far as setting up camp early, I agree, talk to the rangers.

[BOWHUNTER45]

JUST MOVE IN LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE ..... thats bullsheet they would do that ...just leave it the way you found it and I WOULD SAY ALL IS GOOD !!

[Bean Counter]

Although I totally agree with both of these statements, it still pisses me off. I want to live in a world that you never had to worry about someone messing with your camp, because they'd expected to be shot for doing so... 

As far as setting up camp early, I agree, talk to the rangers.

A bit of bifurcation is in order here. You don't know who is driving through the USFS campsites. Just regular old weekend warriors, meth heads, liberals, etc.

What's really sad is when hunters go screwing hunters over--ie game cams.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

Isn't there a 10 day limit or something like that?

[RadSav]

Had that two years ago in Yale and Toutle.  We figured it was a good sign that elk were in the area behind their camp.  They sure were!!!  We hung our elk testicles on their door knob for good luck!  Didn't see them again last year.

[boneaddict]

Its very common in most elk areas. 

Not real impressed with this statement....

We figured it was a good sign that elk were in the area behind their camp.  They sure were!!!  We hung our elk testicles on their door knob for good luck!  Didn't see them again last year.

courtesy does go both ways.  Respectfully handle it. 

[elksnout]

Are we as a hunting culture listening to what we are saying? Racing to beat out the next guy, hanging elk nuts on a guys door handle, etc. All the bad mojo we read on this site about the going on's up in the Winston. Rigs blocking roads. Camps positioned to try and block access.  Good grief. Aren't the mountains and streams places we all want to go to get away from the day to day crap we all suffer through?
Can't we all just be nice guys? Help out your neighbor? Maybe the next guy you race to beat out is that 12 year old kid who's after his first buck or bull. Ever think of that? Or an old timer who's on his last hunt? How about this fall we all give our word to find the positive in our hunting pursuits. When you pull off the highway, check the rat race attitude at the turn off. Sorry for the rant, but this crap really pisses me off.

[sebek556]

 

[boneaddict]

old timer who's on his last hunt?

  Reminds me of a story.

Idabooners last elk hunt probably.  His big bull tag.  I scouted an area, Figured on the quickest quietest access that would have the wind right.  Did it appropriately before the season as to not scare any critters.  Made camp away from the place.  Got up three hours before light so we could get there and park and be in the right space before dawn.  Parked the rig, started climbing the hill, pushing the ole mountainman to his max.  A rig pulled up next to ours and guys got out slamming doors.  We slipped up the ridge and got to treeline.  I could hear them coming as they had no problem cussing in the dark trying to beat us to "their spot". Got posistioned just right, and the two guys come in behind us, see us, and go in front of us, and sit down.  Trying to be th e best partner possible, I took Idabooner into the trees to cross the ridge to a different spot.  They see us doing this and try to cut us off or get in front of us. A foot race of all things. 
Interesting thing was, eventhough it spoiled the hunt, it really didn't spoil anything because as I later found out, they scouted THE NIGHT BEFORE and friends watched them from a distant ridge run off all the elk out of the meadows.   

[RadSav]

Not sure you guys read the first post! 

We are not talking guys getting in a little early to try and secure a camping spot or to save a favorite hunting spot.  These are guys setting up camps to block off hunting access a whole season early for the express purpose of keeping bowhunters out of their public land area.

If they are guys just beating us to our favorite spot I would agree with you.  We just move on and wish we had been there earlier.  But this was not the situation stated in the first post.  Or with the situation we encountered.

[colockumelk]

Are we as a hunting culture listening to what we are saying? Racing to beat out the next guy, hanging elk nuts on a guys door handle, etc. All the bad mojo we read on this site about the going on's up in the Winston. Rigs blocking roads. Camps positioned to try and block access.  Good grief. Aren't the mountains and streams places we all want to go to get away from the day to day crap we all suffer through?
Can't we all just be nice guys? Help out your neighbor? Maybe the next guy you race to beat out is that 12 year old kid who's after his first buck or bull. Ever think of that? Or an old timer who's on his last hunt? How about this fall we all give our word to find the positive in our hunting pursuits. When you pull off the highway, check the rat race attitude at the turn off. Sorry for the rant, but this crap really pisses me off.

This is the reason I started hunting with a bow in the wilderness.  I realize that not everybody has the ability or capability to do this.  So I wish that people wouldn't do this to each other.  Before I went into the wilderness areas every other year my family would have to change locations because people would see my families success and move in.  Rudely I might add.  Ruined the whole thing. My Grandpa even got fed up and stopped hunting.   

[RadSav]

These guys have gone as far as putting huge 4 foot signs up at all the gates that say "Private Property Keep Out".  We stopped to talk to the Weyer Security as they were taking one down.  He said they had removed similar signs three times in the week before the archery season opener.

[boneaddict]

That is nasty. (hanging illegal No trespassing signs.)

[RadSav]

Hey, those scrotum sacks make great door knob covers.  I personally had one on my 4X4 gear shifter.  The women love 'em!

[steen]

Well said Elksnout.  We will be there with cow tags this year and hope to do you proud!

[bigtex]

Arrow,
 The person you should contact is the US Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer for that area. The "rangers" for the USFS aren't law enforcement personnel. North of Manastash ridge is the Cle Elum Ranger District, south of the ridge is the Naches Ranger District. Call the correct ranger station and ask to speak/leave a message for the law enforcement officer.

[dreamunelk]

Are we as a hunting culture listening to what we are saying? Racing to beat out the next guy, hanging elk nuts on a guys door handle, etc. All the bad mojo we read on this site about the going on's up in the Winston. Rigs blocking roads. Camps positioned to try and block access.  Good grief. Aren't the mountains and streams places we all want to go to get away from the day to day crap we all suffer through?
Can't we all just be nice guys? Help out your neighbor? Maybe the next guy you race to beat out is that 12 year old kid who's after his first buck or bull. Ever think of that? Or an old timer who's on his last hunt? How about this fall we all give our word to find the positive in our hunting pursuits. When you pull off the highway, check the rat race attitude at the turn off. Sorry for the rant, but this crap really pisses me off.

 

As I have said before and will say again and again:  The greatest threat to our hunting heritage is hunters!

[CAMPMEAT]

What gets me is this a supposed to be a free country and someone can't even camp in the USFS without friggin' permission/permit from the government. We pay for their wages, vehicles, fuel and anything else. It pisses me off that we are so controlled by big brother and can't change crap. It should be first come, first served.

[Arrow]

   Thanks for all the good advice. Our plan is to head up early again this year to make sure they don’t save the camp spot for their muzzle loader spike hunt in Oct and if they do we will turn them in like everyone suggested. Again I don’t have an issue if another archery hunter gets the spot I just don’t feel someone should be able to a whole season ahead of us. 
   I also agree we need to leave the egos and the rate race attitudes back on the pavement. One of the main reason’s we are archery hunter’s is to get away from crap like this so we can enjoy being in the woods.     

[Recurve-Elk]

Here is how I feel on this stuff.  I think camp locations are first come first serve.  However, that is if you are going to be using them with in a day or two.  In this case, the muzzle loaders don't have the right to hold a spot for that long.  This is public land we are talking about! 

PS - I don't think that just because people have camped in the same spot for a few years that they have priority over someone else.  Again this is public land, first come first serve.  We had camped at the same location for at least 5 years, then one year someone beet us to it.  We simply found another camp spot.  No problem.  One year though we found a new spot.  That first night, some drunk guys came over and threatened to drop a tree on our camp if we didn't move by morning, because they had camped there for years... Aren't people just delightful sometimes.

[Bean Counter]

Some good thoughts here.

I don't care if your family has hunted that public land for 15 generations. Its still public land. Its not "your" camping spot. Don't like it? Go pound sand and buy some private land access. 

[huntnfmly]

Some good thoughts here.

I don't care if your family has hunted that public land for 15 generations. Its still public land. Its not "your" camping spot. Don't like it? Go pound sand and buy some private land access. 

[rtspring]

I laugh at some of these stories, COME FALL A TREE IN MY CAMP YOU BASTAGE.  the nerve of some people 
We camped in the same spot for years, but never worried about anyone being there, if they were, we would simply go somewhere else.

It is public land like many have said, Its the arseholes that think they own the damn place that ruins it for everyone.. 

[CAMPMEAT]

We used to hunt elk up Joe Watt. There was one group of guys that would be near there for a month hunting deer and elk. I think it used to be called "whiskey canyon" or someting like that. They would hang up all their old whiskey jugs like ornaments. Any of you remember that ? They'd been doing that for years. Ahhhhhhhhh, the old days.

[Recurve-Elk]

We used to hunt elk up Joe Watt. There was one group of guys that would be near there for a month hunting deer and elk. I think it used to be called "whiskey canyon" or someting like that. They would hang up all their old whiskey jugs like ornaments. Any of you remember that ? They'd been doing that for years. Ahhhhhhhhh, the old days.

hahaha, we camped around there several years back for a couple of seasons.  I know the spot your talking about, they would hang the wild turkey bottles on a 5 foot stump, with a sign that said kickin chicken.

[CAMPMEAT]

We used to hunt elk up Joe Watt. There was one group of guys that would be near there for a month hunting deer and elk. I think it used to be called "whiskey canyon" or someting like that. They would hang up all their old whiskey jugs like ornaments. Any of you remember that ? They'd been doing that for years. Ahhhhhhhhh, the old days.

hahaha, we camped around there several years back for a couple of seasons.  I know the spot your talking about, they would hang the wild turkey bottles on a 5 foot stump, with a sign that said kickin chicken.

Too funny huh !!!

[Gamblin Guy]

We used to hunt elk up Joe Watt. There was one group of guys that would be near there for a month hunting deer and elk. I think it used to be called "whiskey canyon" or someting like that. They would hang up all their old whiskey jugs like ornaments. Any of you remember that ? They'd been doing that for years. Ahhhhhhhhh, the old days.

hahaha, we camped around there several years back for a couple of seasons.  I know the spot your talking about, they would hang the wild turkey bottles on a 5 foot stump, with a sign that said kickin chicken.

Too funny huh !!!

It's still there....Witch's Camp is just up the road too.

[CAMPMEAT]

Witch's Camp. Now that's really old. I forgot about that one.

[piledup]

If only all the other hunters out there thought like us on this site here then there would be no issues at all.

[Gamblin Guy]

Witch's Camp. Now that's really old. I forgot about that one.

Hey now, i'm not that old.   

I'm not sure a lot of those same guys are still around but some of them are.  I used to laugh driving around up there seeing all the camp signs hanging in front of the camps during rifle season.

[Antlerjunkie]

Call the rangers.  They like to deal with these sorts of things.  They might even let you set up your camp early if you ask.

Give the Cle Elum Ranger Dist a call with any issues with the Tanuem, Manastash, Stampede Pass, Cle Valley, Teannaway area (above 29 pines), Liberty area, Table Mtn, and Reecer Cr. areas. They'll go out and deal with this sort of problem but if they don't know about it, they can't do anything about. Rd #, and/or Township and range would be a big help to them too. People need to be educated about common courtesy; I don't think many people out there anymore actually know what it is or use it. It's pretty sad but thankfully not everyone is this way.

[Smokey Bear]

Little Naches area was a zoo last season, but we all knew it would be.  I camped across from two huge fifth wheel trailers that were vacant the entire archery season.  pissed me off because I had camped in that area for several late hunts.  This year I am heading off into the brush where I will hopefully not have that problem. 

The previous posts were right on about the law enforcement rangers.  Arrow, if you are talking about the Naches area of Peaches Ridge, the LE Rangers name is Blair.  His nickname is "Smokey Blair"  I know him and he would be up there in a heartbeat.  One problem is that he would have to "tag" the camp and keep checking on it for the next 14 days, unless he has seen it empty before.  He is not allowed to just take your word for it. 

[nontypical176]

We had a strategically placed camp one year, often had other hunters walk right through the area heading out to hunt....Didn't bother us a bit, one guy got a bull right next to our camp.  We helped him get the elk out whole and quickly so we didn't have the gut pile rotting there the rest of the season.....And for the elk balls, we would have laughed if someone did that to our camp and then we would have known a bull was shot there as well.  I hang some off my buddies door knob every time I shoot a deer or elk just so he has something to put in his soup besides his unfilled tags. 

It is a crapshoot hoping to get your favorite camp spot....Always good to have a backup plan...Can't blame the other guys for wanting to be there too...Probably a good spot.

[True Sportsman]

Saving hunt camps early is dumb. Getting into a pissing match with other hunters on public land over "my camping spot" is dumb.