Post by: SeatoSummit88 on November 09, 2016, 08:12:53 AM
Hope the season is progressing well with all of you! I had a quick question/opinion topic I wanted to post really quick. I know a lot of you guys are really honest and voice your opinions well on this board; so I wanted to get your thoughts. Even before the season started we had been looking in this area; seeing and not seeing elk during rifle deer and before. There were probably 5-7 other vehicles that were seen within a 15 mile loop since October; we decided to continue to stay within the area where we had seen the best sign and of course, legal Bulls. Since the opener, we had worked hard to get out extra early and stay on top of a spot we felt held some bulls (or at least a herd). We respectfully parked off the main line and right near the beginning of a landing road, not blocking the road, but nudging out enough that people would see we were down below in that bottom. Day two comes around and we are starting our march down the hill to the end of the landing to take a peek before daylight hits; 12 minutes after getting out of our vehicle and walking; another truck makes his way down the opposite facing landing; mind you, he is not parked and walking, but swiftly, cruising down the end of the road; stopping every 50 yards or so, then continuing on. We could not believe he was driving all the way down the landing (and it was still morning)! One, wouldn't you have wanted to park at the top and walk down quietly; secondly, you could clearly see our rig parked across the way; and both landings look into the same bottom. In my mind, Hunter Etiquette stands for people making proper and appropriate decisions and giving plenty of space to hunters that are already in that area. After he finally stopped; we heard the noise we did not want to hear; CRASH CRASH SNAP SNAP. A herd, stampeding into the thick bottom below. He took off, and we were pissed. We waited all day; not pressuring them and staying down wind behind stumps and thick brush; no elk! Monday morning comes around, no elk, and less hunters out and about. We did not see them nor see any new sign; we figured this would be the day for no pressure and letting them get comfortable. This is where my topic question comes into play. It happened again; Tuesday morning we were parked right at the same spot; and anyone could clearly see our truck. We were happy that all day, no one came down and looked at the other landing; we had two rigs back up and leave after seeing us. About 1 hour before dark; another truck comes bombing down the opposite landing. Not stopping and walking down; not looking over 600 yards to the south and seeing our truck, and kindly turning around, but just driving to the very end. Out hops two guys. The driver walks back "UP" the hill where he came from; the passenger, posts up on a giant stump at the end of a landing; neither one looking around and seeing us across the draw; and neither one bothering to stay covered or be quiet. Not to mention we had picked the down wind side; so they were stinking up the whole draw. We were so angry; they busted us and never came out. We left furious. I understand that we don't own area's. We can't hold spots; and we did not have another vehicle parked on the top of the other landing to indicate we were down there; but still, shouldn't hunters know that if they see another vehicle or fellow hunters looking into the same bottom; that they should get out of that area. This how my hunting partner and I were taught at least.
Do you guys think the people who drove down, should have turned around and left, after seeing us or our truck? Do you think they should have at least walked down, to be generous of the other hunters? Just wanted to get opinions on here.
Post by: treeclimber2852 on November 09, 2016, 08:40:37 AM
Post by: Matth on November 09, 2016, 08:44:43 AM
Post by: scrapperdude on November 09, 2016, 08:44:59 AM
Post by: SeatoSummit88 on November 09, 2016, 08:52:50 AM
Thanks for the other opinions. That is the problem with hunting clear cuts...others can just drive up and look as well. However this area had timber and bottoms that we were looking in; plus we were not road hunting; we were parked and walking in and out of draws in the area.
Post by: tjthebest on November 09, 2016, 09:22:02 AM
Post by: Chesapeake on November 09, 2016, 09:26:16 AM
Post by: Buzz2401 on November 09, 2016, 09:36:27 AM
Post by: SeatoSummit88 on November 09, 2016, 10:12:55 AM
Post by: huntingfool7 on November 09, 2016, 10:18:09 AM
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on November 09, 2016, 11:32:33 AM
I use vehicle accessible, visible open areas to rule out areas where the elk are unlikely to be. However, I am likely to be fairly close by, hunting an area that is out of line of sight with a well-used trail or feeding area.
Post by: dominknows on November 09, 2016, 12:03:52 PM
Get out there before season, since 90% of the people who hunt in that area do not, you would know where there tendency to go is when they are down in that bottom spot.
My wife's opportunity to kill a bull opening morning in a clear cut was ruined by a guy who decided to drive this the lower road that goes halfway into the cutting before it was light enough to shoot. I knew the bull was in there from the night before, luckily I live close enough to get out in the woods my fair share. We watched him in the binos for 45 minutes in the dark with the rain pouring down on us, only to watch the elk start jogging the opposite direction just before light because of someone else being lazy, ignorant, or just plain stupid. We caught them in the timber 45 minutes later only to be busted by another vehicle driving the road as they were preparing to cross, couldn't catch them before they reached the safety net of private land. That pretty much sums up rifle season with drive in opportunities, you just have to learn to play the hand that is dealt to you or change weapon/area.
Post by: buglebrush on November 09, 2016, 12:15:10 PM
Post by: SeatoSummit88 on November 09, 2016, 12:22:17 PM
Post by: pianoman9701 on November 09, 2016, 01:18:58 PM
Post by: theleo on November 09, 2016, 02:58:53 PM
Post by: Stein on November 09, 2016, 03:20:34 PM
Quote
I understand that we don't own area's. We can't hold spots......... shouldn't hunters know that if they see another vehicle or fellow hunters looking into the same bottom; that they should get out of that area.
Honestly, I think the first statement you made is the right one. You can't park somewhere and expect that holds the large area just for you.
Courtesy comes into play for some and they may give you some room, but public land is just that - I have absolutely no expectation that anyone will give me an inch of space and then are pleasantly surprised if they do. I also don't get mad - I don't give them the permission to anger me.
Others mentioned that the other way to play it is know what is going to happen and post where the animals will go to. This is the most underappreciated strategy for public land hunting. If there is a draw that holds animals with a road next to it, where will they go for cover when noisy guys park as close as they can and walk noisily into the area?
Post by: MADMAX on November 15, 2016, 08:37:10 AM
I'm sure nothings changed in GMU 520
Winston late hunt dbags
It will be a memory that lasts for years.
I have had two younger guys I have been teaching to bowhunt elk,
I am not trying to be holier than thou but I am trying to instill some ethics/techniques on marginal shot attempts (targets vs critters, they are great shots on the range), working with other hunters to make a plan, when jumping a band of elk, practicing good land-owner relations, etc.
So here I am with my 21 yr old ,,almost son in law,, up in the winston unit, so far had a great weekend going, we jumped 2 groups on friday up in the 200 line Port Blakely area, decide we will hunt the last day down in MT ST Helens tree farm 1100 line area, spotted a herd a mile or so away glassing, went looking for the road to the clearcut they were feeding in to put a stalk on ,,,,,,,,take a turn down on a road in the truck and there are 4 bulls busting off through the timber and cutting right along the road down hill from us in the reprod about 25-30 yds away and below, the kid did great, we bailed out of the truck , got on them and moved along side them stopping drawing and waiting as they were acting like wanted to move upslope , never got a clear shot,,, head, neck only, he stays at it and they move off across the clearcut, I go get the truck to go down and try to cut them off on a different skid road towards where they are heading, the kid is still on them and they are now about a 1/2 mile from where we started when we jumped them, now here is the vent/rant.
A dark green late model toyota with canopy on it and 2 guys are on the shoulder in a wide spot they see me coming in my truck, the guy sitting on the tailgate almost gets thrown/bounced off as the driver hauls butt and cuts me off to rush at the bulls down the skid road I am heading to and the kid with me is on behind these bulls, now I understand public land hunting and do not really blame them for cutting off another truck, but,,,,,,the kid that is with me is about 75 yds behind and to the right of the bulls on a skid road in the open, the toyota with these 2 genuis's in it almost runs him over to get ahead of him and rush at those bulls and yes there was no missing that he was there , it was a pretty wide open cut at that point just grass and some slash, needless to say I am totally PO'd and let the one guy that was standing there when I walked up know about it.
The bulls off course were blown across the river into the Margaret unit.
To those guys in that dark green toyota if your reading this try and take a course in hunter ethics and try and get along with others in the field a little more, you showed the worse behavior for archery hunters I've seen in years., we would have gladly teamed with you to stalk those animals !
Post by: bracer40 on November 15, 2016, 09:19:39 AM
Post by: MADMAX on November 15, 2016, 09:33:11 AM
10 years almost and still peeses me off
Post by: rosscrazyelk on November 15, 2016, 10:22:16 AM
He said he was just keeping an eye out on a bull for his friend. But he really wanted to hunt the spike that was with him.. needless to say the next morning I went in and found that spike and killed it.