Trying to Look Big

[Swede]

We hunt otc units that have a lot of other hunters. Many come in for a few days or just a weekend. Sometimes in order to look like there are more hunters in the area than there really is, we spread out. Our camp equipment, trailers and tents may get spread out over a couple of miles. We sleep in our own trailers or tents, and park there at night, but we are really just one group. I do not know if spreading out dissuades anyone else from coming in, but I think it does a little.
What do you do to minimize competition in your hunting area, if anything?

[Indian Summer]

Start earlier and hike further.

[Swede]

Joe, when one of the hats I wore was Access and Travel Manager for the District, which is well over 1 million acres, I had an objective of reducing road density so that the open (drivable) roads were about one mile apart. I never came remotely close. So, get up earlier for what? Sit in the dark in my stand? Most of my stands are not over 15 minutes hike in.
When I would go out and call, I have had pickups come along and see the elk, and hear what was going on and they would bail out of the truck and go after the elk. One of the ways people hunt elk there is to try and get one on a drive by shooting. Sit in the back end of a pickup and act like you are not illegally road hunting. Creep along a road with your rifle or bow and see if you can spot something then go after it. Another good tactic is reserved for the rifle hunters. Watch for where fresh tracks cross the road in the snow and drive around to the other side of the timber stand to see if the herd came out. If the herd came out circle around another stand where they went in. If the herd did not come out, leave a coupe along the road on the back side and return to follow the tracks.
Where I hunted last year it is different, but there are still plenty of people around the otc unit.

[WapitiTalk1]

It works to hunt those spots/areas that most aren’t deranged enough to go in to but it comes with a tough price tag.....

[Swede]

For us it was just setting up separate camps. We also had an extra tent in the one camp. Since both camps were very near hiking take off points, the cost was very minimal. Even if you set an extra tent 100 yards away from the main camp and parked on truck next to it, it would help you look like another camp in the area. Maybe I am the only one to ever try the stunt. I could not say if it helped because I saw no appreciable difference.

[Indian Summer]

Joe, when one of the hats I wore was Access and Travel Manager for the District, which is well over 1 million acres, I had an objective of reducing road density so that the open (drivable) roads were about one mile apart. I never came remotely close. So, get up earlier for what? Sit in the dark in my stand? Most of my stands are not over 15 minutes hike in.
When I would go out and call, I have had pickups come along and see the elk, and hear what was going on and they would bail out of the truck and go after the elk. One of the ways people hunt elk there is to try and get one on a drive by shooting. Sit in the back end of a pickup and act like you are not illegally road hunting. Creep along a road with your rifle or bow and see if you can spot something then go after it. Another good tactic is reserved for the rifle hunters. Watch for where fresh tracks cross the road in the snow and drive around to the other side of the timber stand to see if the herd came out. If the herd came out circle around another stand where they went in. If the herd did not come out, leave a coupe along the road on the back side and return to follow the tracks.
Where I hunted last year it is different, but there are still plenty of people around the otc unit.

Once again a reply that is different because of where a guy hunts. I hated western Washington. Eastern too now that I think about it. I know you’re in Oregon but it sounds the same. If I lived there I’d only hunt it the years I didn’t draw my out of state tags. All those roads and people just isn’t elk hunting to me. If I were to get skunked in Montana or Wyoming at least I would have soothed my soul in roadless wild country where I could leave everyone behind. Getting skunked in well travelled places with people around would leave me with nothing. It’s just like deer hunting in the east. There are about 5 camps next to mine in Wyoming. Where I go I see nobody. Priceless.

If I see someone we do this:

[saddlesore]

Where I hunt in two different areas,there is limited spaces where one can pull off and camp.Therefore there is usually a big crowd at the trail head.Seeing other campers sure don't limit people coming in and they will park right beside you. Luckily one place is usually frequented by horse pack ins or back packers and they leave pretty quick. But there are a few of those butt holes who pull in and have to have their generators running 24/7.

Where I hunt ML season,I don't hunt rifle season. It is so crowded ,you have to take your own parking space.

In Colorado anyhow, another camp does not dissuade others from pulling in and camping right beside you. So spreading out does not help .
Even when I packed in I have had other camps pack in and set up not a hundred yards from me when there are millions of acres for them to go to.

[Lefty]

I placed extra water barrels, tent , carpet and chairs. . More for a security reason. Ive met a few people in the back country I never wanted to see.

I have left a bigger tent set up, extra boots and chairs and tent .

I had on guy walking through 'camp; well 60 yards away in the dark. He had know idea camp was there.
I could hear him coming and expected it was the guys who were bugling and sky lined the night before.

I yell " Dave, keep your light off" Im sure my buddy Dave was 120 miles away still at home in bed

Part of the same crew , they didnt know the area, nice people but terrible when it came to stealth. Local family, their methods were too disruptive to continue hunting the area with them.
I set up two solar lights and placed red lenses which could be seen for miles on a butte. Kept them off the butte for weeks
of course I placed the lights there incase my wife had to come out and find me in the dark Oh wait I was working.

Ill let other post,.. see if they use my "best" method!

I do not block roads or trial heads ever. I have repaired and replaced downed fences and repaired closed trail blockage.
Im generally in difficult country and only a few place I go in are used as camps,.. And the hunters at those locations we have worked things out. and are honest in where and what we are doing.

[Tigger]

i'm with Joe on this one. we get off the road, off the trails and into the dark timber. We leave almost everyone behind. I think we have seen 2 in the woods in 4 years. It would drive me nuts to hunt an area with that many roads! I want to get away from people and find solitude....and elk. Many times, those two things go together very well!

The other thing we have found that leaves the crowds behind is to hunt grizzly infected areas!

[Lefty]

,,,,,,,,,hunt grizzly infected areas!

That sort of works. Certainly keeps the OOS away. So do they lack the courage,.... or are they more intelligent.

[jmez]

I really don't worry about it. I can't control how many other guys are in the area. I just try to avoid them as best I can.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

[Lsb]

,,,,,,,,,hunt grizzly infected areas!

That sort of works. Certainly keeps the OOS away. So do they lack the courage,.... or are they more intelligent.

I'm going with more intelligent