Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

Leave no Trace

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

Leave no Trace

Postby Jhg » 10 10, 2018 •  [Post 1]

00b0b_9L3PlUCMP8D_600x450.jpg
00b0b_9L3PlUCMP8D_600x450.jpg (31.99 KiB) Viewed 5154 times
00101_ifYtC85Dgnh_600x450.jpg
00101_ifYtC85Dgnh_600x450.jpg (6.35 KiB) Viewed 5154 times
00z0z_gzGnDKFaewG_600x450.jpg
00z0z_gzGnDKFaewG_600x450.jpg (39.64 KiB) Viewed 5154 times
This is a subject very important to me and how my own behavior in the woods affects someones wilderness experience.
I know I share the woods with others. A LOT of others. But that does not stop me from feeling like I am the 1st person to tread the ground I am hunting deep in some forest thicket or open bench that magically appears out of nowhere as you ghost through the timber. I love that feeling and thank those who were there before me for being considerate and leaving no trace.

This is a big deal and it becomes more and more important as the areas we hunt see more and more use. This is just a matter of numbers. There are more people using the woods.That is a fact. It is not like it was in my fathers time when you could just walk out there and not consider what you did because it didn't matter or it affected nobody. Those days are over.

Leaving no trace is not an infringement on our freedoms. It is a courtesy. We choose to extend this consideration to the others who share our love of the wild places.

For each one of us, it is a way to invest in a place and in an ideal.

It takes a little effort. It takes a bit of forethought. It takes time (sometimes) to leave no trace. But it is the best way to be polite. Leaving no trace is a hunters way of being courteous and considerate. Most of us have learned to be just that at our Grandmothers table, at the grocery store or at our kids sports events. Most of us don't go around not saying please and thank you or appreciating what someones kindness has done to make a tough day a little easier. Life is better this way thats all there is too it. We have all seen how someones inconsiderate behavior can ruin a moment or another persons day. So its not too hard to take politeness and consideration for others into the woods and apply it to how we leave the woods when we are done there.

Do what you can. That effort matters. The fact you choose to care matters.
Jhg
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 864
Joined: 07 18, 2018
Location: Colorado

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby six » 10 10, 2018 •  [Post 2]

Well said sir.
Elk are where you find em...
User avatar
six
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 637
Joined: 06 13, 2012
Location: Michigan
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Cool

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Swede » 10 10, 2018 •  [Post 3]

Jhg, I agree 100%. I hated the location I was at this season. I did not see all of the trash that was nearby until after camp was set. It was ugly. No one wants to camp where someone else left an old toilet, elk bones, carpeting shell casings, etc. There were about five meat poles there, and a fire ring with trash in it. Pigs. No offence to real swine as they do not litter.
I wont go back there next year.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Tigger » 10 10, 2018 •  [Post 4]

The only kind of man-made trash I actually enjoy seeing once in a while is an old shell casing. I wonder who it was, what were they shooting at, did they miss? Get it? Where was the game animal? Lots of questions to a casing. Having said all that, I always try to pick mine up. But other than that, I totally agree and every year my goal is to take out some garbage.
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 10 10, 2018 •  [Post 5]

Where is the "thumbs up" emoticon? Who owns this damn joint ;). Well put Jhg.
User avatar
WapitiTalk1
 
Posts: 8732
Joined: 06 10, 2012
Location: WA State
First Name: RJ

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Elkduds » 10 10, 2018 •  [Post 6]

Jhg wrote:
Leaving no trace is not an infringement on our freedoms. It is a courtesy. We choose to extend this consideration to the others who share our love of the wild places.

For each one of us, it is a way to invest in a place and in an ideal.

It takes a little effort. It takes a bit of forethought. It takes time (sometimes) to leave no trace. But it is the best way to be polite. Leaving no trace is a hunters way of being courteous and considerate.

Do what you can. That effort matters. The fact you choose to care matters.


I'll take it a little farther. Leaving no trace is an investment in the future of public lands. Leaving public lands better than
when we arrived empowers us to be part of the solution. If not, we are part of the problem. This Sept. I policed (Boy Scout legacy) the historic campsite I used. I removed baling twine, duct tape, decomposed carpet, cans, paper, plastic, and such. I do the same thing every time I take a hike or walk the dog in public places, recycling or just throwing away litter left by others. That is what pockets are for! I pocketed a power gel wrapper that gooped up my pocket. A small price to pay.

Users on wheels: when you leave the established trail you leave the worst kind of trace, one that invites others to mess up like you did. Don't go there :evil:
User avatar
Elkduds
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1536
Joined: 09 29, 2013
Location: Colorado Springs
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Scott

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Roosiebull » 10 10, 2018 •  [Post 7]

Tigger wrote:The only kind of man-made trash I actually enjoy seeing once in a while is an old shell casing. I wonder who it was, what were they shooting at, did they miss? Get it? Where was the game animal? Lots of questions to a casing. Having said all that, I always try to pick mine up. But other than that, I totally agree and every year my goal is to take out some garbage.

Yeah, old shell casing on the mountain is pretty cool, found a really old 30-06 casing in weneha this year, and on the same ridge a really old Pepsi bottle, still have them both.

JHG, all very well said! I try to leave NOTHING but my foot prints behind me in the woods or on the river, and pack trash often. It seems to be the very least we can do.
User avatar
Roosiebull
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1125
Joined: 02 27, 2017

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Fridaythe13th » 10 11, 2018 •  [Post 8]

Can 1 of you responsible people follow me around and pick up all my elk calls I leave on a log or drop. :lol: not to mention the range finder.

I agree, we have a scouting party go around the camp site after we get everything in the trucks and trailer just pick up that little candy bar wrapper or water bottle. It takes 10 minutes
User avatar
Fridaythe13th
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1014
Joined: 10 24, 2013
Location: Minnesota
First Name: Eric
Last Name: S

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Jhg » 10 11, 2018 •  [Post 9]

I don't want to make this thread into a wagging finger and its fantastic how much the members of this website do their part. I will just add this: Leaving no trace is a lot more than picking up trash. Its about not cutting new trails, breaking down fire rings away from drive up sites, its about not clear cutting areas around wallows or tree stands, its about low impact camp sites etc. We have all seen examples like these, of hunters going in and making a big footprint by not considering the lasting impact that they are leaving behind. Just do what you can to leave no trace and know someone out there appreciates that thankless effort and you can walk proud for that effort because it does matter you cared enough to do it.
Jhg
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 864
Joined: 07 18, 2018
Location: Colorado

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Swede » 10 11, 2018 •  [Post 10]

Here is another perspective shared for your consideration.
I am totally into leaving no garbage, and I never have a camp fire, so there is no fire ring that I have built. I never set up a meat pole either. I don't want any trash left by me. Where I camp is always near a man made road. It has been logged in the past, so for me the idea is not to leave any garbage or damage anything.
When I set up a tree stand, I am fine with cutting a couple of poles for a ladder, and using natural pole cross pieces, or even sawn lumber. The area has been logged with ground based equipment or cable yarded in the past. There are stumps and cull logs left on the ground. There are skid roads and landings. Cattle are everywhere. It is not a wilderness.
I will add that I doubt there is any significant place in the lower 48 States, and maybe Alaska too, that is really natural. Everywhere I have hunted in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, trees, often true firs, and brush have invaded. The forests are much denser than natural. Fuel loading on the ground is very often extreme. This has developed over time because of the different agencies fire suppression. It is all going to burn. The ecologists have been predicting the Blue mountains of Oregon and Washington will be completely burned over in the near future. I guess what I am saying is, I have no problem with cutting a sapling out so I can see from my tree stand, or using a couple of poles for my ladder.
Sometimes when I am camping with folks, that are not educated in forest management, I will ask them what they think about the forest. Everyone has always said it is beautiful. They believe it is natural until I ask them, how many of the trees you see are under 100 years old? About 90% of the trees we see are. Some of that would be natural, but the forests are commonly overgrown. The Malheur N.F., where I worked, has over 300,000 acres of saw timber which was not there at the end of the 19th century. In the older forests the stocking is far above natural levels. If you walked through it or drove by, you would believe it is all natural. There were almost no elk in 1970 on the districts where I worked. Now the game commission is trying to limit them. The habitat has changed.
Forests need to be managed more than just put out the fires. Logging has not kept up with the forest growth, and now it has been nearly stopped. Putting out forest fires, and nothing else, is like putting an earth dam into a river with no spill way.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Jhg » 10 11, 2018 •  [Post 11]

I wish everyone was as thoughtful about their actions as you are Swede. I found a couple fire rings built at least 75yrs ago (just guessing) when they did the initial surveys I suppose, or timber cruisers maybe. Moss covered rock, and just like in the Boy Scout books or old Outdoor Life, there was a narrow coal channel to rake embers into. Place billy pot and contolled cooking. Very cool. Very worth leaving as an artifact. Old ranching artifacts, homesteading stuff, mining claims etc. Fun to come across. My gripe is not the careful treestand or campsite. Its those careless ones I hate. The worst example I have found personally was a 6 foot wide trail cut into a wilderness area. They were cutting trees the size of my thigh. Clearing wallows and then some, removing all limbs ground to stand and otherwise just a total disregard for any ethic what so ever. I reported that one. Still bums me out to remember it. The trail was for quads of course, or horses, I don't know. They did some clear cuts in my area that mimic a forest fire. Very well done and as an x-logger, I can appreciate the effort. Hunting there never bothers me like a poorly done cut does and I enjoy seeing how its regenerating.
Jhg
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 864
Joined: 07 18, 2018
Location: Colorado

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Swede » 10 11, 2018 •  [Post 12]

Well said Jhg. I was not objecting to anything in particular, but trying to put things into some context. Even where I do use some native material, it is important not to leave a mess. There is a difference between having a garbage can beside your desk, and living in a pig pen.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Magic » 10 11, 2018 •  [Post 13]

Being a steward of land whether it is public or private is a huge responsibility. Even when I hunt the property that I own.....I don't own it. I am only the caretaker for my designated period of time. Then it must be passed on to a future caretaker.
User avatar
Magic
Rank: Satellite Bull
 
Posts: 349
Joined: 07 30, 2012
Location: Brookhaven, MS
First Name: Lynn
Last Name: D

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Jhg » 10 11, 2018 •  [Post 14]

Awesome! Totally agree.
Jhg
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 864
Joined: 07 18, 2018
Location: Colorado

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby elkstalker » 10 12, 2018 •  [Post 15]

Great post, I'm totally with you on the LNT and even try to go beyond, cleaning up after ignorance... I have a spot I like to glass from and headed there the day before opener only to find it had been used as a toilet for at least a week (I assume when the person was glassing themselves). I know it's all biodegradable, but come on, think about the people who will use the land after you. We're only passing through and should leave it so others can experience the same things we do.
User avatar
elkstalker
Rank: Satellite Bull
 
Posts: 305
Joined: 04 16, 2015
Location: Montana

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby saddlesore » 10 12, 2018 •  [Post 16]

You haven't seen anything yet.Wait until the bill that is in Congress passes that will permit bicycles, wheeled vehicles and such into wilderness areas.Traffic and use will increase four fold along with more slobs.
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: Leave no Trace

Postby Lefty » 10 13, 2018 •  [Post 17]

Great post and discussion!!

Ive conditioned myself pretty good from years back trapping. I didn't want others to know I was in the area.
And as a Scoutmaster my troop has earned Honor patrol every year at camp except once, ( this year, but that is another story)
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H


cron