Whats really going on?

[Lefty]

Checked one of the water locations I hunted 4 years ago. Somebody had placed a blind,.. its public land I’m OK with that,..

But I really think they are pulling a bit of a stunt,.. which may benefit me also. I don’t think the blind is even huntable. Does the other person want to "claim" the location, Or keep others away?

Idaho law states names must be on blinds on public land. This blind didn’t have a name, so that along with its too small size raised my suspicions.
If could be a deer or antelope of elk hunter,. a few of each hitting the water from the tracks on the ground.
Maybe the lamest "blind I’ve ever seen.
Three old T-posts spaced 30 inches apart in a tri-angle wrapped with a 40" x 8 foot old burlap camo.
The camo was tied on with reused tie wire.
Unless the fellow is some sort of contortionist or a midget I don’t see how anyone would fit in the blind much less be able to shoot. Certainly couldn’t draw a bow .
The burlap was very see though

Ive seen guys stake or flag trap locations, gain permissions on fields they never plan to hunt. post property they have no rights too, , block roads with theirs vehicles,, gate of fence public roads and so forth
Maybe they plan to place a "real" blind later?

I do have a number of trailcam pics likely of the guys in other locations

What would you do,.. have you had similar situations of others "claiming" places to hunt

[montanabrown]

public land is just that. public. i wish i could stake claim to certain areas i hunt but that just doesnt happen. if its that good of an area id go back in there and at least see if they came back to put an actual blind up. if they havent been back then might as well hunt it.

[Indian Summer]

Sounds like a young kid. I'd hunt like it wasn't even there. If he shows up pick his brain and tell him the law on leaving blinds.

[Bowhunter]

I would just hunt it anyway, if they were not there when you went in. I hunt a public place next to home and put my stand up 100yds from another hunters stand. I met him on the way in to look for a place to hang the stand. I talked to him and he seemed like a good hunter and scent savy so I figured he wouldn't mess the area up. I asked what vehicle he drove. I go to a diferent stand if he is there and hunt the spot if he isn't. We both shot deer from the spot. Just hunt it.

[>>>---WW---->]

I've seen antelope hunters do this many times. They call it a a mock blind. They claim it's purpose is to get the pronghorns used to something at the waterhole. Then when they decide to hunt, they place their popup blind behind it. I think they are actually staking out the waterhole for their own private use.

[Washington Wapiti]

I talked to him and he seemed like a good hunter and scent savy so I figured he wouldn't mess the area up.

This is the exact issue I'm concerned about with a couple of guys that have appeared to encroach near my main site. I got them on my camera from the last round of pics, carrying a treestand in. I actually met them last year and they are young kids, probably late teens. We chatted for a bit the couple of times we ran into one another. They're good guys and happened to stumble onto my site last year (blind and trail cam) by hunting through. The corridor is a good mile long and if they set up where I think they did, they are probably a tenth to a quarter mile away from where I will be. Plenty of room for us all that are treestanding. But are they "scent savvy?" Are they going to over-call or not take as great of care being in there as I do and mess up both of our hunts?? I hope to have this conversation with them if we run into one another, and find out how they plan on hunting it.

Anyways, conventional wisdom tells us that we should put a blind out well in advance before the season to "acclimate" the animals. In that sense, if it is obviously a site being prepped and left to settle before the season kicks in that is one thing. I'd never even consider hunting on somene's spot and would just move on. I think it's really lame to piggyback on someone elses hard work, if that is someone's intent. But this just sounds weird and is not abiding by state law anyway. All bets are off . . . I'd hunt it. You could always pull a Swede and pee on or around the blind!

[Lefty]

[quo and pee on or around the blind!

I belive I have pics of the guys walking in and riding their razor into the location.
Likely they were the ones that crapped at my blind a couple years ago, nice to my face,..dirty tricks the rest of the time

The mock blind makes sence but why not build it up a bit even if it isnt used as a blind. The posts looked like they had been set up and pulled out of another location before being placed in that location

I dont plan to hunt the location but a buddy had planned. I hope they are antelope hunters then it wont be any problem