Hunter Etiquette..who's in the wrong?

[ladyelkhunter]

Here's a scenerio. Who's in the wrong? I have been scouting my hunting area for months and decided on a certain spring for my tree stand. There is a very old wooden broken down "tree stand" that has been hanging there for a VERY long time and have never seen anyone use it. I am sure it wouldn't hold a sack of potatoes. I set my stand up a couple weeks before season opens. Someone comes in the night before opening morning and sets up 2 tree stands in the trees next to mine. There were some words exchanged opening morning and I left them there to have the spot (NOT HAPPY, but no threats were made ) They told me that they put that wooden tree stand up years ago and have been hunting this spot for years. They also informed me that they have the same type of "stands" up at numerous water holes in the area. (This is all on public land) Should that piece of wood strapped to a tree hold their spot forever? They were NOT sitting in that wooden tree stand, just using it as a "place holder". Is this ok?

[no limits]

it's public land so I think anyone should be able to hang a stand where they want. But I would say the first one their should hunt that spot and if someone else comes in after you they should keep walking and hunt another spot. I wouldn't say that they have soul hunting rights to any spot on public ground.

[easeup]

kind of like a fight in a marriage......who is in the wrong?

[idahoghost]

Idaho Code states: To construct blinds, pits, platforms, or tree stands where the soil is disturbed, trees are cut or altered, and artificial fasteners, such as wire, rope, or nails are used. All blinds shall be available to the public on a “first-come - first-served” basis. Portable manufactured blinds and tree stands are allowed but may not be left overnight.

[JohnFitzgerald]

kind of like a fight in a marriage......who is in the wrong?

Ha, in my marriage I'm always wrong!

[FemoralArchery]

Legally, you both had the right to be there.

Ethically... Pretty crappy if you ask me. Their reasoning is pretty crappy.

It doesn't matter who's been hunting there for years. First come, first serve. Now, since they were sitting their stands and you could have still sat in yours, but that likely wouldn't have been much fun.

You did the right thing by setting your stand up ahead of time and if I, or most others had seen it, we would have moved on to plan B, or C or whatever.

We know you are right, you know you are right, but I wouldn't waste time on individuals like this. They know they are wrong and likely don't care. Telling them they are wrong won't do much. They have already showed a lack of respect for you and for the "Unspoken Code".

If it were me, I would have sat in my stand anyway, turned on my iPhone and listened to whatever was on my playlist until they left or lunchtime. Is that appropriate? Absolutely not. But that kind of stuff really irritates me and I still like to cause trouble.

That's just my opinion.

[Indian Summer]

It's your spot. That day anyway. That happened to me a couple years ago. When the sun came up there was a guy staring at me from 30 yards away. I sat there all day knowing he'd never out-sit me. He lasted until about noon and bailed out.

Find some old barn wood and build an "antique" stand there too.

Oh yeah.... welcome to ElkNut forums!

[ladyelkhunter]

Thanks for the replies. My feelings on this, of course I feel like I was NOT the one in the wrong and they feel the same about themselves. I've had phone conversations with the people since (it's a small community where I live ) If they had been SITTING in the "antique tree stand" that had been there forever, I would have calmly and quietly walked out of the spot, since that one was in fact, there before mine. But they weren't. They were sitting in big store bought stands on the opposite side of the spring, next to mine. I probably used some inappropriate language towards them and later apologized for that. It just kills me that someone would have the nerve to walk UNDER my tree stand the evening before opening morning and set their stands up next to mine. And the next morning go in ridiculously early to intentionally beat me in there. They let me get all the way up in my stand and start pulling my gear up before they said a word. I should have just stayed. I'm sure I messed their morning hunt up as much as they did mine. Nothing was coming into that spring after the "conversation" that took place that morning. Archery hunting sure isn't what it used to be. In my neck of the woods anyway.

[westaner]

They were wrong , I would have told them right away you were gonna be in stand opening day

[mjblowers]

I'll refrain from my opinion (not saying you are wrong) but I will say that this scenario right here is the EXACT reason why I look for the most remote possible place to hunt and will go there, even if it's less likely to yield an animal. At any point if I feel like there is heavy human traffic or recent human traffic - I hike back to the truck, go home, load up Google Earth and start searching again.

[BRazz]

I think your tree-neighbor's reasoning is pretty bad, and he sounds pretty rude. Not cool to violate the unwritten code and he surely has bad karma... But it is likely that he has been hunting there many years since you say you just started scouting there this year. Doesn't make his attitude or behavior "right" but I can at least appreciate where you both are coming from. I think you did the right thing by leaving and finding another spot, but I'm intrigued by others' posts about trying to 'outsit' your neighbor.

[cnelk]

Not sure what to do in this circumstance.

If you have other spots to hunt, that would be the best choice.

I know that there are some things to do that deter elk/deer from frequenting a spot.
But the 'high road' has less traffic than the "low road'

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

Actually, if the forest service so desired, they could fine these people for leaving stands in the forest that are dangerous to others and littering the forest.

Turn them in if you want to!

[JohnFitzgerald]

My philosophy is what comes around goes around. I have no opinion on who's in the wrong. But you need to rise above their level by wishing them good luck and moving on. Feel good about yourself that you've taken one step closer to being a great hunter and they've taken one step back.