Etiquette question, dealing with outfitter on public land....

[SHEDZILLA]

So here is a real scenario i am dealing with on some national forest in southern Colorado.
a few years ago myself and dad, rode horses aprrox 5 miles into a steep basin and found a barely suitable, but excellent place to highline the horses and camp due to the extreme steepness and very few watering options for horses in the area. We set camp, and listened that evening before dark.. The next morning as we hiked what little was left of the trail we ran into a spike/drop camp that a local outfitter had 2 hunters using. we hunted the area and never ran into the other hunters other than while walking past their camp in the morning. I killed a great bull and i love the area, and it holds some good bulls. But here is the problem, There is nowhere else within miles to camp there with horses due to water and the extreme steepness, so camping farther from this outfitter drop camp is not an option. On way out we ran into the outfitter and his string of horses and he not so nicely asked us to not camp near his clients.. and im sure he knows there is nowhere else flat enough, or close enough to water in that entire basin for us to set camp.. And this outfitter also sets this camp before the season starts, and leaves it throughout the season so it will always be there. (he has a permit)

So my question is, Is it bad of me to continue to ride in and camp in this excellent location where i have had success seeing and killing good bulls, even though i will need to be camped within 150yds of this outfitters drop camp?? Or am i within reason to camp and hunt this area on pubilc land national forest even though im pretty close to another camp. And again let me stress there is nowhere else within reason whatsoever to graze/water/camp with horses due to the terrain and water options..

opinions please?

 

[Deleted member 28227]

It's public land and you have just as much right to be there has he does... not to mention from the sound of it he is basically claiming that entire area for entirety of hunting season. I bet just about everyone who has hunted in the lower 48 has a story about other people camping near them, just part of the game.

 

[nidahunter]

dealing with outfitter on public land.... the key words here are "public land"... just because he has a permit to camp there does not give him ownership of that land. It is public. The best thing to do,however, is try to plan with the other hunters to stay out of each others way.

 

[Washington Hunter]

To me it actually seems better that you're camped near the other camp.

Even if there were other possible locations to set up camp, with the two camps in the same area, that's less area that's being disturbed.

It's public land, I wouldn't let an outfitter dictate where I hunt or don't hunt.

 

[SHEDZILLA]

It's public land and you have just as much right to be there has he does... not to mention from the sound of it he is basically claiming that entire area for entirety of hunting season. I bet just about everyone who has hunted in the lower 48 has a story about other people camping near them, just part of the game.

claiming that area is exactly what he was/is trying to do.. talking with him, he acted like we were wrong for spoiling the "wilderness drop camp experience" for his paying hunters by camping to close to them. And i should add that we couldn't actually even see their camp from ours.. Its about 150 yds away in a small group of trees.

 

[buckykm1]

I would keep hunting it, the bottom line is, it is public land. but like said above, I would try to work with the other camp if possible.

Kevin

 

[----]

You absolutely have every right to camp and hunt there.

That said, I'd personally head elsewhere. The last thing I want to do while hunting is worry about what other folks are doing, and whether or not there's going to be a confrontation.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

claiming that area is exactly what he was/is trying to do.. talking with him, he acted like we were wrong for spoiling the "wilderness drop camp experience" for his paying hunters by camping to close to them. And i should add that we couldn't actually even see their camp from ours.. Its about 150 yds away in a small group of trees.

If they wanted to have an experience without any competition they should have gone with a private ranch. Rubbing elbows with fellow hunters in a respectful manner is part of the game. Last year in MT I hiked in 7 miles to a spot and thought I would be all alone in, but later that day 3 other groups totaling 10 hunters showed up. We talked it out, camped in one big group and in the morning all went different directions. Be respectful and don't lose your cool when the outfitter is being a dick and you will be fine.

 

[fwagner]

Talk to the other hunters so you aren't tripping over each other while hunting, you are both in the same boat. That being said you hunt the crap out of that spot and tell the outfitter to suck it.

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

Had a similar situation happen to me.. For the last about 6 years I've been hunting an area during archery season that I never saw a boot track in besides my own with very good luck, last year I didn't pick up my a tag in time and ended up getting a B tag so same deal hiked into the same basin the night before opener and found two shooter Bulls, bedded them and early the next morning I was set up on the larger of the two it only took me about 20 minutes after light to locate the bull and harvest him, as I worked my way down to the bull I saw three guys making a bee line for me, confused to say the least. Let's just say the outfitter and I had a nice share of words about how much right he has over mine and we left it at that I explained to him that he was on public land and I had as much right to that bull as he did. He didn't agree with me as this is his way of making a living you could even see it in the two clients faces that they were surprised at how south things went in a hurry... Outfitters on public land is a slippery slope

 

[SHEDZILLA]

You absolutely have every right to camp and hunt there.

That said, I'd personally head elsewhere. The last thing I want to do while hunting is worry about what other folks are doing, and whether or not there's going to be a confrontation.

The hunters were actually cordial and decent to talk with... it was the outfitter who was acting like we were jerks for being to close to "his" camp... And this is in an OTC unit in Colorado, and finding good bulls in otc units consistently in CO can be very difficult.. and this basin has had rutting bulls every time ive hunted it so im not really ready to head elsewhere.

 

[jlmatthew]

Public land is public land. We have way too many outfitters in Colorado IMO! I personally see them as a bigger threat to hunting than PeTA or HSUS.

 

[406LIFE]

You absolutely have every right to camp and hunt there.

That said, I'd personally head elsewhere. The last thing I want to do while hunting is worry about what other folks are doing, and whether or not there's going to be a confrontation.

My thoughts, too. I'd see if you can locate the permit or his guide number and make a complaint if it were to escalate. I understand his point of view, but it is public land for a reason. No need to be a jerk, world's too small.

 

[ccc23454]

Tell him that's where your camping and if he has a problem with it tell the forest service and that you will do same if your camp has problems! If he is confrontational don't back down thats our land, he rents the right to use it for a private business. Most outfitters I have dealt with are very polite because if you complain to forest service they can pull/not renew there licenses. Be respectful to him and his clients but never take crap for hunting public land!

C

 

[fwagner]

Public land is public land. We have way too many outfitters in Colorado IMO! I personally see them as a bigger threat to hunting than PeTA or HSUS.

That's a bit of a stretch....

 

[ElkHunter11]

Keep hunting/camping that area. I would just try to talk to the guys camped at the site each year and let them know you are in the area and plan to hunt x part of the mountain so you aren't chasing the same bulls.

 

[bobbydean]

Agree with most. Public land. Go for it and be respectable to the other hunters. Never hunted with an outfitter, but age has a way of changing your mind. It is still public land. That you ask the question, makes me think you know the answer!

 

[matt meyer]

Public land is public land. We have way too many outfitters in Colorado IMO! I personally see them as a bigger threat to hunting than PeTA or HSUS.

I don't think so.
It is public land. You have every right to be there just like the outfitter and the other hunters. Be respectful of the hunters and if the outfitter gives you to much crap, then report him