Hunting Ethics Response Requested

[406LIFE]

Here is my experience this past weekend for the Antelope Rifle Opener:

I was taking a father and daughter antelope hunting for their first time. They are what I would call somewhat experienced (killed elk and deer with rifle) but not very committed to hunting. They could take it or leave it. We were on Plan B for areas, as my first didn't have a single goat in it. When we pulled up to it there was a herd of about 15 goats running towards us and then stopped. I wasn't aware at the time why they were running. We quickly parked and got a tripod out and put a 270 on it. All three of us were kneeled down and had a goat in the scope. My truck was around 50 yards or so away. Suddenly a truck comes over the hill about 45 degrees to the right and another hunter jumps out and starts running to towards the herd about 150 yards away from them. I called off my young hunter and we watched the herd which had stopped begin to run/trot off and the other hunter follow them. We proceeded 200 yards away from the hunter to crest the ridge and see where the antelope went. The other hunter continued to pursue them on foot (I have no idea why) and the other truck that she got out of was no longer in sight. I had good idea where the goats were going, and an hour later we had them spotted about a mile away. We didn't connect, but we were certainly close.

Here's the question: How would you respond to this? How should the other hunters have responded to us already being setup and ready to take a shot before they came into our field of fire?

 

[COEngineer]

Sounds really frustrating...I have been in similar situations and they still get me worked up when I think about them. I don't have a great answer for how to deal with it. Probably no way to have a productive argument with them and a blown hunt is not worth getting into an altercation...especially when guns are involved. Best to move on and look for another opportunity.

 

[emrah1028]

Really sucks. If you happen to run into them, I'd mention something in passing like you were on that herd too and you witnessed their "stalk", just to clue them in. Maybe they didn't see you. But I'd never angrily confront someone hunting. Sorry, but I never trust the temperament or mindset of another person with a firearm.

Emrah

 

[MT_elk]

Everyone that has hunted public land long enough has had similar situations. I agree with what's been said: it is best to simply move on. It is sad that there are those out there that don't have an ethic bone in their body. A few years ago I had someone shoot a great goat right out from underneath me in a similar situation. It still burns my hide.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Have to agree with the others. Most people who are pulling those kinds of shenanigans aren't the kind that can participate in a civil, constructive dialogue about ethics. We've had similar things occur, and that's just public land hunting. We just try to get away from the people. The animals will get pushed around enough that you will either run into them, or they'll run into you.

 

[James Riley]

I re-read the OP a few times but there is not enough there for me to understand what the issue is. It *seems* like the other hunters ran the pronghorn to you, showed up in their pursuit and continued their pursuit. I don't see where they even knew you were there.

I think their relationship with the pronghorn leaves a lot to be desired. But I don't quite see an issue in their relationship with you or your party.

Personally, I spot and stalk, don't chase animals with a vehicle, and I don't try to run after antelope on foot. If that is what your concern is, then I understand, but like others in this thread, I'd stand down and think you did the right thing.

If, on the other hand, your concern is that the other party somehow stepped on your hunt, I don't see it; at least in the facts provided. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

[vanish]

Hunting from the truck is almost a culture when it comes to pronghorn hunting. We hunt a Walk-in area and still run into this kind of thing happening.

I will say that beyond the opener, there are a LOT less people out there, and a lot less vehicles driving around, but with Colorado's short season, we're out there in the war zone, too.

 

[airlocksniffer]

I was goat hunting on the opener and it was a freaking zoo. People shooting off of the road, a guy and a gal unloading 10 rounds at a running herd (didn't hit anything). Every stalk I made I found at least 1 or 2 other pumpkins making the same stalk but usually started shooting at 500 yards at running critters. By the end of they day the few goats I saw were 1-2 miles away at the most inaccessible spot in the BMA. As much as I cringed at the activity I saw, such is public land hunting.

 

[James Riley]

Off topic but when I got out of the Corps I used to run a lot. Sometimes I'd go out on the Pawnee National Grasslands and run. The pronghorn would come down and "run" next to me, about 15 meters off to the side. I could almost hear them laughing. They'd "run" with me for a couple hundred meters, then get bored, floor it and go out in a big loop, then come back in for another side by side and a chuckle. Showing me how it's done.

 

[mtmuley]

Off topic but when I got out of the Corps I used to run a lot. Sometimes I'd go out on the Pawnee National Grasslands and run. The pronghorn would come down and "run" next to me, about 15 meters off to the side. I could almost hear them laughing. They'd "run" with me for a couple hundred meters, then get bored, floor it and go out in a big loop, then come back in for another side by side and a chuckle. Showing me how it's done.

An antelope whisperer. mtmuley

 

[tjones]

An antelope whisperer. mtmuley

Ha! I was thinking the same.

 

[whiskeydog]

If you were a real man you'd have jumped on and ridden one!

 

[James Riley]

If you were a real man you'd have jumped on and ridden one!

I did, but it was the wrong doe and her buck ran over and killed me.