The nicest hunters?

[ShootsManyBullets]

All depends, biggest douches overrun into are always whitetail hunters usually throwing out the word "bro" and referring to all the deer they've named and there qdm techniques. Then again it could just be because all of those guys I've met are in Illinois and were all pricks here.

You found the old FIBs (fuc$in Illinois bastards)

 

[Pucky Freak]

I've found that when the hunting resource is vast, assholery is pretty minimal. Like grouse hunting in northern MN. If there is a truck in the parking area where you wanted to go, you just go find one of 10,000 other grouse-looking habitats and hunt there instead and you very rarely cross paths with another hunter. But the few times I have they've been pretty genial. Waterfowl the equipment cost is huge, the first hour of the day is critical, opening morning has a lot weighing on it, and sometimes more hunters show up to hunt a slough then there are places to comfortably space each other out. Because no one really wants to be the one to pull the plug, tempers can run hot.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

When backpacking, the best way to ensure great relations with horsemen is to get well up off the trail when you encounter them. Even livestock that are backcountry savvy will very often spook at the sight of someone with a gaudy coloured hump on his back. I always tried to explain it to backpackers I ran into on the trail. About 75% were more than happy to jump out of the way. Many were indignant assholes stubbornly clinging to their constitutional right to public property. If you get off the trail for a pack train withot being asked, I guarantee you will make a friend. Or you can argue your rights with flying horseshoes.

This is a fair point, and I make an effort to step well off the trail for others ahead of their arrival, horseback or on foot either one.

I’ve never had a hunter on foot charge past me into animals that I’m obviously actively glassing. Horse folks have done it several times.

 

[406dn]

Mule man made a good point. It is better to get below the trial if possible when meeting a horse or pack string. That is far less likely to spook a horse. Also if you make small talk as you go by, the horse realizes the strange looking thing is just a human. I will always start it by saying hello as we get close.

Primarily, I'm a bird hunter these days,,,, so maybe I am a really great guy. Then again I am often on a horse,,,so there is half a chance, I'm an a$$hole.

 

[BuzzH]

I try hard to avoid people everywhere I hunt, I know its not always possible.

My favorite is when I run into another hunter that is hunting the same place I am. I ask them where they want to hunt, give them first choice to let me know where they're going. Makes no difference to me as I have lots of options, just don't like to bump into each other all day hunting the same country.

Sometimes it works, but on many occasions, they end up wandering right into where I am, where they said they weren't going to be.

I'm almost to the point of just sticking with my game plan and if I'm hunting right on top of them all day, so be it. There's just some people that hunt that don't get it...clueless.

 

[mtmuley]

I try hard to avoid people everywhere I hunt, I know its not always possible.

Me too. That way I don't have to fake being nice. mtmuley

 

[noharleyyet]

Me too. That way I don't have to fake being nice. mtmuley

It’d be a hoot running into you, especially if I knew and you didn’t know who we were.

 

[choc dogs]

I'm sure after this year there's a few folks in the area I hunt who think pheasant hunters are arseholes. I admit I can come very unglued when hunters abuse the block management rancher's property. Drive around off road and tear the place up after getting stuck, and yeah you're going to hear some choice words from me. Also called the game warden ... and she returned the call the next day. Caught a couple of young punks hunting without signing in. Now that REALLY pisses me off. Those ranchers get paid by the state per hunter who signs in. Show some gratitude and help them out! Yep, I gave those two a piece of my mind and headed straight to the ranchouse (where unbeknown to them designated parking is located anyway). Also, so many guys grab the map from the sign in box and don't look at the rancher's conditions on the back. "Do you know if the rancher allows smoking on this property?" "Why wouldn't he?" "For the same reason he doesn't want you driving all over the place: fire prevention. Look at this place. It's dryer than a popcorn fart." My brother was a fire investigator for insurance and over the years his team investigated countless prairie fires caused by cigarettes and vehicle catalytic converters. Instructions on reverse of map says stay off the roads if they're muddy (DUH!) Sure enough, down the road comes a big pickup throwing clods fifty yards in the air. I wave them over. "You're not supposed to be driving out here when it's muddy." "We're okay. This is a 4x4." When that rutted gumbo dries up into concrete, it will be impassible for anything less than a Sherman tank! Stupid jerks. And yes, seems the offenders are always locals (in Montana the first digits on license plate indicate the county). The only gate I have ever encountered left open by a hunter was a hobby ranchette neighbour. I watched him do it.

I'm sure after this year there's a few folks in the area I hunt who think pheasant hunters are arseholes. I admit I can come very unglued when hunters abuse the block management rancher's property. Drive around off road and tear the place up after getting stuck, and yeah you're going to hear some choice words from me. Also called the game warden ... and she returned the call the next day. Caught a couple of young punks hunting without signing in. Now that REALLY pisses me off. Those ranchers get paid by the state per hunter who signs in. Show some gratitude and help them out! Yep, I gave those two a piece of my mind and headed straight to the ranchouse (where unbeknown to them designated parking is located anyway). Also, so many guys grab the map from the sign in box and don't look at the rancher's conditions on the back. "Do you know if the rancher allows smoking on this property?" "Why wouldn't he?" "For the same reason he doesn't want you driving all over the place: fire prevention. Look at this place. It's dryer than a popcorn fart." My brother was a fire investigator for insurance and over the years his team investigated countless prairie fires caused by cigarettes and vehicle catalytic converters. Instructions on reverse of map says stay off the roads if they're muddy (DUH!) Sure enough, down the road comes a big pickup throwing clods fifty yards in the air. I wave them over. "You're not supposed to be driving out here when it's muddy." "We're okay. This is a 4x4." When that rutted gumbo dries up into concrete, it will be impassible for anything less than a Sherman tank! Stupid jerks. And yes, seems the offenders are always locals (in Montana the first digits on license plate indicate the county). The only gate I have ever encountered left open by a hunter was a hobby ranchette neighbour. I watched him do it.

Amazing that the asshole who talks about tearing up block management properties is the one who took photos of natural resources they stole from said properties.

 

[manitou1]

Upland hunters IMO.

 

[SaskHunter]

I can meet the nicest hunter in bum-fack-nowhere Saskatchewan only to have that experience ruined the minute I walk back to a grid road and get scoped by Saskatchewan's dumbest hunter.

I say this a lot, some hunters are the best people you can find or the total opposite. I've had guys that were so nice that it was borderline weird. "Want a beer? A Coke? No, oh you're a Pepsi guy, want a Pepsi? Want my wife to make you a snack? Yeah, there's this monster Whitetail on my quarter over there, you should go shoot it. Let me know when you shoot that deer, I'll come get it with the tractor. Oh, you're camping around, want to come in the house for a shower? My 21 yo daughter is single, oh, you're married? Too bad!"

 

[OntarioHunter]

Amazing that the asshole who talks about tearing up block management properties is the one who took photos of natural resources they stole from said properties.

I know the owner. Guess I should I give him a call and confess to stealing that worthless little piece of basalt. I'm sure he could use a good laugh.

 

[MarvB]

It’d be a hoot running into you, especially if I knew and you didn’t know who we were.

Harley, But how would you have recognized him is the question?



....just given ya chit muley

 

[El Jason]

That way I don't have to fake being nice.

When has that happened?

 

[El Jason]

I don't know I would pick a definitive user group. I spent about an hour chatting with an elk hunting outfitter in Idaho this year. What a great dude, he was honest, helpful, and friendly. I've met some that I wanted to leave their teeth in the trail.

Most upland hunters I've talked to were great guys. I've met a few that were absolute pricks. I do think the competitive nature of waterfowl hunting creates a fair bit of its own drama.

Like Buzz, I quite often just approach folks and talk to them. I have no desire to screw up someone else's hunt, and I have no desire to make plans that are destined for failure because of someone else.

There are egos in every walk of life.

 

[ThunderNocked]

I've had mixed bag - everyone seems to think I'm weird cause I always stop to talk to folks.
whether I'm ATVing, Snow Machining or walking I stop and have a short causual conversation. Ask how they are, how long they've been out, what direction they are hunting so we can work together, general ideas, etc. Just the general conversation to me - but often times people are really surprised that I stop to talk. I do remember getting irritated a couple times waterfowl hunting in Juneau when I would get out an hour before shooting light, get all set up and then start hunting and like 45-60 minutes after shooting light 2-4 guys would come walking out into the wetlands and see us and setup like less than 100 yards away and then immediately start BLASTING their calls. If they setup that close in the dark that would be one thing but seeing us and then getting close and trying to call everything their way after we had clearly been setup well before them was definitely frustrating. I never bad mouthed or yelled at anybody but definite frustration.

And in Juneau/SE Alaska the bird numbers are small you get groups of 10 ducks and that is a big flight on the wetlands! So there aren't hundreds of ducks coming through a day.

 

[C17loadclear]

I know this thread is hunting related but some of the rudest people I have met were in a boat or on a jet ski. I have had people come within 50 ft of me on pad while I am bass fishing...

 

[Bambistew]

Most congenial were a group of horsemen from Stephenville, TX. Biggest assholes have been locals, by far.

*My example is elk hunting.

I helped a Texan drag out a deer about a mile one time. I did so because the way he was going I would have probably had to go back and drag him out. Middle of BFE and getting dark fast. He was about 200lbs over weight and having a hell of a time. I've helped a lot of random strangers on the mountain over the years though. Packing, dragging, tracking wounded critters, digging people out, chasing horses.

I've always had good interactions with the upland hunters as well. They just don't have their head in the "trophy" aspect of it.

I've really not had any bad interactions with people outside fly-fisherman, and I've had more than a few.

if you really want to see a fly fisherman come unglued pull out a metal stringer. I keep one just to mess with them.

 

[mtmuley]

When has that happened?

Been nice to a few HTer's. Maybe we should carry a card. Show it to me and I'll help ya. mtmuley

 

[SaskHunter]

I try hard to avoid people everywhere

Me!

 

[JFish]

Turkey hunters for me. The vast majority of turkey hunters I’ve bumped into have been really friendly and good to talk to. Generally ask one another if you had any action and both parties politely lie to one another like gentleman. However a forest service ditch digger kicked me out of the state forest last May while camping and turkey hunting. He started out by telling me the forest was closed due to covid and I wasn’t allowed to camp. He then immediately asked about where I hunted and if I heard any birds gobbling. I totally misread the situation for a quid pro quo and divulged exactly where I heard some birds. He promptly told me to pack my junk and get out. I’m still very bitter about falling for that trick. Lesson learned I’ll stick to my normal script.