What Would You Do?

[idelkhntr]

Early during the archery Elk season last year I was hiking around looking for new Elk spots. I came across this awesome bench. It had green grass, a small water hole and a marshy area in it. The terrain was steep dropping into and out of the spot. I could see Elk sign everywhere. I quickly thought to myself there's no way somebody else doesn't know about this spot because it is not that far off of the road. I starting looking around the spot in more detail and sure enough I saw a tree stand. Then I found a trail camera. For the rest of last season I pretty much left the spot alone during the archery season. Even though it's public land, I generally won't go where somewhere else is.

I went back to the spot during the deer rifle season and both the tree stand and camera were still there. I thought it was odd that someone would leave them there for that long. In June I started scouting the area again and went to that spot to place a trail camera. Sure enough the tree stand and camera were still there. It became obvious that someone had left them there all winter. I have a handheld viewer for the SD cards so I did pull the card to the camera and saw pictures dating back over the winter. I put the card back in the camera and turned the camera back on and left everything the way I found it. It was obvious that whoever left the stuff there hadn't been there since last fall.

Last week I was talking with Idaho Fish and Game and asked about if there were laws regarding leaving stuff like this in the woods. They said there was not, but it would fall under the USFS. So I spoke with USFS and they pretty much said the same thing. I went back to the spot this weekend and decided this is where I am going to put my blind for the season even if the tree stand and camera were still there. I did put up a trail camera to cover the area and just to see if anyone is even coming into the area. I didn't see any sign that other people had been in the area for a long time. I did look around on the camera and didn't see any type of information that would identify who it belonged to.

So the question is would you leave the spot alone or use it?

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Use it to your heart's content if it's on public land!

 

[JBS]

I would hunt the area making sure to get there early. I would leave my contact info at the camera with a request to contact me so I could coordinate with the other hunter and not end up with two of use there at the same time. I think in some cases people leave things like that to try and stake a claim to an area.

 

[Eyeguy]

I would set up your blind, go in, and nail one of those big bulls you saw on the trail cam....Public land is yours and mine. Sounds like you are very respectful but if no one is hunting then have at it.

 

[fwagner]

Early during the archery Elk season last year I was hiking around looking for new Elk spots. I came across this awesome bench. It had green grass, a small water hole and a marshy area in it. The terrain was steep dropping into and out of the spot. I could see Elk sign everywhere. I quickly thought to myself there's no way somebody else doesn't know about this spot because it is not that far off of the road. I starting looking around the spot in more detail and sure enough I saw a tree stand. Then I found a trail camera. For the rest of last season I pretty much left the spot alone during the archery season. Even though it's public land, I generally won't go where somewhere else is.

I went back to the spot during the deer rifle season and both the tree stand and camera were still there. I thought it was odd that someone would leave them there for that long. In June I started scouting the area again and went to that spot to place a trail camera. Sure enough the tree stand and camera were still there. It became obvious that someone had left them there all winter. I have a handheld viewer for the SD cards so I did pull the card to the camera and saw pictures dating back over the winter. I put the card back in the camera and turned the camera back on and left everything the way I found it. It was obvious that whoever left the stuff there hadn't been there since last fall.

Last week I was talking with Idaho Fish and Game and asked about if there were laws regarding leaving stuff like this in the woods. They said there was not, but it would fall under the USFS. So I spoke with USFS and they pretty much said the same thing. I went back to the spot this weekend and decided this is where I am going to put my blind for the season even if the tree stand and camera were still there. I did put up a trail camera to cover the area and just to see if anyone is even coming into the area. I didn't see any sign that other people had been in the area for a long time. I did look around on the camera and didn't see any type of information that would identify who it belonged to.

So the question is would you leave the spot alone or use it?

Hunt it....and don't think twice!

 

[Southern Elk]

I would hunt it without any 2nd thoughts. Just try to be the first one there every morning.

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

Hunt it, sounds like it could be possibly abandoned and sounds like you've been respectful of the area and gave it some time to see what happens but we all have the same rights to each piece of public land

 

[Hunting Wife]

People will definitely try to pull the old "my stuff is here so this is my spot" card. But there are also instances where people put things out with every intention of hunting and fate had other plans. Good for you for being respectful of other hunters, but it does seem abandoned so I'd hunt it.

 

[Ben Long]

Public land. Green light. But I like JBS's idea of leaving your business card on the camera.

 

[LuketheDog]

Sounds like you were being very respectful, but it also sounds like the gear has been abandoned...hunt it!

 

[BlakeA]

Hunt it.

 

[el unit]

Hunt it. And good for you to be respectful of the other hunter's items. Looks like you may have found a great spot!

 

[AZBridger]

i ran into a similar problem a few weeks ago. i packed in to a spring i was told about. found the spring, climbed up a tree and put my camera up. as soon as i turned to leave the area, i found a trail camera that had been out for what looked like a very long time. it had branches that had grown in front of it. i took my camera down and trimmed the branches out from in front of the other camera. i am thinking about hunting the area, but i will not encroach on someone that i know is occupying an area, so i hiked a couple hundred yards down the same drainage and put my camera on another pool. sounds like the spot you found is probably abandoned. i have done the whole leaving my contact info on another person's camera and most people should have a positive reaction to it. it makes it look like you tried to make sure everything was "right" before you hunted that spot.

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

I steal his stuff and shoot all the elk!!



* kidding of course! Whenever I come across this scenario I do like was already mentioned and leave my info in a baggy with the stand or trail cam. I always offer to coordinate my hunts with anyone already scouting the area. The way I see it, they have been putting in some effort before I came across it. I'll still hunt it for sure!, but I will be courteous and let the other guy know my plans so we don't step on each others toes.

 

[duckhunt]

I have ran into the same thing in the deer woods here in Iowa. I hunted that spot for 3 years and never saw the other hunter. I also managed to kill 2 deer there.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Good on you for being respectful. Definitely seems abandoned, hunt on. Maybe the stuff will keep other honest guys away from your set up too. Good luck.

 

[Muleyfanatic]

I would hunt it. You've been respectful. I do like the idea of leaving contact info on the camera. Be the first one there!

 

[JDH]

I have had the same thing happen at a deer hunting spot on private. It was one of those private spots where a lot of people have had permission over the years so it was impossible to tell who's it was. The guys stand had a dead limb hanging off of it all season. It was up there at the start of the next season also. I took it down myself and left it on the ground when I carefully attempted to climb up the sticks and one of the straps started to tear. I figured I could find out if someone was planning on using it that year if it was put back up. And I didn't want to find them laying on the ground on day because they fell out. It remained on the ground all of that season and I moved away before the next season so as far as I know it is still laying out there.
I have two right now on public that I am thinking of doing the same. I never saw any sign of either hunters last year. I went out to check on my spot and they were still up. One of them has the end of the lifting rope chewed off. I could call the game warden and get them confiscated but neither of them look to have any ID on them so nothing would get accomplished.
I never once hesitated to hunt in these locations.

 

[Rancho Loco]

1st come, 1st served.

 

[Bambistew]

At what point does other people's junk in the woods, become abandon?