Public Land Etiquette

[WNCTracker]

If there's only one trail in/out to an area and you come up on a hunter setup ahead of you on the trail, do you pass them, or turn around and look elsewhere? Is it inappropriate if you're the hunter to put a small sign up saying "decoys ahead?"  I've always wondered where the opinions lie in this situation.

[bigbird]

Well.....there's a piece I hunt that sounds like this. I go right through... It's public land and there is a ton of ground beyond where they're usually at! But usually I go so deep in that I got to be there early so I don't run into people.

[redarrow]

I wouls attempt to go arpund. However if he sets up on the trail he has no one to blame but himself if others walk past.

[catman529]

I wouls attempt to go arpund. However if he sets up on the trail he has no one to blame but himself if others walk past.

I second that.

Reminds me of one hunt this year. A buddy went off into one field while I continued on to the last field in this particular area. It's a big field and I skirted one side of it and went up in the woods where turkeys had been roosting. After it got light and all I could locate was a henned up bird over on private land, I followed this small trail back out to the field. When I came to the edge, there was a jake and hen deke not 30 yards away in the field. Wasn't there on my way in. After texting my buddy to make sure it wasn't him, I just walked out into the field and went back the way I came. I passed another single hen decoy, so I assume it was 2 guys. My buddy was covered in birds and he shot a jake near his 2 hen decoys. We met up and walked out together and there was another vehicle parked behind ours. Didn't bother me, it was their loss.... I went a short ways down the road and called up 3 gobblers and killed one about mid day.

[darn2ten]

IMO, if you set up on the one main trail into a area you are asking to messed up. I got a feeling that fellow don't kill many birds.

[wibirdhunter]

I'd just go in away from them off trail.

[Old Gobbler]

Avoid the person , sign or no sign - he is in there hunting ,and in there first - now if it weren't for the sign you wouldn't know he was in there , so in that point of view the sign was a good idea

[howl]

If its a large area and he's cutting off access to it I'd just say good morning as I walked past. If its a small area, I would've have kept on driving when I saw his truck parked.

[Gooserbat]

If its a large area and he's cutting off access to it I'd just say good morning as I walked past. If its a small area, I would've have kept on driving when I saw his truck parked.

X2!  Especially if it's the only trail in and out.

[Marc]

If its a large area and he's cutting off access to it I'd just say good morning as I walked past. If its a small area, I would've have kept on driving when I saw his truck parked.

I agree with Gooserbat... Good advice.

I have heard of guys doing such ploys to cut off other hunters and keep them out of their areas....  Large area to hunt, one trail in, and someone basically puts up a sign that says "I am hunting here stay out!"  Kind of a BS ploy...

Small BLM property, or a trail leading to a small section to hunt, and someone puts a sign up like that, I would move on to a different area...  He beat ya there.

[chcltlabz]

I unfortunately see it every year here.  There's a guy we call "boxcall willy" that parks in one access point and walks in a very strange direction and sets up on the trail near another parking area.  Never seen him move or really get in the game at all (he sets up on the wrong side of the birds, so they fly down and go straight away from him).  I've always gone around him, but its a royal pain.  He's cutting off access to hundreds of acres, or at a minimum forcing me to go through the thick laurel to get around him.  He could easily set up off the trail.

[Nick8403]

If there set up on the trail I just walk on by and say good luck and keep walking now when I come out I will make sure to avoid them just incase they do have something working

[akp]

What goes around.....I killed a couple of birds last weekend on private land in Western OK.  Had a third tag for another county so I trucked up to Black Kettle.  Had a longbeard run across the road on one unit about 4:00 in the afternoon.  Ended up in another spot later and stayed all evening.  Roosted some and left. 

A guy beat me to them the next morning.  He had seen my truck in there the day before and offered to let me have at them.  I declined and told him that he was here first and that I'd already had a good weekend, told him where I would sit if I was him and told him good luck.  He was very nice and appreciative.

I booked it over to the other unit (where I saw the bird the previous afternoon).  I figured he had to be in there somewhere.  He was and I killed him at 7:00 AM.  Probably just luck, but I'd like to think that common courtesy on both sides had something to do with it.  If it's public, you're going to mess someone up and you will be messed up by someone else sooner or later. 

[DirtNap647]

in pa state ground you try to be as respectful as you can but the next guy will walk all over you if he can

[turkey_slayer]

in pa state ground you try to be as respectful as you can but the next guy will walk all over you if he can

Found that to be everywhere no matter what state your in. A-holes are every where. Have met some top people as well tho.