# I am a worthless, unethical hunter



## sjk984 (Jan 4, 2010)

Your good. I walked into my favorite spot. Started clearing out a place to sit and a guy says hey and turns his light on 10' from me. Scares the crap out of me. I say sorry and move on to spot #2. Just how it is


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## frogman43 (Nov 10, 2006)

Filthyoter.....While I was reading your intital post, I couldn't help but think of a run in with a guy that sounded just like your experience last year. 

I had convinced my girlfriend to go hunting with me for one evening, during the second week of rifle season. We had made sure there was no one else in the area, and found a place on a hill to watch. We hunted for almost two hours and right before dark, I hear a stick crack behind me...slowly turning around I expected to see a deer but instead here was this guy and his son. He proceeded to accuse me of stalking his hunting spot and that he had been hunting there for so many years, it was his stand, etc. He said I was guilty of hunter harrassment and he was going to call his friend the DNR officer.....told him to go ahead.

However, my lady was scared by this lunatic so I didn't push the issue, and left the hill to him. Actually, what he was doing was Hunter harrassment, would have maybe been a different outcome than he expected had he called the CO.

Funny thing....this was Oceana county as well, hmmmm I wonder.

My son and I still hunt the general area, but we stay a good half mile to the south of where he frequents.....


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## CHASINEYES (Jun 3, 2007)

Filthyoter said:


> yes the "spot" issue has been and will be an issue forever, I agree. but technology has allowed people to start to try claiming bucks before they are even killed. Like i said I know two different people who take pictures of nice bucks and go around threatening other hunters that the buck is claimed. This attitude just does not make sense to me at all.


The track and lack of a hunting blind would lead me to believe someone was just scouting. I don't see where you were wrong. The guy should have moved on without being an ______. Sounds like some silly individuals claiming deer for having them on trail cam. Lol

My public land hunting is only limited to 3 or 4 years. Hunted the same 2 spots. I used a climber and I would leave it at the base of the tree each day for a quiet walk in. I'm sitting in my climber on opening day @ roughly 8:00am of the last yr I hunted there and some guy walks in from a different direction than I used to get back in there. This idiot walks all around infront of me from 20 to 80 yards out, he's looking for a tree that will suit his climber. He stopped at 20 yards, took his climber off, then proceeded to crawl under a evergreen that had limbes hanging to the ground. The dirtbag pulled all of his gear under the tree with him. I know the guy seen me, I even tapped my wedding ring on the metal climber frame. I couldn't believe this guy. Tried waiting him out but he won that battle. I left at noon. Had a guy waiting at the truck as we were supposed to meet and leave for breakfast @ 9:30. When I returned in the evening the guy was set-up 10yards from my tree. My second spot overlooked the climber spot but was on a hill 150yrds away. I took a buck that evening which was running right towards the guy and would have passed him @ 30 yards. In case this leaves anyone wondering, no, I didn't shoot in an unsafe direction.


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## Filthyoter (Sep 18, 2014)

frogman43, I believe I have walked or hunted about every junk of public land in oceana county one time or another in the western half of the county. I have had multiple areas where this kind of stuff has happened to my hunting party up there. This past opening day however was the most intense stand off I have yet to encounter. It can get spooky when you do not know the mental sanity of this extremely pissed off stranger and he has a deer rifle 5 yards away from you in his hand.


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## david boyko (Feb 12, 2012)

whenever i get to the spots i like to hunt i tr to talk to the other guys before going out and get an idea where everyone is going to sit and most of the time we get along without stepping on anyones toes even end up going to lunch together kill em with kindness from the start


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## Filthyoter (Sep 18, 2014)

David it sounds like to me you have been fortunate enough to not run into this type out in the field. This type of guy hates your guts from the moment he sees you walking on "his" public land. I wish it were that simple. The breed of person I am talking about doesnt think like you and I do.


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## bfaber (Apr 17, 2010)

I know its public land but really scouting on nov 14th? 


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## david boyko (Feb 12, 2012)

yeah its ashame that some people have to act like real jackwagons there are plenty of trees to go around


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## A.M. General (May 3, 2001)

What part of oceana county?


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## Filthyoter (Sep 18, 2014)

Yes i used the word scouting, however it was more checking up on my previous spot I have used the past 3 openers. Plus checking a spot the day before should of made it so there were no mistakes in walking into someone elses spot. His tracks were the only ones heading in that general location the day before. and The only thing I am saying is the western half of oceana.


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## EBAAS (Feb 9, 2009)

Filthyoter said:


> yes the "spot" issue has been and will be an issue forever, I agree. but technology has allowed people to start to try claiming bucks before they are even killed. Like i said I know two different people who take pictures of nice bucks and go around threatening other hunters that the buck is claimed. This attitude just does not make sense to me at all.


These two idiots need to be punched in the crotch, immediately!


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## Filthyoter (Sep 18, 2014)

haha I agree. funny part is they own adjacent properties and are constantly doing it to eachother. So atleast the issue is isolated between the two of them (for the most part). They would hate me because I would shoot any legal buck I feel like and would not listen to their cries.


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## Filthyoter (Sep 18, 2014)

Midalake said:


> It's as "ethical" as the people they busted on Sunday shooting at the Robo-Buck on my property......[ok the other guy is unethical....not you..]
> 
> Dave


Wasnt sure who you were calling unethical when I first read that lol. However, poaching deer is a whole new level of unethical compared to what I am dealing with.


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## perchyanker (Jan 26, 2011)

Filthyoter said:


> I wanna tell you guys my story about opening day of rifle season and see what everyone thinks. The day before rifle season I scouted the public land I always hunt and found a ridge over looking a lots of deer activity. I always check around to make sure there are not blinds or other sign of someone else planning on posting up on the same hill. The only sign I could find were a single pair of boot tracks through the snow the day before up on top of the hill that walked in and out. There were no ribbons, blinds, tree stands or anything else that made me believe the area was "claimed". Opening day I got to my spot 2 hours before first light because I like to beat everyone else out to prevent issues with my spot. Public land is first come first serve. An hour into my sit into darkness I have a flashlight on top of the hill and I shine him back. This guy continues to charge down the hill and give me holy h*ll about being a worthless punk that followed his foot prints in the day before to pick out his spot. I told him there was no reason for me to believe he was hunting this spot. He told me I better move, and I told him he could kiss my butt. Im keeping this entire conversation pg, however things got heated up verbally to the point were I was getting ready for physical confrontation. Finally after minutes of him calling me every name in the book he stormed off. I wanna know if everyone else thinks that what I did was ethical? Would you consider someones foot steps in snow a sign someone is hunting that spot?


 Rule is your got there first but, what did you do to let others know you were gonna be there? Few ribbons, or a quick assembly of a ground blind could of let this guy know you were gonna be there and he might of not even came there and all this could of been avoided.


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## A.M. General (May 3, 2001)

Filthyoter said:


> Yes i used the word scouting, however it was more checking up on my previous spot I have used the past 3 openers. Plus checking a spot the day before should of made it so there were no mistakes in walking into someone elses spot. His tracks were the only ones heading in that general location the day before. and The only thing I am saying is the western half of oceana.


I hunt state land in western oceana county too. There are over 1000 acres around our 10 acre private property. I saw a total of two guys on the opener. Both in the afternoon and the only reason I knew they were there was their vehicles at the road or parking area. I'd look for some new spots with less people if I were you.


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## Blueboy05 (Dec 27, 2013)

Try being a bird hunter with a dog.....your not even suppose to be in the woods!....according to some bow hunters....My response is always .."get a mortgage"...I would never in a million years try to ruin some ones hunt, but an occasional encounter happens. Some are friendly and understanding, others are not.


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## VETRCR (Jun 3, 2008)

I scouted and marked with my gps to find it in the dark. I use a climber and dont think i own a spot for the season. I go out at 5 : 30 somebody has a ground blind in that area that is recent, Im there first, am I wrong to hunt it?
Should I get penalized for not leaving stuff in the woods. You did nothing wrong. And yes I hunted that spot, no one showed up


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## 96215 (Jul 14, 2014)

When I used to hunt public land I usually had at least 10 stand locations. Some years certain stands would not be hunted for one reason or another. Usually if someone moved into an area I had a stand I wouldn't even bother hunting there. Always used to make me laugh when another hunter would get upset if they saw one of my stands.


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## 96215 (Jul 14, 2014)

VETRCR said:


> I scouted and marked with my gps to find it in the dark. I use a climber and dont think i own a spot for the season. I go out at 5 : 30 somebody has a ground blind in that area that is recent, Im there first, am I wrong to hunt it?
> Should I get penalized for not leaving stuff in the woods. You did nothing wrong. And yes I hunted that spot, no one showed up


No your not wrong. public land is "first come first served". Take my advice though next year have multiple stand locations. If your using a climber it shouldn't be hard to do.


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## Filthyoter (Sep 18, 2014)

Jamorris said:


> No your not wrong. public land is "first come first served". Take my advice though next year have multiple stand locations. If your using a climber it shouldn't be hard to do.


I use a climber during bow season for numerous reasons also. Every one of my ladder stands ive put out has had the lock cut and stand stolen. I have also had areas where I believe someone was intentionally ruining the area with laundry detergent by my stand. For bow hunting I have atleast 4 different climber spots on the land and rotate often.


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## 96215 (Jul 14, 2014)

Filthyoter said:


> I use a climber during bow season for numerous reasons also. Every one of my ladder stands ive put out has had the lock cut and stand stolen. I have also had areas where I believe someone was intentionally ruining the area with laundry detergent by my stand. For bow hunting I have atleast 4 different climber spots on the land and rotate often.


All sounds very familiar to me.
What's funny is you get some A**hole who sees your stand, gets mad, sabotage's your area, and then sets his stand up 100 yards away. Too dumb to realize whatever they did to ruin your area also wrecks their stand 100 yards away. Then they sit that one stand, every hunt, all season, and think the reason they're not seeing any deer is because your ruining their spot. LOL!!!
There are some real idiots out there!
That's why you always have multiple spots and remain "incognito" as much as possible. If at all possible don't let anyone know your even hunting an area.


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## perchyanker (Jan 26, 2011)

Jamorris said:


> All sounds very familiar to me.
> What's funny is you get some A**hole who sees your stand, gets mad, sabotage's your area, and then sets his stand up 100 yards away. Too dumb to realize whatever they did to ruin your area also wrecks their stand 100 yards away. Then they sit that one stand, every hunt, all season, and think the reason they're not seeing any deer is because your ruining their spot. LOL!!!
> There are some real idiots out there!
> That's why you always have multiple spots and remain "incognito" as much as possible. If at all possible don't let anyone know your even hunting an area.


 I agree with this for everyday but, November 15th. I try to make my spot known to as many as possible. I don't need a back up because I know your not beating me there. If Their is any sign that someone else is gonna be there I'm not going there and besides the guy that goes to the same spot every year and this is normally the possessive guy. i would think most would think the same...If not then they are just jerk offs IMO. I may check back a few days into the season to see if anybody was there. I am not trying to personalize anything just prefer to not ruin anybody else's experience and will go out of my way to not have mine ruined


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

Waif said:


> Rest assured footprints mean little to me. ..


The public we hunt in the U.P. typically has deforestation, quad trails, permanent structures, and mountains of bait associated with claimed territory. :lol: Not sure how I'd react to JUST a set of boot tracks! :lol::lol:


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## jatc (Oct 24, 2008)

QDMAMAN said:


> The public we hunt in the U.P. typically has deforestation, quad trails, permanent structures, and mountains of bait associated with claimed territory. :lol: Not sure how I'd react to JUST a set of boot tracks! :lol::lol:


 
Yup. When I hunt in Ontonagon County it is pretty simple. When you see two motorhomes, ten quads, three trailers of sugar beets, a group of burly looking dudes, and the faint sound of the theme song from "Deliverence" twanging in the background all sitting in front of the gated FS trail, I just keep on rolling!

A single set of tracks walking up the trail? Fair game to hunt.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

My hunting partner went out yesterday and gets a half mile back into the woods on the USFS road. In front of him is a Dodge Ram 2500 4X4 parked in the middle of the road. The guy left it there and went hunting. Nobody can get in or out and a dozen guys hunt off from that road. I told him that I would have parked behind him and set off my car alarm. To make matters worse my partner cannot turn around and has to back up for 1/2 mile in deep snow and hope that he does not get stuck.


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## fairfax1 (Jun 12, 2003)

I used to hunt public land.

This thread perfectly illustrates why my bride & I scrimped & saved to buy our own land.

I don't say that to be smug about it....but rather to convey that many, probably the vast majority, of owners of recreational ground are NOT rich elitists but rather guys who would not/could not tolerate the frequent sharp-elbows of Michigan's Opening Day experience on public lands.

I haven't done a firearm Opener in 47 years.....still, I winced when I read the OP's situation. 

And thanked my lucky stars. Best wishes to the OP.


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## MichiganGoneWild (Jul 16, 2014)

This is unfortunately all too common. This is the reason why so many refuse to hunt public land, that and it presents a greater challenge all in its self. I hunt public land for deer season, Both bow and Rifle seasons. I rarely see other hunters. when I do, I always feel the tension between my self and the other hunter. Most of the time I get a response, "I've been hunting here for years", or "There are ten other guys back here". None the less, I try to keep my cool. Most of the time I can end it with "Nice to meet you, good luck" or I find another way into the hunting area. 
None the less, there is no reason that guy should have reacted like that. Completely unethical and plane retarded. Did he think yelling just before shooting light was helping his chances any more than another hunter in his area? Dumb!


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## Halehunter (Nov 19, 2014)

Buying private land like Fairfax said is the way to go for peace of mind and peace and quiet. We bought our 40 when our boys were very small so they could have a nice place to learn to hunt and we love it. Used to hunt public land years ago and had a couple incidents similar to the one mentioned here. Not worth the headaches. Private land hunting is usually very good also, less pressure. Our neighbors are all nice and that is great.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

I have not read the entire thread, but there is plenty of public land in Northern Michigan. I hunt both private and public in Roscommon and Craford and Missaukee counties. I like to hunt public land because I have a chance to get lost and not really know where I'm at when it's getting dark! Then you know you are hunting! If you only hunt private land, or S. Mi. land you don't have a chance to experience getting lost! Many years running where I have not seen another hunter other than who I'm hunting with.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

I wonder what his excuse would have been if there was no footprints in the snow?


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

Boardman Brookies said:


> I wonder what his excuse would have been if there was no footprints in the snow?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


Who, Me?


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Boardman Brookies said:


> I wonder what his excuse would have been if there was no footprints in the snow?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


No the douche he encountered 



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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

Boardman Brookies said:


> No the douche he encountered
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


OOPS Sorry!


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## RS1983 (Mar 16, 2009)

Hunting season turns normal respectable people into giant man babies. I've seen grown men throw temper-tantrums on a level of a four year old that didn't get the toy he wanted. People are so competitive these days with social media and all the outdoor television nonsense. Kinda takes the fun out of it.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

rs1983 said:


> hunting season turns normal respectable people into giant man babies. I've seen grown men throw temper-tantrums on a level of a four year old that didn't get the toy he wanted. People are so competitive these days with social media and all the outdoor television nonsense. Kinda takes the fun out of it.


yup!


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

RS1983 said:


> Hunting season turns normal respectable people into giant man babies. I've seen grown men throw temper-tantrums on a level of a four year old that didn't get the toy he wanted. People are so competitive these days with social media and all the outdoor television nonsense. Kinda takes the fun out of it.



Absolutely. The thing is these man children are carrying a loaded weapon. I have had my share of issues on state land too. You have no idea who you are dealing with out there. Not worth it.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

I don't participate in the competition.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

swampbuck said:


> I don't participate in the competition.


Most of the hate as in stands stolen and guys hunting in my spot are in S. Mi.! They get the bigger bucks, but we get to hunt peacefully.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

I think we live in a different hunting universe than them.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

swampbuck said:


> I think we live in a different hunting universe than them.


I wish we had their bucks here though! Just came back from Ohio and I saw some BUCKS! I think it's all about what deer eat! APRS won't make a difference in N. Mi. unless it's in an agricultural area. My biggest buck I have on camera in Rosco. would be a nice deer in S. Mi. - Ohio! Up here, you would be a hero and get front page in the local.


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