Disinformation on hunting forums

[J Batt]

I truly enjoy helping people via PM. I know more areas than I can ever hunt again in my lifetime so why not share? However, I'll also openly admit that I have cast a negative shadow at times in the past about an area in a public forum. These messages are read by a LOT more people than the members on here. I am aware of a group of guys who did their best to influence the draw odds on a particular area simply with forum posts (AT). It was amazing how well it worked. A lot of people make application decisions based on what they read online. Bottom line, don't post anything positive publicly about an area you plan to draw in the future.

Just because your not hunting those spots doesn’t mean someone else isn’t, that found it with their own boot leather.

 

[Laramie]

Just because your not hunting those spots doesn’t mean someone else isn’t, that found it with their own boot leather.

I'm guessing if you are travelling to Wyoming from Oak View, CA you received plenty of help whether it was people, the internet, technology, or other. Where each person draws his/her moral line is a personal decision. I have hunted hard for almost 40 years in Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico and choose to share my knowledge via PM, selectively, with other good people so they can enjoy some of the same things I have. If that in some way ruins your spot, or your hunt, I would suggest you take a different approach to your hunts.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Just because your not hunting those spots doesn’t mean someone else isn’t, that found it with their own boot leather.

Exactly. Just because youre not hunting the unit anymore doesnt mean the locals that hunt it year after year want to rub elbows with folks that got free information off a forum. Its not a bad thing to have people figure things out on their own and show up to a new place, its a different story when one can google unit "XYZ" access points and trailheads, ridges, water sources, etc .

 

[Laramie]

Exactly. Just because youre not hunting the unit anymore doesnt mean the locals that hunt it year after year want to rub elbows with folks that got free information off a forum. Its not a bad thing to have people figure things out on their own and show up to a new place, its a different story when one can google unit "XYZ" access points and trailheads, ridges, water sources, etc .

I think you guys may be taking what I have stated wrong. I'm not giving out GPS coordinates but rather discussing general hunt areas, season, strategies. I have also received a lot of great information back from those I have helped.

Not sure where you guys hunt but in most of the general areas I hunt, you are rubbing shoulders regardless anymore. Last year in Wyoming I saw more people than I have ever seen. Friends in other areas and other states said the same. That pressure isn't going away and imo, the really good hunters adapt and continue to do just fine year after year.

 

[EastCoaster]

I follow Laramie's mentality on information. I live on the east coast and do a lot of coastal fishing. There have been a few times on this forum where people have asked about southern NC fishing. I have been more than happy to give them general areas to check out/avoid and even people to talk too. I do not see the harm in helping someone find a little success or at least avoid some misery. Before anyone says it isn't the same in the east.....sharing the spot hate is alive and well in the fishing world as well.

 

[J Batt]

I guess we just have different opinions about it. To me the whole process is an adventure, even if it is a miserable one.
I just don’t want others to seek instant gratification. I go out of my way to make hunts harder than they need to be. Part of that is to get away from other hunters.
I’d rather have an empty tag that I beat my ass off for than a filled tag that I didn’t do all the work for. But that’s me.

 

[J Batt]

Failing is only bad if you quit.

 

[EastCoaster]

I guess we just have different opinions about it. To me the whole process is an adventure, even if it is a miserable one.
I just don’t want others to seek instant gratification. I go out of my way to make hunts harder than they need to be. Part of that is to get away from other hunters.
I’d rather have an empty tag that I beat my ass off for than a filled tag that I didn’t do all the work for. But that’s me.

I do agree with a lot of what you are saying. We are headed to Wyoming this year and would like to take the whole process in. We are also both good with coming home empty handed. I believe there is a fine line with giving information but I also think giving a helping hand will be repaid in someway.

 

[browning2480]

I love to watch everyone’s head spin when people ask. Gets pretty comical.

 

[Gen273]

Wow, to each their own, but I miss the days when outdoorsmen, or people in general, actually tried to help each other. I would never give someone misinformation. That is not to say that I tell them exactly where to hunt, but I would not outright lie either.

 

[.204smokechaser]

I give good information over the world wide web about 1% of the time. Most of the good info I give is over PM or the phone. I've seen far too many areas overrun on the hunting, fishing, and hiking spectrum from forums and social media.

There's a particular elk zone or many in Idaho where the people who've hunted it all the time still spew out bad information as they don't want people to know that what you read on the internet all over the place is actually false.


Finally, people need to get off their ass and go for a road trip and hiking trip to gather the information that's needed.

My and your dad or grandpa didn't have the internet back in the day and relied on chats at the coffee shop and with other folks and for me I chat with people in person or on the phone most of the time to try to get another hunting buddy and it works.

 

[William Sublette]

There are alot of benefits to hunting forums, but have you ever stopped and really asked yourself how much disinformation is out there? The constant, "The drought, the winter kill, the fires, CO OTC crawling with hunters etc" when guys ask for specific regions, units etc. is incredible. There were several threads this past year on units I know well, and the amount of disinformation given to get guys moving along is comical at best.

The internet is a wonderful thing, but has killed a lot of units as well. Sadly, a lot of guys don't want to put the keys in their trucks and see for themselves, or take the risk of a fall that wasn't so full of encounters. The point of this post, don't be discouraged by the feedback you get on forums or even biologists for that matter. If you expect to post a question on a unit, and truly think you're going to get positive feedback, you may be in for an eye opening.

There are more outdoorsmen than outdoors.




Intelligent people have learned to shut up.


Just like herd bulls in otc units.

 

[Opah]

OOOH I got it its like giving all the kids a trophy so no one gets there feelings hurt.
There was once a day if you came on a forum and asked for specific info on specific units, you were told to get your boots on the dirt and go pound dirt.

 

[Gobbler36]

Lots of chest beaters here, but most of them wouldnt turn down some free info on a unit they were headed to and didnt know. Everyone starts somewhere. I had a guy help me out on antelope hunt that never knew me from adam and he opened the doors to me to hunting the west. I am forever thankful and never blabbed about it all over the internet where I went.

I wouldn’t expect anything less from a guy probaby from a state that takes 5 yrs to draw one whitetail tag with 95% private land to hunt.

good for you

 

[isu22andy]

I wouldn’t expect anything less from a guy probaby from a state that takes 5 yrs to draw one whitetail tag with 95% private land to hunt.

good for you

This makes me a bad person how again ? Im not ashamed to ask the internet for some help .Seems like you started on the forum just like the people your ragging on in the thread.