Do you hide your camp, or camp in the open to deter others?

[3forks]

I try not to be too territorial regarding public lands, but with more and more people in the backcountry, what's your strategy on pitching your camp?

I've previously tried to pitch my tent in an area that allows me to not have to worry about leaving some of my gear and having it stolen.

However, in some the areas I hunt, I see quite a few more hunters than I previously did. I wonder now about possibly pitching camp in way that might deter others from camping/hunting too close to me.

On public lands (especiallly OTC units), you can't claim an area for yourself and expect no one else should hunt it. In addition, there's a lot of different perspectives on what is a reasonable distance to keep from someone's camp or how large of an area 1 or 2 hunters should share.

In a perfect world, you would hope that anyone arriving in the same area you are hunting would ask about your plans or just move on to their plan "B", but I haven't found that is realistic.

So, I'm wondering... do you guys pitch your camp in an attempt to let others know you're in the area, or hide your camp?

 

[NJDiverDan]

I have been thinking about this type of thing also due to my experiences last year. I go about 15 miles in on my ATV (approved road, but I would not drive my truck up it) and set up camp in a nice spot, but it is not visible from where others who drive in would park. I am tempted to park my ATV at this spot (kind of a turn around area) as to let the other guys coming in that there is someone else hunting that canyon. I know I would want to know (and probably turn around and find another spot) if I found someone else was there before me. Its a big area, and I go further in and avoid these other guys, but still wonder if they saw my camp or ATV if they would just go to a different spot.

 

[IdahoElk]

IMO I hunt to enjoy nature and get away from other people,if I have to set my camp up as to deter others from hunting the same area then I'm in the wrong area,frustration and drama are sure to follow and that's exactly what I'm trying to get away from.
I say no matter how good the spot,walk away and hunt somewhere with less pressure.

 

[Beendare]

Hey, good question....and you only have to look at all of the stolen trail cams to know....there are thieves among us.

That said, I've never had a problem in a backcountry camp or one off the road while hunting [knock on wood]

but I wouldn't leave my spotter on a tripod outside the tent either.......grin

 

[realunlucky]

I doubt setting your camp up will deter anyone. In fact it may attract people who start thinking it must be a solid area if others are there. Also your plan A might be someone else plan C or D and they are now tired of giving space to everyone

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[jmez]

I guess I have never considered this when setting up a camp. I find a good spot that I like and make camp. My first consideration is proximity to where I'm hunting. Second is safety, trees/widowmakers, and place to hang food away from camp. Third and only other consideration is a flat spot big enough for the tent.

 

[kicker338]

Camping along a forest service road can be spooky, I know of 2 different cases. 1 the guy left his camp trailer for a 30min drive home, get a quick shower, some breakfast then back to his cam trailer. While was gone someone cleaned out his trailer, gun, food sleeping bag everything. The other one was 2 guys camping in a tent next to a forest service road. They left their cam that morning to do a little scouting, luckly they took there guns with them, when they got back to their tent there wasn't one, everything was stolen.

 

[gumbl3]

Base camp usually gets left where she lies.. I've never had any problems

 

[WildIdaho]

Tyler with the Wall Tent Shop here. I have spoke numerous folks who are calling to re-purchase their wall tent setup as they have had their entire tent stolen. The majority of these were near roads and in the open. Heck i've even talked to people who have had their entire cargo trailer (tents, gear and guns) stolen on their way from the east to hunt out west...the nerve of some people. Most have said they will now set-up trail cams and try to get a bit further off the beatin path to try and avoid this.

 

[oldgoat]

I prefer not to be able to be seen from the road, but sometimes there just isn't much choice.

 

[cnelk]

I never camp near where I hunt, and I put up trail cameras in camp to see what visitors I get

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

I prefer the idea of camping unseen and given the option I'll be out of sight, but in practice I just camp where ever there is a good site near where I'm ready to stop and don't give it a ton of thought.

Live2hunt custom shelters

 

[Violent Hippie]

Stealth all the way.

 

[juan trueno]

The very last thing in the world that I want is someone to know I’m there- especially when there is a possibility that it could escape my knowledge that they have become aware of my presence or location. Makes me very uncomfortable.


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[snowtoy83]

I tend to hike in a few miles and usually end up setting up camp within sight of a trail. This doesn’t seem to deter people I assume because they have already hiked that far in. On the other hand I won’t hike into this area if there are cars at the trail head

 

[dtrkyman]

I am always nervous about leaving my camp/truck sit all day/week. A few years ago while out scouting I ran into a shady looking local waving me down, I reluctantly stopped, he was hammered and asked to get towed out as he and his lady were stuck. So I pulled them out had a quick chat and left.

During season I heard a report of many camps being ripped off, I luckily maybe had no issue, maybe my local "buddy" told everyone to lay off the Illinois guy?

 

[bluetick78]

I usually try to hide my camp from trails, mostly so that game animals that use clearings and trails stay as undisturbed as possible. The last 5 years or so there has been a huge increase in the number of hunters in the backcountry areas I hunt. I haven't had any trouble, but I generally climb 8' or so up a nearby tree and angle a trail cam towards my camp just in case. It's amazing to see how many critters wander through my camp while I'm hunting during the day. Moose, deer, coyotes, and occasionally a curious hunter. Usually they just look around and leave. One guy unzipped my tent, took a look around, then left. I ran into him a few days later on the hike out and thanked him for making sure there wasn't any man eating mountain lions in my tent.

 

[rayporter]

yep, what a change I have seen. my first trip I remember tents open with rifles inside and gear all over as I went in. 2 tents had notes on them to the effect that if you needed to use it feel free. once we were very late and had miles to go and 2 guys let us use their camp so we did not have to pitch our tent.

 

[ptarmigan]

I'm usually hunting where I'm not worried about others seeing me. Usually I'm just concerned with the best place to setup in case of weather. I don't want camp to get blown away on me!

 

[ArrowForester]

Interesting question and I have been pondering the topic myself. I prefer to have my back country camp out of sight in a spot not likely to be wandered into. Sometimes that is a ways off the trail and sometimes it is in a "walk by" spot just out of sight only 40 yards from a main trail. There are definitely other people hunting in the areas I hunt but I would prefer to bump into them out and about or hear them calling rather than have them "in" my camp. I'm usually hunting a quarter mile to two miles from camp.

On the flip side - do you go elsewhere when you bump into someone's camp?

I used to try to move on and give everyone (myself included) their space. One of my preferred camp/hunt spots is a little over seven trail miles back from the trailhead and last year there seemed to be quite a few more people in the woods. I came across a couple of camps that were in the middle of areas that usually hold elk. I kept moving on to hunt and give room to the people who beat me to the spot frustrating as it was. Several days later I was back at base camp and my buddy asked if I had seen the guy with the great big back pack. Although there were multiple hunters in the drainage it turns out that one guy had set up three complete camps for himself. By setting up a camp every three miles he was always close to "home" for the night. But it sure did confuse everyone else trying to give each other space.

Hard to find that public land balance sometimes......