Drop camp boundaries on public land?

[TraderMike]

I have to say, BigAntlerGetter seems like a reasonable guy and represents his trade favorably. His demeanor is not what I have found to be common among other guides/outfitters I have spoken with. A
few years ago, while researching a unit I was going to be hunting elk in, only one outfitter would confirm that they had clients booked and where their camp was located. (A limited hunt that took 10 points as a resident to hunt.) I was contacting these people as a courtesy so that I could avoid "their area" if they were going to be hunting during the season I held a tag. The others refused to disclose their camp location or even vicinity nor whether or not they had booked clients. I believe the USFS willingly shares this info so it is hard to imagine why an outfitter wouldn't want to communicate with a hunter that was only concerned with NOT camping or hunting in "their area". Then there are the outfitters I have crossed on the trail during seasons. Not exactly the friendliest but then it's not as though we are up there to make friends, lol.

 

[Marble]

That’s fine, most agencies require the outfitter to have some sort of signage for identification of the site, we have signs we place a few weeks before the season stating that the spot is “reserved” for our outfitting company per the USFS with our name permit number, contact and USFS agent contact in case there are any issues. We always notify our agent once our signs are up so they have a heads up if anyone calls them. In the past we have come into our spot to set camp for the upcoming season. There was someone in our spot, we were just setting camp so wasn’t a huge issue, the guys were there for first rifle and we weren’t bringing clients until 2nd rifle. I spoke with the guys and told them I was going to take pictures of the area and cache my gear while they were there. The pictures were so that if there was damage to the area we could prove it was not us and not get a fine. I had no problems with them using the area and hunting there. I asked them to keep it clean and follow the USFS rules as far as damaging a camp area, and if they would just keep an eye on my cache while they were there. I came back early the day after the season to the guys packing up their gear for a long haul out, they were not successful but worked their tails off trying to get elk. Everything was in order and we started setting up our camp. I ended up packing their gear down the mountain for them and dropping it at the trailhead as a thank you for being cooperative and understanding.

On the other hand I’ve had the same things happen and guys get puffed up in the chest with me. After trying to explain what we were doing and that we weren’t going to setup and would be back the day after the season I got the “you outfitters just think you own the fu$&:n land” and many other choice words. I started taking pictures as always and the guys kept getting louder and louder and more and more irate. So I told the guy I didn’t trust my gear being up there with them, and they could enjoy their hunt if he back the day after the season to setup, reminded them of the USFS rules and I got a “fu$k ur rules” I left. Came back the day after the season to a camp site with trash everywhere, the axe stuck in a tree, several smaller live pine trees cut down for firewood, and a carving in an Aspen “fu$k outfitters and fu$k the USFS”. Guess those guys didn’t know the USFS does ride in with us at times to check our camps, luckily for those guys they were all still there waiting for me to give me a piece of their mind… after it was all said and done and the USFS gave them a piece of their mind and tickets I still offered to pack their gear down the mountain. They declined.

If an outfitter is coming in 2 days after the season started they most likely aren’t going to be using that camp for that season except maybe CO archery, but even then they probably won’t use the camp for several days or maybe a week after that. But talk to them maybe they are gonna help you, maybe not but what’s it hurt?


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This is all good info. I hunt in the area just next to where you guide where a different outfitter works. In 20 plus years I have never seen them put a sign out ahead of time, or have a sign still erected in camp. Not that it wasn't there, but it just wasn't visible anywhere. I know where most if not all of their camps are and generally, it seems that ounce they set a camp, it stays up until the end of all the seasons. That's just my observation and impression.

We have had a few encounters over the years where a spot traditionally occupied by an outfitter is not occupied and have set up our camp. The main outfitter would come in a few days after season and tell us we need to move because it was his camp. He didn't have clients he needed to bring in, that he said. Just that it was his camp. A couple of times it was a camp my group had used off and on since the mid 70s.

That guy is long gone now and all of our interactions have been great for some time.


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[BigAntlerGetter]

This is all good info. I hunt in the area just next to where you guide where a different outfitter works. In 20 plus years I have never seen them put a sign out ahead of time, or have a sign still erected in camp. Not that it wasn't there, but it just wasn't visible anywhere. I know where most if not all of their camps are and generally, it seems that ounce they set a camp, it stays up until the end of all the seasons. That's just my observation and impression.

We have had a few encounters over the years where a spot traditionally occupied by an outfitter is not occupied and have set up our camp. The main outfitter would come in a few days after season and tell us we need to move because it was his camp. He didn't have clients he needed to bring in, that he said. Just that it was his camp. A couple of times it was a camp my group had used off and on since the mid 70s.

That guy is long gone now and all of our interactions have been great for some time.


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Ya it’s becoming a new thing in our district. I’ve always had to do it in other districts, so when I purchased in Redstone I just kept up with old habits. It’s actually in a lot of people’s operating plans but they just don’t do it. Figure when the camps up it’s proof enough. Many outfitters are fighting it now because of the amount of outfitter hate going on. I believe I know the old outfitter ur talking about and can definitely see him doing that, the new owners are better to work with but can get nasty at times and throw little fits.


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[Marble]

Ya it’s becoming a new thing in our district. I’ve always had to do it in other districts, so when I purchased in Redstone I just kept up with old habits. It’s actually in a lot of people’s operating plans but they just don’t do it. Figure when the camps up it’s proof enough. Many outfitters are fighting it now because of the amount of outfitter hate going on. I believe I know the old outfitter ur talking about and can definitely see him doing that, the new owners are better to work with but can get nasty at times and throw little fits.


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Good to know.

I hiked up avalanche last year to the gift split and saw one camp on the other side of the creek past the HRtrail. I assumed it was one of yours. I haven't gone up HR trail yet but plan on it next year just to look around.

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[bozeman]

Lone Tom as in Mr Paul’s camps?