Interesting post and interesting opinions, both ways.
I can only speak for myself with my opinion, I am an easterner, who joined this forum looking for information for hunting out west. Like most I lurked and read for probably 6 months before I even began posting much. I am lucky that I had ran a forum for Virginia Hunting so i knew not to just jump in with my first post, being "hey I wanna go outwest and tell me where to go type deal", had seen it happen way to many times on my forum as well, even though it was a small one dealing with just one state. My answer to guys like that was always "stick around and post some get to know people and once they trust you, they might be more willing to help ya out" So yes there is an "forum etiquette" to asking about hunting spots/areas/leases etc.
My personal experience with asking about specific areas on here (yes I have made posts asking about regions or specific units) is that, I think I just want to hear the words "yeah thats a good area to go" or "you will have fun there", because that builds my confidence, that my research is paying off. I dont really need someone to answer my post and tell me GPS coordinates, just some confirmation that I am on the right track. Of course some people have answered to specific areas "I would rather go to the dentist than hunt that area" or flat out "that area sucks" or "very little public access there, tough hunt" and I am just as appreciative of those answers as well, as it lets me know, I am researching the wrong area lol
All that being said, I have had some people nice enough to PM me, more detailed answers than "yeah thats a good area" and I am just as appreciative of that as well.
Like I said that's just ME and my opinions on what I am looking for when I ask about certain areas. others may be different.
SO yes, there should be forum etiquette. But I think to a degree we should all be helpful to one another if we can be. Not necessarily giving away one's honey holes, but point others in the right direction, mostly by private message.
For example I saw a guy in the whitetail forum, post that he is planning a hunt to the bow only counties in West Virginia. I told him to PM me if he wanted some info, and I will darn near give him GPS coordinates to a couple places I know of, I dont hunt those spots, but saw plenty of deer sign there while coon hunting with my dad. So why wouldnt I help a guy out in that situation?
Also something to keep in mind.....When I first started going to Georgia, a guy who works on the public land where we hunt, helped us out greatly and would send u us to spots he knew had pigs in them, We scored several pigs based on his direction etc. and he even would come out and take us to spots he knew of etc. One evening I asked him, "you know alot of people wouldnt even help others out this way, why do you do it" (as his facebook was loaded with pics of guys killing hogs for the first time) and replied "Well I believe in Karma, It seem that the more I help people, the more it comes back on me with good luck it seems when it comes to hunting" and this guys kills tons of hogs and some truly monster bucks for Georgia public land.
So simply based on that, I try to help people as much as I can when it comes to hunting, if I can help someone out, I truly beleive it comes back on you tenfold, Karma
