Hunting etiquette?

[WyoElkHntr]

Doesn’t really matter how he ended up there (if he did in fact hear your shots as you assume). As long as it’s public land, common courtesy should have to stay a respectful distance away from whoever was there first. Roofing nail in the tire is not cool though.

 

[CayenneHunter]

Doesn’t really matter how he ended up there (if he did in fact hear your shots as you assume). As long as it’s public land, common courtesy should have to stay a respectful distance away from whoever was there first. Roofing nail in the tire is not cool though.

So some of this is conjecture on my part, and some was directly confirmed by the guy.

They knew approximately where I was hunting by where I parked. When I shot, he knew it was me and I confirmed it when he stopped me on my way out. I had been getting in around noon and hiking about an hour to reach my spot. The typically don't leave camp until 3ish, or at least that's when I see their trucks. I'm typically on location an hour by then. I told him I was going back. When I arrived the next day at 1, the guy (younger guy, same group) was flagging me with his orange from across the canyon, 800yds away. Not ideal, but I've had several people come much closer to me in that same area. It's public, so anything beyond 300yds is the most I can hope for.

We killed that evening so I didn't speak to anyone that night. He (the old man) flagged me down heading in the next morning to finish the pack out, and he was pissed that I didn't vacate the area since the guy was there before me. I.E. that was his intent. Find out where I was, confirm I was on elk, and beat me to the spot, then use "hunting etiquette" as a means to call dibs. I found it ironic that, that was his expectation. It would have been different if the range was closer. 800yds, he was well over 1,000 yds from where the elk was when I shot.

My conclusion: I was naive to give away information. Lesson learned. I will lie like a politician next year. I'm also looking into buying a suppressor. I'm half tempted to pop off some shots next time too, just to add confusion to their method. I will still stay on spot if someone is 800yds from me.

 

[sndmn11]

So some of this is conjecture on my part, and some was directly confirmed by the guy.

They knew approximately where I was hunting by where I parked. When I shot, he knew it was me and I confirmed it when he stopped me on my way out. I had been getting in around noon and hiking about an hour to reach my spot. The typically don't leave camp until 3ish, or at least that's when I see their trucks. I'm typically on location an hour by then. I told him I was going back. When I arrived the next day at 1, the guy (younger guy, same group) was flagging me with his orange from across the canyon, 800yds away. Not ideal, but I've had several people come much closer to me in that same area. It's public, so anything beyond 300yds is the most I can hope for.

We killed that evening so I didn't speak to anyone that night. He (the old man) flagged me down heading in the next morning to finish the pack out, and he was pissed that I didn't vacate the area since the guy was there before me. I.E. that was his intent. Find out where I was, confirm I was on elk, and beat me to the spot, then use "hunting etiquette" as a means to call dibs. I found it ironic that, that was his expectation. It would have been different if the range was closer. 800yds, he was well over 1,000 yds from where the elk was when I shot.

My conclusion: I was naive to give away information. Lesson learned. I will lie like a politician next year. I'm also looking into buying a suppressor. I'm half tempted to pop off some shots next time too, just to add confusion to their method. I will still stay on spot if someone is 800yds from me.

Are you bothered that the person was hunting near where you had before? Or are you bothered that he was "flagging" you with his orange?

I'm still confused on what the issue is that anyone had. I'm also very very confused why your plan is to randomly shoot while people are in the field hunting? That sounds like the most egregious thing in this whole thread.

 

[svivian]

So some of this is conjecture on my part, and some was directly confirmed by the guy.

They knew approximately where I was hunting by where I parked. When I shot, he knew it was me and I confirmed it when he stopped me on my way out. I had been getting in around noon and hiking about an hour to reach my spot. The typically don't leave camp until 3ish, or at least that's when I see their trucks. I'm typically on location an hour by then. I told him I was going back. When I arrived the next day at 1, the guy (younger guy, same group) was flagging me with his orange from across the canyon, 800yds away. Not ideal, but I've had several people come much closer to me in that same area. It's public, so anything beyond 300yds is the most I can hope for.

We killed that evening so I didn't speak to anyone that night. He (the old man) flagged me down heading in the next morning to finish the pack out, and he was pissed that I didn't vacate the area since the guy was there before me. I.E. that was his intent. Find out where I was, confirm I was on elk, and beat me to the spot, then use "hunting etiquette" as a means to call dibs. I found it ironic that, that was his expectation. It would have been different if the range was closer. 800yds, he was well over 1,000 yds from where the elk was when I shot.

My conclusion: I was naive to give away information. Lesson learned. I will lie like a politician next year. I'm also looking into buying a suppressor. I'm half tempted to pop off some shots next time too, just to add confusion to their method. I will still stay on spot if someone is 800yds from me.

Now the old man was pissed too?! Story keeps evolving

 

[TraderMike]

Congratulations on a nice 5x5!

As you are now aware, OTC hunting in CO is as much about finding the animals as it is managing the competition. You already acknowledged the lesson you learned about giving away information and I believe that tactic will serve you well in the future. I for one, tend to shy away from rifle shots when hunting and maybe you will reconsider your notion to pop off shots after the crappy taste in your mouth subsides, from the unfortunate interaction you had... Those elk steaks should help with that.

 

[CayenneHunter]

Are you bothered that the person was hunting near where you had before? Or are you bothered that he was "flagging" you with his orange?

I'm still confused on what the issue is that anyone had. I'm also very very confused why your plan is to randomly shoot while people are in the field hunting? That sounds like the most egregious thing in this whole thread.

It worked out for me. Even if he stayed, I would have been in a better spot to shoot. I honestly don't think the guy could see the bull from where he was, even if he would have stayed.

What chapped my butt was he was obviously attempting to cut me off, and was mad at me that it didn't work. The guy left on his own. Up to the day after I killed, the old man had been friendly. So had I. I didn't care about what he did until he tried to make me out as the a-hole in the situation. That's when it became obvious to me that it was intentional.

The range was sufficient in my opinion plus the elk were over 300ft below each of our positions. I intentionally stayed at elevation for that reason. So I had zero safety concerns. The guy tried to say it was a safety thing first, then that common courtesy, or common sense, (I can't remember exactly which he said) says I should have left when someone is in a place before me. That's why I got mad. I wasn't disrespectful to him, but I stopped being nice.

I'm not planning on going Yosemite Sam, but I may take some long range target practice. It really depends if that same group is there again. Hopefully I don't even see the guy next time. But if he's there and doing the same stuff, pumping people for information and shot chasing, I'm surely not going to divulge any truthful information.

I came on here to see if this was a common thing. I didn't feel like I was wrong, but wanted some unbiased feedback. Given that, I don't feel like a jerk in this situation at all. I do feel a bit naive though.

 

[KineKilla]

This is how it works around here

Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk

 

[CayenneHunter]

Congratulations on a nice 5x5!

As you are now aware, OTC hunting in CO is as much about finding the animals as it is managing the competition. You already acknowledged the lesson you learned about giving away information and I believe that tactic will serve you well in the future. I for one, tend to shy away from rifle shots when hunting and maybe you will reconsider your notion to pop off shots after the crappy taste in your mouth subsides, from the unfortunate interaction you had... Those elk steaks should help with that.

Honestly, it was the people that helped me find the elk. I just starting looking for a spot that was a mile or more from the road. The valley I killed my bull in is hidden from the roads in the area and required either a 2 mile hike through very thick cover, or little over 1 mile down 2 very steep declines. There was tons of sign in the surrounding area each of the last 2 years, so I knew they were there, it was a matter of finding where the people weren't. The bottom had plenty green grass, so we sat one evening. Saw 1 the first evening, 3 the next, and 2 the last day. I also found 6 sheds within 100yds of the bull, so I think they're using the area from year to year.

You're also right about the shots. By next year, I'll probably be over it. I try to stay stealthy as much as possible, so just blasting for the hell of it isn't my thing. I hate wearing orange for that same reason. Any yes, the elk meat is awesome.

 

[BRTreedogs]

All I'm saying is you could walk up to me quartering an animal.
Help me pack it out.
I'd look you rite in the face and tell ya I haven't seen anything this place sucks and I'm leaving.

 

[TraderMike]

All I'm saying is you could walk up to me quartering an animal.
Help me pack it out.
I'd look you rite in the face and tell ya I haven't seen anything this place sucks and I'm leaving.

x 2

The first rule about hunt club, you do not talk about hunt club....

 

[Indian Summer]

I guess I’ll toss in another comment.

Etiquette would have been for the other guy to wish you good luck tomorrow and go hunt somewhere else. If he doesn’t like the situation he has nobody but his own greedy inconsiderate self to blame for putting himself in that situation. Period.