National Forest Camping Ethics

[Nickofthewoods]

At a previous job I used to enforce the 14 day camping rule in Roosevelt and Arapahoe National Forests. To the best of my recollection, you can camp or store property in one place for a maximum of 14 days, at which point you must move it a minimum of 3 or 5 miles (can't remember) and then have yourself another stay of 14 days. After that I believe you have to move to a completely different national forest, like San Isabel, Pecos, Shoshone, etc., for a maximum stay of 60 days in one calendar year if I recall correctly.

So you might get a ticket if a Ranger, Deputy or Citizen notices your stuff from day 1 and keeps good record of it being there longer than 14 days. I believe that after 100 days the USFS can legally claim abandoned property. I didn't work for the FS, and I got tired of people abandoning their crap so it found its way to a dumpster sooner than later if I knew it was there for longer than 14 days with no sign of people around. Just don't leave anything out there you can't live without and don't be surprised who notices.

 

[CorbLand]

I find it poor taste to setup early to “save your spot” on public land unaccompanied till the time serves you best. To the question above about spike camping is irrelevant because you still need a spot to come back to. When I lived in UT the camper caravans were everywhere. Never once saw one of those folks while in the woods hunting though…

He doesn’t need a camp to come back to. A pickup parked on the side of the road would suffice.

How is it any different to set up camp, to leave it to camp somewhere else than setting up camp to go back to town?

 

[Mykolaivka887]

How is it any different to set up camp, to leave it to camp somewhere else than setting up camp to go back to town?

There's no difference.

 

[Swamp Fox]

I've always felt like the 14 days was more to prevent people from trying to live there... Not for outdoorsmen.

Interesting. I always took it to be more to prevent outdoorsmen from squatting.

Of course, the definition of "outdoorsman" has been expanded over the years.

There are the Rancid Crabtree Outdoorsmen, and now the Urban Outdoorsmen of, say, Portland ...

 

[idcuda]

As long as you dont exceed the 14 day limit total, I dont see what it matters if you are there or not.

Because there's limited public land camping and it's inconsiderate to lock others out of it when you're not even there. It's clearly a dick move, but we'll all do it. I don't know why people are reluctant to admit that it's not the right thing to do.

 

[Gutshot007]

Hunting wyoming ran into some locals that left a wall tent set up and lived down the mountain in town . It was a lttle off the beaten path , but they left it up and hunted multiple elk seasons out if it. How does it work for guides leaving tents out?

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I would say go for it. Only thing I'd be worried about would be stuff stolen, leave little of value.

In WA here, I've seen guys put up a camp before archery elk in early September and that camp was still there continuously until the end of rifle elk season, early November. I have seen the 14 day thing violated hundreds of times, nothing ever done about it.

 

[TaperPin]

Don’t be surprised if you have campers parked close on all sides of yours. Everyone seems to be proud of being an asshole anymore so don’t be surprised if they also suggest you **** yourself. The hood rats will slice your tires and meth heads will steal anything inside.

 

[Gutshot007]

Sad, but probably a if you cant beat them join them situation .

 

[jtevanMT]

I would not do it to “save” the spot, but I would to avoid packing-up the camp and setting up again 5 days later (if I was there anyway and the location is safe). I hate burning good hunting light setting up camp.

The area I archery elk hunt is ~4.5 hours from home to base camp. I usually pull my trailer over in early September (after the season has already started) and leave it for 14 days. If someone is in my preferred spot I just find another one nearby (no big deal). Sometimes we spike camp for a couple days. Sometimes I return home for 3-4 days for work and leave the trailer setup.

 

[Gobbler36]

Nah man, it’s a D bag move. Just cause it’s 2023 and a ton of people only care about themselves and couldn’t care less about being a D bag to someone else doesn’t mean yah just give in and partake. No need to act like some self absorbed jerk from Chicago just cause a bunch of other people are doing it, be the better man.

Agreed

 

[def90]

Hunting wyoming ran into some locals that left a wall tent set up and lived down the mountain in town . It was a lttle off the beaten path , but they left it up and hunted multiple elk seasons out if it. How does it work for guides leaving tents out?

Guides would have a permit of some sort.

 

[Jethro]

Set up your camp and be ready for opening day. You get 14 days, don't have to be there all 14.

 

[Weldor]

Down here they bring up their trailers for summer never leave til fall, Forest service is non existant. The same travel tralers are parked in the same spot year after year. We also have the tent camp guys who set up fake camps to block off trails and camping areas for the hunting season, again forest service is non existant. You can tell I am a fan of the theirs. Seen it alot more since the Phoenix population has increasesd from the west.

 

[svivian]

Fun reading some of the comments and how lucky I am where I hunt. I know most of the guys who setup in the area I hunt and we are all respectful of each other. I even leave a trailer and side by side up parked next to my camp when I'm away. I've never had a problem.

One time I had an unfortunate event happen where I ended up having to leave my camp up for over a month because I couldn't get back up there. When I finally did everything was just as I left it.

At the same time this isn't a crowded place, if it was, that would change things.

 

[87TT]

All the cool kids are doing it.

 

[stanginthe11s]

I think there are valid points for both sides. I do agree, if you follow the 14-day rule then you're not doing anything wrong. To me, it's the intent that is wrong. you know you're doing it to prevent someone else from going there even though you will not ever be there. what's the thought process behind that?
personally, I'm not a fan of people who set up camp only to spike out further. never saw the point of that, unless you just like to play house. if camp is on your back then everything else is in your vehicle, so for me I just show up 2 days early and park my car. if I come out and leave to go to town and someone else pulls into my spot then oh well, it happens. and yes, it has happened to me. I also had a guy pull into my spot while I was sitting there having coffee only to complain about overcrowding, go figure.
at the end of the day it doesn't really matter, be the person you want to be. camp or not, if someone else wants to be in that spot then they will be there. if you need to "reserve" the spot, then go for it. use your best judgement for the area and go have a good time while you can. if you think something is wrong, it probably is. the fact that you even asked says you're a better person than most of us, and on that alone I give you a pass lol.

 

[MallardSX2]

I wish the forest service would start cracking down on residents of Colorado and Wyoming who think it's cool to leave their campers set up for the entire month of archery elk season.....

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Just a side note here, but last year when my outfitter and I packed up our remote backpacking camp in a driving rain/snowstorm and then spent the entire day walking all the way out of there in said storm, it sure was nice to stumble into our previously setup base camp alongside a four-wheel-drive goat trail, in the dark, at the end of that grueling pack out.

 

[*zap*]

Big boy rules apply as well as forest service rules...