National Forest Camping Ethics

[wapitibob]

Do yourself a favor and email the specific forest and ask about 14 day rule. In Oregon, that 14 day rule expires in a couple of weeks for several national forests, that rule also applies to people not unattended personal items like your trailer or your camp.

 

[Customweld]

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.....

It's terrible here too. One of the areas that I like to camp has maybe 12 spots in a 15 mile radius (this isn't hunt camps just leisure). There are the same players who set their campers up every year and just leave them. I finally called the area FS Ranger after not getting much traction from the FS office folks. Apparently I wasn't the only one complaining and they have started keeping track of these guys and are issuing tickets. There has been quite a few folks staying on the BLM ground . BLM enforces that rule pretty hard here, so those folks have been migrating up into the FS ground. However, these aren't the same handful of campers that are in the same spot every year.

 

[jayhawk]

Yes, that’s a D bag move IMO. If you’re not camping then don’t set up your camper. This kind of stuff has gotten so out of control that I’ve gotten to the point where, if there’s no truck/ATV at the campsite/trailhead I want to access, then I hunt it. I’ve seen a lot of people park their camper, then drive to another spot to hunt. Fair enough, but then everyone thinks someone is down that trail.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

I love free camping gear thats been left in the NF for weeks!

 

[Hippie Steve]

It's first come first serve but it's frowned upon and I would report you. I don't recommend it, plus black bears and other creatures like to get into things and you're just asking for a potential litter fest of your gear on my public land that other people have to clean up. Thanks.

 

[archeryisking]

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.

Appreciate the feedback. I guess my greatest interest in the whole thing isn't necessarily "reserving" a spot but I'm going to be in the area a week ahead of time with some free time on my hands. Setting up camp seems like a no brainer from the "efficiency" standpoint.

 

[archeryisking]

Do yourself a favor and email the specific forest and ask about 14 day rule. In Oregon, that 14 day rule expires in a couple of weeks for several national forests, that rule also applies to people not unattended personal items like your trailer or your camp.

I did. I'm not trying to burn my spot so I kept it as general as I could.

 

[archeryisking]

Appreciate all the feedback guys. Figure I'll burn some more time scouting and just save camp setup for when I come back out.

It really is interesting to me the dichotomy on this....seems anytime there is a rule in place, some folks push it so far and ruin it for others.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Appreciate the feedback. I guess my greatest interest in the whole thing isn't necessarily "reserving" a spot but I'm going to be in the area a week ahead of time with some free time on my hands. Setting up camp seems like a no brainer from the "efficiency" standpoint.

For sure. Go for it. Nothing unethical about it at all.

 

[Customweld]

Appreciate all the feedback guys. Figure I'll burn some more time scouting and just save camp setup for when I come back out.

It really is interesting to me the dichotomy on this....seems anytime there is a rule in place, some folks push it so far and ruin it for others.

That's exactly what happens. When I was talking to the Ranger, he basically said their budget isn't big enough to patrol everything, so they just start closing spots down and forcing everyone to camp subdivision style.

 

[MallardSX2]

You should get 2 weeks 14 days and then its PIRATE LAW.........

A camper should then be treated as garbage/litter and it should be legal tow, re-title, and sell. Or Tow and scrap. It's no different than garbage littering after that 14 days IMHO.

 

[Customweld]

You should get 2 weeks 14 days and then its PIRATE LAW.........

A camper should then be treated as garbage/litter and it should be legal tow, re-title, and sell. Or Tow and scrap. It's no different than garbage littering after that 14 days IMHO.

Totally!. 14 day salvage law, that would make an impact!

 

[Gutshot007]

What do you guys think about bringing in a backhoe and concrete truck to pour footings on federal land for my new log cabin and do you like steel roofing over shingles ? Lol

 

[Customweld]

What do you guys think about bringing in a backhoe and concrete truck to pour footings on federal land for my new log cabin and do you like steel roofing over shingles ? Lol

Fire friendly metal is the only wat to go!

 

[Phaseolus]

There’s a 14 day limit but the rule also states that the camp cannot be left unattended. You can stay 14 days in one spot but legally you must be there. Sad to say but The Forest Circus makes no attempt to enforce it in GMUG. (Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison National Forests)

 

[idcuda]

Setting up camp seems like a no brainer from the "efficiency" standpoint.

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

But the family that was going to camp there Mon-Wed probably won't agree.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

But the family that was going to camp there Mon-Wed probably won't agree.

That's a given.

 

[MTtrout]

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

I’ve never spiked camped before but I thought it was setting up a base camp and camp in the woods for x nights if on game. Then return to an established camp to sleep and resupply as needed. I agree when I backpack hunt I don’t park my truck in a spot that limits truck campers. Is this not spike camping?

 

[CorbLand]

I’ve never spiked camped before but I thought it was setting up a base camp and camp in the woods for x nights if on game. Then return to an established camp to sleep and resupply as needed. I agree when I backpack hunt I don’t park my truck in a spot that limits truck campers. Is this not spike camping?

That is spike camping. How is it any different than setting up camp and heading back into town for x number of days?

 

[stanginthe11s]

That is spike camping. How is it any different than setting up camp and heading back into town for x number of days?

explain the thinking on this for me. what is the point of setting camp then going to a hotel for a few nights? if you have a camp, why not just camp and save the money?
why not just show up 2 days prior, set camp, get acclimated and go hunt? same thinking applies to spike camping. if you're intending to camp in the woods, then what do you need a second setup for? your resupply can be in the vehicle. how much crap are you guys bringing lol. keep in mind my thinking only applies to 1-2 people.