National Forest Camping Ethics

[stanginthe11s]

He had actually asked about the ethics of his scenario, not the morality. Neither supercede legality.

the actual definition of ethics is in fact the morality. you should know this if you're going to tell people they are wrong for having morals.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Kind of like taking a game camera. Stealing is stealing. If it’s not yours, don’t f with it. Call the authorities if you want but if you take or mess with someone else’s stuff you are just as bad as they are.
i don’t very often but have left my camp to make a run out to resupply, shower or whatever. Heaven help the person who I catch messing with my stuff.

Big difference in leaving a camp for the day that’s obviously being used and leaving a 30 dollar Walmart tent that’s empty of all sleeping gear, no camp kitchen gear/coolers, nothing outside the tent other than a 10 dollar chair. This is blatant spot reserving and deserves to go in the dump and I have zero F’s to give.

I found two prime camp spots on the river this spring that were left exactly like this it was hilarious.

 

[87TT]

Move thei stuff over a few feet and set yours up. Then when they return you can make your point. If they don’t show up, there stuff will still be there.

 

[TandKHunting]

You pay federal taxes, so do what's within the law. In my state, it's both lawful and common to set up and leave a tree stand or blind on forest service land for months at a time. Technically, that's "claiming" a spot just like setting up a tent. None of us care. If the tent, stand, or blind is empty...I still hunt the area. That's completely norm for most people I know hunting public grounds. If it's occupied...I just go hunt another area. We can all share the woods and respect each other's property without being petty.

Lastly, nobody should be setting up a blind, stand, or tent on public land with the notion that the area is now closed off to every other tax payer. Just because you put a tent up doesn't mean a hunter won't hunt the area. So don't feel bad about setting up early, as most hunters won't feel bad about hunting the area if you are nowhere to be found.

I would set up trail cams on your gear though. A lot of folks don't abide by the, "do what's right..even when nobody is looking."

 

[Boarmaster]

My feelings if your stuff is there, your there. No one else can use it while your camp is set up so why wouldn't it be part of your 14 day limit. Disclaimer: I didn't read more than 20 of the 143 posts ahead of me……

 

[Boarmaster]

I would have no problem with a guy who sets up a base camp and spikes in and out of it. So long as that base camp isn't there more than the allowed time camping in one spot.