Hunting Etiquette

GrayRyder · Dec 2, 2024

So I've been hunting a lot of years. For the last 30 years I deer hunt by myself. Saturday was the first day of deer season and I didn't feel the need to get up at oh-dark-thirty to go out to the field. It wasn't till about noon that I got geared up and headed out to the farm I was going to hunt.

The farm I hunt on is part of a cooperative - anybody can hunt it. I don't own any part of it and as far as I know (I talk to the land owner every year before first day) neither does anyone else hunting that land. I got no claim on the field and neither does anyone else. Anyway, I'm patrolling around and come across an empty tree stand. I saw no indication in the snow that anyone had been in that tree stand that day, not that it matters because it was empty when I got there. I'm standing about 20 yards away from it when I hear a hunter coming up behind me and he says his dad's going to be in that tree stand. Weellll, we have a problem because I'm not moving from that area just because someone has finally decided to show up and hunt out of that tree stand. If a hunter is in the tree stand when I arrive on scene I'm giving him a wide berth. He was physically there first and so I yield to his "control" of that area. But when I arrive and there's nobody there well guess what? In my mind I'm there first and if someone wants to go up in the tree stand, they're going to have to share the area with me or abandon their plan to hunt out of it altogether.

I don't want my deer hunting to turn into some pain the ass. Alternatively, I don't feel I should give up a good spot just because somebody a) put up a tree stand and b) decides to show up after I'm already there. I mean there was a possibility the guy wasn't going to show up at all and then I'd have missed a good spot for absolutely no reason.

So what would you guys do?

Redmanss · Dec 2, 2024

What are these trees you speak of?

Sincerely,
East Half of Wyoming

hlee · Dec 2, 2024

Unless all parties involved have agreed to “exclusive areas of influence” (for lack of a better term), they better get there first.

We have 6 hunters on our lease. Each has “his blind” and an expectation that the other hunters will leave those areas alone, at least during deer season.

I’ve heard of other properties where blinds were first come first served, based on a sign up sheet kept at “camp.” And, I’ve seen random draws for blind location as well.

GrayRyder · Dec 2, 2024

I should add that no one is leasing any part of that property. In my mind if I get there first even if you put up a stand and then show up after me you're the one out of luck.

Ronws · Dec 2, 2024

I agree. If there are no assigned lanes or units, as it were, and anyone can hunt any part of the land, then early bird catches the deer.

I say first one at the spot gets it.

Of course, the other people could get snooty and then complain to the landowner who may decide that no one gets to hunt because he is not going to get in the middle of a pissing match.

DIBBS · Dec 2, 2024

First come first served, so to speak. IMHO

diverdon · Dec 2, 2024

If you want to make the rules then it's best to aquire your own land on which to hunt. If hunting on land owned by others avoide argument.

John? · Dec 2, 2024

Classic example of the Tragedy of the Commons. Disagreement over who controls use of that which they do not own.

That is why collectivism always fails.

It’s also why we only let kith and kin hunt our land. No need to mediate arguments about property rights for tree stand improvements and such schoolyard nonsense.

37L1 · Dec 2, 2024

If they own the tree stand and put it up, then I would say they get dibs. If they don't, then first come first served.

So what did you do? Spoil your day by getting riled or just walk around and find another spot?

BurtG · Dec 2, 2024

At least no one got shot over a long legged disease carrying crop and car destroying , rat

GrayRyder · Dec 2, 2024

When I arrived at that area I didn't even know IF treehouse guy was going to come out. Consequently, I didn't move.

And DiverDon I'm not trying to set rules. Ain't my land, ain't his land. But don't tell me that just because you've suddenly decided to make an appearance that I have got to move.

It's more a matter of hunting courtesy. Something that I see a lot less of as the years go by.

Huskydriver · Dec 2, 2024

Lol......... This is hunting?

stevieb92 · Dec 2, 2024

Just my $.02, but since neither of you own the land, if it was his tree stand he gets dibs no matter when he shows up to hunt from it. Don't like it, then bring your own stand and put it up.

ma smith · Dec 2, 2024

I also agree its not worth it to ruin the access to private land by creating needless conflict. Eg sending the kid to scout the location etc ahead of time might be considered a form of conflict mitigation/avoidance. It would be worse if the actual hunter shows up and gets in a direct pissing match, etc. It also has the potential to spoil hunting conditions..etc.

That all beind said, in theory...probably should treat the OP case the same way as public land case. which IMHO is first come first served on any given day. I don't think you can put up a stand on public land and prevent other members of the public from hunting that area all season (even where its allowed to put up a stand for the whole season).

Would be curious if anyone actually had more detailed undestanding of the actual law on this?

jrassy · Dec 2, 2024

I would of moved off, quarter around and let them spook the deer right to me

diverdon · Dec 2, 2024

GrayRyder said:
When I arrived at that area I didn't even know IF treehouse guy was going to come out. Consequently, I didn't move.

And DiverDon I'm not trying to set rules. Ain't my land, ain't his land. But don't tell me that just because you've suddenly decided to make an appearance that I have got to move.

It's more a matter of hunting courtesy. Something that I see a lot less of as the years go by.

I will not make an appearance anywhere you legally hunt. I hunt my own posted land.

However let me explain my original post. I read your original as a query about the etiquette of establishing rights to a particular place to hunt on common land. In my mind in that situation the highest priority is avoiding conflict.

I regret my mistake. And now that I see what you were really looking for was an opportunity to lecture others on your views I'll leave you to it.

diverdon · Dec 2, 2024

jrassy said:
I would of moved off, quarter around and let them spook the deer right to me

Wise words.

Baron23 · Dec 2, 2024

My view is that if its not your stand, you can't use it.

But also, if you want to hunt that part of the property (from your blind, stand, or sitting at the base of a tree) and got there first then that's your area for that day.

hlee · Dec 2, 2024

What Baron24 said. OP didn’t say he was hunting from the stand, but hunting from near the stand. On public land? Yeah, first come first served. Private land with public access? Same same. That said, this is the sort of situation that gets heated then gets people shot.

And, hunting public access land is almost always an ass pain of one sort or another.

ironman56 · Dec 2, 2024

Both of you are piss poor hunters, showing up at noon to hunt deer that are probably bedded down by that time SMFH.

roostercogburn98 · Dec 2, 2024

BurtG said:
At least no one got shot over a long legged disease carrying crop and car destroying , rat

Go break a tractor already, the day ain’t gettin no longer

BurtG · Dec 2, 2024

ironman56 said:
Both of you are piss poor hunters, showing up at noon to hunt deer that are probably bedded down by that time SMFH.

And missing out on all the deer kicked up by lazy that leave the stand for breakfast / lunch

roostercogburn98 · Dec 2, 2024

ironman56 said:
Both of you are piss poor hunters, showing up at noon to hunt deer that are probably bedded down by that time SMFH.

Depends on where you hunt, I got deer out and about all day round here

jbuck88 · Dec 2, 2024

I do hunt with my Father in Law who is 75 now. So it might be upto me to go scout and do prep for him to hunt. Now if I was going to go out and get his spot setup and ready for him to show us when he was able to. I would be a little disappointed if someone got there before him and set up in the same spot. I don't know if that's the case or not.

However, it's first come first serve.

I don't hunt like this though so idk what the general etiquette is.

Last year I had an issue with other people who seen me glassing deer and came over to look what I was glassing. I told them I was going to try to go around a hill to get a better shot at them. 10min later I couldn't get a clear line so I came back out to the clearing I was at to see them setting up their guns to shoot. They said their was a big buck over there, the one I was trying to get a closer shot at. I didn't appreciate it and let them know my frustration.

Smokeshot · Dec 2, 2024

My wife's uncle lets me hunt on his property. It's a very peaceful and pleasant experience so I wouldn't hunt anywhere else. Especially, if there's drama involved.

chevy_man · Dec 2, 2024

ironman56 said:
Both of you are piss poor hunters, showing up at noon to hunt deer that are probably bedded down by that time SMFH.

They move all hours of the day and night around here, especially during the rut.

Even if they do bed in the morning they'll be back up in the afternoon to filter back to the fields to graze.

diggler1833 · Dec 2, 2024

Not of fan of calling "dibbs" on a public spot by setting up a stand, and then expecting everyone else to leave "your" spot alone while you aren't there 90% of the season.

Also not a fan of the idea of climbing up in a stand that you don't own, didn't put up, and especially don't know who did. There are some real treacherous POS backwoods boys out this way. This is how you would end up coming back to a trashed vehicle etc...

Best bet for me for that day would be to inquire as to what direction they were coming from and then try to swing out and around, and let the knuckle-head push the deer my way. Maybe take a dump before I headed out...I dunno how I'd feel at the moment.

Beefmanne · Dec 2, 2024

Drink two pots of coffee, take a piss everywhere you can in a 50 yard radius and move on.

jbuck88 · Dec 2, 2024

chevy_man said:
They move all hours of the day and night around here, especially during the rut.

Even if they do bed in the morning they'll be back up in the afternoon to filter back to the fields to graze.

This, plus all bets are off during opening weekend with all the extra movement.

roostercogburn98 · Dec 2, 2024

Smokeshot said:
My wife's uncle lets me hunt on his property. It's a very peaceful and pleasant experience so I wouldn't hunt anywhere else. Especially, if there's drama involved.

I gave up my “invited” access to about 150 acres this year due to grown man drama. I’d rather stick to my small plot around the house and take my chances than deal with drama bullshit.

Hard to say who if anyone has “right” to any given part of public land for sure. Guess if the landowners get tired of hearing about it, they can just stop allowing people to use it at all. Damn shame for everyone to lose access over some dumb argument in my opinion

Farmertan · Dec 2, 2024

Redmanss said:
What are these trees you speak of?

Sincerely,
East Half of Wyoming

That's what the deer stands behind so you can't get a good angle

DCAN · Dec 2, 2024

First come first serve.
My personal stands had pins I could remove to make them unusable when I wasn't there. A couple had wood replacement pins which would almost hold the weight of a person. Almost.

Redlion · Dec 2, 2024

If it were me, I would have moved onto a different spot. Of course, I scout out a few suitable locations to set-up before season starts no matter what patch of land that I am hunting.

lonegunman762x51 · Dec 2, 2024

There are rules for tree stands on public lands, not sure about tree stands on private property.

I've hunted on and off since 1979 and in a dozen states. The number of hunters is dropping but the land available to hunt is dropping even faster so it is getting crowded. The number of city-cunts hunting with no skills, abilities or etiquette is tripling every year. I've had assholes follow me through the woods, assholes see me and plop down one tree away, assholes try and tag the deer I shot 10 minutes ago and am gutting, assholes glass me all day to see if they can steal something I am stalking and so forth and so on. Whatever they teach in hunter's education is not fucking working. People trespass all the time and with no regard for signage, fences or gates. I hunt a piece of private land and have had California scum arrested for using their dogs to run deer, trespassing and vandalism every year.

My suggestion? Move 100 yards away and shoot the deer before it gets near tree stand guy and be done with it. It might be nice to wave or something and let him know you are in the area.

Anymore, I hunt armed for both people and deer. Occasionally, I run into a decent hunter and will ask them where they are heading so we can avoid each other and increase our chances of tagging something. When the land owner finally decides to sell the place we hunt these days, I may be done hunting altogether.

BTW, I own 120 acres of arid land, some brush, big sage and a few depressions to hide animals, mostly I use it for a rifle range and have 800 yds of steel to enjoy. It is fully fenced and posted and inside a fenced cattle ranch. I have a deeded easement to my place. I have caught trespassers out there several times. Fuckers climb the gate, over the no trespassing sign and come on in. Not my neighbors, but assholes who were driving by and saw the water guzzler or gravel parking area and decided to go exploring.

Redmanss · Dec 2, 2024

Farmertan said:
That's what the deer stands behind so you can't get a good angle

Prairie legend has it there’s a beautiful woman hiding behind every tree.

Ronws · Dec 2, 2024

diggler1833 said:
Not of fan of calling "dibbs" on a public spot by setting up a stand, and then expecting everyone else to leave "your" spot alone while you aren't there 90% of the season.

Also not a fan of the idea of climbing up in a stand that you don't own, didn't put up, and especially don't know who did. There are some real treacherous POS backwoods boys out this way. This is how you would end up coming back to a trashed vehicle etc...

Best bet for me for that day would be to inquire as to what direction they were coming from and then try to swing out and around, and let the knuckle-head push the deer my way. Maybe take a dump before I headed out...I dunno how I'd feel at the moment.

this right here. Drop a thick and steaming pile of dooky and then vacate to somewhere else. Even better, eat some asparagus the night before. Your pee on the tree where the tree stand is will cause eyes to tear up.

XikoPlavi · Dec 2, 2024

ma smith said:
I also agree its not worth it to ruin the access to private land by creating needless conflict. Eg sending the kid to scout the location etc ahead of time might be considered a form of conflict mitigation/avoidance. It would be worse if the actual hunter shows up and gets in a direct pissing match, etc. It also has the potential to spoil hunting conditions..etc.

That all beind said, in theory...probably should treat the OP case the same way as public land case. which IMHO is first come first served on any given day. I don't think you can put up a stand on public land and prevent other members of the public from hunting that area all season (even where its allowed to put up a stand for the whole season).

Would be curious if anyone actually had more detailed undestanding of the actual law on this?

You cant put any stand or anything up and leave it and expect to get it or it not be stolen or knocked down. Same with trail cams.

Bradu · Dec 2, 2024

If it's private land, there can't be that many people that hunt it. The smart thing to do is contact the others and have a plan before you walk in at noon. However, since that obviously isn’t the case, I'd move if it wasn't my land or my stand to avoid conflict. Why piss off the landowner and be out a spot all together.

It sounds like you belong hunting on public ground with this mentality. You'd fit right in with the other "hunters"

hlee · Dec 2, 2024

Bradu said:
If it's private land, there can't be that many people that hunt it. The smart thing to do is contact the others and have a plan before you walk in at noon. However, since that obviously isn’t the case, I'd move if it wasn't my land or my stand to avoid conflict. Why piss off the landowner and be out a spot all together.

It sounds like you belong hunting on public ground with this mentality. You'd fit right in with the other "hunters"

There could be a bunch. In NM- for example- the state leases hunting access from property owners. This Open Gate program essentially treats (enrolled) private property as public land for the purposes of hunting access.

The OP doesn’t list where he is hunting, and doesn’t really describe this “cooperative” other than to say that there is no fee for access. If this cooperative is similar to the referenced Open Gate program, you’d never know who or how many are hunting the land.

Bradu · Dec 2, 2024

hlee said:
There could be a bunch. In NM- for example- the state leases hunting access from property owners. This Open Gate program essentially treats (enrolled) private property as public land for the purposes of hunting access.

The OP doesn’t list where he is hunting, and doesn’t really describe this “cooperative” other than to say that there is no fee for access. If this cooperative is similar to the referenced Open Gate program, you’d never know who or how many are hunting the land.

He said farm so I'm assuming it's not a state lease.

hlee · Dec 2, 2024

Bradu said:
He said farm so I'm assuming it's not a state lease.

But at the same time, the vague “cooperative” doesn’t sound like a controlled access property.

I think we can all agree that hunting public access land can turn into a shit show pretty fast, even when things are going “well.”

GrayRyder · Dec 2, 2024

I don't know where some of you guys got the idea that I climbed up in the tree stand. I DID NOT climb up in the tree stand. I don't even like tree stands - I'm acrophobic.

All I was trying to say, right from the get go, is that it's a matter of courtesy to NOT hunt around somebody else who is already there. And that just because he had a tree stand did not mean that if he got there AFTER ME that I was going to move off.

And by the way, the land is part of a cooperative - the landowner could give a crap less over what goes on. READ what I WROTE, not what you THINK I wrote.

Ronws · Dec 2, 2024

hlee said:
But at the same time, the vague “cooperative” doesn’t sound like a controlled access property.

I think we can all agree that hunting public access land can turn into a shit show pretty fast, even when things are going “well.”

BTDT

Bradu · Dec 2, 2024

GrayRyder said:
I don't know where some of you guys got the idea that I climbed up in the tree stand. I DID NOT climb up in the tree stand. I don't even like tree stands - I'm acrophobic.

All I was trying to say, right from the get go, is that it's a matter of courtesy to NOT hunt around somebody else who is already there. And that just because he had a tree stand did not mean that if he got there AFTER ME that I was going to move off.

And by the way, the land is part of a cooperative - the landowner could give a crap less over what goes on. READ what I WROTE, not what you THINK I wrote.

You seem pretty upset that some comments didn't agree with you. Maybe YOU should go ahead and buy your own ground to hunt on to avoid future problems. ThAt Is ThE rEaSoN sOmE oF uS dOn'T hUnT pUbLiC gRoUnD....

Ronws · Dec 2, 2024

GrayRyder said:
I don't know where some of you guys got the idea that I climbed up in the tree stand. I DID NOT climb up in the tree stand. I don't even like tree stands - I'm acrophobic.

All I was trying to say, right from the get go, is that it's a matter of courtesy to NOT hunt around somebody else who is already there. And that just because he had a tree stand did not mean that if he got there AFTER ME that I was going to move off.

And by the way, the land is part of a cooperative - the landowner could give a crap less over what goes on. READ what I WROTE, not what you THINK I wrote.

You know where you are?

You're in the Bear Pit, baby!

You're gonna die.........

Welcome to the Bear Pit, welcome to the Bear Pit. It's gonna bring you down. Hah!

zeroz · Dec 2, 2024

If hanging a stand somewhere guaranteed that I was the only one that could hunt the area, Id have a lot of stands out, LOL. In CO, on public, if you want to put out a stand, blind, etc you can but, legally its free game to first come first served. Kinda shitty to sit in another guys blind but in a general area is a whole different thing. If there is a 2 legged encounter you can stay and risk that they will stay and screw up your hunt or you can move on and try to use their pressure to your advantage as mentioned. Ive done both. Talking to guys usually ends favorably, but not always.

Take tonight for example. We have VERY few whitetails in this area of CO. They have a season on them in this area in Dec pretty much trying to wipe them out of here because they are encroaching on mule deer habitat and are more aggressive. The one group around here used to pretty much live on the neighbor property and I could hunt them. Well road construction seems to have pushed them a 1/2 mile upstream where they travel through private but bed on river access only BLM. Tonight I asked the adjacent owner for access through private so I didn't have to ferry the river. Dude said he cant give me access because his wife doesnt want the deer shot. I told him I could access via the river and it was all legal. He agreed and said he understood but im still gonna be the asshole who shot their pet deer if I go over there and kill one. Not saying I wont, but I dont want the neighbors hating me over a damn deer especially since the freezers are full.

Last month was the opposite. Had a buddy out from AL trying to get a muley. We had a nice one located a couple days before season but a truck beat us into the spot on opening morning. I chatted with them and told them our plan and they said go for and that they would hunt the other direction. I figured they had that same group spotted and I was fucked but not so. Maybe the old bastard with a bit of a deliverance twinkle in his eye helped them decide.

All this to say, hunting public, which it sounds like what you're doing for all intents and purposes, is always a crapshoot. Deer and deer spots make some people crazy,... crazy crazy. I still have a guy super pissed at me 4 years later for shooting a big muley that was HIS deer. He happened upon me when I was getting him out.

hlee · Dec 2, 2024

I’d like to say a deer isn’t yours until you put a bullet in him, but I’ve heard of guys racing the shooter to a downed deer. Apparently, it isn’t yours until you get a tag on it, and even then you may not want to let it out of your sight.

Bgriff008 · Dec 2, 2024

Doesn’t sound any different than public land hunting. I guess if he shows and sits in the tree stand then you both occupy the general area. Just get your shot off first, but I don’t really see anyway to prevent it.

Srgt. Hulka · Dec 2, 2024

Here’s my suggestion, stop hunting on public land. You’re gonna killed on it. There’s retards everywhere on public land, especially on opening day. I was hunting a game preserve a long time ago, 1970 something. I was walking back to camp, when someone started shooting, and bullets started hitting the branches two feet over my head. That was the last day I hunted on public land. Fuck that shit.

Jsp556 · Dec 2, 2024

If I were hunting a “cooperative” property, I wouldn’t post up under someone’s stand and get shitty when that someone showed up.

This is why I don’t let anyone hunt my owned property or lease. People arguing over shit that isn’t theirs.

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