Hunting ethics

S

stagpanther

New member
Not sure there is such a thing but I thought I'd ask anyway. I'm not a good hunter and am still just learning--but nonetheless I've spent a lot of time and miles in the forests of both the south and north.

I know it's inevitable that you are going to inadvertently come across other hunter's set-ups while ingress/egressing from your hunt. However--as long as the time of day is during legal hunting hours I generally try to make my approach as silent and inconspicuous as possible.

Today I decided to do an afternoon still-hunt approach into a long power line bordered by thick forests on either side. Conditions were perfect for a still-hunt and I made my way slowly and silently in the shadow-side of the power line slot and into the wind. After about 1.5 hours during one of my scans I picked off a hunter who had just entered the power line from the woods 3/4 of a mile away. He was moving so fast that even a tiny orange dot jumped out. I watched his approach and as fast as he was hiking it did not take him very long to catch up to me. I tried to get some info out of him but all he said was that he was going to continue on--and that his brother might show up later. The guy continued on with his fast hike straight up the middle of the power line and was soon out of sight. Obviously I figured my hunt was busted--but since the wind was strong I thought what the heck--I'll stick around for sunset anyway.

Sure enough--about an hour later the same guy comes speed-walking right down the middle of the line--and well before sunset. I figure it's no use and trail out about an eighth of a mile behind him. He cuts out into the forest sooner than the parking area and I can hear voices in the woods--I assumed he met up with his bro.

Meantime I continue on and stumble upon a pile of bait--corn and beets--that was not there when I hiked in. Baiting deer during the hunting season is prohibited.

I'm guessing the brothers had planned a drive--but is it ethical to do this across other hunters that you know are in the woods already? Illegal use of bait needs no explanation obviously.
 
I assume it was public land. With public land comes other hunters. Sometimes you inadvertently walk up on other hunters, don't talk just give them a "sorry" wave and move on to give them room. As for the guy speed walking through the area, don't leave because of it, let them do a little work for you, sometimes a deer they spook comes right out to you. And report the bait site if illegal to whomever in your state enforces it. As an aside if you do happen upon someone in the woods who has made a kill be stop and talk to them, say hi and if needed give them a hand on the drag out. Sometimes it's one of the "old timers" who have a lot of hunting knowledge and no one to pass it on to.
 
I try to skip the first couple days when deer opens. That weeds out the goofballs pretty well. I usually do pretty good the second week of our two week season and rarely run into another hunter anymore.
 
As far as a hunter walking down the power line spooking deer I have to say if deer spooked the way some people think they do there would be deer running in every direction all the time.
 
As far as a hunter walking down the power line spooking deer I have to say if deer spooked the way some people think they do there would be deer running in every direction all the time.
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That's true. Normally a spooked deer will run a little way off and then stop and look back to see what spooked him. If he senses no danger after a few minutes he will go on about his business.
 
Unless you saw them putting out illegal bait, you have nothing to be ethical about. Even if you did see it, a warden would merely have your word, one guy, against two guys who can say they didn't do that, maybe you did it. Catch 'em gutting a deer over bait, that's different.

A dozen hunters in your area? It's public land and their right to be there.
 
ignoring the obvious baiting charges. I really have no problem being walked up on. I hunt a lot of public land and other hunters are inevitable. I am usually just glad they aren't roaring around on 4 wheelers and tearing up the already miserable roadways. walking fast has never really bothered me either, where I hunt, 11 miles in one day is not unheard of an would be especially tedious if you weren't making it at a fast clip, so long as you are controlling your foot falls so it doesn't sound like a buffalo stampede, then it doesn't scare anything any worse than slow walking.
 
Unless you saw them putting out illegal bait, you have nothing to be ethical about. Even if you did see it, a warden would merely have your word, one guy, against two guys who can say they didn't do that, maybe you did it. Catch 'em gutting a deer over bait, that's different.

A dozen hunters in your area? It's public land and their right to be there.
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I knew that--although driving deer has been banned in a whole lot of states due to problems like this. And yes proving intent is nearly impossible.

I never was interested in reporting the guys--nor am I suggesting they had no right to do what they did--I merely wondered if it was "ethical" or perhaps "considerate" would be a better word.
 
At least he didnt sit 30yards behind you. my brother and i were out about 75 yards apart in heavy brush, guy sits behind and between us. made me mad butthr worst part is i moved. he glicked his safety, scared me too much to stay. dropped my fly and left my scent in front of him.
 
They could be baiting bear and deer hunting at the same....,.,your state your regs look at them yourself.
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Good point--we have lots of bear--but the last day to set bait out for them was weeks ago.

My attitude is in general if you hunt areas with high pressure you can expect pretty much anything--including jacking and "questionable" tactics. It is what it is and I'm not out there trying to be an enforcer nor do I judge those who do--even if it's not what I would do.

Anyway, I suppose the real solution to avoid this is simply go deeper into bigger woods.
 
this is just a generalization, and as has been said your state may vary, but usually as soon as deer season starts, bear baiting is banned. we have spring and fall bear seasons, spring allows baiting, fall does not as it overlaps with deer season and too many hunters were getting away with claiming that the piles of corn were for bears... bears really don't care much about corn and beet going into winter making me think that was not the intended target. they want lots of fat and protein... stuff like dogfood soaked in pancake syrup or similar nasties would be what the bear baiters are using, not straight veggies.
 
That's rude for sure. Not sure if it falls into the "unethical" category, which to me, is things like poaching and taking low-kill-chance, high-wound-chance shots.

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I treat other hunters as I would hope to be treated, but sometimes the actions of other hunters don't call for any special treatment. If they decide to wander in, look at you, and sit 40 yards from where you have been since daylight, I lose my will to be extra considerate. If I am on my way to a spot, or out of the woods and somebody is perched in a tree over the main human walking trail, I'm not going to change course or make any extra effort to be stealthy as I go by.

Noisy walkers alert animals to THEIR presence, and that is all. A noisy guy leaving the area where you are hunting can even be helpful.

I was hunting an area and watching a doe just out of my range. A noisy hunter came tromping in and the doe calmly walked into some cover. As the hunter cleared the brush he popped out about 75 yards away and saw me. (He was about 40 yards from the cover the deer was in.) He then waved, and hollars out "see anything?". I shook my head "no", and he immediately left the area knowing I was there. Within a couple minutes after he noisily tromps back out, the doe waltzes back out in the open, just out of my range again. maybe a half hour or so later she began to walk away, never offering me a shot. I never got a shot at the doe, but she taught me something that day.
 
I'm guessing the brothers had planned a drive--but is it ethical to do this across other hunters that you know are in the woods already? Illegal use of bait needs no explanation obviously.
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While someone making a drive thru an area where you are sneak hunting may seem like a bust, you can also use it to your advantage, especially a two man push being done with folks with marginal hunting skills. Folks that crash quickly thru the brush do not take the time to watch around them, deer know this and will wait till the hunter is past and then get up and go in the direction the hunter came from. I have taken several good bucks by shadowing folks stumbling thru the woods is wild abandon. Deer will also sneak out ahead of folks like that and then return to where they were jumped(similar to a rabbit). By staying to the upwind side and moving slowly and keeping a eye ahead of you(similar to what you were doing anyway) you have a good chance of intercepting that deer. I have also shot bucks in their beds as they watched intently as a group a short distance away was making a noisy drive. They were so focused on all the loud activity in front of them, they ignored what was going on behind them.

Public land is pubic land. Many is the time I have a plan when going there only to have it change when I get there or when other hunting parties get there later. What you must do is not consider the hunt busted, but make a plan to incorporate what the others are doing, and make the best of a situation. If they are making a drive and leaving an escape route not covered, it's public land, feel free to take a stand there. Someone walks thru your stand where you planned to sit all day, realize that they may kick a deer outta it's bed to you that otherwise would have stayed there till dark. While on stand overlooking a large swamp, I have watched bedded deer hunker down and let several hunters/drivers walk within yards of them. Even with the extreme pressure they didn't move because they didn't have to. Later on when things quieted down, many times they stood up and re-positioned themselves, presenting an opportunity. Remember tho....shadowing another hunter may mean you may carelessly kick a deer to them too. When hunting public land, never have a single plan and be reluctant to vary from it. Your success will suffer. Don't always resent those other hunters, but look at them as tools for you to use, if it can be done safely.
 
While someone making a drive thru an area where you are sneak hunting may seem like a bust, you can also use it to your advantage, especially a two man push being done with folks with marginal hunting skills. Folks that crash quickly thru the brush do not take the time to watch around them, deer know this and will wait till the hunter is past and then get up and go in the direction the hunter came from. I have taken several good bucks by shadowing folks stumbling thru the woods is wild abandon. Deer will also sneak out ahead of folks like that and then return to where they were jumped(similar to a rabbit). By staying to the upwind side and moving slowly and keeping a eye ahead of you(similar to what you were doing anyway) you have a good chance of intercepting that deer. I have also shot bucks in their beds as they watched intently as a group a short distance away was making a noisy drive. They were so focused on all the loud activity in front of them, they ignored what was going on behind them.

Public land is pubic land. Many is the time I have a plan when going there only to have it change when I get there or when other hunting parties get there later. What you must do is not consider the hunt busted, but make a plan to incorporate what the others are doing, and make the best of a situation. If they are making a drive and leaving an escape route not covered, it's public land, feel free to take a stand there. Someone walks thru your stand where you planned to sit all day, realize that they may kick a deer outta it's bed to you that otherwise would have stayed there till dark. While on stand overlooking a large swamp, I have watched bedded deer hunker down and let several hunters/drivers walk within yards of them. Even with the extreme pressure they didn't move because they didn't have to. Later on when things quieted down, many times they stood up and re-positioned themselves, presenting an opportunity. Remember tho....shadowing another hunter may mean you may carelessly kick a deer to them too. When hunting public land, never have a single plan and be reluctant to vary from it. Your success will suffer. Don't always resent those other hunters, but look at them as tools for you to use, if it can be done safely.
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Best response yet--thanks for that. :)
 
While someone making a drive thru an area where you are sneak hunting may seem like a bust, you can also use it to your advantage, especially a two man push being done with folks with marginal hunting skills.
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For sure. The whole key to hunting public is predicting what other hunters will do, and how the deer will react. Learning the human habits and routes is just as important as learning the deer habits and routes. Public land means drivers are provided.
 
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