Hunting Camp location etiquette, gated roads

[RVTECH]

There is an unwritten etiquette "rule" when hunting gated/closed roads on public lands and thats if you pull up and find another truck (hunters) already there you move on and let them have their space.

This is true however it doesn't mean you have to move on to the next county.

A gate (in a NF) does not necessarily close off an entire portion of it and quite often the fence connected to the gate eventually ends with a pile of rocks, or sometimes with trees downed to prevent vehicle access to another road or part of the forest.

As far as letting those 'have their space' I AGREE, and moving on to another area is the proper thing to do , and reasonably distant as well, such as out of sight, earshot etc. A half or more a mile away should be considered minimum, and maybe more depending on the area.

Been there, done this many times, especially in the worst case you arrive at your 'favorite ' area only to find it occupied. Suck it up and move on....

 

[hibernation]

There is an unwritten etiquette "rule" when hunting gated/closed roads on public lands and thats if you pull up and find another truck (hunters) already there you move on and let them have their space. I don't know how that works for very large gated areas that could easily accommodate more than one party, or what "party size" is acceptable though but I always move on to find another spot anyways out of respect.

Totally agree, but it's a tough one in practice. There's so many places in the coast range where the gate leads up one draw, to one clearcut, and that's about it. There's no way for two rifle hunters to share space there, you'd just be setting up on top of each other.

It gets harder to decide when it's a big forking road system with a lot more room to roam behind the gate. Some of them turn into a parking lot during rifle elk season, especially in the coast range, but I try to avoid those scenarios.

I avoid hunters pretty hard during archery elk season, more out of selfishness and pragmatism than respect - I don't want us both to waste half a day bugling each other in.

 

[Koda]

It gets harder to decide when it's a big forking road system with a lot more room to roam behind the gate. Some of them turn into a parking lot during rifle elk season, especially in the coast range, but I try to avoid those scenarios.

That is a little tougher to decide. I dont know where the etiquette is there. If the gated area is really that huge I dont mind seeing another hunter back there as long as they are not right on top of me. In these cases I wouldnt mind sharing if I got to the gate first, Id probably want to at least have a talk with the other party letting them know what my plans were and what theirs is.

I still move on anyways.... Ive learned how to hunt in the bottom or inside timber edges of these areas. Most time hunters blow the game out into the dark timber anways, though its really hard to be in the same exact spot the game flushes thru or moves on. Ive learned to navigate off trail in the coast range, its a whole new world in there.

 

[RVTECH]

Heck, at least a couple times I've been out set up hunting with friends and an older fella has driven up, by himself, asking if we don't mind if he sets up down the road from us, he'll be quiet and not bother and we have said well, come on down when you are set up and have a 'beverage' with us!

The good 'ol days of 'sociable' hunting - before inline muzzleloaders and people thinking hunting is a 'tacticool' sport...

 

[hibernation]

Ive learned to navigate off trail in the coast range, its a whole new world in there.

Yeah, my best blacktail hunting is definitely when I get away from clearcuts/roads and just slowly work the timber all day. It's tough though, you've got to find just the right age class where there's the right mix of cover and shooting lanes. So many areas are full of deer but you're lucky to have 10 yards of visibility.

 

[Koda]

Yeah, my best blacktail hunting is definitely when I get away from clearcuts/roads and just slowly work the timber all day. It's tough though, you've got to find just the right age class where there's the right mix of cover and shooting lanes. So many areas are full of deer but you're lucky to have 10 yards of visibility.

I generally find 40 to 80yds "shooting lanes" but yes it takes a long time to learn how to find them. And now im learning the hard way I cannot move slow enough once there. A flick of an ear, a sunspot that goes dark, a patch of fur thru the brush... my cover is usually blown.

 

[orygun]

Yeah, my best blacktail hunting is definitely when I get away from clearcuts/roads and just slowly work the timber all day. It's tough though, you've got to find just the right age class where there's the right mix of cover and shooting lanes. So many areas are full of deer but you're lucky to have 10 yards of visibility.

I generally find 40 to 80yds "shooting lanes" but yes it takes a long time to learn how to find them. And now im learning the hard way I cannot move slow enough once there. A flick of an ear, a sunspot that goes dark, a patch of fur thru the brush... my cover is usually blown.

There have been times that inside of those 10 yards I got busted by a buck "flushing" and I couldn't see anything!
I find that the best "hunting", but I do my best killing when I sit in a tree all day...