Trad Gang

I spend the majority of my time hunting public land in North Georgia and overall the experience has been positive but every now and then the complete lack of respect that some individuals show their fellow hunters brings me close to loosing my religion!

Today I headed to an Archery only WMA in north GA. I arrived more than a full hour before light, parked and headed to a spot I had hunted earlier in the week. Now the area I was hunting is a VERY small pocket that gets very little attention and is bordered by a road on one side, a powerline on the other side and the powerline and beyond are on private hunting leases.

Normally, I hunt far frow roads and almost never see other hunters because of my efforts to get away, but I do have a couple of spots that are overlooked because they are "too obvious", or "too small". One of my favorite such spots is directly behind a DNR Check Station. Amazing how people avoid hunting there. Anyway, today I was not so lucky. About 45 minutes after I have crept in, attached my stand and climbed about 30' I hear a vehicle stop what sounds like fairly close to my truck and my first thought is to listen for glass breaking as I have had a vehicle broken into while hunting before. This didn't happen but I hear talking, tree stands clanking around, doors slamming etc. At this point I am praying that they are at least hunting on the other side of the road. WRONG!, Shortly, after I see hunter #1 walking through the woods about 100 yards away, stand clanking all the way. For the next 20 minutes I get to hear the stand clanking while it is attached to a tree and then while he ascends the tree.

After he finaly gets settled in and the woods get quite I think "Ok, it will be ok, maybe he will spook something my way."    :)   Then off to my right and behind me I hear leaves shuffling.......could it be????? No it couldn't! His buddy is sneaking through the woods, it is now fully light and he is about 60 yards away moving somewhat parallel to me but quatering towards me. At about 40 yards I give a low whistle, then another. Finally he sees me, gives a wave and continues on in the direction he was going. He stops at 40 yards from my stand, starts kicking leaves at the base of a tree and he settles in. I am thinking "seriously? He is going to hunt there knowing I am 40 yards away and was obviously there since well befor daylight?"
Then I hear the crossbow he was carrying cocked and all doubt is removed.    :knothead:  

I started to just climb down (as absolutely noisily as possible) but then decided I was going to stay put hoping that he and his buddy might steer a deer in my direction as it was obvious from where they positioned themselves that wind direction wasn't a concern. I am sure their Scent-lok clothing lets them ignore the wind.

So I am sitting there still stewing about this 2 hours later and hear a noise behind me. I slowly turn my head and low and behold here comes a fat little fork horn. He is trotting directly towards me and will pass almost directly beneath me, but about 5 yards to my right. I slowly turn, bow in hand just waiting for what looks like it will be a perfect quartering away shot. Then 40 yards away I hear B-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-r-p..........B-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-r-p from a grunt tube!!!!!!!! The litte buck freezes, quartering towards me at maybe 12 yards staring in the direction of the grunt. A third and much louder B-U-U-U-U-R-P!!!!! and the fork-horn turns inside out heading back the way he came. In a manner much like if he had been hit with a cattle prod!   :banghead:  

Another 10 yards would have more than likely resulted in trad kill #1. Instead I am standing there unable to believe what has just happened. I can feel my ears getting hot and my blood pressure rising. I thought for a minute about climbing down and "Introducing myself" to my new neighbor but I knew there was no way that would have a positive outcome and at best would only bring me down to his level.

Once I had calmed down enough to do so, I climb down, even did so quietly. Packed up my stand and headed to my truck. The other vehicle was parked within 20' of my truck, no way they did not see me parked there and not know that there was not enough room for 3 people on this small section of woods. I know public land is just that and they had as much right to be there as I did, but what happened to courtesy and respect for others?    :dunno:  

Thanks for letting me vent a bit.

Wow I wouldn't have been so nice!!  That is one of the many reasons that I stay off of public land until later in the season and the weekend warriors have given up.

Well BowhunterGA   :rolleyes:  

What more can I say than that in our Good Lords garden there are many different creatures   :knothead:  

Margly

I've had that happen, too. That's why I don't hunt WMAs on Saturdays. At least not the easily accessible ones.

Good for you for keeping your cool. I'd have been MAD, too.

Feel your pain.  I had an identical thing happen, however the guy walked to the base of my stand.  He intended to hunt out of it!

  With him standing below me, I hit him with a high beam and whispered @#$.  I did introduce myself and it is tense to say the least. There was no way the guy didn't see my truck. This piece of state ground allows hanging stands to be left up during the season.  Obviously he liked my stand.  :)  

Public land... love it, sometimes hate it.

I feel your pain! I took a precious week off from work last week to spend hunting. I had crossbow guys carrying climbing stands walk within 40 yards I waved to let them know I was there and they proceeded to setup no less than 40 yards away. This happened 3 different days and at three different locations during the week!
While I think any deer is a trophy any deer on public land is a true accomplishment.

You sure you wern't in South Jersey...LOL

Stupid is as stupid does.   They very effectively guaranteed no one would get a deer.   New hunters are often tied to one spot and foolishly don't have a back up spot.   Slob hunters are another story and best left to their ignorance.

Reacting the way you did, showed real character. As hard as it was to do it was the right thing.Your the better man for it.

QuoteOriginally posted by soap creek:
Reacting the way you did, showed real character. As hard as it was to do it was the right thing.Your the better man for it.

X2

I Hunt public land and often have to keep my mouth shut. I would have had a hard time in your scenario.   :notworthy:

QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
 

quote:

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Originally posted by soap creek:
Reacting the way you did, showed real character. As hard as it was to do it was the right thing.Your the better man for it.

X2

I Hunt public land and often have to keep my mouth shut. I would have had a hard time in your scenario.    :bigsmyl: