Unethical or not?

[dadsahuntin]

This is the scenario. You tell me if I am looking at this right or wrong.

Hunting a Public WMA I park next to another truck. I walk the almost mile down the fence line, into the woods, across the creek and follow another fence line away from any possible roosting sites. As I get to the blind I set 3 weeks ago for the youth hunt and I hear whistle and a see the I am here light. Not in my blind but 15 feet to the right of it this guy is sitting in a rough blind, I could not believe what I was experiencing. He asked if that is my blind.  I shine my light from my blind to his repeatedly and say of course it is I just walked to it in the pitch black dark. I say really dude? He asked if I wanted him to leave. At this time I did not feel right saying yes as I was not the early bird and he was not actually in my blind. I believe this was his justification for being 15 feet away. Also in the dark and men with guns is not the time or place for controversy. I simply said Whatever dude you are already settled and the sun is about to break.

I walked back about 100 yards or so and watched the fence line with hardly any cover, not even a lot of cover for the birds either like the area with the blinds. 10:30 comes and I hear the boom. I give him 10 minutes and walk to him and his dead Jake. He said there were four and I may be able to call back the others. I proceeded to hear a few stories about how he once found an area crawling on his hands and knees that led to a lot of wildlife and now its a big trail and no animals. Also how he came across another area with 5 blinds in one little section. I believe he was again trying to justify his decisions. I wondered out loud if our turkey thug chairs were still in my blind and he said yes as he saw them yesterday when he hunted this spot.

Obviously I was pissed because I get so little time to actually get to the woods by myself. I usually have a kid or two in tow and always let them shoot. This one day I was actually going to hunt for me. I was set in a good spot. I know we don't own the woods and all areas are open game but come on. I left the blind so I could drive the hour and half and walk right into my spot. I would have rather he been in my blind and offered to leave if and when I arrived. He maybe should have set up at least 50 yards away to be considerate of other scouting and time.

Am I crying because I got but hurt I didn't get a turkey? Not really cause I don't even think I would have shot that bird. There is a nice old smart Tom there that I would rather focus on. Am I wrong or does this guy need a lesson in ethics? I hope that I am not wrong as I have already sent him an email on hunting ethics. You see I looked at his hunt card and he put his email address on it for pictures if necessary by game warden. I may have also written on his card that he hunted someone else's blind. 

Sorry about the long story and thanks for commenting.

[SteelerFan]

You're not gonna like my answer, but I would be just as upset if I walked into a WMA early to hunt and found a blind set up like it was private ground. In Maryland, especially deer season, it is unlawful to leave stands and blinds on public ground when not in use. That has a tendency to alleviate these scenarios. Now, it doesn't fix the guy that walks in on you and sets up 20, 30, 50 yds away. That's where the ethics come into play, in my opinion.

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

You're not gonna like my answer, but I would be just as upset if I walked into a WMA early to hunt and found a blind set up like it was private ground. In Maryland, especially deer season, it is unlawful to leave stands and blinds on public ground when not in use. That has a tendency to alleviate these scenarios. Now, it doesn't fix the guy that walks in on you and sets up 20, 30, 50 yds away. That's where the ethics come into play, in my opinion.

I would have to agree.  Some of the nastiest arguments I've heard about from fellow duck hunters stemmed from hunters putting up blinds on public land and then trying to claim that spot for the season.  It sounds to me that despite your disappointment you handled it well.

[davisd9]

You knew someone was possibly there when you parked beside his truck. I do not think he did anything wrong. If I was him and saw the blind there I probably would have moved on, but he was there first.


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[dadsahuntin]

Any reply is good with me and thanks. As I stated I would rather someone use the blind there and leave vs setting another one 15 feet away. I understand Public land hunting but the question is of ethics. I would never do it nor do I believe any hard working hunter would. Florida has no law against it during season. In the day before season and out the day after. More left there for convenience, those Turkey Thug chairs are heavy lil sumbitches.

[GobbleNut]

I'm not trying to sound to harsh about it, but to summarize, he was right,...and you were wrong. 

On a public hunting area, its "the early bird gets the worm".  He was there first, regardless of whether your blind was in place or not.  It sounds to me like he was pretty pleasant about the situation in even volunteering to leave even though he was there first.  The proper course of action, in my opinion, is that you should have immediately backed out of the area and gone looking for another location to hunt.  Tomorrow, get there first,...and you can rightfully expect the second guy that shows up to find another spot.

If you are concerned about someone setting up close to a blind you set up three weeks before, and that they chose that spot because your blind was there, my advice would be to take your blind with you when you are not hunting.  If we could all just "reserve" our spots on public land for three weeks by setting up a blind, there would be blinds set up at every good location in every public area in the country.

Again, in my opinion, you owe the guy an apology if you sent him a note telling him his behavior was unethical.

[NYlogbeards]

 

You're not gonna like my answer, but I would be just as upset if I walked into a WMA early to hunt and found a blind set up like it was private ground. In Maryland, especially deer season, it is unlawful to leave stands and blinds on public ground when not in use. That has a tendency to alleviate these scenarios. Now, it doesn't fix the guy that walks in on you and sets up 20, 30, 50 yds away. That's where the ethics come into play, in my opinion.

This^^^

I can understand being upset that somebody is where I scouted to set up but you also got to consider some body else may have scouted the same area and are upset that someone's blind is set where they hunt, it is public land after all and that's what you should expect... Now where his ethics wind up are unknown, why did he set up only 15 yards away?  Maybe he thought no one was hunting it and he was there already, did. No one know why he did what he did but it does seem he was remorseful by asking if he should leave and trying to have a conversation with you, maybe he'll be more careful next time and not set so close to a blind or maybe he didn't learn a thing, I'd recommend removing the blind in case you upset him he may try to take it.

[Sand Man]

You're not gonna like my answer, but I would be just as upset if I walked into a WMA early to hunt and found a blind set up like it was private ground. In Maryland, especially deer season, it is unlawful to leave stands and blinds on public ground when not in use. That has a tendency to alleviate these scenarios. Now, it doesn't fix the guy that walks in on you and sets up 20, 30, 50 yds away. That's where the ethics come into play, in my opinion.

I would have to agree.  Some of the nastiest arguments I've heard about from fellow duck hunters stemmed from hunters putting up blinds on public land and then trying to claim that spot for the season.  It sounds to me that despite your disappointment you handled it well.

BIG DITTO!  It's public, but you are trying to save a spot by leaving out a blind?

[SteelerFan]

With Florida allowing blinds to stay all season, I can see where that would get interesting. Can guys claim "their spot" on public ground by leaving their gear there? (theft risk aside). Does the guy that doesn't use a blind or chair have to yield to those that do, even if "mobile" hunter was there first?

As an official internet judge  , I'd have to rule in favor of the other guy - here's my reasoning:

It's public ground, without "reserved" blind sites (I'm assuming)
He was there 1st. Period.

Me, personally - I'd move on to find a spot that wasn't "tainted". BUT if I wanted to hunt a spot because I had an encounter with birds the day before, and it was near a blind that somebody had in place like they owned the place, and they weren't there when I found it, I wouldn't let it stop me from hunting the area.

Not busting your chops AT ALL - just offering up an objective opinion. I think YOU went over the top with the email about ethics - when I could say the same for you leaving stuff on public ground. Again, just sayin'... and you asked 

[beakbuster10]

Honestly had it been me I would of rather had him use my blind that already there, instead of further burning up a spot by building another blind. Then when I arrived, I would have preferred him left, or could have hunted together.
Never expect anyone to take the high road on public land. Sure there are plenty of guys that do but there are always some that won't. So thankfully I hunt exclusively private land and clubs. Heck the clubs feel like public land sometimes, so I feel for you public only guys.


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[Marc]

You're not gonna like my answer, but I would be just as upset if I walked into a WMA early to hunt and found a blind set up like it was private ground. In Maryland, especially deer season, it is unlawful to leave stands and blinds on public ground when not in use. That has a tendency to alleviate these scenarios. Now, it doesn't fix the guy that walks in on you and sets up 20, 30, 50 yds away. That's where the ethics come into play, in my opinion.

There are some regional aspects to the "courtesies" of hunting...

But I agree with SteelerFan.  I would be angry that someone set up a blind to "hold their spot" on public ground.

In the duck hunting world, there are guys that will burn a duck blind on public ground (not legal or ethical either though).

I go to public land, get there before anyone else, someone sees my car, and then comes to hunt close to me cause he set up a blind 1 week ago???  I am telling him to pound sand and find a different spot for the morning.

Now, there are some odd regional and recognized codes of ethics for hunting and fishing that I have come across, and that may be the case here...  But in my part of the country, I would say it is you who owes the apology.  You do not get to own a public spot just cause you put your marker (i.e. blind) there, and if he beat you to the area, it is his spot for the morning (as I see it).

[sswv]

I hunted public land for YEARS and been in this situation more than once.  the phrase PUBLIC means just that PUBLIC.  not that I agree with it but that's just the way it is.  now, with that being said....ethics needs to come into play.  would I set up close to someones blind or stand even though it was public land?  NO, I WOULD NOT but, if someone does they have the same right as you or I to be there.   

I got tired of these situations and worked my butt off to lease a farm that I've had for several years now.  everytime I lock that gate behind me I think...money well spent.

[Spitten and drummen]

I'm not trying to sound to harsh about it, but to summarize, he was right,...and you were wrong. 

On a public hunting area, its "the early bird gets the worm".  He was there first, regardless of whether your blind was in place or not.  It sounds to me like he was pretty pleasant about the situation in even volunteering to leave even though he was there first.  The proper course of action, in my opinion, is that you should have immediately backed out of the area and gone looking for another location to hunt.  Tomorrow, get there first,...and you can rightfully expect the second guy that shows up to find another spot.

If you are concerned about someone setting up close to a blind you set up three weeks before, and that they chose that spot because your blind was there, my advice would be to take your blind with you when you are not hunting.  If we could all just "reserve" our spots on public land for three weeks by setting up a blind, there would be blinds set up at every good location in every public area in the country.

Again, in my opinion, you owe the guy an apology if you sent him a note telling him his behavior was unethical.

this right here. honestly right or wrong he could have been sitting in your blind. I do not condon that but that's the truth. its just that , public land. first come first serve. imo you shouldn't have sent the guy a email about ethics. from what you said he was trying to be polite. that's more than I can say for many of the public land hunters around here.

[TauntoHawk]

You're not gonna like my answer, but I would be just as upset if I walked into a WMA early to hunt and found a blind set up like it was private ground. In Maryland, especially deer season, it is unlawful to leave stands and blinds on public ground when not in use. That has a tendency to alleviate these scenarios. Now, it doesn't fix the guy that walks in on you and sets up 20, 30, 50 yds away. That's where the ethics come into play, in my opinion.

I have to agree with this, really its who's out there the day of first. I don't really agree with marking a "my public spot" or treestand. Sure you found a good spot but so did someone else, what if he found that spot 4 weeks ago before you but doesn't own a blind so you didnt know when you set yours up, I'd also have no idea when you were coming back to hunt the blind... today, tomorrow, two weeks from now??


You did the right thing letting him have the spot as he was there first, its public land and that's just one of those things. It's always good to have a back up place

[Bill Cooksey]

Without knowing more about the area, I would generally say parking and walking in where you know someone is hunting that piece of ground would cause me to question someone's ethics. Maybe it's small area with only one parking area and it's accepted, but I wouldn't do it unless I was able to talk to him at the truck and agree to hunt in different directions. Too much chance of one screwing up the other or, worse, having an accident.

Move on and hunt somewhere else would be the ethical thing to do. Also, this points to a problem with putting a blind on public ground. It shouts "this is a great spot."