Here's where you are so wrong, at least IMO. It's has nothing to do with the fact that someone else has the right to be there just as much as anyone else. It's about respect and consideration for other hunters, just as you would expect to be treated. For 15 years I hunted crown land on the north shore of White lake. There were 4 or 5 camps every year that hunted that territory and we all had our areas that we hunted in. Ours was around 500 acres and we mostly hunted the back half. We never had any problems, each camp knew where the other gangs hunted and we all respected each other. Sure there was the odd loner we would see, but even they knew enough to stay away from a gang of guys who would not be happy having their hunts ruined by idiots tromping all over the place when they damn well knew there was already a crew hunting there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonkers
Bonkers maybe we have a different idea of being disturbed, as you put it. To me that would be some stranger showing up, seeing you, give a wave and backing off. It's likely happened to most of us at one time or another. I think ride.lift.shoot was being nice when he said "kind of bothersome". He has every right to be ticked off, there's nothing hilarious about it to me.
That's what happened here to the OP. That jerk not only didn't back off when he saw him on his watch, he had the audacity to actually circle him in his stand leaving a scent trail and then went tromping through the bedding area at the worst possible time of the day, guaranteeing that he would ruin that stands hunt. That's the worst part, even a newbie hunter should realize that evening prime time is for sitting still on a watch, not wandering all over the place. Like nobody could be that stupid one would think, so it makes me think the arsehole did it on purpose. I could maybe give someone a bit of slack in the middle of the day, but even then I would be sure to tell him if possible where other hunters are located so as to inform him where he might have a better chance of having a successful hunt, specially during rifle season, not that it was the case here.
Now I will admit that I've never hunted southern Ontario, so I can't actually say I know how busy it gets on public land down there. If it is really that bad then yea you're right, the best bet would be to travel way, way far back to get away from the crowds, although that brings with it a whole new bunch of potential problems, like trying to drag a deer out through a mile or more of thick bush. I know it was a major but happy chore for us to drag a deer out if we got one and there was 4 of us. We were in the bush all day, so we carried a fair amount of gear. Two guys would drag using a good length of hardwood through the gams and the other two guys would carry all the gear. Then we would switch. With only two hunters it would sure take a long time.
Like you say, getting far back is often the key. I just checked google earth and my morning watch was 1450 yds from the road as the crow flies, so an easy mile+ walk in the morning dark. We hunted way north of there too. Lot's of swamps everywhere, they just never stop lol. Thing is, we could easily have hunted the front part if we had wanted to, but scouting showed far more sign far back from the lake in the messiest bush. Even opening day we were back there. All we ever did was travel through on the same trail. It was hard hunting still, nothing like around here with agriculture. Pure bush and swamps. Real messy too, likely why we didn't see many other hunters back there.
Cheers
