Public land dilemma

[mtelkhntr78]

I was wondering if I could get some input on an issue I have been struggling with the last few days...

We (My dad, brother, uncles and myself) hunt in a decent chunk of national forest that has a couple of primitive campsites. Nothing more than a couple of cleared out areas in the trees really. When I was up there bowhunting in September I saw that one of the campsites had been occupied. They had a tent up, fire pit and wood cut. No one was at the camp the entire week I was up bowhunting. Nothing too strange.
Well we went back up a couple days ago to do a bit of scouting/hunting for our upcoming week long Elk hunt so we were only up for the day.
That camp was still there and still set up for business. My problem is that I know that the max time limit you can stay in one spot at a FS camp is 16 days in this area. They have been set up for well over a month and a half now. It really just peeves me that these guys have come and decided to squat on the area and basically claim it as their own and come and go as if it was a cabin on private land. Now I have no problem if someone wants to stay a lil longer than the allowed 16 days, especially if they are there in the camp using it, but his seems a bit excessive.
My dilemmas is:

Do I just leave it alone? Let them have the camp up for the entire rifle and bow hunting season?

Do I let the Feds know about it? I really really hate to be a tattle tale!


Bottom line is I love our public lands and hate seeing anyone abuse this great resource. What would you do?

 

[BRI]

I'd call the FS and report it.

 

[mhungerford]

i say the same thing BRI does call it in the rules dont just apply to certain people.

 

[belly-deep]

Turn them in...its simple...

 

[RockyDog]

I say turn them in. Ive quit going to one of my favorite elk hunting spots because of some squatters who do exactly the same thing. They set up camp about 4 miles in and leave it up for both bow and rifle season. Ive turned it in to FS, but the FS cop is to lazy to go back and check it out.

The problem with letting this go on is that may eventually have to give up on hunting the spot because someone is basically living there during all of hunting season. In my above case, i suspect the reason they are camped there so long is so they can fill all the family tags. i know they fill the wives tags, but probably even more than that. A permanent camp probably means party tag hunting.

 

[Horn Seeker]

I think in some cases its a "turn them in" deal, but in others not.

For example, I helped put a camp in the Little Belts this year. We put it in the day before general opener and it'll likely stay up till the end of November. One FS land.... The thing is...there are three or four other camps within 1 mile that do the same thing... AND...there are still another 10 unoccupied sites along these couple roads... plenty of room for all..

Plus, the area is over run with hunters (unless you actually get off the road and try to find game)... so its not like the presence of our camp should discourage anyone, there are guys all over...

Does that sound right?

If its a wilderness situation where some guys are staking out a great chunk of hunting area.... I think thats different...

 

[nidahunter]

If they are occupying it that is one thing. In this case, turn them in!