When Hunters are Jerks

[406LIFE]

Two situations arose this weekend for antelope hunters on a ranch.

Situation 1: Two groups arrived at the same location and scouted some antelope. Everyone had doe tags, no buck tags. Deference was given to the group that arrived first and an amicable plan that could likely result in everyone filling their tags was agreed upon. This plan was thwarted 30 minutes into the hunting season when a jerk in a 10 year old or so grey (probably Dodge) truck jumped out and fired two shots from the road towards a couple who were wearing orange and awaiting antelope that were travelling their way. The animals were probably more than 300 yards from the road. He was dangerously close to hitting the other hunters. No one harvested anything and a morning was lost after calling the game warden and trying to find the guy.

Situation 2: A hunter was scouting an open field watching 3 does and formulating a plan. Another truck pulls up, says they are hunting the same area. They defer to the first hunter who tells them his plan; they agree to stay in the truck and watch. After a lengthy stalk to 250 yards, the second group gets out of their truck and begins walking DIRECTLY at the antelope, spooking them off. The first hunter packs up and moves off to another area instead of confronting them.


I, frankly, have no tolerance for hunters like this. What is the desperate need that drives them to steal opportunity from another hunter (who is supposed to be something akin to a brother-in-arms)? I wondered all day at how we as a group could self-police behavior like this. Confrontation, with emotion and guns around, seems foolhardy. Doing nothing and allowing behavior like this to continue does not break the cycle. Public shaming of some sort seems to be a very effective way of curbing bad behavior. So this is part rant, but a larger part brainstorming of how to police our own.

 

[MTGomer]

Slashing their $1200 worth of tires when they go for a walk could get you in serious trouble. Removing their valve stems on the other hand... not saying you should. Not saying you shouldn’t.

One things for sure. No asshole ever came back to 4 missing valve stems and thought to himself “ if I would have went out of my way to be a prick to even more of my fellow sportsmen today, i wouldn’t be without cell phone service, trying to figure out how to get out of here, 40 miles down a dirt road, outside a town that doesn’t sell valve stems”

 

[Backcountry Hunter 2]

That sucks man. Some people are jerks. I imagine karma will eventually catch up with them.

 

[Tradewind]

There are those types of folks in every general crowd of people. Unfortunate as it is.

Sounds like the valve stem concession will be good this year. :hump:

On another note, I always carry spares for the truck, but valve stems never occurred to me...

 

[Dan O]

As much as I like the valve stem idea I believe that to is criminal mischief and is the wrong way to handle it. A call to F&G is the correct way.

Dan

 

[HighDesertSage]

I've posted this on here alot, but we have smartphones with video cameras. use them.

 

[beginnerhunter]

Well, it's public land. I try to be courteous and let folks have the spot if they got there first (exception: you can't park your truck at a trail and expect to have an entire mountain to yourself).

But I draw the line when it comes to shooting towards people, that should not be tolerated regardless of the scenario. It's too bad that jerk got away with it.

 

[LuketheDog]

I was way out in a walk-in area looking for antelope in a low-success Colorado unit two years ago, and finally had a herd slowly working its way toward me. Suddenly I heard the sound of an engine an turned to see a white Chevy pickup with two dudes in orange hats come cruising over the rise and right past me, blowing right through the approaching antelope and spooking them off. The truck cruised over the hill and out of sight after the goats, I was so freaking PISSED. I hiked out and headed home, but not before running into a pair of game wardens checking licenses at the other end of the area, where I got to explain what I'd seen. I was then lucky enough to see those two jerks drive right PAST the "Walk-In-Only" sign and up to the waiting wardens and get written up for a variety of things, including hunting from a motor vehicle, while they tried to explain the reason they drove out into the area was because they forgot their rifle and decided it would be ok to simply drive back in to get it...it was pathetic.

 

[SFC B]

The last 2 years we have had the same rancher drive herds of 2-300 head of cattle off of his land (supposed to be off of that public by 01OCT per the USDA), up through the most productive meadow in the area, down a pass through another guys camp and about another mile through public before bringing them back onto his land. Miracle the camp didn't get destroyed and there were hunters on that meadow both times. What won't surprise you is that he runs an outfitting business from his ranch and charges $7500 to chase bulls. Both times I got pictures and forwarded them, along with exact coordinates and paths of travel to CPW and all they could say was "we'll see if we can find someone to talk to" Failure to act on hunter harassment like that is how bad things happen when folks have to make "adjustments" themselves.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Cripes I didn't know doe antelope hunting was so important and competitive

 

[JTHOMP]

I thought we had a rough weekend until I saw the original post. That's more than unethical actions but dangerously criminal

Squirrel hunting Saturday morning my self and two buddies go in by boat to hunt. I got dropped off first and my buddies went a little farther upstream and tied off to the bank. One friend starts walking in and the other waited for daylight at the boat to begin hunting from there. Just before daylight another boat pulls up to the bank where our boat is. My friend tells him there is already 3 people in the area and the general directions we planned to hunt. His response "Ok well I'll hunt between yall".

Sunday morning similar situation. I got an early start walking in and my buddy waited for day break at the boat and began hunting. Day broke and even as he fired a couple shots from the bank another boat pulls up next to ours and two guys begin hunting. It's 8,000 acres of public land and people want to come in and hunt right on top of you.

 

[onpoint]

Doe antelope hunters vs. squirrel hunters - the winner could really impress in a Joe Rogan interview...................

 

[TheTone]

Doe antelope hunters vs. squirrel hunters - the winner could really impress in a Joe Rogan interview...................

Yep, I'm going to quit being upset about the guy slipping in and killing the 320 bull my wife and I were working this fall.

 

[JTHOMP]

Doe antelope hunters vs. squirrel hunters - the winner could really impress in a Joe Rogan interview...................

I'd put my money on squirrel hunters on opening weekend. Bunch of coonasses (myself included) are high strung and ready to kill something come October.

 

[MJE2083]

Hahaha the valve stem idea is pretty funny until the guy freezes to death in a blizzard that night because he was stuck 40miles from the nearest town without cell phone service.

 

[onpoint]

This could possibly morph into "when hunters are jerks on the internet"..............

 

[elkduds]

That sucks man. Some people are jerks. I imagine karma will eventually catch up with them.

Impossible. The chronic, serial a$$hat slob hunters I have seen have so much accumulated bad karma, there is not enough punishment in the universe to balance it out. Some rookies just don't know better, maybe they had no mentor. Those may respond to respectful "education." But the ones that have been at it awhile are unapologetic, dedicated dickfors, who deliberately take advantage of lack of enforcement to continue their miscreant behaviors. Hypothermia, dysentery, compound fractures and "squeal like a piggie" are all too good for them.

 

[BuzzH]

I agree with the doe pronghorn hunters being some of the most ethically bankrupt hunters on planet earth.

Saw a couple real great displays this past weekend, jumping out of vehicles with Colorado plates and banging away at a herd of 8-10 pronghorn, half of them 1.5-2.5 year old bucks, at 500+ yards running full tilt.

Talked to that group just prior to this incident and they were griping about how "wound up" the pronghorn were...cant imagine why??? One dude was packing a video camera...would love to see the raw footage of that shit-show.

 

[Bigjay73]

I was way out in a walk-in area looking for antelope in a low-success Colorado unit two years ago, and finally had a herd slowly working its way toward me. Suddenly I heard the sound of an engine an turned to see a white Chevy pickup with two dudes in orange hats come cruising over the rise and right past me, blowing right through the approaching antelope and spooking them off. The truck cruised over the hill and out of sight after the goats, I was so freaking PISSED. I hiked out and headed home, but not before running into a pair of game wardens checking licenses at the other end of the area, where I got to explain what I'd seen. I was then lucky enough to see those two jerks drive right PAST the "Walk-In-Only" sign and up to the waiting wardens and get written up for a variety of things, including hunting from a motor vehicle, while they tried to explain the reason they drove out into the area was because they forgot their rifle and decided it would be ok to simply drive back in to get it...it was pathetic.

This wasn't in 126 was it? That wia is horrible for offenses.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Colorado plates

Hey now, I'm sure those are new plates and those jokers were born and raised in MA. You can't let the 25% of the population that moved here in the last 5 years spoil your impression of us.