Cooper WMA

[Army of Dad]

I hope I never make a mistake that the public hunting professionals don’t approve of. Good grief. It’s public land. There are many schools of thought on hunting, and you have no idea what that guy’s situation is.

Maybe it’s his first time out there? Maybe he had a flat tire on the way. Maybe he’s setting up for a mid day hunt? The major morning times for yesterday per the game chart I use was 9:40-11:40am. I’ve never read public hunting guidelines that state you must be in place by a certain time or it’s rude or unacceptable. IT’S PUBLIC LAND!

I’ve hunted a lot of public places. I’ve waited until first light to walk in on some. Do I worry I might bust someone’s hunt? Sure. It’s always on my mind. Have I had hunters walk right under me? Multiple times. Do I get my panties in a wad? Maybe a little at times, but I signed up for it and know the realities.

So you’re going to declare how elitist others are by making yourself out to be the defender of the rude hunters of the world?

Bold play, definitely not where I would have gone with it, but it’s bold.

I doubt he was ****** at the guy for walking into his set up (bummed for sure, but stuff happens). However, knowing the first guy is there and setting up within archery range of the first hunter is absolutely uncalled for. That “hunter” deserves any and all scorn and derision coming his way.

Yes, it’s public land. Yes, we need to share the land we all own. However practicing good ethics is most certainly expected.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Larry]

Cooper WMA

Are we assuming the guy you’re labeling as a “rude hunter” knew he was there? If he did, I’d surely agree he’s a jerk.

Now it’s been upgraded to an ethics violation. That’s rich! SMH

I’ve seen others in spots I was going to, acknowledged them quietly and went the other way. No telling if I’ve ever set up near someone and they never let me know. It’s a crapshoot.

And the stance you think I’m taking is far from a bold move. I’m not defending anyone. It’s just an opinion. I’m free to have one just like you’re free to assume you know your “rude hunter” well enough to know what his story is/was. Nice try on calling me out, though. Try harder.

[Puggy625]

Somebody's triggered...………..lol

I'll just say that it's expected that on public land that you have the possibility of someone walking up on you. What I do is try and get their attention to let them know you are there. And there are times that some people don't pay enough attention. I had one guy walk under me, within 10 ft of the tree I was in, and never knew I was there in spite of me waving a blaze orange hat at him the whole time he was heading towards me from 100 yards away. He was looking at the ground the whole time, "stalking" as he put it when he finally noticed I was there. I just shook my head in amazement. He was an idiot that had no business being in the deer woods. IMO.

I've walked up on people as well, as we all have, but I've always tried to quietly ease back out the same way I came in to make the least disturbance as possible. That's the ethical thing to do. But, unfortunately, not everyone knows what's ethical or gives a crap. After all, "it's public" so I can hunt where I want to, and to heck with you...…….Right?

[Army of Dad]

Are we assuming the guy you’re labeling as a “rude hunter” knew he was there? If he did, I’d surely agree he’s a jerk.

Now it’s been upgraded to an ethics violation. That’s rich! SMH

I’ve seen others in spots I was going to, acknowledged them quietly and went the other way. No telling if I’ve ever set up near someone and they never let me know. It’s a crapshoot.

And the stance you think I’m taking is far from a bold move. I’m not defending anyone. It’s just an opinion. I’m free to have one just like you’re free to assume you know your “rude hunter” well enough to know what his story is/was. Nice try on calling me out, though. Try harder.

Wait, so do you think it’s ethical to set up 30 yards away from another hunter?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Larry]

Wait, so do you think it’s ethical to set up 30 yards away from another hunter?

Is that seriously what you think I think?

I’ll talk slow for you.

No, I don’t think it’s right to set up 30 yards from another hunter if you know that hunter is there. Unless you’re friends and you’re doing it for a reason.

[bmac]

I think etiquette and ethics are being mixed up here. Ethics is for following rules, etiquette is for being respectful to other hunter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[troy_w_7]

So did the guy find the doe or what???

[EastTexHunter8]

Anybody ever have any luck in the south sulphur unit at Cooper?

[BPurvisJr]

No doe. Tracked all the way to the fence line. Went and knocked on the landowners door and left my contact info.

As for the other hunter..... he knew I was there and waved at me as I got his attention and still decided to setup next to me. I didn’t make a big ruckus about it and scare off any potential game. When I got out of my stand I got down quietly and just left.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Larry]

No doe. Tracked all the way to the fence line. Went and knocked on the landowners door and left my contact info.

As for the other hunter..... he knew I was there and waved at me as I got his attention and still decided to setup next to me. I didn’t make a big ruckus about it and scare off any potential game. When I got out of my stand I got down quietly and just left.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Man, hate to hear that about the doe.

Pretty ridiculous that the guy still set up there after seeing you. Definitely not what I’d call a smart or courteous hunter.

[BPurvisJr]

No but like everyone can agree this is public land and anything can happen. Maybe the the guy was a new hunter, or maybe he was just a jerk. Who knows. I’ve run into people that were setup in my plan A spot and i just back out quietly and head to plan B or C. Advantage or having a run and gun setup. If I ever run into someone in the parking lot heading out I always ask what general area they are in and share my general location so we don’t end up in the same spot. Starting out I wouldn’t have thought to do that but learned over time etiquette. I got a late start myself on a different public land spot a few weeks ago and there was a car in the parking lot at around 8 so I decided to just go to a different location and go check my cameras and then head back to my original spot around lunch to set up. I ran into the guys in the parking lot as they were leaving and they certainly appreciated me not busting up their hunt. Now I had no idea where they would have been setup but I didn’t want to chance it.

We learn something new every season, and sometimes even vets of the hunting brotherhood make stupid mistakes. I’ve made my fair share this season for sure.

Back at it again this morning. Different spot at Cooper [emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HR3]

It happens..... Once had a guy follow me in the pre dawn darkness and setup within 40 yards of me... I just went to my other spot.... Only the second time I've seen another hunter afield while hunting there so wasn't a really big deal.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

[Army of Dad]

Is that seriously what you think I think?

I’ll talk slow for you.

No, I don’t think it’s right to set up 30 yards from another hunter if you know that hunter is there. Unless you’re friends and you’re doing it for a reason.

I’m glad you were finally able to make a cogent point. You seemed to be so fired up to have a zinger that you weren’t clear in your statement. Speak as slow as you need to form your argument in a well thought out fashion, but for your own sake and not anyone else’s.

As for the substance of your last paragraph, we agree.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Army of Dad]

No but like everyone can agree this is public land and anything can happen. Maybe the the guy was a new hunter, or maybe he was just a jerk. Who knows. I’ve run into people that were setup in my plan A spot and i just back out quietly and head to plan B or C. Advantage or having a run and gun setup. If I ever run into someone in the parking lot heading out I always ask what general area they are in and share my general location so we don’t end up in the same spot. Starting out I wouldn’t have thought to do that but learned over time etiquette. I got a late start myself on a different public land spot a few weeks ago and there was a car in the parking lot at around 8 so I decided to just go to a different location and go check my cameras and then head back to my original spot around lunch to set up. I ran into the guys in the parking lot as they were leaving and they certainly appreciated me not busting up their hunt. Now I had no idea where they would have been setup but I didn’t want to chance it.

We learn something new every season, and sometimes even vets of the hunting brotherhood make stupid mistakes. I’ve made my fair share this season for sure.

Back at it again this morning. Different spot at Cooper [emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry to hear about the lost deer on top of the rest of that experience. Good luck this morning!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Puggy625]

I think I'm going to try and go in the morning if it ain't raining when I get up. Looks like the weather might hold off until the evening. Anybody else going out tomorrow?