public lands hunting issue

[Brian Krebs]

Here in Idaho there are limited numbers of antelope watering holes; and people have set up blinds at the holes. As there are more hunters than waterholes; conflict occurs.
 The decision was made that the first person that gets to a blind on public land gets to use it.
 Now there are in this area blinds built by a century dead indians that are still useable; and it seems the first come- first serve rule is ok.
 But the rule includes pop up blinds; and too in the forests: treestands.
 This is already causing conflict- which makes us look bad.
 So what is a good solution to this?
It seems really unfair that if you put up a popup blind; that someone else could use it- or a treestand- they are indeed personal property.
 So- what is the solution?
This is not just an Idaho issue!

[Arwin]

Although it doesn't pertain to antelope, I deer hunt in Michigan on public land. We have the same delema. Many hunters! I have become accustomed to using climber tree stands to prevent usage by other hunters. I prep about 15-20 different trees in seperate areas so if by chance I run across another hunter in the same area, I can move to another spot. You can never have too many spots!
 I have also learned to use other hunters to my advantage. If I know someone is hunting a certain area, I go downwind about 200 yds. and let their scent push the deer to me.
 If I were you I'd figure out where the antelope are bedding and catch them on their way to the water holes. They will probably be more relaxed than being at the holes, where there is so much activity already.
 It is frustrating that the law allows another hunter to use your personal property that you have put time into placing and preparing. Worse of all is when you go to that spot and someone has stolen your stand or pop-up blind.
 As the hunter population increases and more people who have loads of cash are buying up land that don't allow hunting, public lands are a place where hunter competition is on the rise. My solution is to have the natural resources department see this inflation of hunters and provide more lands for people to hunt on, or hold a lottery for those areas you mentioned to prevent conflict. Of course that would be in a perfect world.LOL!

[Brian Krebs]

There is the problem of liability. If your stand breaks with someone else in it: than can sue you- not that they would win - but you would have to pay for a lawyer. I have homemade stands as well as commercially made ones; either could break from a worn seat or some other matenience matter.
 Think about that.
And ground blinds too- a person falls off your chair- he or she could sue. If they shoot an expandable broadhead or a blunt and it bounces back- they could sue; and if a gun is fired through a screen and starts a fire will you be in part responsible for putting out a forest fire- ??
 Shooting through the screen wears it out; who is responsible for that? It costs money to replace the screens; again- should someone be able to ruin your screen because he is the first one in the blind that morning?
 what about these factors????

[vermonster13]

They are called portable blinds for a reason guys. If you leave it on public land the least of your worries would be someone else using it, having it long gone would be more likely I would think. These issues will become more common as time passes. Urban sprawl, leases and other factors are going to place a premium on hunting space public and private.

[Brian Krebs]

why does this forum exist?

[vermonster13]

Brian what is it your looking for? You want to be allowed to leave a private stand on public land and say I call dibs on this spot? It doesn't work that way on public land anywhere that I know of. Most public land it is illegal to erect a permanent stand here in the east, which one reason why there is such a market for popup stands. I guess I am missing what you are trying for. If the way the law is written now is an issue with you, go to the Idaho Legislatures web site and get the names of the representatives on the committee who oversees Fish and Game and write some letters voicing your concerns. But I suggest you have viable reasoning and some factual evidence to back you up.

Speak with the sportsman's groups in Idaho and find out what others feel about this law. The more registered voters you get behind you, the more chance you have of being heard.

[the Ferret]

Originally posted by Brian Krebs:
why does this forum exist?

Not sure I understand your question...all forums are here for discussion by forum members

However

I sure don't understand a law that lets other people use your personal property with no recourse or a law that allows hunters to bogart a prime hunting spot by setting their equipment out in a public place. That confuses the heck out of me. I can understand first to a spot gets to hunt it, but I sure don't understand letting a guy beat you to your own equipment and use it.

[JC]

Interesting subject. Here in GA, your stand is your personal property. You must tag it with name address and phone if you leave it on public land (and there are some other stipulations). You cannot legally or morally, hunt someone else's stand or blind without their permission. However, nothing prevents you from setting up your own as close as safely possible...except for an unwritten code of ethics, which obviously will vary from person to person.

Personally, I wouldn't hunt a spot that already had someone's blind or stand up. Now, if I hunted the area a few times and never saw the guy hunt it, I'd put up my own and hunt like his wasn't there...but never would hunt from his. Luckily, where I hunt here in GA, most guys aren't willing to walk as far off the road, so I seldom have that problem with public land. I have been in the situation where I was in my stand set up and some guy comes tromping through to set up close to me...usually my surefire flashlight flashed at him 5-10 times will give him the incentive to move on. Once, I went in to hunt my stand and a guy did the same to me...his tree was probably 20 feet from my already hung stand...I just left and went to a secondary location. By the way, I found out he killed a deer from it.

I'm not sure I'd have the good sense not to drag some idiot out of my stand if I got to it and found someone else in it.

[vermonster13]

The second thought I had about the reasoning behind this is it may be a way to prevent outfitters from setting up on all of the prime spots. I don't know what your rules are for outfitters/guides using public lands, but perhaps there have been issues with them setting up stands in prime locations and trying to call dibs to shut out local folks.

[Brian Krebs]

Yes- outfitters do just that. I like the Georgia law that JC mentioned "Interesting subject. Here in GA, your stand is your personal property. You must tag it with name address and phone if you leave it on public land (and there are some other stipulations). You cannot legally or morally, hunt someone else's stand or blind without their permission. However, nothing prevents you from setting up your own as close as safely possible...except for an unwritten code of ethics, which obviously will vary from person to person"
  I can understand how legally a person could put up their stand in the tree next to yours and use it; morally and ethically it is a violation.
 Here in Idaho we have a law that makes it a misdemeanor to interfere with someone legally hunting or fishing.
 But when I talked to the fish and game here they referred to that as 'the publics right' not 'the individuals right'.
 So if I pay money for a bear baiting tag; and set up my stand - anyone can hunt in my stand; over my bait without a bait tag- because although it interferes with MY hunting; it does not interfere with the publics right to hunt.
  I was told to ask the person in my stand for permission to use my own stand.
  However I retain the right to take my stand- its really stupid - we have in Idaho more huntable public land that most states have - 80 percent of land here is public.
  So; you really have to go out of your way to find someones stand to use it.
 I think it will lead to more violence in the coming years; I have seen violence over stand issues already ( an outfitter who used other peoples stands for his clients).
  The Georgia type law is what I was looking for; JC if you have a link so I can cut and copy the exact phrasing of the law that would be good; our legislature needs that kind of thing done for them.