Public land trail-marker thief

[Lunar-Tic]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised to the depths people will stoop to. This morning I had a heck of a time trying to find my way in to my ground ambush spot, because somebody hauled off with the majority of my trail markers. Maybe with no treestand to steal the guy figured my homemade trail-markers were fair game. I was so dang mad, it took a good hour or so to cool off and just enjoy the hunt. Since I hunt the majority of my time on public land I make my own unique trail-markers to keep me from getting side tracked by other hunters markers left in through the years. The thief must have thought they were pretty cool, then methodically went from tree to tree looking for them. I'll be searching hard now for them markers and chances are they'll lead me right to the person I'm looking for.

[gringol]

A lot of people are basically turds.  I once found a guy in my treestand.  Try using indian-style markers next time, i.e. cairns, strategically placed sticks, etc.  They are harder to see, but chances are other people won't notice them at all.

[Daz]

Since I hunt the majority of my time on public land I make my own unique trail-markers to keep me from getting side tracked by other hunters markers left in through the years.

Therein lies the problem: people not removing their trail markers! After years it looks like so much multi coloured trash, wrapped on trees and everywhere else. The old backpackers axiom of "Leave nothing but footprints" seems to have been lost.

Sorry for the loss of your hard work, but perhaps there are better ways to plot routes in the wilderness.

[perry f.]

sorry for your trouble but there are so many in the woods I hunt its hard to tell where one trail stops and another begins. I use sticks and other subtle ways to mark my trail that are obvious only to me

[Steve Kendrot]

No offense, but I find trail markers annoying. I used to use them myself, but anymore I regard them as litter. Especially flagging. GPS gets me where I want to be and no one else can find my spot by following my trail. Give it a try.

[Gray Buffalo]

Get your self a back tracker and set it for your hunting spot and you won’t need trail markers

[Izzy]

I have removed trail markers from public land, they are an eyesore. Take your time getting into and out of your hunting area and truly get to know your woods and youll find trail markers will become an eyesore to you as well.

im constantly picking that junk out of the tree limbs on the public land that i hunt. i hate seeing it everywhere. some of it has been left for years.not to mention the trash guys leave in theyre little day camps where they rest in the middle of the day.  hope you don't get lost,  

[**DONOTDELETE**]

old army tick that will help you out. Count all Your steeps as You walk in. I do that and always find where I want to go. Sometimes I do write them down if I have more then one spot.

Another thing you can do is use paint, Make a mark in the trees with a little spray paint. The J/A will think it's marked to be cut down..

[gonzoso]

I remove trail markers when I see them if they've been there for any length of time or if they're on the private land I hunt.  They're ugly, unnecessary and end up as litter.

[hawkeye n pa]

We use to have the "Tape Man"   He was a bowhunter of sort and had to have either worked for 3M or he had a boat load of 3M stock.   He would mark his way to "his" tree while scouting.  Then mark his path to the tree during mid season. And then the next week.

Then again next year.   Well anyhow I finally met him while he was tracking a deer he hit.  Marking every tree with weather proof masking tape.  He was confused as what tape he had just put up and what was marking his trees.

He was very happy I'd crossed a blood trail and seen him searching.  I then showed him his 8pt.

He stopped after that.   What a eye sore for years.

[str8jct]

They are not even allowed on some of the public land I hunt.  Anything I leave in the public woods is subject to be picked up by someone else, that's why I don't leave anything I'm not willing to part with.

[Brian CS]

If you hunt in and out of xtreme thickets there is no way to find your way in the dark without a marker Ive tried numerous times and its terrible, where and how I hunt needs to be marked. The tack type are all over public land and should be removed, yes I agree with that. There is a great alternative though, I use the twist tie ones that go around small limbs. You can mark out your trail, hunt your spot and take them as you leave and reuse them on your next hunt. If you leave them there and there gone the next time you come back, thats your fault and never leave a stand up on public land. And remember this, there are many animal rights/anti hunting activists in our woods and parks that will do all they can to destroy hunting gear, I saw it happen, so dont be so quik to blame a fellow hunter if anything is missing.

[frassettor]

Let's see your unique trail markers , I'm a little curious now

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Originally posted by Izzy:
I have removed trail markers from public land, they are an eyesore. Take your time getting into and out of your hunting area and truly get to know your woods and youll find trail markers will become an eyesore to you as well.

I agree with Izzy 100% on this one.  I remove every one I see, I consider it trash.  Sorry if I have ruined your morning.

[rraming]

I pull off more flagging tape than you could imagine, hate the stuff, if you put it up, take it down or someone like me will do it for you. I also take down bright eyes and anything else I come across. Consider it picking up litter. It ruins my experience seeing all the garbage.

[Ground Hunter]

I remove markers when I see them - always.  I've seen the small grocery store trash bags used as "trail markers" - get a GPS.  Its "Public Land."  Besides you may just follow some fools markers off a cliff.

[Orion]

I pull markers, tape, tacks, etc. wherever I see them on public land.  They're an eyesore and just another way for folks to "stake out" their territory, just as leaving a stand in the woods.  

Was a time when folks used  woodsmanship to find their way in the woods, including in the dark, without the aid of GPSs, flagging tape, reflective tacks, etc. Those navigational aids left in the woods lead others directly to your stand/hunting area.  If you pay attention to your surroundings and use a compass, it's really not that hard to find your way in the woods. I've been doing it for 50 years.  It's a goal to shoot for.  

[dnovo]

I pull all of the markers I find. I think it just another form of littering. Learn how to find a spot by navigating or gps. Don't annoy the rest of us who have to look at all the flagging and other stuff peolpe put up but are too lazy to remove when they are done.

[magnus]

It could have possibly been a wildlife officer.