Bad experience give me your thoughts

[nocalhonker]

I drew a really good out of state hunt. I haven't hunted out of state in 20 years do to work family etc. Well we the rut was starting and we had a great vantage point over looking about 8 plateaus. We were set up on knoll about 200 yards from the access road. Across the road laid the plateaus, we had arrived at about 2 o'clock knowing it would be 2 hours before the deer would be up and moving but we wanted to get settled in and let the deer settle down. At 4 o'clock they were up and moving like clock work. We had deer spotted on about 4 of the 8 plateaus with the biggest concentration of deer on the one below us. We had been watching them for 3 days as there was one nice buck on it a 26-28 inch 4x3 but had a funky rack about 20 does and 2 small bucks!! Another nice buck 2 plateaus over! We hadn't seen anyone back in there for the first 3 days well our luck ran out as we saw two different trucks road hunting the road below us. The deer were way back on the plateaus in the cedars so they would see them. The first truck drives by and keeps on going. The second truck keeps driving slow stopping often and glassing which was frustrating but hey it is public land and they hadn't seen us yet. Well the first truck hit the dead end and heads back buy us. The second truck sees them and turns around. Well the first truck catches the second right below us by my quad and they stop and talk for about 10 minutes. Know I'm hot! They had to see us we were in plain sight and with the quad they new we were there. Well the first truck takes off and the second ones drives down the road and pulls over. They get out and we see someone walking out in the plateau which is right in front of us about 400 yards to the east then a guy not hunting walks down the road to our quad and heads out onto the plateau in front of us and proceeds to walk through it trying to push deer to the hunter! Now I'm shocked and pissed!!! It is public land and they have the right but that is ******. If it had been any of the other plateaus it would of stunk but hey we expect people to not hunt something just because we can see it but the one in front of us come on!! We just left and my buddy was all over me not to say anything to them. Which I didn't but it was hard not to!! I could see the plates and they were residents. Almost ruined a awesome time. Met some awesome people there though that I would gladly hunt with camp with or help pack out there game!! Sorry just had to vent!! I'll post pictures and the the story of the rest of the hunt latter we killed once really nice buck and one decent buck.

 

[justr_86]

That's public land hunting.... This year we were doing a push kinda close to a road, a group of does took off where you could see them from the road and we had 7 guns laying over hoods and quads at them. Knowing full well we were there. We also had people take off up the hill and try to cut us off. Bs but we were close to the road so what do you do?

 

[trophyhunter]

Dude, I feel your pain. On public land I think all of us have encountered some form of your experience.

We DIY public land backpacking deep into wilderness areas where we rarely run accross any other hunters. If you hunt near roads you will always have those types of problems.

If you want the game you are looking at...Make your move before the other guy....We trophy hunt and pass on most deer and elk unless it is something special. Some of that is because we hunt in such steep country with deep canyons. If we arrow something it's several nasty climb's back up hill with boned out meat.

Hunt that type country and you won't be dealing with road hunters.

 

[nocalhonker]

Oh I realize on Public land near roads this going to happen but doesn't make it easier to swallow! I wish I good hunt area's like that but with two knees that bother me it's not a good idea. I wasn't sure if I was going to shoot him yet hoping for a bigger buck but had decided that morning that if I got a shot I'd take him. Had him the night before at dark at 350 yards but decided to wait. Well that's hunting.

 

[trophyhunter]

Hang in there and try again another year. Hopefully your schedule will let you get away again soon.

It is always nice to put meat in the freezer but sometimes that just is not in the cards. With the expense of out of state hunting these days. I think most all want to hold out and try to take a quality animal but as the end of the hunt gets closer most are willing to settle for less.

I read somewhere a long time ago that someone estimated over the course of 10 years of out of state hunting. With the price of license/tags/trip and only getting game 25 percent of the time the cost of venison or elk meat in the freezer was about $300 per pound.

But we are crazy and keep do'n it anyway!!!!

Good Hunt'n ))))).....>

 

[nocalhonker]

Other then that experience it was a awesome trip! i killed a nice buck not the one of my dreams but a nice buck.

 

[littlejoe]

Public land hunting at its finest in any state. It is all the same. Public is just that. It is a free for all. Make it happen or lose out unfortunately. Being able to glass for long periods of time and not get disturbed when a road is close is almost impossible in today's day and age. You still had a great hunt it sounds like so you cannot dwell on this.