What are your thoughts

[JimmyRig565]

THis past weekend a partner and i headed norht to do some grouse hunitng. We ended up dong alright and seen a lot of birds for the weekend, but on saturday we got permission to walk this trail that goes from this private land and then crosses into a public woods that leads to a forestry road. So we walked it from private land, though the public and all the way to the forestry road and then turned around and headed back. About half way back we heard some four wheelers coming down the trail so we slowed down so they could see us. We were expecting them to see us and turn around but they kept coming closer and closer. At one point i turned around and the first driver was literally a foot off my heals. At this point the guy asks us he we would move out of the way and let him pass. I responded and said i would rather not let him go ahead, he asked why and i told him because we were hunting the trail and we were there before him, Then he some back all mad and says this is public land and he has evey right to hunt it as i do. So i turned and kept walking confused and frusterated as he followed and tried to get his fourwheller between us, In not doing so he comes closer and says he is going to call the local law informent on me cause im not letting him pass and he has the right to hunt that trail. Well being frustrated now i spoke my words with him telling him saying that i have every right then in not letting you go ahead. Words were spoken and angers flew though the roof and finnaly i got frusterated and let them man and his kid pass on their wheelers as he is caling me a bad sportsman and giving hunters a bad name. Any other trail i would of let them pass but this part of the trail was were we seen a good number of birds thoughout the years.

I guess this is the first time that i have ever had someone come up behind me and try to "budge" as i would call it .

I know he has ever right to hunt that trail as i did but isnt there some common courdesy when you approach someone from behind that you turn around and head your way. I know when i grouse hunt when i see someone hunt a trail i turn and head to the next, i dont just walk as fast as can so i can budge the other group. I know its different if you are walking and met another group face to face but he came from my back and wanted to pass me to hunt this good grousy trail.

Now that i look back at it the whole situation is dumb since we never flushed a bird on that part of the trail that we were fighting for.

I guess i just wanted to see what others thought or had to say on this. Thanks

[Jameson]

When I go up north soon I'll be sure to walk in the woods while grouse hunting. It makes sense to me since the ATV's aren't allowed off of the trails, so they push lots of birds into the woods. At camp I'll compare my days notes to my buddies on wheelers, and if it's like most years, I'll see more birds.

Quote:

I guess this is the first time that i have ever had someone come up behind me and try to "budge" as i would call it .

I know he has ever right to hunt that trail as i did but isnt there some common courdesy when you approach someone from behind that you turn around and head your way

Maybe their was once upon a time. These days, good luck.

[RECOIL]

I would have let them pass with no issue.

[Acemac]

I would have let them pass with no issue.

same

not saying you were wrong but this goes back to a large trend in the outdoors that some people just have no respect for anyone or anything.

I grew up hunting a large parcel of county land. we would hike in about 3 miles and had a make shift tent camp that had been maintained by the family for years. we would spend a week in the woods during deer season in canvas tents and you would never see another sole.

well then 4 wheelers came around. now I go to the same land and its riddled with guys pushing through the hunting spots I have been using for 10 years with 4 wheelers. even had a guy put up his portable about 50yds from the perm that i had used for the last 5 years (beofre they baned perms). most recently my dad who was alone in the woods two years ago during deer season with a few inches of snow on the ground came back to camp around 4:00pm to find some on had stolen his tent and speeing bag only leaving the tracks of thier 4 wheeler.

nothing you can do about it except buy some land and post it...

[BobT]

Could have let them pass. Based on what we experienced this past weekend it would have made no difference in your success. Our first gut reaction is that the wheelers might take a bird that was meant for you or they would scare all the birds off the trail. Not necessarily true.

This past weekend we were hunting on an ATV trail that sees a lot of traffic near Cloquet. This is an old railroad and it is open to ATV, motor cycle, and snowmobile traffic. We still saw plenty of birds on that trail throughout the day. At one point we happened to meet another hunter and we stopped to chat with him as my brother-in-law recognized him. About five minutes into our chat this grouse suddenly appears on the trail about 30 yards away.

Another similar situation earlier in the day we had just stopped to go after a bird that was sitting on the trail. In the mean time another rider comes up from the way we came. We chatted for a while and because we were continuing further, he decided to turn around and find another area to hunt. We bumped into him again about an hour later and he told us that about 100 yards after he turned around he encoutered three birds, got two. We had just driven through that area not 10 minutes before and he was about five minutes behind us. You just never know.

[CANOPY SAM]

Last weekend we slowly drove (a truck) past a couple guys that were walking on the road. Once past them, about 50 yds down the road, I saw a bird just off the road edge.

I leaned out the window, got one walkers attention, and quietly pointed to the spot where the bird was standing. We drove up a 100 yds. further, then stopped and watched the guy get the bird. It was cool to see if he would connect.

He was happy, I was happy. It would have been very rude, and unsportsmanlike to just jump out in front of these guys, pop the bird, and drive off.

It's just a bird. There's a bazillion more of em' out there.

If it was indeed public land you were both on, he did have the right to hunt there as well. Now if he hadn't gotten permission to cross the private land first, to get to the public land, you might have had a reasonable argument there. Particularly, if he was running ATV's across someone's private land without permission.

Unfortunately, there are few courteous people left in the world.

[JJK]

Ah, the joys of trail hunting on public land.

When I hear them get close, I call my dog in, leash him, and wait for the ATV to pass. Take a break have a snack, water the dog or look for ticks. I'll do just about anything to pass some time and let the wheeler get some distance. If it's one of those trails that has this happening a lot, I don't hunt it.

[pureinsanity]

I would have let them pass as well.. Its like lake fishing, If a boat pulls up next to you not much you can do. They have every right to be there.

I would have let them pass, if they were going fast anyway, think of all the birds they would have missed.

[Harmonica Bear]

+1

[tybo]

I would have been tempted to do what you did but would have let them pass and would have left or got off the trail. I avoid high traffic ATV areas as much as possible. I understand the argument and see their point. Everyone can hunt in different ways. Unfortunately they felt their hunting was more important than yours. I'm not sure why people that choose to walk have to yield to an ATV. To me it's no different than if they were walking and saw you walking and tried to walk past in front of you. Why is it because they can go faster they have more right than you do? Why couldn't they have seen you were hunting and turned around as you would expect someone on foot to do if they saw someone walking a trail?

I don't know the answers to these questions but I have an idea which is why I avoid those high traffic ATV areas like the plague. It sucks and I hate it so i avoid the situation as much as possible.

[Acemac]

this brings up another point. do you guys always stick to the trail? I have alwasy seen more birds after i get off the trails.

[pureinsanity]

Of course youll see more birds off the trails. But make sure you keep your atv on the appropriate trails. Do not be afraid to get off and walk around

[pureinsanity]

I strictly do all my hunting on foot. I purposely go off the trails because that's usually what everyone does. Stay on the trails.

One of the biggest things I noticed when hunting public land is the birds do the same thing every time! Why? Because the hunters come in the same way and stay on the same trail. I always like to look at the property and think of a different attack different than normal

[Mopad]

I would of let the guy pass with no issues at all. Public land bud, don't be a jerk.

[brittman]

The fact that the two ATVs did not turn around and go to the next set of trails says it all. The fact that some on here simply accept that behavior says alot about some MN hunters. There are a good share of MN hunters that crowd, skybust, and simply push unethical behavior onto others. It is why MN hunters don't always have the best reputation in other states.

Sure it is public land, but the belief that I can go where I want - no matter what, no matter who was there first is a problem. Same goes on a WMA in Southern MN. You hear of groups of pheasant hunters racing by or cutting of another group that was there first. Duck sloughs were people set up minutes before shooting time 100 yards downwind of a group that took the time to do things right.

Don't even get started on public land MN deer hunters - OK I am stereotyping, but it is also a serious issue.

Is it legal, sure ... but it is not very sportsman like.

[grousehunter]

Completly agree brittman! Its happening more and more as well. Luckily I havn't had to deal with it that much besides a few pheasant field cut offs, but people are defintly a lot less sportsman like these days.

The one place you use to never see it was grouse hunting, but even last weekend my friends parked at a walking trailhead to eat lunch and then walk the trail and some guys parked right behind them got out and started walking the trail they were about to head off on. A previous year for MN pheasant opener we had gotten up early and claimed a starting point on a crp field..some guys 15 minutes before shooting time drove around our truck into the field..got out slamming doors being super loud thinking this was perfectly OK??? Yea..its public land, but that doesn't mean you should act in a totally unsportsman like fassion.

[pureinsanity]

I agree with you brittman. There is not a lot you can do about it. Its not sportsman like but also you have to deal with it.

If i go to public land and see a vehicle I either find another entrance on the back if its a big area, or ill just move onto the next. Even if I see fresh tire tracks I move on.

[CANOPY SAM]

In hindsight, I wonder if just politely, saying man-to-man, "Sir, with all due respect, we walked back here from the road to hunt this trail." "We acquired the permission from the private landowner to cross his property to get here." "Could you please allow us to finish walking this trail?" "Once we're back to the trail head, it's all yours, granted you have permission to access it thru the private land."

Were they even aware they'd crossed private land with ATV's to get back to the public land? I doubt it. I'd bet they simply saw your truck parked and thought they'd help themselves as well.

Perhaps this could have changed the outcome? I don't know. Being belligerant, and stand-offish about it couldn't have helped.

[Matt Breuer]

You have no right to block them. Move aside.

I feel for you in the situation, but chalk it up to public land hunting. Move on.

[brittman]

You have no right to block them. Move aside.

I feel for you in the situation, but chalk it up to public land hunting. Move on.

You become part of the problem then eh?

[Matt Breuer]

Don't pretend that you know anything about me from a post. I have been in heated debates with other hunters, all of us holding guns, and it's ridiculous and dangerous. Move over, and move on. To let it brew at you is insane. To try to stop someone on an ATV when you're on foot is insane.

I live in the thick of it, I've got people crowding me non-stop in the area where I LIVE. I go up to my private property and have to chase ATV riders off my land. Don't think that I don't know that it's a problem. What am I going to do about it? What are you going to do about it? Nothing.

It's not your trail, it's not their trail, nobody had a sign at the start saying they were hunting there. It's public land.

To say I'm "part of the problem" is stupid. The problem is everyone thinking that because their foot is on a trail means that it's theirs. The problem is people on foot who think that they're better than the ATV riders, or vice versa. My dogs don't get [PoorWordUsage] when ATV's drive by, so why would I? We have a lot to learn from the four-legged critters about serenity. Listen to your mother, she told you to be respectful and to share.

[grousehunter]

My dog barks at them Guess I'll have to learn from your dogs.

I would let the guy pass to..don't really mind ATV's going by as it rarely effects my hunt. Try to keep of trails as much as possible.

I don't think the trail is "mine" if I'm on it, but when there is hundreds of thousands of acres of public land all around and plenty of open trails do people really need to jump on the one your hunting? I would never even dream of hunting a trail someone is already on and rarely go into the same general area they are likely hunting. Its hard to be respectful to people who obviously have no respect for you or desire to act in a sportsman like manner. Now my definition of a trail might be different then others?? If its a road or wider trail that leads off to other trails further down then you should expect others to be using it as well to reach different areas to hunt weather on ATV or foot.

[CRAZYEYES]

I'd just let them pass, Not worth arguing with people like this, They're parents were probobly the same way and they're teaching they're kids to be the same way as well. I could write a novel on what i'll call impolite hunters to put it in nice terms. I would'nt like the feeling of being an A-hole like that walking in behind someone hunting a trail as well as you never know if you're shooting down a trail right at someone so I think theres a safety issue involved as too.

[brittman]

I have read many of your posts, but also suspect you did not read my post above and the direction the thread was heading towards. Simply jotted your thoughts (which had already been stated multiple times by others) and moved on.

Sure I would let 'em pass without issue.

To be honest we were up on private land last weekend. We were mowing trails and setting deer stands. A couple kids had dirt bikes out. The grouse cycled back onto the trails as soon as it got quite again.

When we drove out the main trail right at sunset, we passed 4 grouse sitting on the trails that had seen alot of traffic that day.

I shoot as many grouse exiting a trail complex as I do entering. Grouse are on their own time not mine.

If an ATV runs by you don't assume that the birds are gone. Make sure your dog is working outside the trail edges and you will find plenty of birds if birds are using the area.

[Matt Breuer]

That basically sums up my entire point. Let them pass, and don't worry about it.

You're again assuming, as I did read the entire thread prior to posting. I thought I already touched on the fact that I agree that it's frustrating. However, in this instance, the ATV rider would have zero clue that there was anyone there. How angry do you think he was when he drove down the trail and realized that he wasted a lot of time driving when he could've been on a fresher less thoroughly traveled trail. But there was no vehicle at the entrance, leading him to believe it was an occupied trail.

As much as it probably pains many of you, the ATV riders were in the right here.