Vultures...what is the popular opinion?

[GrizzlyAdams]

I agree that these people lack all common sense and respect. Next time people come in to "your" area, start running around creating a scene and being annoying then maybe they will leave. LOL

Crank up the tunes to something they wouldn't want to listen to.

If they say anything just tell them it's your right to do so just like it was their right to move in on you and fish the holes you just drilled.

Or just ignore them and continue fishing. I have had this happen also and have been catching fish while they were not. Sometimes you have to have the exact right bait to get them to bite. Really irritates those people when they see you catching fish and they can't buy a bite.

[slimy]

It's a hole in public water, it took you less than 30sec. , lets move on. Some of the best times can be had by meeting new people (might even learn something). But some of the "elite guides" have it all figured out and unless your a paying customer "get out of the way".

[XRap]

Just because I utilize a public resource doesn't mean that I am "entitled" to it any more than my fellow man. I understand - note that I do go out of my way to help people that need it whether fishing, hunting or stuck in a snowbank etc. I error on giving everyone I meet the benefit of the doubt and do not try to pass judgement on anyone.

The true nature of a sportsman is to protect our wildlife, be stewards of our environment and protect it for future generations. It is my opinion that part of our responsibility is also to educate folks about what we do, who we are and to share our experiences so that others may be able to get satisfaction out of recreating in the outdoors and share our personal affection for our natural environment. It has nothing to do with "turning the other cheek" or "putting your tail between your legs" and running off. In fact I would say it's more about integrity and respect for yourself, your fellow man and those things you do not own.

This thread has been building in me for 25 years and through that time I have seen our respect for nature, personal property, our elderly and one another degrade to the point that I have to just say something when I feel that people are being rude or disrespectful. I can tell you that I am not politically correct...don't believe in it, if you have something to say...say it.. you can do it in a respectful way, but don't sugarcoat it either. It's kind of funny how in our most rude societal history we are so concerned about being politcally correct? Ironic isn't it?!

Part of the frustration is exactly what has been mentioned in this thread about the lack of common sense in todays society and the belief that everyone is here to serve me, what I want and the heck with the rest of you. "That dog don't hunt" with me..I have what I have by working hard for it and I don't expect anything from anyone else. I also know that I am a steward of what God has blessed me with. I enjoy sharing what I have with others who are considerate and respectful.

It is what is said in Mathew: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I am not a holy roller obviously but if this is "The world we live in" than this is the problem because in case you haven't noticed it's getting really ugly. I am cordial and will treat you the way you have treated me and then maybe we can become friends, but if you are one of those people contributing to the problem you may hear from me.

Whew, can't hold it in forever...I know...fishing hole snow fence...that's the ticket...stake out the real estate!...LOL.

Thanks for lending your perspectives.

[duckhuntr21]

I understand both sides of this argument because I have been on both sides. I would like to ask the question what difference does it make if the invaders have an auger or not? Many times when I have been out, people will walk up and start augering holes right next to where I am fishing. I guess it is somewhat considerate to auger your own holes, but what difference does it make when it is still right next to you. Some of my best fishing spots that I have found have been when I go off somewhere else because I don't want to invade someone. It is tough to tell if people are invading you because they don't have all the equipment needed to fish or if they have no common courtesy like the majority. I just keep thinking to myself that they are beginners and don't have all the equipment needed and are too afraid to ask for help.

[gurkster]

"gurkster,

Thanks for the response. This wasn't one of those structure situations it was a huge flat that covers approx. 2 square miles and varies in depth about one foot. I can appreciate what you're saying regarding structure and fishing small water bodies, it's somewhat expected to be encroached upon.

I guess I have to pose the question as to where would you draw the line on encroachment, what is your comfort zone?

Say you drill three holes all within 10 square feet of your position. You are not on structure and there is noone within 100 yrds of you. You put one of your lines down and "Bam" you ice a fish. Now you can only fish two of those holes and someone driving by saw you catch that fish, they stop and walk up (before you can place your Vex, Marc, Aqua View etc) without saying a word and drop a line in the hole you just drilled for your electronics? Should this be expected? Would you say something? What would you do?"

XRAP - I hear you. In your case I would be upset as well. In your scenerio I would not expect anyone to use a hole I drilled without asking, even if they have a right to. If they did I would probably talk with them to get my point across in a nice way, assuming that they were just clueless.

If I drilled three holes, one for my electronics and someone fished it?!?! IMO that should not be expected anywhere period. I would say something like move over I just drilled and cleared that hole for me, and I would drop my line/vex/marcum/whatever in that hole also and let them know it is mine.

[Northlander]

Why? Its not like I would come in and jump all over the people and fish the holes they just drilled while they were there. Once Im off a spot I dont really care , nor can I control of course, who fishes it. I just wish people would at least do some work for their fish not rely on others to do it for them. Thus is the instant gratification world we live in I guess.

If you pull up to a area another guy is fishing and he has drilled holes and you are too lazy to drill your own holes at least be friendly and ask "hey do ya mind if I try some of these holes ya drilled"? That goes a long ways as a ice breaker and respect maker!

[My_Key]

Ya its crazy the lack of common sense and respect for others out there at times these days. . I had been fishing a spot on a area lake and NOBODY knew about it but a couple friends. Next thing ya know a couple trucks drive by, see us hook a few fish and for the next few weeks they were on that spot every time I went there. Heck they are still fishin it. They didnt have to do any work what so ever! Just found our open holes and started fishing.

Heck if I see someone fishing a spot when Im scouting I keep going and if I think its a spot worth looking at I go back later if they are gone and check it out.

Im amazed at how many people drive around looking for open holes or holes they can kick open regardless of if they are on spots that would produce.

[LPCrowRiverFisherman]

Maybe you could try to think a little more about what Northlander is saying instead of taking your first thought and running with it. If you fish enough you will have stuff like that happen, you plan to hit a certain spot, you get there and someone is there, do you set up right on top of them, or do you check somewhere else? Common courtesy says to set up somewhere else. Just because you move on from that spot doesn't mean you are still not curious. So after the people that were on that spot leave what is so wrong about going to check out what was going on where they were fishing?

[ihc1]

If I'm a hypocrit for trying to explain what I thought someone was trying to say then so be it. I won't try to explain someone elses thoughts anymore.

[Walleye Guy]

Everybody mentions "common sense" in these situations. We have to keep in mind that one person's "common sense" behavior is completely different that another's guys view of common sense. One guy may think that not going near another guys occupied ice fishing spot is common sense. A different guy may think that the common sense approach to the same situation would be to go get in on his hot bite. Everybody is an individual with differing views on what is common sense, common courtesy or just the right way to handle a situation.

We are never all going to think or act the same in a given situation. Expect the unexpected and you will spend less time racking your brain trying to figure out the unexplainable behavior of the next guy. You will also feel better about the situations where your fellow sportsman makes a decison that makes you feel proud to be included in the same group as him.

[i'majigger]

I had an experience somewhat like this a number of years ago. My friends and I had built an extendable plank 20feet long so that we could cross the open water on a lake that had thawed away from shore. Well after a couple of days everyone else thought they could use it too. On the last afternoon we were out there here comes the parade across our plank, unfortunately for them when they showed up we were just getting ready to leave, so off we go and grab our plank and head for home. Wouldn't you know it the next week there is an article in the local paper how the slob fisherman took the plank and made them wade through the water(about 5ft deep!) to get to shore. GEE maybe they should get their own plank or at least ask if they can use it.

[Wanderer]

You could have said something to them....

I understand the point of your post and commend you for taking your materials with you when you were done with the area but once you leave something lay like that it does become public property unless it's on your land.

I'm going to chuckle about that one for a while.

[PurpleFloyd]

Th OP does bring up an interesting point and possibly the solution is to lobby for the DNR to include some higher profile etiquette in with their regulations and with the signs they put at landings etc.

If you remember back to the 70's it seemed practically everyone was throwing their beer cans. pop cans and garbage out the window of their vehicles and the ditches were a mess.They started an aggressive campaign to clean things up and posted enforcement signs all over the place and things got much better. Obviously it didn't eliminate all of it but it certainly got much better. I remember going on can drives in cub scouts where we would literally drive around the county roads near town and fill the back of a pickup truck with aluminum cans to fund the pack activities.

Actually, after reading a few of the threads on garbage left on the lake the commercial might be ready for a revival.

[jigglestick]

does this mean I can't use the blow dryer at rthe drive through car wash to clean out the back of my pick up anymore?

[Desperado]

does this mean I can't use the blow dryer at rthe drive through car wash to clean out the back of my pick up anymore?

Go Ahead

You can always claim that they just screwed up and reversed the polarity on the vacuum cleaner.

[PurpleFloyd]

does this mean I can't use the blow dryer at rthe drive through car wash to clean out the back of my pick up anymore?

Do you do that during the carwash?

[TigerBlood]

Great topic/thread. To the original poster, I would have felt the same as you....BUT...as others have pointed out it doesn't necessarily mean we are right. I think your situation is part of the "pack mentality" I see all the time. Someone sets up by themselves. Someone else sees them and thinks "hmmm, they must be catching something - let me try". The only place I know of to truly have areas by myself is way up in Canada. Anywhere 5 hours from the metro - I expect company (like it or not).

[XRap]

TigerBlood,

Company is a whole different story, intrusion is what I'm talking about..Why impose when you can become a part of the party. By forcing your way into the mix you're not welcome. If you don't have the fortitude to ask yet have the ability to impose your will then you should not be surprised to be confronted. I love for people (general term "people") to have a good time...just not at my expense... i.e.: don't worry I'm not laughing at you I'm laughing with you...He he...Those that have that mentality can't be surprised when I don't buy what your trying to sell me.

My point is id shouldn't matter where you are, 1/2 hour from the IDS or 6 hours from the IDS show some consideration, be respectful and appreciate what you've stumbled upon. Acknowledge that someone else may have put in a lot of effort that you may enjoy the outcome. Allow your affirmation to flow and be lavish in your praise. It's true, you get more bee's to honey than you do to casteroil.

[TigerBlood]

Hey Xrap, It really becomes perspective. Think of shanty towns where 100 houses all cram a spot/structure year after year. Can the first guy out each year get ticked off that everyone else is crowding him out? Does every single other person have to ask for permission from the first guy before they set up or fish? Of course not. I know you feel like you put in the work to find the spot and wanted to have it your group. But I'd bet someone else fished it at sometime before you did - so those people could say you were on their spot!

Again - I would have felt the same way as you. But I'm sure at some point (even though we may not think so), somebody thought we were crowding or fishing their spot too.

[croixflats]

Yes your wet. I get your complaint. Apparently you feel entailed to feel your are entitled to an area you staked out. Talk about rude and unreasonable! Dang!Get over it and grow up and get yourself some police tape to rope it it off.

People like you make me want to screw with you.

You take this forum to complain about another angler is pretty low in only to benefit yourself in the guise of ethics. That's low.

Yes! You may have this great come back that you think vindicates your position with supporters but what have you accomplished? An enemy?

Any guide/resort that takes claim by insulting a fellow angler will be ousted in my book.

You have been ousted as being unreasonable to other anglers and I dont believe you should be a guide to others as your ethics do not benefit the sport of ice fishing.

[PFUNK]

In response to My_Key:

I think this is going a little over board. I don't see why there is any fault in passing some people that you see fishing in a spot you feel looks productive on a map and coming back later to fish it. Like northlander said, if he thinks the spot LOOKS promising he would come back and check it out. I believe what he meant by this is that he feels that on paper that spot looks like it could hold fish. He didn't drive by and see people fishing and think that must be a good spot. A lot of people do start fishing a spot simply because others are there and they see them catch a few fish. BUT, there are guys out there, like others have said, who may have had luck on that spot before or had completely planned the night before or some time in the past to come give a spot a try. If you happen to be in that spot by yourself when they show up, you are going to feel like they are a vulture 99.9% of the time. ESPECIALLY if you happen to be having very good luck. Then you feel like they MUST be moving in on you. You NEVER know what someone's intent was when they pulled up unless you talk to them. Sometimes a good clue is they get out and start walking around with a gps trying to get on a spot they had previously marked, etc. Just remember you can always be courteous and talk to them. If we all went by the principle of not fishing a spot that had been previously fished, we would run out of water. Even in the land of 10,000 lakes. Just remember how lucky we are to have the opportunities we have here in this great state.

[My_Key]

If I'm a hypocrit for trying to explain what I thought someone was trying to say then so be it. I won't try to explain someone elses thoughts anymore.

[gotum]

Sorry but if you have 114,000 acres to fish and no one has been on that FLAT all year you best pass that 2 acre area and not just jump out and start fishing some one elses holes. on a small or popular lake you may have a case but on a lake as big as leech if someone else hasn't fished there until March or April leave the person that gets there alone. Its like setting up on bowens flats on winnie in 8" of water and having someone fishing close. why would you do that unless you are clueless there is miles of 8' of water out there that is the same.

[My_Key]

PFUNK, first, read my above post about trying to explain what someone else is thinking.

Also, read my post where I say that because we are only getting one side of the story in the complaints about people 'vulturing' spots, we don't know why they are moving in on the spot.

You make very good points in your post, and I will be the first to say that. But what I find so irritating is all the people that think if they drill holes in an area, that no one else should come fish that area. What did the OP say his holes covered, 2 acres??? Are you serious? 2 acres??

Too many people think that because they were on the spot first, that they are entitled to that spot and no one else should be within 50 yards(or more) of them. If anyone is being inconsiderate, and lacking common sense, it's those people.

You know what I do when people move in on where I am fishing? I go over, introduce myself and chat with them. Sometimes they are friendly, sometimes not so much.

[PFUNK]

I completely agree. 2 acres is a huge area and I wouldn't feel "guilty" for setting up in those 2 acres, but I would be drilling my own two holes regradless of whether there were already 60 holes drilled. Having said that I never would have just pulled up and started fishing that area unless I had intended to originally. When I hit the water I already have a plan of what I am doing and I am not going to pass some guy and start fishing there if I see him haul in a fish. I only posted because I don't think we should blame northlander for being a hypocrite when he says he may try a spot later if he thinks it looked good. I don't think there is any "right" way to answer the original post, it all depends on the character of the person who moved in on his spot... be it a very large spot. But I can see what he is saying. It is VERY unlikely that someone had picked out a spot on a massive flat that was exactly where he had set up. However, that is a problem you face... especially if you are a guide out there with your company name on your truck. A lot of guys will see that and go... oh this guide has them figured out and we will set up right on him. Not right... but it happens.