Just what I needed with five days until the Wisconsin gun season?

[GoggleEye]

Well, the Wisconsin Gun Season is fast approaching. Anyone hunting it? I had my spot all ready to go and just this past Sunday everything fell apart. I was just getting out of my stand from a morning bowhunt and here comes a guy and his 12 year old son. They were coming out to put up their gun stands...right in the area I have been hunting all year. He explained to me that it was his kid's first year deer hunting and that this was the best spot they had found away from other hunters (it's National Park Service Land and a land consevancy butted up to it) and wanted to know if they could have the spot, so I bit my tongue and told them I would find a new spot so they could have the spot together. It is the kid's first hunt and he deserves to have a good one, plus I don't like hunting confrontations. I just want to have a good time and enjoy myself with a little relaxation. It seems like this kind of stuff just keeps happening year after year with the gun season. I just may have to hang up the gun after this year and stick to bowhunting solely. I am really getting tired of struggling to find a decent spot that I don't have to deal with this kind of stuff. Just when you think you are far enough back in the woods and by yourself.....you're not! Oh well, ice fishing is coming soon, at least I have that to look forward to.

GoggleEye

[Shack]

You did a very good thing Goggle.

I think taking a kid hunting is a great thing. We all should do it. If it had been me walking with my son in woods, I would never ask another hunter to use his spot. I do not think that would be the right thing to do.

In my book, first come, first served.

[Steve Foss]

Presented with an almost identical situation the day before Minnesota gun deer opener this year, I did exactly the same thing you did and felt exactly the same way about it as you did.

Good decision at a difficult moment.

[Scott K]

I too am hunting the Wisconsin deer hunt, I will be heading up thursday night. I ran into this problem down here in MN. That is why I looked around for cheap land, inwhich I found in northern Wisconsin. I hunt my land on the weekends, then I will sometimes check out public land on the weekdays. Very few people hunting tuesday and wed. I feel for you it is very frustrating. You never know, you just might find a better spot from this, and get the buck of a life time!

[shogun]

I don't like the "my kid" wildcard. Seems to be overplayed. It's like if you got a kid with your hunting group - you can get into any spot you want and kick other people out. I think some of these people are using their kids as a buffer.

[sticknstring]

Sorry to hear that... public land - it happens. A lot. You still have a few days to seal the deal with the bow right? Do an all-dayer or 2 before the guns come out. Or if boundaries permit... use the other hunters to your advantage... If it's truly a great spot... setup 300 yds downwind of them and wait for the deer to start showin up. No reason to throw in the towel just yet... Best of luck to you.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Bummer- But I am proud of you for giving up the spot to help a kid get hooked on hunting as well... Hopefully the kid saw what a great sportsman you were and will learn from that himself.

I do feel your pain... I gave up gun hunting for much the same reason.. .that and I just didn't feel as safe as I once did...

I get a much bigger rise out of archery anyway.

[DonBo]

Hey Sam, I agree with Sticknstring. Stay close to the same area and hope for the best. I too will be hunting public land this weekend, I expect some compitition as always, but the deer are there and I'll be right there with them. Good luck!

[Sandmannd]

I think you did the right thing. Myself, I would never ask someone to move so my kid and I can hunt. But if someone asked me I would probably move on. I don't like the confrontation either. We'll have to get together for some Ice Fishin.

[chucker34]

I agree with stickandstring too. You did a good thing. I would have done the same but I would seriously consider setting up near them or at an alternate spot nearby and let them know (if you still can) what you're doing so you're all safe. They shouldn't mind given your generous move of giving up your original spot. And if you get to know them well enough and trust them, perhaps you could even work together on some drives this year or next.

[chucker34]

Also, my best bowhunting comes during our two gun seasons because I use the other hunters to my advantage, setting up near sanctuaries they won't hunt or are too close to houses to hunt safely with a gun. I always see some deer, even if they're little ones, during gun seasons and then talk to the gun hunters who may have not even known the deer were in the area.

[uplander]

I know he had his kid with him, but if he were a true sportsman he would have yielded to you or at least asked you where he could set up to stay out of you way. He and his kid could of moved 400 yds away and still been hunting the same general area without disrupting you. You did a good thing but maybe you should of went for a compromise so this guy doesn't try to pull that trick every year.

[Grant Pearson]

Even with The Future Hunter here, I personally know better to ask someone to move because "my kid is with and wants to shoot something." To most of us, that's a b.s. excuse. You did the right thing though by letting them have the spot and knowing what a true sportsman is. Props to you also stf; I know you did the same thing. Hopefully the kid takes after you instead of his dad.

[bigbucks]

It's commendable what you did, but I would not have done that, nor do I think you should have felt like you needed to. I would have welcomed them to hunt nearby, maybe even suggested a good spot or too, even within sight, but I wouldn't have just got down & left. Like someone else said I would never dream of telling somebody "Hey I have my kid with & was really hoping to sit here". I would explain to my son that this is part of hunting on public land & he has just as much right to be here as we do & we need to be courteous to other hunters. I can't help but think Dad didn't really do his homework. Now if there's more to the story like, you've shot several deer this year & it didn't bother you that much, that might be different. To sacrifice your hunt just so someone else can have the spot they want isn't necessary, nor do I think staying there would have meant you were selfish.

[GottaGo]

I think you did the right thing. You have to think about the other guys point of view. Maybe him and his kid went out scouting on several trips, found a spot they really wanted to hunt, then, while walking out, find somebody bowhunting it. I know many of my public land bowhunting spots have gunhunters use them, there is no such thing as "my spot" on public land.

[Steve Foss]

My situation was complicated by the fact that I'd planned to camp on the spot that the guy and his son (now with the new deer hunter grandson) had been camping on for 15 openers in a row.

If they'd just walked up to me on opening morning as I was getting my gun out of my case to start hunting and told me they'd hunted this spot on opener for 15 years, I'd have been a lot more inclined to say: Well, sorry, I understand but I'm here first and I'm going to hunt this spot.

It was the deer camp thing that sealed the deal for me and made me willing to yield the spot. While some may be comfortable hunting as part of a group of people they've never met before, I'm not.

I've had a series of jobs for the last 20 years where gauging people and their intentions is important, and I did not get any sense that the trio was playing the new hunter trump card. I have no doubt some do that, though. That being said, I try hard to give people the benefit of the doubt. A fellow can go through life being cynical about others or looking for the best in people.

As far as having people hunting nearby, up here that's only an issue on opening weekend where I hunt. And, frankly, as long as we each know the other is there, I like it because that activity moves the deer around.

[GoggleEye]

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement guys. I did go out yesterday and found an area somewhat close by that I know has some deer in it and I am just hoping nobody else has found it yet. The only bummer about it is I kicked up 6 deer not more than 60 yards from my old spot when I was making my way to check out the new spot and then returned to the old spot to bowhunt for the last 30 minutes of shooting light and saw two different bucks and three does. They are definitely using that area heavily and I hope the influx of hunters pushes them out of there and down the bluffs to my new spot. Although, I do hope the kid gets a deer before they push them out of there! My new spot is now on the edge of a marsh in the wooded bottoms and so my drag (should I be lucky enough to see a 125 class buck I am looking for)just turned into an uphill thing and a much longer drag to boot. No big deal though, I am going to buy a game cart tonight to help me out. Hopefully being even farther back now will provide some more solitude. I can't go back any farther now though as I will be swimming in the river backwaters if I do!!

By the way, DonBo-Nice Muley!! I just saw the pic. Congrats.

Sandmann-We will definitely get out ice fishing this winter. Get a hold of me!

Kingfisher-The muskies are biting on Minnetonka! Got a nice one last friday trolling #9 shadraps. My boat is done for the year though as I have a crack in my trailer and need to find a new one before it moves again.

Good luck everyone with your winter pursuits!!

GoggleEye

[uplander]

Good luck GoggleEye.......Hope they push a monster right to you!!!! You deserve it, maybe the deer gods will answer!!! uplander

[GoggleEye]

Thanks Uplander. I know there are many that deserve it just as much as me or even more, but I have to say that I have definitely put my time in and have passed up over 60 different bucks the past four years just waiting for the right one to come by as I believe strongly in letting the small ones go (not really an easy thing to do when you hunt on public lands primarily, but I guess if I shoot them, then they have NO chance at making it to maturity). I scout hard and go the distance just trying to get a crack at a big one when the season is on, but it is very hard to do with other hunters around you (not to mention other hunters shooting every buck that strolls by!). It just doesn't add up. My gas bill is high, my ankles and knees are screaming for bloddy mercy at age 28 already (I hunt the bluffs of the croix), my boss hates me (I ask off too much time in the fall), and my girlfriend is starting to wonder about me during these months of September through November. Hopefully god does throw a bone my way this week.....

[Grant Pearson]

Quote:

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My gas bill is high, my ankles and knees are screaming for bloddy mercy at age 28 already (I hunt the bluffs of the croix), my boss hates me (I ask off too much time in the fall), and my girlfriend is starting to wonder about me during these months of September through November.

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welcome to my world googleeye!! Now I'm restricted pretty much to work and back unless the little one needs something.

[uplander]

Your ethics are top notch....aim small- miss small......have fun this weekend...be safe,,uplander

[sticknstring]

Quote:

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my girlfriend is starting to wonder about me during these months of September through November.

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Just when you start packing away the bowhunting gear in Dec they get hope and that sparkle returns... until the next day when you start pulling out ice fishing gear!

[GoggleEye]

HA! That's funny sticknstring. She didn't get her chance to breath a sigh of relief though as I already dug the ice fishing stuff out last week!! She actually likes going out ice fishing with me on the warmer days though. I just wish I could get her into bowhunting.

Kingfisher-I forgot, congrats on the baby! Looks like you will be confined to baby chores for a while now!!! Maybe there will be more bucks running around your cabin up at Bone Lake though now seeing how you have to miss the season this year. Or did she give you a get out of jail pass??

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Good thing-sure. But what is this teaching the kid? No respect for others? That's what I think. Quite possibly another disrespectful adult in the making that does what we are all compaining about in the first place.