Respect for bow hunters while small game hunting

[79LumaCraft]

Am heading out with my son for both of our first squirrel hunt, likely into east/north metro WMAs. Will be heading out early, but not in dark. Want to be sure we respect bow hunters who are in the woods though, don't want to ruin any of their hunts. What's best way to do this? Don't enter woods where I see cars parked around? Also will be bowhunting myself--first time on public land though--so looking for pointers on how to not be interrupted by folks who are hunting as they are allowed but maybe not as respectful of other hunters in the woods.

[C10]

If you bump into someone just wave and pass by quietly imo. It's pubilc land, no big deal as long as you try to avoid each other.

[Bear55]

I wouldn't worry about it, hopefully you don't run into anyone who takes exception to your hunt but 99 times out of a 100 you shouldn't have a problem. There is no way to tell if a vehicle is from another small game hunter or bowhunter, even then the bowhunter could be anywhere in the woods and you can't be expected to know where they are. Just hunt, have fun and be careful.

Also as a bowhunter I expect and welcome the small game hunters, more often then not they are helping me out as they get the deer moving and sometimes make a nice little drive for you. I don't recall the exact numbers but there have been numerous times I see a deer followed by a small game hunter, or the hunter passed by and the deer loop around them and head my way. When I see another hunter I get ready because there could be some action on the way.

[TruthWalleyes]

Like always, take extreme care when shooting on public land. Be aware of what is downstream of your barrel. Only thing that would upset me would be bullets flying by my head.

Good luck with the squirrels.

[NoWiser]

As others have said, don't worry too much about it. It goes without saying, but make sure that you know what is behind your target, though!!! I don't mind small game hunters in the same woods as me at all.

I was almost shot by a squirrel hunter back in college in Wisconsin. He started hunting the same woods as I a couple weeks after I had started bowhunting. I didn't mind, besides the fact that he used entire plastic grocery bags to mark his trail, which I would take down and recycle whenever I went out there. Then one day I saw him walking down the trail with his wife, both having backpacks so full of squirrels that I don't know they could have fit another in them. I politely waved at him, when he looked up at me. We made eye contact so I sat back down in my stand. A few seconds later I heard a sound like I've never heard before. It was a bullet whizzing just feet from my head. He had shot at a squirrel in the same tree as me, and was very, very, very close to shooting me right in the back of the head. The squirrel was in a direct line between the two of us. He calmly walked to the base of my tree, picked up the squirrel, and kept walking. I didn't say anything due to him having an assault-style weapon, and me having a bow. I was pretty shook up and left soon after. I met another bowhunter and warned him about the incident, to which he said something to the effect of "he won't have any valve stems on his tires next time I see that "bleeping" Tacoma out here". I never saw the truck again after that, and I think I know what happened. Made me a little nervous to go back out there in case he came back looking for revenge, thinking that I was responsible for his 4 flat tires.

Long story short, bowhunters and small game hunters can get along just fine. Like anything else, though, just use some commen sense and caution.

[Bear55]

Wow NoWiser scary story, not sure I would have been able to remain calm. I've taken a few bb's from duck hunters before but they had no clue I was there so after their 3rd round of shooting I decided the deer wasn't worth it and it was time to leave.

[Finlander]

Whenever I see a hunter come my way when hunting WMA's, I'll grab some blaze orange trail tape and wrap it around the tree I'm in so it can be seen. Or grab a blaze orange hat I have in my back pack and put it on til the hunter is long gone! Better safe than sorry!

[TruthWalleyes]

I don't bow hunt, but even shotgun season, i bring along extra orange in case i decide to sit in a concealed area, i can hang orange at a higher area near me to remain visible. Sometimes it's as easy as using an extra pair of gloves that are orange, or a spare hat...All the things someone should have when your planning to spend all day outside.

[Jameson]

...grab a blaze orange hat I have in my back pack and put it on til the hunter is long gone!...

This is what I do to. Usually they spot the orange and take a wide path well around me.

[psepuncher]

I took my son many many years ago. Went in after 10am so we didn't mess with as many bowhunters. After awhile my son just wanted to shoot stumps. I said nope, not allowed and I told him why. Later we were walking out and someone was letting their kid blast some rounds acrossed the pond where we were coming from.

[mrklean]

If you bump into someone just wave and pass by quietly imo. It's pubilc land, no big deal as long as you try to avoid each other.

+1 just keep an eye in the trees if you see other cars or trucks to be on the safe side

[Finlander]

If I hunt public land for bow hunting, and I see a vehicle in the parking lot, I'll just go to the next place to hunt as I don't want to disturb any hunter hunting that area no matter how big the area is!

[CANOPY SAM]

Wow, NoWiser! That's really serious stuff! He could've shot or killed you. Personally, I would've come completely unglued! There is absolutely NO excuse for that! I would've marched out to his vehicle, written down his license plate number, and filed charges of reckless discharge of a firearm. You wouldn't have even had to confront him. Leave that to the authorities.

Good Lord, I can't believe you just let this jerk walk away! No offense, my friend, but regardless of this guy's firepower you should have done something. What he did, if what you're saying is indeed true, is against the law, and should be punished accordingly!

On the theme of this thread, I think the earlier advice is spot on. On public land you have just as much right to hunt as anyone else. If you stumble on to someone bow-hunting all you can do is quietly wave, and politely walk away. It's certainly frustrating for a bow-hunter when this happens, but they have to realize they're on public land, and random encounters will happen, and Bear55 has a great attitude about this. A little noise and movement in the woods can get animals up and moving.

I always shake my head when I accidentally run into someone bow-hunting. The new camo patterns are so darn good now it's almost impossible to see a bow-hunter anymore. I've walked right into guys and didn't know they were there until they said, "Hey". Scared the tar out of me.

I agree completely about hanging a blaze orange backpack in the tree with you. I always do this when I have my kids out in the ground blind during the youth deer hunt. I don't want anyone shooting anywhere near or toward us. If the blaze orange item doesn't move 99% of deer won't even notice it.

[NoWiser]

Wow, NoWiser! That's really serious stuff! He could've shot or killed you. Personally, I would've come completely unglued! There is absolutely NO excuse for that! I would've marched out to his vehicle, written down his license plate number, and filed charges of reckless discharge of a firearm. You wouldn't have even had to confront him. Leave that to the authorities.

Good Lord, I can't believe you just let this jerk walk away! No offense, my friend, but regardless of this guy's firepower you should have done something. What he did, if what you're saying is indeed true, is against the law, and should be punished accordingly!

I definitely agree it was serious, and the story is 100% true. I wasn't about to confront him, though. I seriously doubt we spoke the same language, he had an assault style weapon that probably held 30 rounds, and with the Wisconsin deer hunter shootings still very fresh in my mind, I was not about to make a scene. I was just happy that I was still alive, and he was leaving. I did have every intention to contact the authorities, but his vehicle was gone when I left the woods (must not have been able to carry any more squirrels), and I never saw it again. I sure hope he is not still out there hunting. I would have loved to scrambled back to my truck ahead of him to get his plate #, but with no orange clothing and his obvious disregard for safety, I sure as heck wasn't going to take any chances crossing paths with him again.

Seriously, other than this incident, I've had only positive encounters with other hunters in the woods. Small game hunters don't bother me in the least while bow hunting. Once they move past, the deer just go back to doing their normal thing.

[CANOPY SAM]

Well, I gotta tell ya', I admire your patience and level of tolerance. If some knucklehead shot anything out of a tree I was standing in, let's just say I can't post here what words I'd be screaming from that tree.

Not sure what language he spoke, but I'd guess he'd understand "particular" words and phrases!

I was just reading how our society is breeding an entire generation of young men and women that have little to no respect for other people. It's really, really sad, but I believe it's true. See it first hand almost everyday.

[NELS-BELLS]

Whenever I see a hunter come my way when hunting WMA's, I'll grab some blaze orange trail tape and wrap it around the tree I'm in so it can be seen. Or grab a blaze orange hat I have in my back pack and put it on til the hunter is long gone! Better safe than sorry!

For public land, I think that putting something blaze orange on the tree your hunting out of is an excellent idea. I've encountered a similar situation as NoWiser, but luckily they shot into a nearby tree and not the one I was in.

They say deer are color blind so as long as the blaze orange isn't moving, the deer shouldn't notice it.

Nels

[goblueM]

If I hunt public land I am going to wear blaze orange... period. Deer can't see color and I've seen more than enough stupidity on the part of firearm hunters (small game, waterfowl, deer, you name it) that I'm not setting foot in public land without a hefty dose of orange. NO sense risking getting shot even if it is a miniscule chance

[79LumaCraft]

Went out with no problems this weekend. We got out about 8:00 and only saw two goose hunters initially. Moved to different WMA and despite looking up in the trees for bowhunters and squirrel nests, didn't see a bowhunter until he called us from the tree above our heads! Incredible what patterns and sunlight coming through trees can do. Gentleman said he'd been watching and listening to us for about five minutes as we approached, and after I said sorry and was moving on he said it was no problem, the land was mine as much as it was his, and that he was impressed with my 8 yr old carrying the .22 and what I was telling him about watching around him. Then we came up on a hunter dragging his buck out. Helped him load it and had a nice chat about them woods, then found another dad and his son out hunting squirrels--more successfully than we!

[nofishfisherman]

Sounds like your trip was a pretty big success to me. Remember success isn't always measured in the number or size of animals harvested.

[79LumaCraft]

absolutely! biggest success was my son saying he wants to hunt every Saturday

[nofishfisherman]

That's what its all about. Sounds like a perfect day to me.

[TooTallTom]

That sounds like a pretty great day, and good exposure to other people who are also hunting. Basically, a pretty great adventure for an 8-year-old. Thanks for getting the next generation of hunters out in the woods, 79LumaCraft!

[79LumaCraft]

Looks like I got a friend who hasn't hunted in years who's going to join us with his son this weekend. Take a Kid Hunting weekend is a big deal with them since finances are a major issue. Hoping they get hooked.

[CANOPY SAM]

79LC. Just a cautionary flag. If your friend and his kid come along, spend an extra amount of time watching those kids! I'm sure they're both good kids, and wanna do the right thing for their papa's, but I'll tell you, when you get two of em' together they get distracted by each other pretty easily, and you can't allow that if they're both carrying guns.

Muzzle control and awareness is going to be the primary lesson this weekend with a party of 4, including 2 young kids with guns.

Best of luck to you, be extremely careful, and have a great time! You're doing the right thing!

[79LumaCraft]

Thanks, Canopy. I have the same concern and glad I wasn't being over cautious. We intentionally are bringing only one .22 and these kids know each other but usually are hanging out with their siblings all together, so we're going to talk to them to set the expectations very clear. I wouldn't even attempt this if my experience weren't like it is, that both of these boys behave much better when they aren't with a bunch of other kids.