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Ethical or Not

I was bow hunting last Monday with 2 of kids in an area that I've hunted for many years, Palisades Idaho. We were hunting by a wallow that looked promising for elk after getting up extra early that morning. All three of us were set up and waiting. We had noticed a tree stand above but did not use it but were hunting around it. A little while later, a man and his wife amble up the trail and proceeded to ready himself to climb into the tree stand while we are all standing there within sight-5 feet within the tree he was trying to climb into. I told him we were hunting this wallow. At first he "didn't hear me", so I told him again that we were hunting this spot and to please move up the canyon above us. We were only going to be a few hours and then he could have the spot. I was cordial and never acted in a threatening manner. He thought it was rude to hunt in a place that was obviously being hunted by someone else...thus the tree stand. Isn't that the same thing as someone "physically" standing there ready to hunt? Rude? Eventually, he did move up the canyon but was none too pleased about it and neither was his wife. This was Labor Day. Today, we returned to the area and was sitting in our campsite when we were approached by the man's father-in-law and brother-in- law. They proceeded to tell me how they had hunted this area for 45 years and felt that they were "entitled" to hunt their tree stand at any given time whether someone else was there or not and felt that it was ethical. They also have nearly 30 tree stands in every wallow and spring in the surrounding canyons. Thus it appears that they feel they are entitled to every single spot , even though it is PUBLIC land and whether or not someone else is at "THEIR" spot before them. I felt harassed after they approached my camp, proceeded to question my 14 year old daughter about our vehicle they recognized from Monday. After 15 minutes of trying to disagree about what is ethical they asked if we are still friends and asked my name. So my question what is ethical? I am trying to teach my kids, what is right, how to treat others beyond the F&G rules. Would you hunt where someone else is already standing or there is a tree stand not that is a permanent fixture and locked in the upright position and cannot be used by others anyway?

Public land is first come first serve. If you choose to put a stand up or a blind you are subject to have someone else use it. When I hunt public land I make sure I am the first one there so I don't risk losing my spot. If I am not first I move along and have enough respect for the other hunter. I think you did the right thing. They sound like the entitled type. Not very sportsman like.

You were within your right to hunt it. Guys think they have some sort of "squatter's rights" because someone showed someone else's dad a spot 50 years ago. Ask him if he would avoid the spot if you put your stand in there first ( like in May)!!!

Sounds like they may have been on the verge of violating Hunter Harassment laws to me.

I've run into those same types, but they've eventually got it. I would say ethics dictate that you never hunt where someone else is already hunting, hands down. Public land is public land, and a tree stand does reserve anything.

You were 100% OK in my book!

You were a lot nicer than I would have been, GTFO. you don't own the woods Sir just because you have a tree stand up. Also what kind of example does that set for your kids, no good in my book. Public land is public land.

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