Irritating day in the woods, today

[Joe Williams]

Joe, that stinks. I'm sorry you guys had a rough go of it. Don't give up, though. I was on public land this morning and had exactly the opposite experience. One guy came down the path, saw me, waved and went right on along. Then on my way out, I met a father and son duo. It was the son's first time out hunting - which is ay cool. I gave them directions to where I saw 6 earlier in the morning, wished them luck and headed out.

It's always busy on public land - especially on the weekends. Hopefully you have enough good days out there to make up for the bad ones.

This has actually been the only bad experience on public land in Indiana. Folks here tend to be quite courteous. Now, public land hunting in PA near Philadelphia could be a real doozie sometimes! And the public ranges... we got to the point where we flat refused to shoot on the public ranges.

 

[42769vette]

it sounds to me like he was walking around shooting squirrel nests. wich i believe threre are laws against, or atleast there usto be laws against it

 

[Jack Ryan]

it sounds to me like he was walking around shooting squirrel nests. wich i believe threre are laws against, or atleast there usto be laws against it

It's still against the law. Only a dumb putz would do it probably the same kind that shoots turkeys on the roost or flying and sitting ducks.

 

[IndySSD]

Hunting public lands, you get used to other people around, and most are courteous and smart about what they are doing. But not all!!

We're out minding our business, doing a little squirrel hunting. Couple folks come walking up the other side of the little ravine we are sitting at, no guns, just taking a walk. Maybe scouting for deer, maybe just enjoying the woods. We whistle and wave to let them know we are there, in case they actually do have guns and are handgun hunting. They wave back, walk quieter, and keep on going the way they are going. Yay! That's the way it should work.

A while later, we hear some guy start banging away, four or five shots at a time. He's fairly close, but we can't see him. We just make sure we don't point that way, and keep on looking for squirrels. Every now and then, there'd come another four or five shots. Eventually, we hear this guy stomping through the woods, and some shot goes over our heads. We see him, whistle, wave, he waves back, turns around, and bangs away into the leaves at the top of the trees. Nothing falls, not sure he knows what he was shooting at. He bangs away, not 50 feet from where we are hunting, reloads, walks around, does it again. Kinda rude, I think, but it's public lands, he gets to walk around, too. No law says he should move to where there are no other hunters, though we were there first. Eventually goes back the way he came. Now... he knows where we are, right? Starts banging away again, this time shot falls all over us. I'm beginning to seriously evaluate whether or not I'm feeling a reasonable fear for my life and that of my family. We pack up, and start to walk out, and Cathy says she doesn't want to unload until we are out of the woods.

Fun, fun! Some people are just idjits. Should have keyed his frigging truck.

Yeah, guy sounds like a poaching idiot. Definitely would have reported him to DNR for poaching and reckless firearms usage. Heck I would not even have been opposed to dropping a few leaves on HIS head really..... Some people only learn how uncomfortable they are making others when you make them just as uncomfortable.

That being said.... I think keying someones vehicle is a pretty cowardly passive aggressive means of "Getting back" at him. If someone does something bad enough that you would consider "keying their vehicle" then you should be man enough to tell them to their face.

I don't care how egregious the offense is, I say what I'm thinking to peoples faces and I would expect the same from any man. I'll toss you a +1 for taking the high road and not the cowards revenge.

 

[ghitch75]

i gave up huntin' on state land 25 years ago just for this reason in this post.....start savin' your penny's and get your own land to hunt on....then your chance of gettin' shot by some idiot that shouldn't have a gun is much reduced....1 other plus you can build your own range too!!!!....

 

[Joe Williams]

i gave up huntin' on state land 25 years ago just for this reason in this post.....start savin' your penny's and get your own land to hunt on....then your chance of gettin' shot by some idiot that shouldn't have a gun is much reduced....1 other plus you can build your own range too!!!!....

You've hit upon our evil scheme We are already looking for a place to move our trailer too. We've discovered that getting loans for unimproved land is next to impossible, but land with a home on it, even a crumbling piece of crap, is much more feasible.

 

[IndySSD]

i gave up huntin' on state land 25 years ago just for this reason in this post.....start savin' your penny's and get your own land to hunt on....then your chance of gettin' shot by some idiot that shouldn't have a gun is much reduced....1 other plus you can build your own range too!!!!....

Yeah, that's my 5 year plan. We're shopping for a house around the outer Indy circle (Donut counties or decent properties between 465 and a donut county.) right now that we can pay cash for. Wifey is already on board with buying parcels as we can out in the boonies once we're settled.

I'm a Dave Ramsey believer (It worked for me!!) so I refuse to get a loan anymore for the house or land.

 

[ghitch75]

You've hit upon our evil scheme We are already looking for a place to move our trailer too. We've discovered that getting loans for unimproved land is next to impossible, but land with a home on it, even a crumbling piece of crap, is much more feasible.

there is close to 300 acres a 1/2 mile from my place for sale....50 acres of it might be able to be had on contact....only bad thing it all has been logged....

 

[scosgrove]

this is exactly why we need to teach our kids how to hunt, too many ignorant people running through the woods without a clue and not concern for others

 

[djl02]

I feel your pain.I hunt state property as well. Last year,someone put speed stick deodorant around my tree stand and broke glass in the pull off where I park.
We have been hunting this area for years,last year got crazy but we see some nice deer in that area. People see you drag out a nice deer and next thing you know their parked right behind you. Pees you off,but what can you do? I.m not moving,like you said ,I was there first.

 

[rmabrey]

Good luck with that! I could never get away with anything like that. For one my wife would kick me out if I tried, and two, I have an EPD officer living next to me with another one 2 doors down the other side of me and a CSI 5 houses down and on the other side. Hell, I'm surrounded by LEO's which IMO is a good thing. They're great guys, great family's and the safest street you could ask for.

Invite them to shoot with you

 

[CountryBoy19]

Shhhh.... Tac 65 for the win.

I wouldn't tell anybody that. It's illegal in IN.

 

[USMC_0311]

It's still against the law. Only a dumb putz would do it probably the same kind that shoots turkeys on the roost or flying and sitting ducks.

Never duck hunted but if you can't shot them while flying or sitting, when do you shoot ducks? I never turkey hunted either so what am I missing?