public land mule deer

fldrw22 · Aug 16, 2006

recently ,I spoke to a freind who happened upon a very publicly known outfitter ,no names mentioned, who was hunting a very popular spot in Nevada,The guide had spotted several good bucks ,but so did my freind, now this out of state guide had tried to claim all of the bucks on this range as deer he had spotted, and other hunters should look elseware, as well my freind is a very successful guide in his own right, and has lived in this area all of his life. There is a fine line here ,and i am asking youre opinion in where do ethics start and bullshit begins . Is it first come, the rest beat it.Or is it ,all for one and you ,kiss my ass cause Ime hunting anyhow

huntindude · Aug 16, 2006

If it's public land they're public deer so who ever gets a shot first and that may be a regular Joe hunter anyway. sounds like a mess for their clients though.

MTQuivers · Aug 16, 2006

If it is the guide I am guessing it is he got an elk that was "his" shot out from under him last year and there was nothing he could do about it. If it was me I would still give him the same respect and courtesy that I give everyone else in the mountains, but nothing more. If opening morning rolled around and I went around telling everyone to get out of my canyon I would probably get shot, and I think for him to even say that is crap! Just tiptoe around during scouting and hunting so as not to screw anyone else up on a stalk but continue to hunt as normal. Especially an out of state guide should not be bullying people around. I say hunt as planned and hope for the best. GOOD LUCK

BigFly · Aug 16, 2006

Sounds an awful lot like a Santa Rosa, Ca. guide I know. He didn't like me,(public hunter) walking around his mountains. He tried to offer me a job to get my honey holes I suppose???

fldrw22 · Aug 17, 2006

mtquivers, you guessed correct ,other than the fact of it being a 184 typical muley ,you are correct same guys same guides same spot,the drama with this guy continues. and by the way it was previously posted we happened upon that deer like it was an accident,however we spend a WLOLE LOTTA time in those same hills ,and my brothers deer was not an accident ,it was absolute dedication and a lot of scouting,hiking and a lot of work put in to get that buck. Thanks for all of youre guys support and youre opinions

RACKMASTER · Aug 17, 2006

wilderness is foot traffic only till a handicap person sues...no wheels no carts, dolleys...
rm

cabinfever · Aug 17, 2006

When a big buck appears on public land and everyone knows about it, it really becomes a game of chess. Outfitters that claim ownership of a buck or bull can eat dirt. They don't own the animal, and they don't own the public land it's on. I personally don't want a 200 inch buck bad enough to be getting into a piss'n match with another hunter or hunters. If I can't harvest a buck ethically than I want no part.I know of a few self proclaimed outfitters and videographers here in Utah that have done some very unethecial practices to try and get a shot at a big buck or bull. Guys that are willing to be unethical just to kill a buck are hurting our sport. By the way, there is no "fine line" IMO. If you stumbled into those bucks, you have as much right to them as the outfitter.Some Outfitters think that because hunting is there livelyhood they own every big buck or bull on public land. Thats crap.

Mike

MTQuivers · Aug 17, 2006

I am not sure if it is the same guide but the story I know was definetly an elk and I am not saying anymore.(except that it is a new state record!!!)

kilowatt · Aug 17, 2006

BigFly,
Check your PM mailbox.

Brian

Slide · Aug 17, 2006

When I was 16yrs old my parents and I drove to a locked Forest Service gate opening morning. My father being the wise man he is said we wait until light to walk out and hunt the clear cuts so we dont walk past anything on the way in. A few minutes later a vehicle pulled up 6 adults and 4 dogs got out and walked right past us not saying a word to us. I told my dad let's go, my father said no we will hunt this like we were. I was very upset and wanted to leave thinking they could have asked us where we were headed and we all could of hunted this area but no they just blew past us. So the sun comes up I walk over this ridge to this clear cut and shoot a 22" wide 16" tall 4x4 black tail. My dad and I drug it to the road, the other people heard me shoot and started our way yelling hey let's see that buck, well of course I wanted to show it off but my dad the wise man said lets go boy and over the hill we went before they got to us so they never did see the buck. My point is people should be able to discuss a plan and split the hunt up and respect each other. If not those who are not willing to be ethical may get the short end of the straw.

AZWALKER · Aug 17, 2006

I believe concerning the original subject posted there should be give and take. Your buddy isn't gonna leave and that other outfiiter isn't either. Both being guides they need to work out a compromise or it will eventually get ugly. Their clients don't care if its a saga and thats who they are truly out there for. Whenever money is involved things get stupid.... every time.

Now all that being said, if a guide wants some land all to himself he should dig deep and buy a ranch. Otherwise he needs to shut-up!!! I'm not a guide but I've got a deer I've been watching for 3 years now in a little valley close to home. I know for a fact there is a guide watching the same deer. I finally drew a tag for the area and I'm gonna get a crack at that deer. If that guide just so happens to be there before me and get that deer first... oh well.... its public land. It would suck because I've spent countless hours watching and archery hunting this deer but whats fair is fair and he gets there first I'm s.o.l.

Donnie

AWHOLELOTTABULL · Aug 17, 2006

There is something to be said for hunting private property. I outfit both public and private, and private definately has its advantages. The animals are more natural in their environment and not running by you with their tongues hanging out. That being said, I love hunting public land because of the challenge and part of that challenge is getting to the quality animals before somebody else does. I don't agree with the tactics of some outfitters. I think it all goes back to the "possey" mentality. I really think that some feel if they get enough of their "possey" out there they can claim an area and run off any competition. It's too bad because it gives the proffesion a bad name. We are not all that bad. If they try to run you off tell them to blow. The unfortunate thing is there are usually a number of them there that it makes standing your ground difficult. The other alternative is to turn them in to the fish and game. Most states (except Utah) frown on that kind of behavior from outfitters.
www.awholelottabull.com

gleninaz · Aug 17, 2006

I had two different guides from USO try to tell me they had leased the national forest next to a private ranch in NM a couple of years ago. I had hunted the area for years and called them on it in front of their clients. Told them to pound sand. They left without any problem and I climbed right up heart attack hill and shot a 360 bull. To me it is bad business to lie to someone in front of your hunters then go off in the dark with your tail between your legs.

fldrw22 · Aug 17, 2006

all of youre opinions are greatly appreciated,I feel the same way you guys do, public land is public land, it gives all of us the same opportunity to harvest trophy deer,as long as you are willing to hunt hard, put in the work to get to the animals,off of the quad trails,and off the beaten path that average hunters seem to take every year. My opinion is ,do youre homework, scout ,hike and put in youre time in the feild. If you should run in to other hunters ,guides or not .give them the same respect you want for getting to where you are ,cause obviously,they have done there homework as well. But absolutely do not put up with anybody elses crap for telling you ,you should look elseware,

legendsguide · Aug 18, 2006

those guides sound an aweful lot like a certain crowdog!

fldrw22 · Aug 18, 2006

LAST EDITED ON Aug-18-06 AT 09:32PM (MST)[p]

shotgunjim · Aug 19, 2006

What unit in Nevada are you talking about?

Last year while I was deer hunting solo in a wilderness area in Nv. I ran into(actually they ran into me) an out of state guide and his hunters. The guide turned out to be a nice guy and asked me where I would be hunting the next few days and he would take his hunters else where, and he did, because I never saw them again.

Guides and Outfitters are like regular hunters, some are A-holes and some are not.