Ethics Question

[mikesmiph]

Make a long story short. Northern Michigan, I started scouting this area last january. Had trail cameras up all summer. Pulled cams out, first of Oct. Into the area shortly on the 14th. Never saw any sign that any other human was ever in the area. No tire marks, nothing. Opening day, on stand at 5:30am. All quiet. Didn't see anything, so around 2pm, I moved about 20 yrds to get a different view. About 3pm, I heard a ATV close. It sstarted and stopped about 4 times. At 3:30, i hear foot steps and see orange about 20 ft from me. I stood and waved, so the hunter knew I was there. He walked about 20 more feet and sat down facing me. I waited a few minutes to make sure he was really planning to sit 40 feet from me, then asked him. Are you really planning to sit right there? He said he was. I asked him if he knew anything about courtesy, and he didn't answer. Not being one for violence, I left the area. He was young, maybe 16 or 17 and talking to someone else on a radio. I have been thinking about all the things I would have liked to do in this situation. Please help me. Was there any legal recourse I could have taken? What would you have done? I am going to hunt the same area next year. Thanks in advance.

[buckfarmdude]

Maybe talk to the landowner about it (if it's on private land). If a landowner knows there are people on this land that obviously don't care, he may draw the very reasonable conclusion that this person is irresponsible and ask him to leave. I sure as heck would. 

[mikesmiph]

Sorry, forgot to say, this is public land

[ranwin33]

I public land I doubt there is any legal recourse you might have, and you did the right thing by vacating the area and not becoming confrontational. Your only other option would have been to make sure he knew your were there, stayed put, and hoped to have seen a deer before him.

[Squirrelhawker]

I think you're stuck. It is a shame that someone would think that kind of behavior acceptable. On another note, someone capable of that is also highly likely to be a less than competant woodsman/hunter and so, I would immediately have begun considering the possibility of using him to my advantage. If you get my drift...[;)]

[Woods Walker]

Public land? Sorry....but you're SOL.
 
How do you know that he hasn't been hunting that same spot before you "discovered" it? Maybe he and/or his kin had been hunting that spot for many years, and that's why you didn't see any sign last winter.....they don't need to scout it, because they know it. He sure knew where he was going!!! Not that it's the case, but that's the problem with public land. And even if he was, he STILL should have backed off when he saw that you were there first.....that's only fair.
 
This is the main reason why people pay $$$$ to hunt private ground.
 
 

[MSHunter]

Squirrelhawker and Woods Walker are right in their assessment.
Since your on public land, you're SOL, as WW so eloquently noted. It all comes down to courtesy. IMO, you were right to back out of the area. I've lost count of the number of times I've crossed paths with other hunters. In so doing I've always tried to back out of the area and move elsewhere. Squirrelhawker makes a good point about using this to your advantage. If you know this guy is going to setup in that spot, try setting up in an area where he can kick a deer your way. I have a hunting partner who has had a lot unintended success this way.

[nateberly]

Yes, you are SOL, it is good that you mentioned common courtesy, but maybe he didn't know what the words meant

If he really is a "green" hunter it may be nice to have a short civilized conversation to explain to him why people should or shouldn't do those types of things. You never know if he just hasn't been taught hunters ethics and doesn't have a mentor. Use your own discretion.

I don't know if MI has laws about using radios while hunting, but I am sure it depends on if he was using it to assist in taking game, or just staying in contact with a fellow hunter. If it happens again, and you hear him using it to an unfair advantage, then you could report him.

[bowman12]

You did the right thing by not confronting him, that's really a shady thing he did. I would have stayed and shot a deer before him. You had the elevated position and would've probably got to shoot before him.

[buckhunter21]

As was stated, when you're hunting public land everyone is free to do whatever they want/sit wherever they want.  Is it right what he did?  No, pretty disrespectful I would say, especially from one hunter to the next you should know better.  Hate to say it, but I'd say move and find another place probably.  I've never hunted public land before, but I give you guys all the props in the world just knowing how hard it can be.
 
Best of luck!