Trailhead etiquette?

guserto4

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I've been doing desktop research for months on an area I'm excited about getting into in Idaho for rifle season in 3 weeks. It's a remote area only a few miles from capital W wilderness and will require my group to cross a creek with waders before getting onto a trail that runs with a perpendicular creek. I've forgotten about looking at the trailhead with the google earth historical aerial feature and noticed that in early September 2013 (archery elk) and early October 2014 (archery is closed and rifle Elk has not opened) there is the same truck and horse trailer at a tiny pull off with room for 2 vehicles that is adjacent to the start of this trail. There are no more recent aerials this time of year than 2014.

My question is this: if we find this truck, does unspoken etiquette say this group gets full use of the trail? The trail goes in for miles and opens up to several different basins, but I don't want to piss off a local hunter or guide who went in thinking this was somehow his patch and decides he is entitled to slash my tires.

What's remote trailhead protocol? Also, what's up with a vehicle parked there when there's no season and therefore seemingly no reason? I've searched and searched and found no camps along any of the creeks to help figure this out.
 
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I have zero issue with 20 people hunting the same area on public land. You pay your money and takes your chances. Be polite but no reason to leave an area of public land just because someone else is there. You may decide would be fruitless to hunt there if someone else in the same rea but that is a different issue. You may find you each have better success if two are hunting the same general area as you can keep critters moving that would otherwise bed down for hours unseen near where the other guy is located or where you are located. They may be miles in further than you plan to go. The may be 4 drainages over from you. They may be cow hunting while you have a bull tag. Public land is like public parks and no way only one guy gets to use Central Park in NYC each day because he showed up first or because his dad used to or he was there last year.
 
It all depends. If I know an area is only big enough for a single group of hunters, I'll leave and go somewhere else. If not, I'll go ahead and hunt the area, doing my best to avoid the other group and not disturb them.
 
I've been doing desktop research for months on an area I'm excited about getting into in Idaho for rifle season in 3 weeks. It's a remote area only a few miles from capital W wilderness and will require my group to cross a creek with waders before getting onto a trail that runs with a perpendicular creek. I've forgotten about looking at the trailhead with the google earth historical aerial feature and noticed that in early September 2013 (archery elk) and early October 2014 (archery is closed and rifle Elk has not opened) there is the same truck and horse trailer at a tiny pull off with room for 2 vehicles that is adjacent to the start of this trail. There are no more recent aerials this time of year than 2014.

My question is this: if we find this truck, does unspoken etiquette say this group gets full use of the trail? The trail goes in for miles and opens up to several different basins, but I don't want to piss off a local hunter or guide who went in thinking this was somehow his patch and decides he is entitled to slash my tires.

What's remote trailhead protocol? Also, what's up with a vehicle parked there when there's no season and therefore seemingly no reason? I've searched and searched and found no camps along any of the creeks to help figure this out.

Could be a trail rider or a range rider checking cattle on the grazing allotment.

Protocol is if you see them on the trail greet them and be cordial and inquire where their camp is, and be willing to tell them where your camp is. You don't have to tell them where you are hunting, but they will pretty well know what is accessible from where you are. if you find yourself camped in the same drainage, sometimes it's a foot race to the top of the ridge in the morning. If they get there first it's theirs, and vice versa. Go find another ridge to glass and call from.
 
Could be a trail rider or a range rider checking cattle on the grazing allotment.

Protocol is if you see them on the trail greet them and be cordial and inquire where their camp is, and be willing to tell them where your camp is. You don't have to tell them where you are hunting, but they will pretty well know what is accessible from where you are. if you find yourself camped in the same drainage, sometimes it's a foot race to the top of the ridge in the morning. If they get there first it's theirs, and vice versa. Go find another ridge to glass and call from.

+1

Couldn't agree more with this. Everyone is hunting public land, sometimes running into other people is part of it. Just be as courteous as possible.
 
This land is your land, it is mine also. Be a great steward of hunting and the outdoors, I highly suggest that if you run across somebody. Stop by and say hello, unless it is early or late in the day, and introduce yourself. Let them know where you are looking at hunting and kind of your game plan. No, you don't have to give them your playbook, but they will often do the same. This allows everyone to not be on top of each other. If this is public land in an easy to draw unit, get used to people. That doesn't mean you can't get away from folks either. I know it is a downer at times when you show up and there are 10 rigs at the trailhead, but it just means more folks are enjoying our public lands.
 
This land is your land, it is mine also. Be a great steward of hunting and the outdoors, I highly suggest that if you run across somebody. Stop by and say hello, unless it is early or late in the day, and introduce yourself. Let them know where you are looking at hunting and kind of your game plan. No, you don't have to give them your playbook, but they will often do the same. This allows everyone to not be on top of each other. If this is public land in an easy to draw unit, get used to people. That doesn't mean you can't get away from folks either. I know it is a downer at times when you show up and there are 10 rigs at the trailhead, but it just means more folks are enjoying our public lands.

Good advice. On a recent hunt, I ran into the same guy three days in a row. We ended up hunting together one day and had a blast. Cool guy, and one I plan on keeping touch with.
 
A lesson I learned long ago... get up early, and be the first one up the trail, then no need to worry about who's spot it is. haha. I usually run into most people as I'm on my way home and they're just getting up the mountain.

In all seriousness, how do you coordinate with people that have gone and up the trail? Just park and have at it, its public land. If I run into people in the field, I may chat with them or not. Just because someone has hunted an area for x number of years doesn't make it any more theirs than yours.

Good luck!
 
I had that happen in WY a few years back. I had no idea these two guys from Many, Many, Many states away, were chasing the same bugle I was, until I saw them up on the mountain. The elk wandered off and we both visited about what we could have done different. They told me where they were camped and their game plan for their entire hunt which lasted a full week longer than mine. When I left the area, I stopped by their camp, and wrote them a note about what I had been seeing and where. I left my cell phone, and they called me on their way out to tell me thanks for the advice, as they got onto some elk, but they had not connected. To me, it goes back to the golden rule. Treat others with that kind of respect, they will do so in return.
 
Like other have said "it's public land", but I try to not get in the middle of their business. If I see them in a bowl or on a ridge, I will try to give them their space. For the most part, if I do run into someone I try to have a quick conversation to understand how we can stay out of each others way and the other person is very nice. Everyone once in a while I will run into a jerk on a horse (I dont know why they are always on horses. Not all horsemen are like this, but all the jerks seem to me on horses in my area) that doesnt care if he ruins someones hunt.
 
Public land is public. Its as simple as that. You have just as much right to the use of that trail as anybody else. Sounds like its an access point to a lot of wilderness so you might get in there and not see another soul for days. But if you do, the cardinal rule in such situations is - don't be a dick.

You might be surprised by the attitude of somebody you run into hunting in a remote area. Generally people I've run into in places like that have been pretty friendly. Usually a collegial conversation is had about where you and they intend to be hunting and a general plan is laid on not getting in each other's way. People that brave remote wilderness areas are often quality folks that just love the mountains and the game it holds.

Long way to say I wouldn't worry about it.
 
I've just returned from my very first elk hunt. We camped at a trail head and was a little disappointed to hear a truck pull-up along side ours before day light as we were just waking up. The solo hunter got the jump on me and partner and down the trail first. We had seen by his his tracks he didn't go far down the trail and was hunting somewhere near our camp. Later in the day we ran into the hunter at our trucks. Couldn't have been a more helpful guy to us. He was local and hunted that spot for 11 years. He was into elk all morning and got us pumped up since we weren't seeing anything. We did end up locating elk after he gave us advice but didn't have any close encounters. It was a spot we were going to give up on had we not talked to him. Just good elk karma on his part. Hope he drops a big one.
 
Just like everyone else is saying but just make sure you are giving their camp plenty of space.
 
Hunted canyons in New Mexico that had hunters on most draws. Still quarter mile between hunters, Kept the deer moving, On elk, I drew first time this year. I expect company.
 
The way you sound concerned about encroaching on his area goes to show you should hunt the area. Being considerate of other hunters is a big thing, and your attitude shows that. Chances are if there is a trail head, there is more area than you and his group can cover in Idaho. I've had great encounters hunting trail heads with several people there wandering around. It can play to your advantage too. But Everyone says it best above to talk to him and introduce yourself that you are out of state, they should hopefully help you in areas too. I would continue to study the area and terrain. If you see him in a drainage hunting it could be to your advantage to know possible escape routes where he could push the elk. If you talk to him and he tells you what draws he's in, look at where they would find sanctuary away from him. Good luck!
 
Seems like the answers have been right on target, in my opinion.

One other thing to consider which hasn't been brought up is this: not only to be considerate on the trail and in the field, but also with your parking. With such a small space, consider how you park your rig with respect to any others there. Not only that but if you are the first one there try to park in such a way as to leave space for another vehicle.

And don't park in the middle of the road! You would think that should not have to be said, but on a hiking forum I frequent, several times year I hear about (and see pictures of) people who just park right in the middle of the road, blocking trail access to others who come later.
 
If you park in front of a locked gate or blocking the road and a USFS vehicle needs to get beyond that gate for some legitimate reason, then your vehicle may end up parked somewhere not to your liking.
 
Deer season in Idaho will have several vehicles at most gates. I use the Bambistew method and try to be the first in and last out. I've tried to be nice to other hunters and coordinate plans but half of them think they're giving away a honey hole if they tell me right, left or straight from the trail. The other oddity you'll find is the pissed off guy who acts like you're hunting his land because he's hunted this gate for years. I now mostly smile and waive as I walk past the gate.

I hardly run into anyone past the gate. If you're in a mile or two you should have the place to yourself.
 
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