Big Rant!..... so.. if you take someone to a ‘honey hole’

[Big Sky]

You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye.

Had this happen back when I used to hunt waterfowl. Had a real nice field that the birds were using. A guest joined our 4 hunter group for a morning shoot. A couple of days later, we got a call from the farmer, asking what we told our 'guest'. The 'guest' showed up in the field with his own group and were having a great shoot until the farmer went and checked them out. The farmer was not happy. He kicked the guy off and told him to never come back. It took a bit of grovelling to convince the farmer that he should let us back on.

Lesson learned.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by bessiedog

Well

I expect more from people. I don’t believe the honor system is dead. It just might be harder to find people that follow it.

Maybe I’m naive....

Na your just a good person is all...which is nice to see......

Spent yesterday hunting boars with my son....he passed on a smaller one cuz we came across a brute...got caught up in muck/swamp....rubber boots came off...pulled boots off...crawled out with boots in tow....had some real good laughs
He said to me he doesn't understand why can't people just be nice....just be nice....here he is making sense of things......ohhhh we slept real good too!

Unfortunately people take advantage of nice people but at the end of the day the nice person wins in all aspects of life.

[Savage Bacon]

We don't even ask people where to go hunting. I find most times I talk to someone about helping us out it turns into a conversation about how many times they've been screwed over. Same with asking for permission. I deal with lots of farmers at work and it seems the ones that have decent hunting land are losing their patience too. We've done lots of hiking and are kind of self teaching ourselves which is a long process but in the end we're still enjoying it. One day we'll have a nice spot. I hope lol. It gets to the point where people just don't want to help others anymore and I honestly don't blame them.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

I guess I see things a bit different.



To my mind there is no such thing as my secret spot. Yeah there are places I hunt that only family knows of, but I don't own them. I have no more rights to them then anyone else.



Moreover, even when I haven't shown anyone my favorite spot, others find it, after I made trails into it, and they claim it as their own and tell me to stay to H out.



Really! I've been going there for twenty years, you found it a month ago and you think you have the right to order me off, CROWN LAND!!!

Or worse yet, and this has happened, My BROTHER'S LAND. And not just my brother land, it's the land I grew up on! The nerve!



So I share my honey holes. In part because I know what it's like to have no clue where to start and in part because I know it's only a matter of time before someone finds it and turns it into grande central station.



Don't matter how remote it is or how well I keep it a secret, someone will find it and ruin it. That's just the way it is these days.



Besides, I'd rather a hundred slobs find it then one outfitter. I've had more grief with those operations then any amount of private hunters, and I used to work in that industry. But back then it was run mostly by gentlemen, now it's the worst crooks in the country in charge of most outfitting operations.



I know several old time outfitters, salt of the earth kinda guys, and a couple of new generation outfitters, pond scum kinda guys.



The sad fact is, the whole world is changing. Those kinda guys, the pond scum kind are becoming the norm in all sort of endeavors. Not just outfitting, but private hunters, fishermen, even every day commuters.



It's one of the reasons I will always live in the north. We are and always will be the last place those kinda guys move to.



I feel for you guys that have to live among them.

What a nonsensical post. Yep. Tell everyone where you hunt because eventually pond scum is gonna find it. Makes good sense.

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

[catnthehat]

There are no secret spots where I hunt , access being so limited because of the nature of the area I live in.
However there are spots I can get to by foot that I have used for 30 or more years however and they are accessed by many .
Cat

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by bessiedog

Well

I expect more from people. I don’t believe the honor system is dead. It just might be harder to find people that follow it.

Maybe I’m naive....

Maybe I'm just not explaining myself very well. I do that a lot.

I'm just not comfortable shutting out the respectful beginners because of the scum who inevitabley find my spots anyway.

So I'll risk showing a few low life's my spots knowing they will find it anyway, for the sake of those who are still learning and who will respect my effort.

I do however think the concept of respect for your fellow man is a concept lost to many these days.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by sns2

What a nonsensical post. Yep. Tell everyone where you hunt because eventually pond scum is gonna find it. Makes good sense.

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

Number of hunters out there, the idea of having a "Honey Hole" is just plain ludicrous. 3 pages of posts for that ?

Grizz

[timsesink]

If I take a friend to a good private land spot we have the "talk".
-You don't come back without me.
-You don't tell anyone else where this spot is.
-You don't try to get permission yourself.

[Dark Wing]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Number of hunters out there, the idea of having a "Honey Hole" is just plain ludicrous. 3 pages of posts for that ?

Grizz

I sorta agree but part of putting your time in is figuring how the game uses the area. Whether it’s a seasonal migration route or a late season wintering spot, bedding areas ,feeding areas and the list goes on.

[bessiedog]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Number of hunters out there, the idea of having a "Honey Hole" is just plain ludicrous. 3 pages of posts for that ?

Grizz

No Grizz... yea other guys prolly hunt it.

But the guy I took there would never ever have found it. He just wouldn’t...

Yet there he is ..... not cool from that standpoint .

[walking buffalo]

Yes, Bessie, you were naive.

Question is, what will you learn from this?


Been there, felt the burn.
Will I give and trust again?
Yes.

[Smoky buck]

It is extremely easy to find spots away from other hunters. I have had no issues getting away from others even in busy crown land. Now start somewhere most don’t go it gets even easier

Most hunters don’t go far from their truck expecially when it’s into straight timber

[shep dog]

Originally Posted by chinchaga07

X2 .... Frenchman's rule that wasn't followed ended with cut valve stems back in the day.

Yup, Frenchman's rule still applies to those of us who know how to enforce it, with gentle force.

Silly question really. Do you want to find a good thing (fishing, hunting) and share it with someone you don't know well, or is untrustworthy in the end?

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Number of hunters out there, the idea of having a "Honey Hole" is just plain ludicrous. 3 pages of posts for that ?

Grizz

Even more ludicrous is a moderator claiming I said something I did not say, imply or mean.

[double gun]

I have mixed feelings on this one, since I’ve been on both sides of this. I’ve met friends through this website that I’ve shared spots with and they have shared spots with me - no drama.
I’ve also seen people asking about certain spots which I private messaged them giving them detailed directions without so much as a “thanks” in reply. Pretty sure these guys are the type in the OP. And afterwards I was very happy it wasn’t a honey hole I shared.

[EZM]

Some things are sacred. Great Hunting and Fishing spots fall right in there.

A couple of us here (Forum Guys) USED to have a jumbo perch hole - always good for a limit during ice fishing. Kept it tight lipped, agreed not to post pics on here (or anywhere) and take nobody.

Then came person #5 on one trip .... carefully vetted and considered, but one of the guys "vouched" for him ......... and guess what ......... pictures posted and 2 weekends later we show up and he's got his wife, kids, other friends set up and camped out there. Took us years to find, enjoyed it for many years quietly - and within 2 years that hole was fished out and that age class basically collapsed on that lake.

I don't think I need to get into how I felt about this.

Same thing happened with a outstanding pocket of hunting land that, strangely, always had deer in there, lots of them, and never saw anyone around - truly a "strange" pocket of land I guess most people look past. Also pretty accessible too. A true gem.

Took a "friend" late season, who needed to fill a tag and guess what, now all his buddies are in there. Literally the next season - there was "the gang" when I rolled in one early Saturday morning - and vehicles blocking the road too and there was his truck there, right in the pack. I just backed out and went elsewhere.

So - yeah - I have a very small circle.

[bessiedog]

Well..... a guys gotta move on and stop pouting bout it (I’m almost done)

Took the pooch scouting... and yup.. it’s a spot that took lil effort to get into. Quads not able to get here.. nor trucks... min 2 km hike in. Got 2 roughies when we just started hiking...

And found more elk.

This spot is hunted... but by guys who expend boot leather and know their quartering and packing out if they got something.

Doesn't bug me in The least.

Only my kids come with me here....

It’s right along Little Frenchmen’s Creek

[sns2]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

Even more ludicrous is a moderator claiming I said something I did not say, imply or mean.

I'm no longer a moderator, so lets get that part right. If you would try putting together two coherent sentences, rather than two incoherent pages, then maybe people could follow what you are trying to say. Less is more. Try it some time. You might like it.

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by sns2

I'm no longer a moderator, so lets get that part right. If you would try putting together two coherent sentences, rather than two incoherent pages, then maybe people could follow what you are trying to say. Less is more. Try it some time. You might like it.

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

See the rules regarding fighting, rude and harassing posts.

[leo]

Originally Posted by sns2

I'm no longer a moderator, so lets get that part right. If you would try putting together two coherent sentences, rather than two incoherent pages, then maybe people could follow what you are trying to say. Less is more. Try it some time. You might like it.

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

Actually, you’re still a moderator until Admin cuts you from the group...

Keep it on topic boys!

[Dewey Cox]

I'm with Keg on this one.

The only hunting spots I can claim as my own are the ones with my name on the title.

No one is in favor of paid access to private land, but everyone is pretty upset if someone steals "their spot".

[Soab]

Atta boy Bessie!!! Keep on keepin on ! I’d like to find one of those mountain spots , have a few of them in the foothills, but not quite the mountains. Good luck !!!

[OL_JR]

Originally Posted by bessiedog

No Grizz... yea other guys prolly hunt it.

But the guy I took there would never ever have found it. He just wouldn’t...

Yet there he is ..... not cool from that standpoint .

Exactly, it's not about anyone laying personal claim to a piece of land that legally anyone else can. It's about sharing spots that are often hard earned over time and effort in good faith that they will respect that time and effort and not add to the hunting pressure, sometimes exponentially.

Where Bessie messed up and I've absolute done this as well is to leave the rule unspoken. Live and learn.

Some people just don't get it though. I'd have to go back and track it down but Joe Rogan and Steve Rinella got into this topic a ways back on Joe Rogans podcast. Rinella vented about this very thing and Joe went off about how can anyone can claim spot and it's everyone's resource etc.etc. He had Jon Dudley on not long after and the topic came up again and Dudley agreed with Rinella. So you have a guy who has been spoon fed some of if not the best elk hunting in the states by association but clearly has no respect for the time and effort of his mentors. As far as hunting goes Joes effort to find an area amounts to picking up the phone so it's no surprise that he can't see what the big deal is.

[KegRiver]

I appreciate the desire to keep one's honey holes secret. I often wish this area was as unknown now as it used to be fifty years ago.

I sure don't expect others to agree with my prospective, we each have to choose what is right for us within the law.

It's just that for me helping others is something I've always done, since long before the internet and long before this area became the destination of choice for so many hunters.

I've made many life long friends that way, plus as I said I know what it's like to have no idea where or how too hunt. In fact I don't hunt Elk for that very reason.

In a perfect world everyone would respect the efforts of others and we wouldn't fight with strangers we know nothing about.

Life is far too short for that.

But the world is changing and not for the better. We may have advanced in many ways but in some ways we have lost ground. Too much ground.

This place should be a safe heaven for all outdoors men and women.
It should not be a place for fighting over differing points of view or perceived imperfections in character or writing ability.

[bessiedog]

Well Keg.

I respect your opinion, but disagree with it.

Life is not too short for me to hold onto my values, be they old school or ‘fading’ as some in the world perceive.
People should respect others. If they don’t.... perhaps life’s too short to waste my time in their company.
And seeing as how I only value people and time.... I tend to like both to be of the higher quality.
This has as of yet, gained me life friends and aquaintances then lost.

Now don’t get me wrong.. I’m a pretty forgiving person. There LOTS of guys that I e given a second chance....
IVealso been pretty liberal with many (many Longtime AO members as well) with pointing them in the direction of good territory to hunt and fish.

But there’s a line where a persons character becomes a deciding factor in stuff.




Been up since 4..... stupid bear took a run at neighbors garbage again....my dog went nutz again...... gonna be long day..

[HuntWithABrittany]

I got burned also. Had a great spot, lots of cover, ditches, creeks, trees and good crops, shared it under the understanding that they would only hunt with me, and then those people took a bunch of people out there without me and I got blamed for it and lost permission. Never got permission back. Live and learn.

[AndrewM]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

Maybe I'm just not explaining myself very well. I do that a lot.

I'm just not comfortable shutting out the respectful beginners because of the scum who inevitabley find my spots anyway.

So I'll risk showing a few low life's my spots knowing they will find it anyway, for the sake of those who are still learning and who will respect my effort.

I do however think the concept of respect for your fellow man is a concept lost to many these days.

Your posts made complete sense to me. As you mentioned, your hunting years are limited and you are at the stage where you would like to see other people succeed even if it means there could be the odd bad apple in the bunch. It is a respectable quality so don't let other people get you down. Keep passing down that knowledge!

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by AndrewM

Your posts made complete sense to me. As you mentioned, your hunting years are limited and you are at the stage where you would like to see other people succeed even if it means there could be the odd bad apple in the bunch. It is a respectable quality so don't let other people get you down. Keep passing down that knowledge!

Thank you.

I do struggle at times with wanting to keep my favorite spots secret as long as possible.

But that hasn't worked well for me in the past and I expect it will only get worse. So my thinking is, why not share while I still can and while those I help will still get a few good years in on those locations.

Don't get me wrong, I do know places that will probably remain secret for many years to come, but they are beyond my abilities now so keeping them secret does no one any good.

[savageguy model 111]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

See the rules regarding fighting, rude and harassing posts.

I like that thanks for pointing that out

[savageguy model 111]

Originally Posted by leo

Actually, you’re still a moderator until Admin cuts you from the group...

Keep it on topic boys!

interesting I don't see where it says he is still a moderator