azgutpile Report post Posted July 7, 2014 The current AZ G&F regulation book states (paraphrasing) that a blind, pop up, tree stand, feeder or trail camera left at a location does not 'reserve' that location to any one hunter come opening day. Courtesy should be extended to whichever hunter arrives there first come opening morning having the benefit of hunting that location that day or until he/she leaves. That makes sense to me but I can imagine opening day is a mad rush to some locations and heated arguments in the dark of morning. I know of a friend who went in beforehand and created a natural blind with sticks and branches and such and showed up opening day to another hunter in his blind. Major argument insured and the initial hunter left the blind and it was hunted by my friend. Did the visitor have to leave it? " Did the visitor have to leave it???"...By AZG&F rules No... By a hunter with some kind of ethics and a sense of right and wrong, Yes... I disagree, it's always first come first serve. If it's a pop up or other personal property, you should be able to pick it up and leave with it if you like. I've made several blinds over the years and people have beat me to them( usually at a water hole. )... This is what plan B, C & D are for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 300ultramag. Report post Posted July 7, 2014 Regardless... Who's advice you take... I wouldn't Piss in it or leave my number.. if you moved your set up 200 yds to 1/4 mile you might find more deer and better opportunities.. Worst thing you could do if you stay is get set up and have him roll in at 7am after you just sat from zero dark 30 and then have to explain 1st come 1st serve to the guy... He's probably a cool guy who hunts just like you... Give him the benefit of the doubt and keep tabs on the spot. If your after a giant???? Well you need to talk with him and be adults about it... Good luck and shoot straight. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest oneshot Report post Posted July 7, 2014 The current AZ G&F regulation book states (paraphrasing) that a blind, pop up, tree stand, feeder or trail camera left at a location does not 'reserve' that location to any one hunter come opening day. Courtesy should be extended to whichever hunter arrives there first come opening morning having the benefit of hunting that location that day or until he/she leaves. That makes sense to me but I can imagine opening day is a mad rush to some locations and heated arguments in the dark of morning. I know of a friend who went in beforehand and created a natural blind with sticks and branches and such and showed up opening day to another hunter in his blind. Major argument insured and the initial hunter left the blind and it was hunted by my friend. Did the visitor have to leave it? " Did the visitor have to leave it???"...By AZG&F rules No... By a hunter with some kind of ethics and a sense of right and wrong, Yes... I disagree, it's always first come first serve. If it's a pop up or other personal property, you should be able to pick it up and leave with it if you like. I've made several blinds over the years and people have beat me to them( usually at a water hole. )... This is what plan B, C & D are for. Thats kinda what I said, but personaly, I still wouldnt use someone else's gear, even if it's a brush-blind... I never hunt water though because this is what happens and I'm out there to hunt, not debate "first come, first served"... talking it over is best, my stands/blinds are open to a few here, and they have returned the offer to use their stands/blinds... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cosninocanines Report post Posted July 7, 2014 The current AZ G&F regulation book states (paraphrasing) that a blind, pop up, tree stand, feeder or trail camera left at a location does not 'reserve' that location to any one hunter come opening day. Courtesy should be extended to whichever hunter arrives there first come opening morning having the benefit of hunting that location that day or until he/she leaves. That makes sense to me but I can imagine opening day is a mad rush to some locations and heated arguments in the dark of morning. I know of a friend who went in beforehand and created a natural blind with sticks and branches and such and showed up opening day to another hunter in his blind. Major argument insured and the initial hunter left the blind and it was hunted by my friend. Did the visitor have to leave it? I often use sticks and branches blinds and look at them as definitely available on a first come first served basis. I also use my own pop up and often set it inside an old natural blind. I feel that others pop ups are off limits and regardless of the type it is always first come first served even if my blind is set up but somebody beats me into the spot. I've never found anybody in my blind but hope I could keep my cool (since it would be ultra dark thirty I would have to survive the shock of opening the door and finding someone inside) and walk away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hyperwrx Report post Posted July 7, 2014 If it's a manufactured store-bought blind, a hunter would have to be pretty gutsy to go inside and sit in it under the premise of 'first come first serve'. Same thing with a manufactured tree stand. You walk into your area, look up, and are shocked to see some other hunter sitting in your tree stand. I can't imagine the conversation that would take place. "Pssstt.. hey that's my tree stand." "Shove off.. I was here first and thanks for the cushion." The AZ G&F regs book states in the ethics part in the front. Paraphrasing. -No cutting off or altering tree limbs for your tree stand. -No drilling in or screwing in climbing spikes into trees. -Leaving your blind and tree stand set up out on a location might be against the law and can be subject to seizure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thegrayghost Report post Posted July 7, 2014 Here is an idea. Study your camera pictures very closely, try to figure what direction the deer is coming in from. If he is there before you simply sit the trail that deer is coming from 30-50 yards away from your blind. Thoughts??? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
devilincatcountry Report post Posted July 7, 2014 I am all in for swapping data at this location. I do that at more than one of my sets. By the looks of things this guy goes out opener then never returns- jmo. I know which direction the deer are coming from but my problem is if I set up say 50-100 yards from known point the wind swirls I'd say 90% of the time- it's in a draw. I'm on a little knoll with a small saddle that the deer travel to water about 1/4 mile away. Even after my 20 hr cooling off period I chuckle about it a little but still a little po'd!! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturegirl Report post Posted July 7, 2014 Leave a note. We've done it with trail cameras in the past and it worked well. I have hunted one area for about 5 years. There have been 2 tree stands up for the better part of that 5 years in the same trees year after year. I crossed through the area earlier this year and they are there again, but now are falling apart. I feel that I have earned the right to hunt that trail too if that is what I wanted to do, but I'd first leave a note. If it belongs to who I think it does, I know he'd share it if he wasn't using it. I'm mixed on what I'd do if the person was unwilling to work with me though because he doesn't own that trail. In your case, I'd leave a note. If the note doesn't work, I'd look into finding another spot. It's just not worth the fight in my opinion. People can get downright nasty. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted July 7, 2014 As far as a pop-up left out after season -1 yr. simply take it down and leave it by a tree a few yrds off with a note inside stating whatever your feeling maybe at the time . I try not to disturb others during the hunt and hope others respect my areas ,if they see me we are not all the same ,as the thread shows, I see nothing wrong with hunting the spot and hope he has forgotten about it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpinebullwinkle Report post Posted July 7, 2014 I have had a few encounters of arriving at a brush blind I created with someone already comfortably situated in it. Each case we have debated (amicably I might add) which one of us would leave. I always prefer to go to my plan B. There are just too many other good opportunities to get hung up in our underwear over who was first or whom built the blind. Besides....... it ruins the fun to have a heated confrontation. My favorite confrontation was at one of my tree stands during a September elk hunt. Another hunter beat me to my tree stand by about a minute or two and was contemplating whether to utilize the stand. I gave him my best bull bugle and watched him frantically climb the tree to get in position for the bull he thought he heard. He almost tore all his clothes off scrambling up that tree!!! My brother and I were laughing so hard we didn't have the guts to go introduce ourselves to the gent. As I recall.......... our plan B worked much better than our abandoned plan A. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GotBowAz Report post Posted July 8, 2014 Alpine, thats funny! too bad you didnt record it. that would have made one heck of a youtube! I rarely if ever hunt water holes because everyone else has the same idea. I do hunt their travel routes to and from and will hang a camera to see which way they frequent most or in the case of a previous post, which way he is coming from. For me, this seems to be the best practice. On the occasions I have hunted a water hole I have noticed how jumpy/spooky whitetails can be coming in, it seems to take long time to settle down if they come in at all. However 100 yards away from the water on their travel routes they are much less weary. Im thinking most of that is because of predators of the 4 legged kind more so than of humans. GBA 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted July 8, 2014 Leave a note....you have been very courteous so far by giving up your spot....but it seems obvious the other guy is just leaving that popup there year round, so that doesn't count as first come first serve. I would say go and hunt it, if he actually shows up and beats you to the spot, then go to Plan B, but it sounds like he is rarely ever there. Or if you think he will be there only on opening day, skip opening day there and hunt the rest of the season there. I don't think I would use his blind though. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StickFlicker Report post Posted July 8, 2014 it seems obvious the other guy is just leaving that popup there year round, so that doesn't count as first come first serve. As was stated, per Game & Fish even putting it there the previous day does not count as first come first served. First come is that day only. It starts again the next day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
camoremi Report post Posted July 9, 2014 I say leave a note in it. When you check your cam if their is no response it's fair game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rageinthesage Report post Posted July 13, 2014 Its abandoned, take it throw it in the trash and keep our forest clean... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
