How would you react?

[jan.wi97]

Hey Guys,
So I've been hitting the ground running all year long, looking for spring bear
and then scouting all summer.
I found two spots where I was able to observe deer going from
their bedding area to a small pond and even though I have been spending quite
sometime at spot "A" I wasn't able to connect with a legal buck.
So I switched up and have been in spot "B" now for a couple mornings (usually before work,
only a twenty minute drive for me).
I have seen a fair share of does etc but the bucks have been elusive.
My trail cam was stolen from that spot so I was a bit worried that maybe another individual
actively makes use of this spot and wants me out.

Yesterday I went out again (right around 4:30) and wanted to sit in the stand until
after dusk as my cousin spotted a Buck a couple days prior there.
As I am packing out my gun and backpack a Truck pulls up and the driver asked me if
I am sticking in the vicinity which I confirmed.
Spot "B" is only twenty minutes from the road up a ridge overlooking a little pond and as I am half way
up I hear a whole barrage of gunfire... pull out the bino and it is that guy parked a bit further up the road just blasting the
shit out of a tree.
I still went up to the stand and the guy also kept shooting, I stopped counting at thirty shots and packed up.
As he scared whatever might have been around into another zip code.

Took quite a bit of self restraint (and maybe self preservation) not to confront the guy.
But what would you do?
I was super excited to head there as it was my first legal buck I could get a crack at...
Is this standard behavior if someone is close to where you want to be?

The problem for me is that a far drive in is usually out of the question unless
it is a weekend and I spent a lot of time in those two spots trying to get a feel
for them and setting up properly... feel a little cheated at this point.
Just thought I would throw this out there.. would you abandon the area completely and look elsewhere or try again
even though some hillbilly is actively trying to prevent you from being there (imo).

[mpotzold]

Hey Guys,
So I've been hitting the ground running all year long, looking for spring bear
and then scouting all summer.
I found two spots where I was able to observe deer going from
their bedding area to a small pond and even though I have been spending quite
sometime at spot "A" I wasn't able to connect with a legal buck.
So I switched up and have been in spot "B" now for a couple mornings (usually before work,
only a twenty minute drive for me).
I have seen a fair share of does etc but the bucks have been elusive.
My trail cam was stolen from that spot so I was a bit worried that maybe another hunter
actively makes use of this spot and wants me out.

Yesterday I went out again (right around 4:30) and wanted to sit in the stand until
after dusk as my cousin spotted a Buck a couple days prior there.
As I am packing out my gun and backpack a Truck pulls up and the driver asked me if
I am sticking in the vicinity which I confirmed.
Spot "B" is only twenty minutes from the road up a ridge overlooking a little pond and as I am half way
up I hear a whole barrage of gunfire... pull out the bino and it is that guy parked a bit further up the road just blasting the
shit out of a tree.
I still went up to the stand and the guy also kept shooting, I stopped counting at thirty shots and packed up.
As he scared whatever might have been around into another zip code.

Took quite a bit of self restraint (and maybe self preservation) not to confront the guy.
But what would you do?
I was super excited to head there as it was my first legal buck I could get a crack at...
Is this standard behavior if someone is close to where you want to be?

The problem for me is that a far drive in is usually out of the question unless
it is a weekend and I spent a lot of time in those two spots trying to get a feel
for them and setting up properly... feel a little cheated at this point.
Just thought I would throw this out there.. would you abandon the area completely and look elsewhere or try again
even though some hillbilly is actively trying to prevent you from being there (imo).

What we would do!

[CranePete]

I’d move on. There are plenty of other options. And I for damn sure wouldn’t go logging with my rifle, that’s just ignorant.

[limit time]

Well...if he’s a hunter, he’s an ass. If it’s just a guy who doesn’t hunt and is going shooting...well....he is allowed. (Still an ass) Thirty shots or so ? Sounds like it’s not a “hunting” round he would be wasting . Maybe a SKS or .22 or something cheap on ammo?

[jan.wi97]

The walk of defeat gents...

It just really bugs me that I spent countless hours sitting there observing, taking notes, measuring distances etc etc.
No problem all summer long, then the cam walks off and now this.

Limit time: I was leaning towards a 12 gauge it was noisy as hell and who blasts at trees anyway???

[boxhitch]

Deer have a home territory, a few gunshots will likely alert them but I doubt they left the country
30 shots could just be an asshat sighting a couple rifles at a poor time and location. Next time don't walk away from him, let him make the move away.

[jan.wi97]

Deer have a home territory, a few gunshots will likely alert them but I doubt they left the country
30 shots could just be an asshat sighting a couple rifles at a poor time and location. Next time don't walk away from him, let him make the move away.

I'll try again, I know where they bed and hope that this time someone
won't try logging with a shotgun!

[Jagermeister]

Deer have a home territory, a few gunshots will likely alert them but I doubt they left the country
30 shots could just be an asshat sighting a couple rifles at a poor time and location. Next time don't walk away from him, let him make the move away.

I like boxhitch's summation. To a deer, noise is noise, the same goes for other ungulates.
I know of a few instances where guys have been cutting firewood and moose have walked in.
I know of an instance when a guy was snoring away in his car and a bull elk walked up and licked the window. He would have slept right through it if his little dog hadn't started barking and woke him up. Of course he made the move to grab his rifle and the elk, seeing the movement, hastily departed.
Seeing as how it's only 20 minutes away, keep going back. The other dude, if he is the one trying to move you along can't be there all the time, and if he is coming back means he hasn't scored yet so your buck is still at large.
I seem to be late on the trophy, but bear it in mind.

[monasheemountainman]

I like boxhitch's summation. To a deer, noise is noise, the same goes for other ungulates.
I know of a few instances where guys have been cutting firewood and moose have walked in.
I know of an instance when a guy was snoring away in his car and a bull elk walked up and licked the window. He would have slept right through it if his little dog hadn't started barking and woke him up. Of course he made the move to grab his rifle and the elk, seeing the movement, hastily departed.
Seeing as how it's only 20 minutes away, keep going back. The other dude, if he is the one trying to move you along can't be there all the time, and if he is coming back means he hasn't scored yet so your buck is still at large.

I agree

i have been sitting watching deer and loud close gunshots ring out. They look up for a few seconds, then right back to feeding. If they don’t know something is close, there’s a good chance they ain’t going anywhere

[Ride Red]

Well if this is the same local that your tires were flattened I’d move on. I’d also refrain from using the word “Hunter” associated with your problems as we hunters have enough issues with the haters as it is.