Looking to start a conversation about etiquette for fly in hunts to avoid interfering with other hunters. This comes after we had a near miss this fall.
We had flown from one location, and our homework confirmed one other party was going to be on the same lake, coming in with a different airline, but likely at the other end. Big enough lake to share, so we went for it. On Day 4 of our hunt a plane overflew our camp several times, then landed about 2 km away. Not great having neighbours but OK. The plane took off, circled a few times, then landed right at our beach....and when we said "Hello, can we help you" (move somewhere else...) the pilot said she was putting them off here even though they knew they were 100 yards from our camp. Apparently they didn't like the other camp spot and something happened in the plane that they couldn't go somewhere else. The pilot was pretty pissed.
So, some tension existed as we explained we had four rifles in the area, it was full, and can they find another spot? They had another plane coming just behind them for a total of four hunters. They had flown in with a different airline.... So, after some thinking, asking about other lakes, it was apparent they had not thought about this situation and didnt' really have other options cased. I happened to know of a camp spot further down the lake and we offered to help shuttle them there. It would make things a little busy but we could probably work around each other. So they agreed to move (thanks!!)
The next day, my buddy is on his stand just after first light. They had seen his canoe there the day before when flying around (they said they had seen it). He is watching a bull a little way off and hears cow calls off in the bush. Funny cow calls.... So he realizes he has to establish dominance and lets out his best cow call. The bull responds and starts coming at him. And so does the "cow" in the bushes. He sees the two hunters and signals for them to beat it. They keep coming. He signals again, as the bull is still coming from the other direction. They are still coming so when the bull gets into range he shoots it. The hunters approach him and are pissed he took their moose because they had been there since before first light. He says "I've been here three days...".
A couple days later we heard some shots in their area and we later saw a gut pile so we think they got a moose and then headed home.
We had an epic hunt; good moose, great scenery, great dudes. But, we were pretty pissed they almost spoiled a hunt for us, and also for them. So here's my proposed fly in hunt etiquette:
1. Try to get your pilot to confirm no other groups are booked in the lake. A couple of them will call other pilots to coordinate. That is how it used to work in areas of overlap. Hunters should encourage that.
2. Be prepared that someone is there first.
3. Have a plan B, and a Plan C. and a Plan D. Have maps, know the campsites, etc
4. Before you land, scout for camps. If there is a camp, go somewhere else. Even your second choice hunt alone will be better empty than your first choice that has company.
5. Do not camp within 5 km of another known camp. Give the other hunters enough room to spread out.
There are still lots of lakes that don't see other hunters. We hunted a place in 2018 that hadn't been hunted in 20 years to our knowledge (hidden in plain sight)
and we took two very large moose. So while some spots are crowded, take the extra time and effort to find those other spots. Hunting will be better.
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