Fly In Hunt Etiquette

[Sharpish]

When I booked my lake I was told know one else from from the company I booked with would fly people in their not before me or after me. Bill the owner of B.C.Yukon Air said "Why would I wreck your once in lifetime hunt or anyone else's".This was held true for me.This also was a topic of discussion While waiting for my plane flight other people said they have never been screwed by having other people on their booked lakes. I guess if you pick a lake close to some other company flight distance you may have other people on it.

They won’t stack hunters on a lake but do you think they will put you on any lake you want at any time if it’s vacant?

If you think booking Cry lake for 1 week in September means they don’t fly any other party into that lake that entire year, I have a bridge to sell you hahhaa

[ryanb]

A lot of bitching about other people's actions on this site lately....pretty sad. You make your own luck and no one owns the bush! Honestly this site is pretty sad lately, more bitching than stories.

[boxhitch]

To make this work, to be alone in the wild lakes, coordination and communication would be very important
So everybody would have to divulge their destinations ahead of flight time so all carriers could mark their calendars and maps
Transparency would be needed, in advance to know if plan b or c are viable options

Knowing what has transpired previously the same season at the lake would be good too, plan b might become plan a if a party has already taken 2? 3? 4? moose

But then of course, calling the g/o to ask if they happen to be busy at a particular lake would be a key factor in being alone also
Just because they have a camp doesn't mean it is being used on a particular week so some more calls are necessary

Maybe a reservation system, with the ability to buy priority points for a few coins

[srupp]

A lot of bitching about other people's actions on this site lately....pretty sad. You make your own luck and no one owns the bush! Honestly this site is pretty sad lately, more bitching than stories.

Hmmm no..great thread. .lots of first time fly in hunters..you cant make decisions based on information you dont have..or worse intentionally decieved.
Thought it was helpful discussion. .no one's panties were in a bunch ?
Book a flight $$$$ told no ones in there..if there was ,yes choose another location..fly in to find 2 float planes there with obviously plenty of notification to the wildlife left living...
the discussion was on how to handle the situation ..some guys are cool and relaxed others are horn dogs...no ethics..you dont know..best to avoid the situation possible confrontation miles into the wilderness...you make your own luck....hmmm the luckiest guys I know are the ones that work the hardest..funny how that always seems to work .
This was about finding your planned location full up...completely..then what..no doubt some flight companies have sketchy histories...I found the original post insightful..the group that wound up at the same lake friendly and helpful...but whats a group to do...great suggestions..
Some bad experiences. ...bitching..or heads up..I didnt recognize the pilots deceit untill much later..too trusting..one of the better posts..trying to help beforehand..I appreciated the thought process..and know the lake and how difficult the situation must have been..handled very well imo.
Cheers
srupp

[g_worsnop]

The service was awsome!
Dan and McKenzie went out of their way to help!

[338 whisper]

[QUOTE][We didn’t have the best experience with BC YUKON either. Can’t remember the Kiwi pilots name but she was friendly enough. Prices are up up up and customer service is going down like a beaver with a live buffalo strapped to each pontoon/QUOTE] Our pilot was Mckenzie she was great had no problems at all.

[albravo2]

Looking to start a conversation about etiquette for fly in hunts to avoid interfering with other hunters.

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.

I think with all the variables at play it is hard to follow strict guidelines. Fuel, weather, weight, schedules... every day is a exercise in change management and every change is expensive. It is a busy time of year for the charter companies and private float guys jump into the mix to complicate matters.

I think common sense and decency should carry the day, as it did with your hunt.

[Baconator]

Got old and do not fly in any more. Started flying in out of Dease in the mid eights. It was 40 mile minimum charge for all the years I flew. started flying with the Sandes, before Bruce. Found the farther from Dease you flew the less likely you were to have company. Tried to pick lakes that were also a long ways from the other float plane bases. 60 to 70 air miles to a lake usually made it a little expensive for moose hunting after the Otter was gone.

[twoSevenO]

A lot of bitching about other people's actions on this site lately....pretty sad. You make your own luck and no one owns the bush! Honestly this site is pretty sad lately, more bitching than stories.

So if your supposedly "remote trip" ends up with several camps stacked on the same lake, through no fault of your own you're supposed to just accept it as your own doing?

[S.W.A.T.]

Or walk in. Its only 15 miles as you say