# wasatch front problems



## ckamanao (Mar 20, 2010)

What kind of problems/issues have you guys run into with 'civillians' up on the trails of the wasatch extended?


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

Nothing....I avoid people at all cost. Since I'm always in camo, whenever I see people I hide in the bushes. ha ha ha .


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## alpinebowman (Sep 24, 2007)

No problems here either. I always give the regulars the right away and say hi to all on the trails. Anybody that has ever said something to me has always been more inquisitive than confrontational.


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## Ambush (Sep 22, 2011)

To be completely honest I haven't had very many issues at all. Most people are very respectful and more often than not, they are simply curious. They typically ask a few classic questions like, "Did you catch anything?" but in my experience it has been a very positive thing. In fact, a few years ago I shot a great buck and while I was packing him out everyone that I passed wanted to check out the antlers and most of them even congratulated me. 

The only negative experience I have had was a few campers that started banging pots and pans when they saw my buddy and I approaching in our camo. It wasn't a big deal since we were nowhere near our hunting spot. In fact, we ended up laughing about it with them and ultimately it was a positive experience. I think it is important not to automatically assume that every non-hunter is out to get us. So often we put up the defenses quickly if anyone questions what we are doing. With the influx of people from out of state who are unfamiliar with hunting it is becoming increasingly more important for us to represent who we are and what we do in the most positive light.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Well said, Ambush.

I've logged a lot of hours on the Front and never had a negative encounter.

I often marvel at the way the outdoors changes people's behavior for the better. Wouldn't it be great if people were as friendly on the street as they are on the trail?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I usually dont have a problem with anyone because I go out of the way being overly nice. But because I logged in some serious miles and met thousands of people I have seen a few negative run inns with people.

one person left a note on our truck window saying we needed to put our horse poop in a trash bag. lol maybe they were right! But my initial thoughts were "that would look cool especially if I did it like they do there dog poop and put it in an orange bag and throw it in a tree!" lol 

One person took a traffic flag and slid down the slope to the deer a friend of mine was hunting. They also banged pots and pans at first light on opening morning. 

I had a guy sick his dog on a deer I was stalking in an area off limits to dogs. 

I've had friends called murders by a couple of lesbians. I actually heard them yell it from across the canyon. 

Ive had people yell while I was stalking a buck trying to scare it away.

Have had my pack goats attacked by dogs off leash.

Had to defend myself from a dog by putting my arrow into the dogs nose. "The dog was lucky in that it hit it just above the teeth and didnt go up it nose" The dog came at me and I scared it away the first time. I yelled to the owner "can you put your dog on a leash" He said don't worry he wont hurt you. well the second time it ran into the end of my arrow while I was hiding behind my bow. I wasn't going to let it bite me before I found out if it was bluffing or not and I honestly believe it would have. When the dog was finally put on leash I gave my wet wipes to the owner and tried to help with the bleeding. He apologized for his dogs behavior and i apologized for defending myself. The dog however never did apologize and still would have bit me if it was off leash. I guess it hated people with camo!


I Have had the horse I was riding attacked by every dog on the trail. People I guess don't know what a horse will do when attacked by a dog. Luckily for me the horse I was riding while holding my bow didn't end up running out of control. 

like I said 99 percent of people are alright and you wont ever have a problem with them, especially if you start out the conversation with a "Hi how are ya" or something similar." If they do go out of their way just keep on walking! They might be setting you up for a bad situation and you don't want to have to talk your way out of that one when you are the one with a weapon. These are the only negative encounters I could think of in 12 or so years. I could go on and on about the positive encounters ive had with the non hunters ive seen while packing game out though.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Like a few of you I have been hunting the front since the early 80's and have had very little in the way of negative interaction with other non-hunting people. BUT...

One time I was coming out of the Red Pine area and was almost back to the the parking lot when I saw a hiker coming up the trail on the switchback below me. I kept coming down expecting to see this person any second. But, as I walked down the trail it was apparent the person had left the trail and was nowhere to be seen. Just about then this woman stepped out onto the trail from behind a big rock with a very angry look on her face and a stick in her hand. I stopped and asked her what her intentions were and she started in on this rant about hunters being murderers and how I deserved to die for being so cruel to animals. I was tired and a bit cranky from having just put in a full day and going about 9 miles. I didn't really feel that threatened because she couldn't have weighed more than 90 pounds soaking wet and it wasn't a very big stick. I politely informed her that I was in no mood to fight her and if she came at me with that stick I was prepared to defend myself. She turned and ran off the mountain toward the parking lot as fast as she could go. I thought, huh, well that's the end of that... NOT!

When I got down to the parking lot there was three sheriffs vehicles blocking the exit and the lady was with one of them screaming and pointing right at me. This can't be good... Another sheriff came up and asked me to drop my weapon and pack and put my hands on top of my head. I did as he asked and he came over while a third officer covered me and patted me down before cuffing me. I asked if I was under arrest and he said "not yet".

Apparently the flower sniffing beotch ran down the mountain and called the sheriff and told them she'd had a hunter threaten to kill her with his bow and arrow-. After hearing my side of the story they un-cuffed me and I was free to go. I told them I wanted her cited for hunter harassment. They told me without any witnesses it was her word against mine. Quite a wild day. I never ran into that person again. 

I've also had a couple times when the deer I was after was chased off by hikers trying to foil my hunt, but other than that I've never had any other negative experiences. Most people are very nice and the ones that do talk to me are usually full of questions and intrigue. I don't mind talking to those folks at all.


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## UT Elk Stalker (Apr 17, 2009)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> she started in on this rant about hunters being murderers


As soon as I read this my first thought was I would have told her to go call the cops on me then. I guess it turned out that way anyway


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

ckamanao said:


> What kind of problems/issues have you guys run into with 'civillians' up on the trails of the wasatch extended?


I hunt up parleys and little dell all the time and I always run into people. I have gotten some strange looks but in all honesty I don't care the least. The way I see it I am the one with the gun so they would be the ones with the problem if they really did anything stupid. I have never had any problems at all, strange and concerned stares and I ask how there day is going and usually they are talkative. The people I have talked with are more concerned about getting shot in mistake for game. I tell them don't worry about it just don't hike in October!!lol


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

After reading some of the comments of what some of you have run into I have to point out a few things that I try to prepare for. 
First off if you hunt where they have dogs you NEED to bring mace or pepper spray. This also can be used on aggressive tree huggers. I think if you spray someone that attacks you you have a better chance of not going to jail. If I have a gun but I choose to mace them I'd say I'm trying my best to be peaceful.
I also carry bear mace for the really big over weight tree huggers.
Then you gotta carry a camera with video mode. This needs to be carried for showing off your kill as well! If a hippy starts an argument with me, out would come the camera and knowing hippies it would only make him more bold. Then I can have him arested for harasment. Also this is good to report poaching or any other crazy act on the mountain.
So, when the dog attacks, mace that freak!! When the dog owner comes up to fight you because you maced his dog, mace the owner!! When he calls his group of fat smelly hippy friends pull out the bear mace and take the whole group out!!

All joking aside, once you have mace in your hand and a big German Shepard is walking up the trail off leash and starts running at your wife or kid you will really feel in control. Just one little spray and that dog will do a back flip! Once you start doing this you will never go on a trail without mace, I always have it. Maybe it will teach people to keep the dang dogs on the leash!!!

I had my dog attacked in Moab. My dog was on leash a a hippy had his dog running lose. His dog attacked mine and I kicked the snut out of his dog in the neck ( I used to kickbox, it wasn't pretty). The dog let go of my dog and staggered away, then came back to take a bit at me and I grabbed big rock and was going to crush his head in. The owner said if I hurt his dog that he was going to gut me like a pig!! The dog walked off and after getting out of there and getting back to the truck I decided I'll never go hike without mace!! Since then my wife has had to mace 3 dogs!!


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## Duckking88 (Dec 7, 2009)

I have never hunted the front but i have hunted a lot of other places in this state. Most non hunters i run into are very friendly and easy to deal with. last year me and my cousin ran into an old man and women who asked us what we were doing. I explained we were deer hunting, he looked at me shocked and said "People still do that?" all the while he was camping on a LE deer unit. LOL. the worst place i have ever had to deal with angry non hunters / Antis is around Moab. I dont know if its because there are alot of colorado bush hippies that go there or what but we have had people try and sneak up on camp to steal dogs. we had two hippies catch my step dads hounds and try to throw them into on coming traffic on the highway. If you ever want to see a person who hunts with and loves his dogs go on the war path let them catch you doing that crap. we have had a hippie boldly claim he was going to come back and cut our tires. we have had three women ride into camp on pedal bikes and tell us we needed to leave before they called the sheriff. because what we were doing was illegal (hunting bears on a spring bear hunt with a tag). They must have piss and vinegar in there heads instead of brains, we actually had two different guys in one trip try and run us off the road in there subaru outbacks! my step dad drives a 1 ton dodge! i dont they thought it through very well. :shock: :roll: . I dont think i would belive all this if i had not seen it with my own two eyes.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> I stopped and asked her what her intentions were and she started in on this rant about hunters being murderers and how I deserved to die for being so cruel to animals. I was tired and a bit cranky from having just put in a full day and going about 9 miles. I didn't really feel that threatened because she couldn't have weighed more than 90 pounds soaking wet and it wasn't a very big stick. I politely informed her that I was in no mood to fight her and if she came at me with that stick I was prepared to defend myself. She turned and ran off the mountain toward the parking lot as fast as she could go. I thought, huh, well that's the end of that... NOT!
> 
> When I got down to the parking lot there was three sheriffs vehicles blocking the exit and the lady was with one of them screaming and pointing right at me. This can't be good... Another sheriff came up and asked me to drop my weapon and pack and put my hands on top of my head. I did as he asked and he came over while a third officer covered me and patted me down before cuffing me. I asked if I was under arrest and he said "not yet".


Wow tex that's a scary thought. I cant believe these people can get away with this behavior but it does happen.

These are the type of guys I was talking about as well. They are there and they will try and get you on any type of weapons charge. If they are successful they know you wont be using a weapon any more. It is always best if you see these type of guys to not say anything at all. This is a hard part because im a wiseguy.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

That's exactly what she was trying to do. The cops saw through her though and pretty much said she was just a crazy beotch and to avoid any more contact with her. She's the only really bad one I've run into in 30 years.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

Ducking I believe it, those moab hippies are insane. I love that area but could do without the hippies!!


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