# What to do if the waterhole is "taken over"



## utaharcheryhunter (Jul 13, 2009)

Ok, I have a LE archery tag for filmore oakcreek.. I have been hitting the waterholes big time, for about three months now.. I went down for the 8th time this weekend, same water holes, same elk sign.. But now that it is two weeks away, all of a sudden trail cams are everywhere.. Two about one hundred yards away from each other on just one hole.. All of my potential hunting spots are taken over with cams, and I have not seen anyone still.. Just cams everywhere!! So what is the "hunters law" on setting up and planning to hunt in a treestand or blind(which I set up two stands on waterholes that both have cams on today) on a waterhole that has been "taken over"? Do I find yet another hole with two weeks away? Do I just plan on other hunters sitting with me on the same hole? This is getting me so frustrated.. What is LAW?


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## Bustin Bucks (May 27, 2008)

Thats a tough one. Not everyone gets as excited as most of us. Then when its close wait till the last min or already know about the spot and dont worry about it. Then the opener comes and here they are. Its frustraiting but what do ya do? Did you have cams out before?
If you have clearly been there and are planning to hunt it I personaly would walk away but not everyone feels the same way.


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## HOGAN (Sep 8, 2007)

Whoever gets there first. If you are there hunting in your stand the other guy should move on. However if you show up and the guy is hunting in your tree satnd you move on. Leaving a tree stand makes it public property, you still take it home but nothing says another guy cannot borrow it for the evening. Most will not do this including me, but the law is the law. I talk with whoever is around "my" spot, and see what their plans are, then move on, just have a plan B ready to go just in case. Good luck.


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## Anaconda Pintler (Oct 29, 2007)

Drag them out of your stand and whoop their arse!!!! :mrgreen: :wink: Just kiddin' that is a tough one!


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

Trail cameras are one thing. To me, that doesn't mean they have first dibs on a spot. That simply means they're scouting the area. (after all, you've been scouting the area too, just without a trail camera.) But, on the other hand, if they have a tree stand or a blind already up, I'd just say move on. It would be pretty cheesy to show up an hour before they got there opening day and sit the stand they hung. The LAW says fist come first serve, but hunters ethics say, the guy who did the work and hung the stand deserves first crack. But, we are in Utard, so pretty much anything goes most the time. After all, "You don't own the whole **** mountain"! :roll: 

If I was you, I'd get a treestand up as soon as possible with a note on it to let other hunters know you'll be in there on certain dates, and to please respect your space. Then, if some retard still insists on "beating" you to it I would take AP's advise and teach him a little about respect. :twisted: 

Just because you have a camera up doesn't mean you have first dibs. IMO.

Good luck.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I think last year BOU had a great article on their site addressing the legality of leaving tree stands/cameras on USFS and BLM ground. I didn't see it when I just looked. I beleive they are regarded as abandoned property and removed when found.

If somebody is already in the area when I arrive they get no problem from me and I leave them alone. If I am there first leave me alone. I am a firm believer there are very few "secret" water sources in most hunting areas. Anybody that thinks they can reserve a spot by leaving a camera or tree stand is just blowing smoke. If it is public property nobody has more right to use it than any other person as long as it is legal.

I wish there was a way to inforce the camping limits on the forest but most never do. Tree stands and cameras should have the same limit IMO.


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## bullseye (Jan 29, 2009)

i would open up the camera (if not locked of course) and just take the batteries out  .you are not damaging his property just sending him a message which im sure they will get the picture....but then again we do live in utah.if that dont work just piss in the water or pour about a quart of dawn dish soap in it and move on to another hole near buy which they will start using :mrgreen: if the next water hole has the same prob just do it again and set up on somme well used trails....this really sucks but some people just dont have no hunters edicut,darn..dont know how to spell that but thats ok cuz i live in utard ville..good luck bud it is frustrating :evil:


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## legacy (Sep 30, 2007)

Well, when there's only 2 watering holes on the entire unit, what do you expect?  No but really, they give out WAY too many elk permits for Oak Creek, and there are so few elk! Oak Creek is it's own beast, and I look forward to seeing how you do on the archery hunt. With 11 archery permits in the regular draw, I'm sure you'll be bumping into guys come hunt time. Maybe all of the trail cams are rifle spike hunters trying to locate their trophy?!?  Hey, there's a reason the draw odds are 100%.


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## longdraw (Aug 4, 2008)

I have a water hole I have been watchin for over 2 months, I have been up there once a week. 2 weeks ago someone hung there camera on the tree right next to mine (about a foot away). I was a litlle surprised, it is about two miles from the road and I've never seen anyone around, I left a note inside his camera to call me and havent heard a thing- a little upsetting but oh well...


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## legacy (Sep 30, 2007)

longdraw said:


> I have a water hole I have been watchin for over 2 months, I have been up there once a week. 2 weeks ago someone hung there camera on the tree right next to mine (about a foot away). I was a litlle surprised, it is about two miles from the road and I've never seen anyone around, I left a note inside his camera to call me and havent heard a thing- a little upsetting but oh well...


Was this on Oak Creek as well?


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## longdraw (Aug 4, 2008)

actually near strawberry, I have a LE archery tag.. funny thing, he called me about 5 min after I was cryin on here...


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Let me get this straight, you can reserve a watering hole by putting up a tree stand? Or, by being the first to hang a camera in a tree...the waterin hole is yours. OK, I'll go a long with that if it's in the Bow Hunters's code, but if I am to comply, I need a little more info:
1. Does it reserve the watering hole for the entire season or just a few days or just for the opener?
2. Does just a camera hold the spot or do you actually need a tree stand?
3. Is there "hold over" rights? That is to say, if I get that baby up for the early bow hunt, do I have any claim come say the elk hunt?
4. Can I assign this "hold" to a friend or family member. What about sub-letting?
5. How about "title 9" stuff, do girls have a better claim with their tree stands than us guys?
6. Can you really pee on a guy that comes and stands under your stand? and if so, does that apply to that "first pee in the morning"?
These are just few of my questions, cause one thing for sure is I sure as heck don't want to take over some guys watering hole.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

bullseye said:


> i would open up the camera (if not locked of course) and just take the batteries out  .you are not damaging his property just sending him a message which im sure they will get the picture....but then again we do live in utah.if that dont work just **** in the water or pour about a quart of dawn dish soap in it and move on to another hole near buy which they will start using :mrgreen: if the next water hole has the same prob just do it again and set up on somme well used trails....this really sucks but some people just dont have no hunters edicut,darn..dont know how to spell that but thats ok cuz i live in utard ville..good luck bud it is frustrating :evil:


You're a real sportsman there, bullseye. Or should we call you "blackeye"?



TEX-O-BOB said:


> The LAW says fist come first serve,


It does?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I will echo what others have said; Golden Rule. You will very likely make a good friend or two and be able to share useful info. Don't take the teenager route of vandalism.


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## jungle (May 10, 2008)

Public grounds. First come, first serve. Cameras and treestands are irrelevant on National Forest.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

> Finn wrote: It does?


Good point, I don't think it matters legally who is there first. If someone shows up at a spot that I am already at, there is nothing I can do about it if he wants to stay there also.


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## Seven (Jan 8, 2009)

I think I would still hunt it. Like others have stated just because they put up a camera doesn't mean they own the area or even that they are hunting the same hunt or days as you. However I would make sure I showed up on their camera asap. I would try to hide my face but I would make sure he got several shots of me walking around in front of his camera. Maybe even a facing away "peeing" pose. May force him to rethink his idea of hunting there.


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## skeet4l (Sep 11, 2007)

I'd recommend holding out on the stand until the last minute unless you're in deep timber. You might as well put up a flag stating "come check out my spot". I can't remember how many times I've glassed a stand and then checked out what was under it.


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## longdraw (Aug 4, 2008)

fatbass said:


> longdraw said:
> 
> 
> > actually near strawberry, I have a LE archery tag.. funny thing, he called me about 5 min after I was cryin on here...
> ...


he was actually really cool about the whole thing, he was just as surprised to find someone else looking at "HIS" waterhole as I was.. he just has a cow/spike tag, it shouldnt take him to long to fill his tag.


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

The Sportsman thing for him to do would be to let you sit that stand all you want if you are carrying a LE tag. I once had a guy catch me in a stand that I thought nobody else knew about. His first questions to me was "do you have a limited entry tag?" When I responded that I did indeed have that tag, he told me he would not return to the area if I planned on spending more time in there. He also told me that he had been seeing several big bulls in the very waterhole I was sitting. 
I thought that very classy of him, and really appreciated it. I never killed anything from that locations, it happened 3 miles away from there, but the jesture was sure nice.


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## bullseye (Jan 29, 2009)

Finnegan said:


> bullseye said:
> 
> 
> > i would open up the camera (if not locked of course) and just take the batteries out  .you are not damaging his property just sending him a message which im sure they will get the picture....but then again we do live in utah.if that dont work just **** in the water or pour about a quart of dawn dish soap in it and move on to another hole near buy which they will start using :mrgreen: if the next water hole has the same prob just do it again and set up on somme well used trails....this really sucks but some people just dont have no hunters edicut,darn..dont know how to spell that but thats ok cuz i live in utard ville..good luck bud it is frustrating :evil:
> ...


 oh i was just funnan finn so get yr panties out of a wad and go take yr daily pms pill :mrgreen: ...


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