# What Would You Do



## polarbear (Aug 1, 2011)

Based on the following scenario, what would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation?

You are taking your 4-year old boy camping, just you and him. Not wanting to be stacked on top of everyone in a pay site, you venture a little farther up the mountain to a still popular but more natural environment. You find a small grassy pull out to camp for the night. You can hear other campers in the distance but pretty much have it all to yourself. After having a lot of fun with your boy setting up the tent, roasting marshmallows, etc. you settle in for the night and fall asleep. An hour later, you are awaked by the sound of firewood being chucked from the bed of a pickup. Confused and annoyed you look out the tent to see two vehicles parked 10 feet behind your vehicle literally 30 feet from your tent. Two guys with their girlfriends are already setting up a tent, and a freshly lit gasoline fire is lighting up the night. With zero regard for other people or common courtesy, talking, music, yelling, laughing, cussing, and drinking can clearly be heard along with talk of, "when I got out of jail", etc. until 3am (they didn't even shut off their truck for over an hour). If you say something, your boy will wake up, there will probably be a drunken confrontation and likely a fight, because, if there's one thing I know about white trash, they like to fight in front of their girlfriends. Remember, you are alone with your little boy who surprisingly slept through the whole ordeal. What would you do?


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

If my boy was already asleep, I would just wait it out and pack up in the morning. I would not say anything to the drunk guys though. (unless the boy wasn't there, then we would have a problem) It's just not worth it to risk something happening with a little kid there. IMO :neutral:


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Not worth a confrontation with your kid there. Let it go or pack up anf leave.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

+1 on packing up and leaving.Maybe get license plate # and if you see any DWR people mention it.They probobly left a mess at the site.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I agree with most of what has been said. However, I would have packed early while they were still sleeping their hangovers off. I would made a point of playing my country music while I slowly and loudly packed my things.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

That reminds me of a similar situation I had on Labor Day a couple of years ago. I pulled my trailer up mid week to a primitive campsite and was spending the night on the mountain but still commuting to work in the mornings. I pulled up to my camp Friday afternoon after work and there wasn't even a place to park my truck, a family group had packed around me with trailers, tents, vehicles, and ATV's. They even took over the only fire pit at the camp spot.

There was still plenty of daylight left so I headed back to town and loaded up my hounds to haul up camping with me for the weekend. I was able to edge my way back up to my trailer and I could hear the squatters counting as I unloaded each of my six hounds and staked them out in the trees surrounding camp.

From then on, every time I walked out of my trailer the hounds would erupt in a chorus of howls thinking they were going to get fed or get let off the chains to go hunting. Every time they heard a Cummins diesel coming up the road the dogs would erupt in a voluminous chorus thinking it was my hunting buddy coming to take us all hunting. Every time a gun shot was heard from a distant camp site they erupted thinking there was a bear, bobcat or lion hitting the ground and they wanted in on the action. Every thing that went bump in the night they barked at, when it started to rain the one night they howled because they wanted in the dry dog box. But mostly, they just barked because they were happy to be there!

I could hear the squatters grumbling amongst themselves every time I hollered at my dogs to *"SHUT IT UP!!!!" *usually followed by a few expletives. But they never said anything to me and I never said anything to them. Finally, come Sunday morning, they broke camp and left. My family I finally had the fire pit to ourselves the rest of the weekend......and each of my dogs were treated to a special hot dog that night!


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## polarbear (Aug 1, 2011)

As difficult as it was to hold my tongue, I knew it would get confrontational, so I followed suit with what you guys have said. Even though I was fuming for about an hour, I finally forced myself to go back to sleep and tried to let it go. I wanted it to be a positive experience for my boy so I didn't even say anything to him about it, even though I desperately needed to go to my "quiet place and punch dance out my rage." 






longbow said:


> I agree with most of what has been said. However, I would have packed early while they were still sleeping their hangovers off. I would made a point of playing my country music while I slowly and loudly packed my things.


I didn't need to. My boy was being especially loud when he woke up, howling like a coyote, pretending to play the flute with a tent pole, even yelled to me, "hey dad, these guys woke us up last night, huh? That wasn't very nice." I could see the tents rustling, and I was content that they had gotten about 3 hours of asleep and were likely very hungover when we woke them up. My only regret was not driving my rig right up to the tent door and laying on the horn for about 30 seconds. Heck, I wouldn't even have to pull up to the door. They camped right next to it... so close I couldn't even back up this morning but had to drive around the fire pit to get out. Ah, the joys of public land.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

Although they have every right to enjoy that public land in whatever legal way they please you handled it much nicer than I would have. We go deep into the Uintas on holiday weekends and are yet to have any issues with other campers. The ever so slow line of RV's is another story though.


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Yes they do have every right but some common sense and courtesy need to be applied.


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## OKEE (Jan 3, 2008)

When your out numbered sometimes it is better to retreat and live to fight another day. Not much you could of done that would of ended well. I try my best to do things that discourage people to move next to me. But you still get those people that squeeze in. Some weekends it's especially hard to find a spot that like you said "stacked on top of each other. Better luck next time.


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## Skally (Apr 20, 2012)

Sounds to me like you should have gone earlier and drove farther. And tryed to find a better more secluded spot. You don't want to deal with other people you need to go where they aren't willing to go.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Skally said:


> Sounds to me like you should have gone earlier and drove farther. And tryed to find a better more secluded spot. You don't want to deal with other people you need to go where they aren't willing to go.


I dont think thats the answer.You are going to find idiots everywhere.I think he handled it right,we should not have to drive to the end of the road to get away from a bunch of drunks.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

While I think that the main problem was drunks I also think that it being Fathers Day weekend didn't help any either. When all the camping spots are taken and you think that you have found a nice camping spot near the front range of Utah odds are you are going to have company if there is room for someone else. What if it wasn't drunks but someone with unruly kids that pulled in and decided to stay up all night playing music and having a hot dog roast? You would of had the same problem

I personally think that you did the right thing. With the way that people are now days a confrontation may of led up to some unforeseen consequences for you and the other campers.


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