So we have a lot of new hunters on the lease this year great group of guys I've known for a long time . Thing is yesterday one of them and his son showed up in camp an decided to start shooting multiple rounds from a pistol while the only 2 of us that do bow hunt were hunting in our areas . We were almost done hunting when they started so we went to camp and told them we were hunting and that all the shooting was uncalled for during bow season . The father and son apologized . Now after today's hunt of not seeing anything move where yesterday we saw plenty until the shooting spree took place I come home to see on Facebook a picture Of another hunters son holding a shotgun and a rabbit clearly at out deer lease. I guess they came down after I left for the day today . Am I blowing this out of proportion or should I not worry. What or how should this be handled

Shooting never really bothered deer hunting IME...the loud talking or riding around did more than shooting.

Settle down Francis.... Why does bow hunting supersede everything?

Lol I'm just getting others opinions . It does aggravate me little being I'm trying to hunt and sounds like war zone but again my area is close to camp . So there's pros and cons to it I guess

IMO, you are blowing things out of proportion unless the trend continues every time you're out there through archery season.

That's kinda what I'm thinking bein one none of them never bow hunt and not use to having bow hunters on their leases in past . Plus this is only first weekend so I'm not saying nothing to them but if it continues every time were trying to hunt then maybe something needs to be said but in nice way of course this way no problems arise

My rules are real simple, if you are not deer hunting, you are to stay in camp or working in your area. No 4 wheelers, no shooting, no horseplay. Break a rule you might be shown the front gate, but whizz on my parade and you won't be back.

Thanks for the opinions

I wouldn't be overly concerned about the shooting noise. I would be more concerned about which direction they are shooting and what their backstop is. The gunshots probably bother the hunters more than the deer.

Ok thanks

Heaven forbid people have fun at a place they spend alot of money to have fun.

If there are rules against it, then it is cut and dry. I dont care if they piad an arm and a leg to be on the lease, they agreed to the same rules I did. That is why there are rules.

I was at our lease a few weeks back and watched a guys kids ride the 4 wheeler up and down and all around peoples areas rfrom 3-5. No issue with, but this Saturday the lease manager put a stop to it quickly as there are rules about it during deer season.

DC I think we might get along. That is if you weren't a Democrap. Can't believe you would be so unFAIR on your lease. I don't understand why you don't let them do what they want. Don't want to hurt their feelings

I wouldn't like it. Dad should have a little more respect and common sense.

You asked for opinions so I'll give you mine.

Bow hunters can be the worse for thinking that because they have an early start, the woods should belong to them and no one else. To them, it means no one should squirrel hunt or do anything that might somehow interfere with the woods being totally their own. No one should be filling feeders, creating food plots, mowing, or anything else that might mess up their hunt.

Now, having said that, I agree with you to a point. Deer camp should not be a place for shooting practice when gun ranges are available. It's as much a matter of safety as it is showing respect for landowners. After all, would you feel safe while hearing someone busting a lot of caps around your home? Still, just because you have a head start before others, that doesn't give you the right to tell everyone around you to stop what they're doing. Gun hunters face the noise that goes with shots being fired all the time. So what makes you so special?

I have never met a single person that has said they wanted people to go target shooting by there blind during deer season.
Or welcomed kids to go four wheeling by blinds and chasing rabbits around feeders before or during a hunt.
It is a shame that you have to make rules to teach adults common courtesy.

Id be pissed too...

I would be frustrated as well. Common courtesy seems to not exist in some people.

People don't like rules on the deer lease, but they sure can come in handy.

Depends on the rules for your lease. During bow season on our lease we hunt hogs with rifles. We hunt squirrel, dove, and rabbits with shotguns, and sight in rifles on the gun range by camp. I hear more shots across the borders than I do on our place. I am the only bowhunter on the lease. I have never had a problem. I have seen deer flinch and look up when there is a distant shot, but they just go back to what they were doing. I personally would pat the kid on the back and congratulate him on the rabbit and thank the dad for getting his son out there. But then again, it depends on the rules. If they signed a lease contract and were handed a set of rules that says no firearms shooting during bow season, then you have something. If you don't, you probably need to have a group round table meeting of lease members the first time y'all are all down there and come up with a set of rules. Careful though, if your bowhunters are outnumbered like I am, you may be the one that sounds unreasonable and lacking common courtesy to the majority. When one is looking for a lease they should find one with rules that relate to the way they want to hunt. If one finds and starts their own lease and then fill the lease manager role, cards on the table, your rules should be clear to members before they sign on.

The rules on my lease are....well I make all the rules.

This is why I paid a little extra and took the whole lease to myself. I control who comes on and when they are there.

One of the problems with leasing is you don't control everything (even I can not control what the land owner does with his cows) but that allows us to hunt cheaper than if we owned. It's the price we pay for getting for what ends up being a bargain use of land.

Rules plain and simple, elect a camp manager, everyone signs the rules, if says don't then don't. No one says you can't have fun, but fun can mean diff. things to diff. people. Rules can save friendships when it comes to leases.

Pretty simple on my lease: no bow hunting.

Did you make up a contract or list of rules for members BEFORE they got on the lease that includes no firearms, or are you making the rules up for them as you go. If rofd1374 is just verbally making them up, or assuming they know what he expects, he probably needs to give them a written set of guidelines they can refer to. Otherwise he is destined for a miserable season butting heads with all the new guys and their kids.

Amen and two thumbs up!