You want to "secure" your spot. Unload your boat and leave your truck/trailer in the middle of the ramp so no one else can launch. Problem solved.

I couldn't take someone's property or vandalize their stuff and feel right about it. I'm not judging. Just not my style. I think that there are better ways of handling those situations.

Unfortunately, there are some people that can't be reasoned with. Those type of personalities take all the fun out of hunting. They are the people we read about that get themselves killed or end up in jail. Never underestimate the level of stupid in any man.

There is a lot of pissing and moaning here about the bs that goes on at public lands. Yes it is a pain in the [censored] and people can be ignorant but seriously if you can't tolerate it then don't hunt public. The barnys will always be there. If you can't tolerate them without picking fights then don't go out there. How much fun is it to get mad and create tension every time you go hunting??

I agree if it bothers you so much burn a little gas and get away from the metromess, makes things a lot easier.
I personally like the competition though.

I used the decoys and Light trick for years. Never had any problems. I had some old flambeaus to mark our spot. We were always out to the blind by 5:00 to finish the set up and pull the old decoys. I did this on Ray Bob, Lavon, Proctor, Twok, RC and Fork and never , ever had 1 person question what I was doing or screw with my stuff.
Now this was 15 years ago.We had plenty of newbies but not near as many hollier than thou folks like today.
Glad I hunt private now.

Just to add some perspective to this. In Arkansas, leaving decoys and a light out is illegal on most public lands.

And in no world should it be considered an appropriate method to save a hole. Otherwise why not just leave decoys all year? And call that spots yours in perpetuity.

Well in Arkansas people marry their sisters also but in Texas its illegal

Photo of lake ray bob on opening day:

Valid point

If I find it on public land and your not around it's mine.
Only time I found decoys left on a hole they were so old and shoddy I didn't even want them. Guess that old boy got the last laugh.

Man, that would never fly up on the great lakes, but then again, there is alot more public hunting. You wanna drag your butt out there 4 hours before LST and camp out on a spot, thats one thing, but just leaving your stuff out all night while you sleep back at the ramp or at home is a little ridiculous. I wouldn't steal anything from them, but like many said, I may collect and relocate it.

Well if all you guys from other states would stay in your own state, then all the locals wouldn't have to stoop to such dastardly things to save their spots on public.

I second the notion that everyone not born in Texas must leave by the end of the week

you dont have to go home, but you cant stay here

I have anchor babies

Well according to the immigration/naturalization laws, if one of my parents was born in Texas then I am also a Texan. Mr. McCain can explain.

I'm a native born son, y'all ain't running me off that easy

Anyone enrolling for obamacare will be an automatic us citizen, texan, wizkonzian, south dakotian, utahnian,,whatever

Then quit bragging about how great Arkansas is with the marrying of sisters and fancy laws concerning unattended lanterns and such

Life was so much simpler when I was a teenager. No blinds, no decoys, no competition for good hunting spots. Just hop the fence, sneak up behind the pond dam, and blast anything with feathers. Those were the days.

You found a loophole, in the long run its for the greater good so no big deal to miss a few

I say a prayer every night that the cost of deer leases will go back down so the marshes and lakes will be less crowded....

Sounds like a lot of jerks in this thread. Taking people's stuff, moving it ect. Have some class people.... If you'd like to express yourself to someone do it. But taking their stuff is a DB move.
I have set up my stuff (not on a boat) and then slept in the car.

Most start up guides send their hands out on lakes to steal decoys left unattended. That's how the young guides get all their decoys, and lights

Sounds like y'all found the guy:).