Ethical question

OK, so this is the first time that I have experienced this issue and wants to know from you guys, what is the ethical thing to do here and is what they are doing ok?

I wanted to be sure that we were on our spot - Public land, obviously. So we were out there at 9pm and slept on the boats to make sure no one else was on our spot.

We went into one area and it looked like there was a boat but wasn't sure. I hollered out and no answer. I didn't want to go right up to them, so we just bugged out and went on.

Once we were setup and anchored down, another couple of guys approached us as they were heading back to the ramp. Nice guys, by the way, so this isn't a knock on them.

Anyway, we wanted to be sure that we weren’t close to them so we asked about their area, and they said, no they were way on down and we were fine. Then they said that they set out some decoys and a lantern to mark their spot.

This is when I realized that the area where we thought there was a boat, this is what they did. They set up a lantern to mark their spot. It worked, so brilliant plan on their part.

Here’s my dilemma – we slept on the boats to mark our spot, they set up a lantern and slept in beds or tents, I don’t know which, but they weren’t out in the cold on a cold a$$ boat deck. So, is this ok? Can you mark your spot just by setting up the night before?

I don’t want to have a fight at 4 in the morning, so I won’t be the guy to take it away from anybody because they aren’t physically there to claim it, but still. So, if I don’t have to sleep outside, is this an honorable way to mark your territory?

Thoughts? And has anyone else ever run into this before?

It's a douchy move, and would serve them right if somebody would have collected their decoys, placed them on the bank, and set up in that spot.

I don't see anything wrong with it, they did the basically same thing you did, they just did t smarter.

After this thread I can also see it happening quite a bit more often.

"Oh hey man, just thought I'd keep an eye on your spot. No need to thank me, I'll just sit here and hunt with you." BOOM....new hunting buddy (in a perfect world)

On Texas APH land it is not legal, new restrictions added this year. You can not leave property "unattended".
Same thing happened to us Saturday morning when we pulled up to the ramp, guys were sleeping in the truck, they got out and talked with us at 3:00am, they were nice, we gave them a pass, they set up on the lake and planned to spend the night but got too cold and came back to the ramp.

They will lose all their gear and their spot. It might have worked this time but someone will come along and ditch their gear and keep the spot. I have used a lantern many times but I was always sleeping right under it to keep my spot.

There is a Guide on Lake Texoma that does the same thing. He runs a Duck season taxi service. Marks with lanterns four of five of the best spots. Runs hunters out to each spot before shooting time.

I have 4 lanterns in my shop and I didnt buy any of them.

I'm so glad I don't have to hunt public land.

This^^^^

That is not an ethical issue that is misdemeanor theft.

I don't see anything wrong with it... but don't see anything wrong with relocating all their stuff about 300 yards down just to have a little fun

They're lucky their anchor held the boat or the lake didn't rise enough to float it out across the lake.

No kidding glad someone finally pointed out that stealing is stealing no matter where or what you are taking

No doubt stealing is wrong, I don't condone it. A fact is a fact, if you leave it someone will take it.

LOL we camped out friday night it was pretty chilly.few 18 packs of silver bullets betwen five Grown men.I dont kno If we would ever go as far as to put decoys out the night before, But definetly hang a light to detour a boat or incoming walk in traffic.But i just dont kno who would really have the balls to remove someones stuff.I can blow a gaskit just untangling my texas rigs,muchless if someone else did it. Theres some badasses here on the enet but on the bank or lake I think there might be some serious Tails between their Legs issues...I would definetly hunt an unattended light. but removing someones shiznit is sketchy....

Without a second thought!

Unless its coot decoys... then ill just cut the strings

sounds like public areas are a tough go come try my duck hole

No they are just tough to ask about

Left unattended = litter. Fine the guide for littering.

You do realize that you condoned an illegal act up at the top of this thread right?

What if you're fishing and notice a lure on a tree limb and you're able to get it and put it in your tackle box. Is that misdemeanor theft too?

I was walking the shoreline not long ago and stole a like new Zara Spook someone left.

Well you are just a thief mister.

Several years ago I made a walk in duck hunt. About half way down the trail I see someone laying in the path. I spoke and they never moved. I reached down and the someone was a New Cabelas waterfowl coat. I stole that also.

Dam I feel better!

Ethics my azz. You do douchy things to secure your spot on public
and you deserve what you get. I for one would be lantern and decoy
rich. JMO

Ok Ok About three years ago someone hunted teal in bottomless mud on Lake Texoma. They pitched out three dozen decoys. The week after the season they were all still there. I took my Poke boat and a push pole and got all 36 of them. The good old style Flambeau Teal.

This thread is making me feel better and better.

This one time in High School I............................

good job Rob

I like to go into convenience stores and eat beef jerky without paying for it

I dont own the Conveniece store. However a package or Jar in the Driveway or on the gas pump may be at risk

when i was a kid I ate a peanut out of the barrel of peanuts in the grocery store. a lady that was shopping saw me and called my mom later that day to tell on me. my mom confronted me about it and I denied it, but I still got in trouble. That's a load off my back.

you lace that jerky with crack or meth don't ya Robertson?

it's addictive and now that I know you have loose morals I bet you're lacing that stuff!

Brick killed a guy with a trident

The ranchers are doing it. I just add salt, pepper and hickory smoke. Yes Hickory only!

If a rancher is cooking meth right now then he isn't much of a rancher. Cattle prices are GOOD!!

This is similar to pheasant hunting on opening week in South Dakota from what I hear. The large groups that march the fields bring several vehicles, find good fields before LST, park a vehicle there to mark their spot and go on down the road and do it at another field until they have several fields "reserved" and can hunt them when they want. If I saw a set up like that and it looked like a good spot, I'd hunt it. Next thing you know people will be sticking signs in the ground that say they're hunting this spot 200 yards each way.


Now the real question is, how many cars would get stolen in South Dakota

farmers cook meth, not ranchers

that's why they're called meth farmers

Meth farmer is the preferred term in Springtown. They know about meth in Springtown!

Boys, y'all are right...taking the decoys would be theft..and that would be wrong...BUT, I do carry a can of flourescent orange spray paint in my rig just in case someone has "accidently" left their decoys out from the night before and may need help finding them at LST...
its truly one of the most hilarious conversations you will ever hear.....it usually starts with WTF...!!!

I was hunting a cove several years ago. I could not keep the ducks from stacking up on a point near me. One morning I stuck up an old Bright orange jump suit on the point to keep the ducks off of it. That same morning before shooting time another boat came my way. They set up on the point. At shooting time I was getting good shooting. All the duck were flaring off the other guys. I wish I could hear what they said when they spotted that orange suit.

I have seen Kdub sleep on the ramp!

There's a difference between asleep and passed out.

Zing

I think that sleeping to mark the spot is one thing - that's what we did. At least that way you are making the sacrifice to secure the spot.

Not, throwing down some stuff and then going back home. I mean might as well just put up a sign with your name on it and say this is my spot, go somewhere else.

I didn't want to jump on it, but now I might consider it after all of your advice.

HEY!!! That was me taking a nap!!! Thanks for stealing my jacket. I woke up when the chill hit.

Definitely had this happen. A year or two ago on opening morning some guide built a blind and hung a lantern on the blind. That was a fun conversation about 30 min before LST when he showed up with his group. He ended up taking em around the corner and no birds showed up anyway. I don't think there is anyway anyone can possibly call that strategy logical.

If it were, then you should just go pick your best spots and hang a big sign out there that claims the spot...oh and don't forget to hang a lantern there so it's really legit.

These days I'd just prefer to be where no one else is regardless of the action.

Talking about stealing another mans lanterns or decoys is just plain stupid . Joking or not . But when one day some young kid comes along an does this to you don't come crying on here or telling how you did something to him when your clearly settin a bad example for other hunters or other guys getting into hunting . This will put a bad taste in your mouth for sure . We as hunters exspecially duck hunters should hold ourselves above this kinda childish high school . There is already enough stealing and theft going on around here and this crazy world . Stealing is Stealing any way you look at it . If you can live with yourself at night for stealing another mans decoys or lanterns then so be it . In a perfect world there would be enough water and enough spots for everyone to hunt but there isn't right now . So try an make the best of it instead of yelling or getting all nasty try an make a friend or a new hunting buddy . You come up to me first thing I will do is shake your hand an introduce myself to you I have no problem sharing info or just plain shooting the with you.. Life Is To Short to moan over the small stuff .

The point folks are making is that unattended items on public property become public property, therefore is not stealing. At that point it's finding.

Personally I wouldn't take anything if I think the guy that left it is coming back, but I sure wouldn't hesitate to pack it up for him in a pile a few hundred yards away... well far enough away... and hunt the X. His attitude when he gets back would determine if I shared the spot.

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:).

So some people's logic is if I see it and noobe is around it becones theirs. Us it just limited to decoys and lanterns or if the tievtheir boat and walk a littke further you can take their boat. It is theft anyway you try to justify it just to make yourself feel better it is still theft

i'd say it is BS that people (especially guides) are cheating the other hunters who have no choice but to hunt public land, but i would also say that if you saw them and said something about it, it probably wouldn't be a problem for next time. no reason to go thieving.

Young guides get their boats the same way. Just take em when someone leaves them to go hunt

Dont get me wrong im not sayingbits right to throw some decoys out, hang a lantern, leave and say this is my spot no one else can hunt here. Im just saying stealing is stealing and there is no reason for it.

Oh boy! There are so many gems in this thread that its hard to pick out just one.


The above is what happens when women teach boys to be men.


Right answer is: If the spot is deserted of human life, gather up the decoys, tie them in a knot that Jesus couldn't undo and throw them and the lantern on bank.

When trespassers come to claim spot, point him towards the decoys and get ready to whoop his butt if he mouths off.

I can guarantee he will not leave decoys on public waters again.

Have a backbone guys!

Don't go crying if you leave your decoys to 'claim' your spot and come back to your decoys removed/relocated/ being hunted over. The only thing that saves your spot is you sitting there.

If you've camped out in that spot in the cold, then you deserve to hunt that spot. But if you drop off dekes and a lantern and expect it to be yours in the morning, I have no sympathy.

This is how I would have handled it in my first 40 years, before back surgery. Nowadays, I don't have the luxury to be a jack-arse and risk wrecking my back, again, by giving (or taking) a beating over a spot on a public lake. It's just not worth it to me. I've got a family to take care of.

I'm not saying you're wrong, 1 Year. Quite the contrary, actually. Fisticuffs are a young man's game; a necessary part of growing up. The thing is, I'm a half-crippled old man. I avoid physical confrontations as much as I can, but if someone comes at me, my family or a loved one with intent to do bodily harm, I'll use deadly force and forgo all the John Wayne BS. I'd be well within my rights to do so.I pray that it never comes to that, though. I'd rather just make a friend or walk away. Of course, I wouldn't ever leave deeks out to claim a spot, so it's probably a moot point.

Boy that would be something, get your butt whipped and go to jail for theft. Nothing wrong with moving the unattended decoys out of your way but once again stealing is a crime and if that whats it takes to make you feel like a man then good luck to ya.

Im stealing hogmans log in

unattended decoys are not theft, they are abandoned. Simple.

This is why it's called Public land and not TXDUCKHUNTER's land, or for that matter Cole P's land .

I understand that - and I think I did the right thing. I don't want to start my day with a fight, it's just not worth it. I am not as young as I used to be, so I would rather move on and find another spot.

I think what bothered me, was that we sacrificed and reserved our spot with our bodies - and not items. If you want a spot that bad, then sit on it - like we did.

Or maybe, I'm perturbed that they beat me at my own game and did it smarter.

Either way - it's over - can't go back - I heard many shots, so shounded like they had a good day -or they can't hit sh!t.

It's over - I'm moving on - PLUS I have some new tricks up my sleeve, so we will see how they pan out.

It's on B!t@hes

Good luck to everyone this weekend and if you see lights in an area - then assume it's a boat with people in it and move on.

Thank you

I'll reiterate what many others have said: UNATTENDED DECOYS = LITTER. You don't call the guy collecting a bag of trash every time he goes out a thief would you? You must be in your spot to claim it (including blinds) if you are hunting public.

I would absolutely pick up the decoys just like I pick up decoys I run across fishing in the spring that have been left unattended.

I mean you can't hunt a spot, leave your decoys, and expect to claim that spot the next day. So you are not stealing, you are collecting trash. If you want to reuse them then have at it.

I actually think most lakes have rules about not leaving items unattended.

I'm with you 100%, you did the right thing by actually being present at the spot. Just unfortunate this is the new 'norm' for public.

Everyone is talking about ethics but this is public and there are going to be way to many opinions. That's not changing. Is there a legal answer and who is supposed to be backing it up. I believe it's easy to know right from wrong but if there's no punishment then where does it stop? A lot of guy's have said what they would do how many stories are there about what was done. I can't see someone coming back to a spot they put out stuff to hold a spot only to find you there and there stuff gone and not having some kind of retaliation. If holding a spot is legal then you'd be doing an illegal act. If it was illegal and they came back to a gw who then revoked there public permit that kind of stuff would stop.

Hey I resent that remark even though I grew up in the part of Arkansas where we thought the movie Deliverance was a documentary.

On type II or APH lakes it is illegal, call the GW if that's your deal and it bothers you so much.
Been going on for years and do not see much of an end to it, it's wrong but young bucks are out doing it every season. I have never seen any of these bad*** internet warriors that are on this site ever do anything about them in person though.
Let's see how tuff everyone is walking up on four guys with guns in the dark, just does not happen much.

This gives me an idea for a new hunting based business. I know a lot of retirees that will go out at 2 or 3 in the morning set up your decoys etc., and save the spot until the "hunter" shows up.

Barney's Squatter Service for Duck Hunters will soon be open for business.

So a private car parked on the side of the street, which is public, is fair game for taking because it is unattended. Same logic right?

Ones illegal and ones not... but I get your point

Silver bullets makes great decoys

That's a great way to get your stuff collected/taken. Cause if it is left out there then I'd suppose you didn't want it anymore.

Bet they wouldn't do it again. Only takes once.

Well, the douchey move would probably be to set up on a spot that you recognize someone else has claimed. Or pick up someone's decoys for them. Sometimes it's worth it to be a douche as a matter of principle, but it doesn't sound like this was one of those times.

Yeah, you guys slept on an uncomfortable boat deck - but no one will ever call you a douche for it or question your status as a good-faith sportsman and you get to know that you're one of the non-douches who does things the right way. I think that's worth something.

Nope not me.... Maybe I go out of my way to be nice, so I can't imagine taking someone's stuff and feeling right about it. Even if they are in the wrong. I'd rather feel good about my self than have the perfect spot

Had a fisherman do this at a boat ramp once. Even the people fishing at the ramp didn't know why he did it. His truck and trailer were politely moved for him when he returned.

I think I am starting to like your sense of humor.

Half of yall want to fight on the banks and the other half of yall wants to sing Kumbaya. Moving things left behind by another hunter, in is no way considered theft. The hunter leaving the equipment behind is actually in violation of law on WMAs. I would not take it home but I would certainly move it out of the way. You democrats and Kumbaya-ers never heard, "You move your rump you lose your stump"? Next thing you know we will be huggin bunnies around here. Grow a dern set.