Hunters overstaying camping limit

R

rockbar

Full Member
Oct 19, 2015
110
175
AZ
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I'm looking for input on the issue of hunters overstaying the 14 day camping limit in the same site I use for camping while mining my claims.
I haven't had to deal with this issue until now.
Currently, there is a hunting camp that has been occupying a campsite adjacent to (not on) my claims for at least 3 weeks now. They are supposedly hunting deer and elk. I have visited the camp several times over the past 3 weeks and basically see that it is being used as a semi-permanent recreation site for a local youth and his out-of-town buddies to come up and "hunt". I have noticed plastic bags and paper blowing about as well as exposed human waste. This is after I introduced myself to these hunters and told them that I am the claim owner and that I use this very camp and put in the fire pit they are using. I also politely asked that they not leave any trash and to very thoroughly bury any human waste as my dog will definitely try to dig it up. My suggestions seem to have gone unheeded. The main camp "host" told me he would be leaving about a week ago. He has not. I don't want to make enemies unnecessarily, so I continue to wait to see just how long these guys plan on camping in this same spot. I will likely be the one picking up their trash and burying their waste once they finally do decide the party is over.
I took pictures of the camp in case I decide to report it to fish and game or BLM. I would really prefer not to have to call either. That would only draw attention to the very place I don't want any.
What would you guys do?
 

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burn it down while they are gone? Short of that or calling the local law enforcement who enforce those rules, you aren't going to get rid of them.
 

Leave a note at the camp telling them their 14 days is up
License plates have been recorded and will be passed on to BLM or sheriff
sign it the mining district mine patrol.
or something like citizen safety officer or such
 

In the old days would just asked about the hunting and would find out how long they are going to be there. Now a days just call and avoid the conflict with both the hunter and BLM.

These days I still try and chat with them and see how they are doing, just good neighbors so to speak, besides it never hurts to have a friendly face in the woods, share a little elk, teach em to pan etc. Who knows, they may bag a claim jumper for you.
ratled
 

I'm pretty sure the OP was saying that there was no real hunting going on and basically just kids using it as a party camp.
 

Any action on your part may result in retaliation...

Might ask that the local authority drop in every week or so.
 

Kind of a thorny situation that one! As it's public land we have to share it with all other users but these guys sound more like ABUSERS to me. Most of the county BLM offices are greatly under staffed for the amount of area they have to manage to start with. I think we have two field officers here in Mohave County and it's a BIG county.

You don't want to draw attention to yourself and your claim and at the same time you don't want these "youths" trashing the area. Not a situation I would want to be in at all.
 

Don't turn this into a problem for the govt staff unless you really have to. That'll just bring more problems for future you from all involved. Either make up a notice like Winners58 said or just chat them up as Ratled says...and embrace the reality that adults clean up after kids and the mentally disabled. We were all kids once...even if you were smarter and better raised than these whelps.

Also, you have the same right to be there as them so you could just show up with some loud pumps and generators and go at it! A nice, big Keene 151 dry washer sounds good - loud and dusty as heck and just up wind of them!!! [emoji48] Now I wish I could loan you mine! Also bring some lights and just keep going into the evening...Maybe they will just move on ;-)

EDIT: my wife says to show up with the dry washer at sunrise the morning after they've been up late partying. Crank up the drywasher, be cheerful as in "good mornings all, anyone want a cup of coffee? Sorry 'bout the dust and noise, it's just part of desert mining!"
 

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May I humbly suggest the 6 pack of beer (covered in poison oak) gift? Credits to Hoser John :)
 

Now why am I NOT surprised that something like that would come from Hoser John? :laughing7:
I've always liked the fact that he's as evil minded as I am. :notworthy:
 

Better yet.... Toilet paper!!!!! :blob8: Good pair of rubber gloves, crush the oil out of the oak and then apply to the edges on both sides of the roll. I don't know how many time I've been asked if I had any extra t.p. by campers.
 

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And that's why I always bring enough TP...

th
 

NUFF SAID!! BUT remember that most all of these hunters have guns and if they think you've reported them , they may decide to do some target practicing over your way! pictures ,plate numbers are a good idea if this happens. also remember that there are more of them than you and if asked what happened , they'll have MORE witnesses than you! Yep id also hate to be in a situation like this and reporting them could make more FW and police looking over your shoulder also.
 

Great replies!
I think I'll just let it ride for the time-being. There's no point in creating a major problem for myself when currently it's a minor nuisance.
I'll likely try to catch them in camp and say another friendly hello and ask - how's the hunting? I already know there's a slim to no chance of them seeing any elk.
I may decide to occupy the site next hunting season to encourage them to seek out more productive hunting grounds.

Besides the little bit of trash floating around, and a turd right in a drainage (my dog will find the rest), the only thing that really irks me right now is that one of them seems to have walked onto my claim and uncovered a recent excavation I made. It was a small test hole I just made down to bedrock to take a sample. The hole is only big enough to put a 5 gallon bucket in it. I filled that test hole in with large rock before leaving it, just a few days ago. These guys saw me walk up out of my claim with prospecting tools (carried sample bucket out one day, tools out a couple days later). One of them must have been curious enough to walk down to my claim, then take a 200 yard hike to find and re-open that small hole. My nearby tools were well hidden.
This too, is minor, but I don't like it one bit. Any type of digging on my claim has nothing to do with hunting. I'll see what develops. If this drags on, it will potentially interfere with my upcoming mining plans. Then, the nuisance will have become a real issue.
 

At this point now that they are staying on the claim and now interfering with your operation and probably high grading, you have plenty to be concerned about, I would politely stay a chat with then on your way out next time, mention that your curious to know when they are leaving as you would like to camp on your claim soon enough. Also mention the noticed high grading without directly blaming them and also mention that it is a federal crime and that your going to press charges if you do catch the *******s. Hopefully if they are smart they will look for another spot soon after..
 

I dont know about you but I don't call the cops unless there is a corpse involved.

If these are a bunch of party kids, you might start hunting yourself. Maybe see some game on the edge of camp right at opening hours. A couple days of them getting up from a hangover by way of gunfire report might talk them into finding a better place to "hunt elk".
 

So there really shouldn't be any hunts in Oregon that go that long if they've been up there for that many weeks. You need to call the local sheriff, tell them that there are possible poachers on such and such road who've been "hunting" for weeks up there. They or State Troopers will run up and check it out as a friendly, "hey what are you guys up to". Then if they stick around for 14 more days after that you'll have a noted police call that showed they were camping up there 14 days prior and have ended their allotted time. Otherwise the issue will continue and continue with no resolve.
 

rockbar said:
Great replies!
I think I'll just let it ride for the time-being. There's no point in creating a major problem for myself when currently it's a minor nuisance.
I'll likely try to catch them in camp and say another friendly hello and ask - how's the hunting? I already know there's a slim to no chance of them seeing any elk.
I may decide to occupy the site next hunting season to encourage them to seek out more productive hunting grounds.

Besides the little bit of trash floating around, and a turd right in a drainage (my dog will find the rest), the only thing that really irks me right now is that one of them seems to have walked onto my claim and uncovered a recent excavation I made. It was a small test hole I just made down to bedrock to take a sample. The hole is only big enough to put a 5 gallon bucket in it. I filled that test hole in with large rock before leaving it, just a few days ago. These guys saw me walk up out of my claim with prospecting tools (carried sample bucket out one day, tools out a couple days later). One of them must have been curious enough to walk down to my claim, then take a 200 yard hike to find and re-open that small hole. My nearby tools were well hidden.
This too, is minor, but I don't like it one bit. Any type of digging on my claim has nothing to do with hunting. I'll see what develops. If this drags on, it will potentially interfere with my upcoming mining plans. Then, the nuisance will have become a real issue.
Click to expand...

It should be obvious by now that they aren't there just to hunt, and now they're trespassing on your claim, time to call in the law. If you can, set up a well hidden trailcam that has a UV flash to get pictures of them trespassing, then take the photos to the authorities and press charges. If they're trespassing on a known claim they're high grading, time to nip it in the bud.
 

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