Karen Hunters

[woodjin]

So today I was on the Batona trail. This is a section of the Batona that you can legally drive on. I came up to a point and stopped to investigate an area adjacent to the trail. I was with my gf. As I opened the door and stepped out my gf got my attention and pointed up ahead. A little ways up ahead, and a very short distance off the road was a hunter in a stand who was yelling obscenities and hastily getting out of his stand.

I remained there with the car door ajar creating something of a barricade if this got ugly. I was wondering what was about to transpire as he worked his way over to me in a hurry.

As he approached I said “how are you doing?”
The conversation went as follows:

Hunter: (angry) what do you think you’re doing?
Me: this is the Batona trail (pointing to a pink blaze)
Hunter: I know that. What are you doing here on a Friday at 4:15pm?
Me:making a gesture like why wouldn’t I be here now?
Hunter:” I see you wearing orange (I was wearing an orange cap) you know what’s up. Coming out here on a Friday during muzzle loader!!!!
I should call the game warden out here for hunter harrassment!!”

Me: I couldn’t help it and laughed a little at the idea I was harassing him.

So, at this point I decided not to argue with him about how maybe he should hunt more than 100’ off the road, or that he didn’t own the woods, or how I had just as much right to be out there etc. because he was 1)inappropriately angry and 2) he had a gun.

So, I just stood my ground looking at him like how how doctors look at mental patients and he turned the other way and went down the road to his truck, yelling back at me that I was an a$$hole, douchebag, jerk, and I think I heard fag . I was going to yell spazz but again, he had a gun.

A few years back I had a run in with a bow hunter that was a bit more reserved but also very upset that I was within seeing distance of his stand (a little off route 206).

I avoid the woods during shotgun week out of courtesy. I have nothing against hunting. It seems odd that after more than 30 years of hanging in the woods that I have only recently come across this behavior.

This is not the norm for hunters to behave this way in my experience. Has Karenism actually taken hold of hunters now?

 

[bobpbx]

It's just some hunters. I was subject to the same attitude about a year ago at Aserdaten. I was showing something to a friend, and here comes this young man (late 20's I think) ranting and raving at me. Do you want to get killed? he said. He told me I was standing right next to his Dad's deer stand. He was not even hunting at the time, and no one was in the stand. He also threatened to call the game warden and I laughed out loud at that suggestion. I told him I worked for the state DEP, and he said prove it. I said okay, come back to my truck. He got huffy and refused that suggestion. I refused to be cowed and was face to face with him until he turned around and walked away. He had no right to do what he did, and neither did your antagonist.

 

[woodjin]

lol. Yeah. That’s amazing that his dad wasn’t even in the stand. I guess every big crowd has its bad apples.

 

[Teegate]

Sorry to hear that Jeff.

 

[RJG]

About 10 years ago I was hiking the Batona Trail and I came across a hand written sign stapled to a tree that said, “No trespassing. Turn back. This section of the trail is closed. Violators will be arrested. You are being video-recorded.” It was signed “Jeff.” The note attached then went on to say that Jeff pays $72 to the state of NJ to hunt that tract of land, which grants him the right to keep other people off of his hunting ground. I thought about tearing the sign down, but decided on another approach. I took the pen I had in my backpack and wrote on Jeff’s sign, “To all hikers. I hope Jeff gave you as big of a laugh as he gave me. This is a public hiking trail on public land. Buying a hunting permit does not grant Jeff private property rights and the authority to exclude others from using this land. Ignore Jeff’s warning and threats to have you arrested. Enjoy your hike.”

 

[slingblade]

Sometimes it's best to call Fish & Wildlife w/ details; time/date, GPS coordinates, of any encountered craziness. Game Wardens, and the majority of hunters, take hunting etiquette very seriously.

 

[Teegate]

I would do as slingblade says. Just mention the facts, and the location, and let them know.

I may have mentioned this but I was out there late in the day recently with someone else, and a woman alone was walking the Batona. She saw us and seemed relaxed but as we crossed over the Batona behind her she was looking back at us. She should not have to deal with someone like him and it appears she would have to if it was him.

 

[manumuskin]

I think I told the story once here of how an old man threatened to shoot my dog while he was running around a filed.The guy was standing within arms reach of me.I told him if he did before he could pull the trigger again the barrel would be up his rectum.He cussed me thoroughly as he wisely walked away from me. I guess he was bluffing.I wasn't.

 

[woodjin]

Yeah, I think I will take sling blades advice. I was considering doing that.

 

[RJG]

I have run into a few duck hunters over the years who came up to me on the water while I was fishing in my boat and told me they were going to be setting out decoys to hunt ducks, so I needed to leave the lake. Rather than get confrontational I suggested a compromise. They hunt one end of the lake and I’ll fish the other end. The first group of duck hunters agreed and we parted peacefully. The second time that happened the duck hunters told me that if I didn’t leave the lake they weren’t going to withhold their shots if I came near their target and they wouldn’t be responsible if they killed me. I told them, “You’ll realize you’re responsible when they close the door on your jail cell and my family sues you into bankruptcy.“

As a rule I don’t get confrontational with people carrying guns when I’m in the woods. I have no idea what their mental state is or what kind of SSRI drug cocktail they might be taking. You can find videos on the internet of hunters shooting people who confronted them. I’d rather lose an argument and injure my own pride for displaying what I consider to be weakness in the face a confrontation than find myself laying in a mortuary the following day.

 

[woodjin]

Wow RJG, that is pretty messed up. It would seem these encounters are more commonplace than I expected. Interestingly, I have come across duck hunters a bunch of times when fishing and I have only had very positive interactions. It all comes down to the individual I suppose.
I think that when someone proves themselves irrational, it is fruitless to rationalize with them.
At the end of the day, the hunter left all full of anger and I hung out there doing what I went there to do, so there’s that.

 

[manumuskin]

We all have to go some day but when go I know on my stone they won't write "Alfie" Here lies a punk:-( When the Lord wants me I"m gone.One Way or Another.

 

[RJG]

Wow RJG, that is pretty messed up. It would seem these encounters are more commonplace than I expected. Interestingly, I have come across duck hunters a bunch of times when fishing and I have only had very positive interactions. It all comes down to the individual I suppose.
I think that when someone proves themselves irrational, it is fruitless to rationalize with them.
At the end of the day, the hunter left all full of anger and I hung out there doing what I went there to do, so there’s that.

I think 99% of hunters are decent people, down to earth people who, if they found you in trouble in the woods, would go out of their way to help you. But there’s always some bad apples in every group and that can become much more problematic if you run into a bad apple who’s holding a gun and you’re in the woods with no witnesses or cameras around.

 

[66C10]

As a hunter myself there seems to be a real lack of understanding among some hunters on the definition of public land. Public land is public to any and all who visit it and hanging your treestand does not automatically mean you alone own a right to occupy surrounding acreage. I've had many confrontations with other hunters who think they have a right to an ''area'' because they hung a stand and threw out some bait. But that's just hunting...most hunters are respectful to their fellow man/woman enjoying the woods. I will say though it really takes the wind out of your sails when it's a law enforcement officer that thinks they own the public surrounding them and run everyone else off by use of their badge. That's been my biggest battle as far as confrontations with other hunters go.

 

[Beach&Barrens]

Sorry you had such an unpleasant encounter!

 

[GermanG]

Woodjin did not have an unpleasant encounter with a hunter. It was with an *** hole. That individual is likely just as rude and inconsiderate to others while driving, negotiating a line at a store register or during countless other social interactions. What he is engaged in at the time is of little consequence. But we are all human. If we view a Wawa coffee cup on the bank of a lake it was the work of a slob. But if it is a bait container, then a fisherman was to blame. It’s hard to help ourselves.

I'm sure Woodjin is not painting hunters with such a broad brush, but others do. Similarly, many out there blame all of us here who like to leave the pavement with our vehicles every time they encounter damage done by a very small group of off-roaders. I don't agree with, but understand the knee-jerk reaction. That's why we have to be cautious when characterizing poor behavior in our forests, and defend not just our own activities and passions but those of others. I'm sure many here are familiar with the old quote ending with "....and then they came for me".

 

[Teegate]

Teegate did not have an unpleasant encounter with a hunter. It was with an *** hole. That individual is likely just as rude and inconsiderate to others while driving, negotiating a line at a store register or during countless other social interactions. What he is engaged in at the time is of little consequence. But we are all human. If we view a Wawa coffee cup on the bank of a lake it was the work of a slob. But if it is a bait container, then a fisherman was to blame. It’s hard to help ourselves.

Knowing Guy, I'm sure he is not painting hunters with such a broad brush, but others do. Similarly, many out there blame all of us here who like to leave the pavement with our vehicles every time they encounter damage done by a very small group of off-roaders. I don't agree with, but understand the knee-jerk reaction. That's why we have to be cautious when characterizing poor behavior in our forests, and defend not just our own activities and passions but those of others. I'm sure many here are familiar with the old quote ending with "....and then they came for me".

German,

I think you are referring to Woodjin and not me.

 

[GermanG]

German,

I think you are referring to Woodjin and not me.

Yes, my mistake. Thanks. Catching up on several threads a time leaves me forgetting who started each. I corrected the post.

 

[woodjin]

What you are saying is correct, but I don’t think we are seeing any generalizations about hunters as a whole on this thread. . I think the content as been pretty clear to differentiate the individuals from the activity they are involved in. In fact, there has been a emphasis on how these individuals deviate from the accepted etiquette.

 

[manumuskin]

As a whole I get along with hunters quite well in the woods.Try to avoid messing up their hunt except my accident.have pointed out to one that when you hunt over a road expect to be disturbed.Have argued with a few only been threatened a couple times.When it became apparent I wasn't afraid of their gun they walked away. I"m old now and bent up so I try to get along more then i used to to but I still have my switch. I try to get along with them and hopefully they try to get along with me.I am not beyond returning to a bait pile and christening it and I"ve done it on camera but only to people who have been an ignoramus.
I know some of them think they own the woods but thats impossible......I do