A bit of advice

This goes both ways.... if you're late, and somebody else is in your spot, keep on going.... don't try and wedge yourself in just because you didn't want to get there on time. Wiley, I am not saying this to negate your statements in any way because obviously, if you could have been, you probably would have been way early and beat even loudmouth to his spot. Sounds like that guy was a real buttmunch about the situation. He certainly should have just shut up and waited for you to get close enough to actually talk to you or make sure you'd see his setup before cursing (I'm guessing thats what happened) at you and your kid. Thats uncalled for. It was nice of you to spot the dekes from a few hundred yards and go to the next area..... thats unusual, especially on an early season weekend. Good on ya for that. It was a good example you set for your son too though, instead of going and beating the dude with your spare oar, even though he probably deserved it. :lol: Hopefully that karma comes back to you and you guys bring down some bands this year or something.

I have to agree I am amazed at what I have been seeing in Utah as far as hunters go, I have encountered the most rude and un-friendly people for the most part. Opening day I was out and not having much luck. I moved around a bit to see if I could get some ducks flying over the dike into a marsh. Still no luck, then a man with his dog walked by and asked me if I had any luck and I said I wasn't due to the ducks were low over the deep water and if I shot them I would not be able to retrieve them. He invited me to join him and his dog and was telling me he had been out there for about 5 hours and no ducks. So I walked down the **** a little ways with him and a flock came over, we both shot into the flock and neither of us hit a dang thing, so we started walking down a little further and spooked a duck in the weeds and I popped the duck, the guy sent his dog into the water to get the duck, when the dog brought the duck back I was excited. The guy put the duck and his bag and looked at me and said thanks, my dog my duck, good luck to ya. I was ticked off but figured I should have expected this, and let it roll off my back and walked my own way. I am not from Utah I am from Georgia ( I have hunted a lot of other states and Georgia is by far the most friendly hunters I have met) and I am amazed at the hunters I have encountered since I have lived in Utah. I am pretty sure it is just the people I am running into but so far doing upland game hunting and now duck hunting I have run into a lot of rude people, and literally only 5 genuinely nice people. It is tough when I take my kids out hunting with me and try to set the example and be the bigger person when by far they have seen more of how to not be a good polite hunter. I understand territory, first-come-first-server and to not camp on other peoples spots without asking first if it is ok, just seems like a lot of other people feel since they pay their taxes they own where they stand on public land. I guess the point to this is try to see where the other guy is coming from don't jump to conclusions and just don't be so high strung.

These stories suck. I hate all the negativity. I do have to add my two from this past week. On the opener in Idaho, we found a good spot on saturday eveining. Our normal spot just wasnt workin with the water conditions. The three of us hunted it sunday morning. We almost limited out. There were a few changes to our location we wanted to make. Monday morning we set up it was sweet. There was only two of us this time. Thought for sure we would be hammer in the green heads. Ten minutes before shooting hours, this guy with a small out board comes puttin threw the mud. It was only about a foot deep. He had to hold his prop out of the mud to get there. I think they were lookin to set up where we were. He ended up about two hundred yards from us. The place we hunt is HUGE. There was only three boats out there the whole day. He was so close that when they would shoot a bird, my dog could see it go down and was wanting to go retreive it. They were sky bustin the birds all morning long. We got four ducks beteen us two.
Now a short one. I went out to public shooting grounds this morning. First time I have ever been there. Found it by accident yesterday. Figured I would give it a shot today. When I got there there was a truck in the parking lot. I got out and the guy was gettin his gear ready. I said hi to him. He just ignored me. Im a quite fella and figured he was too and just didnt feel like conversation. AS the two of them walked off, I heard him say "he just better keep his **** dog to himself." I let it go, I wasnt about to get into a pissing match with him about his marsh. Aren't we all in this together. As hunters, sportsmen, conservationist. Why must we treat eachother like enemies. Anyway. JM2C