Tree Tapper Code of Ethics

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

So I was able to get to my parking spot at about 3PM today after work. Immediately I could see tire tracks heading through the gate. There is a fellow that has 3500 maples tapped on the 100 acres. I typically hunt the 50 acres on the other side of the property. Yesterday while on a Red Bull fueled "still" hunt I walked to the top of the mountain. There is a narrow strip of land (150-200 yards wide) that jogs way up on the top of the mountain. There is a roadway, from the bottom where I park, that winds up through to the center of this narrow strip. Right on top I found an absolutely gorgeous feeding area. Every leaf was overturned littered with scat and dotted with old scrapes and rubs. There was Hickory, Beech, Chestnut Oak, and some Red and White Oak. One side as small pond,brush and some hardwoods, pines on the other side, and a dropoff at the property line. The guy had driven all he way to the top to start repairing and stringing new lines and cutting blow downs up. This is the first year I have had permission to hunt this 100 acres, and I recently discovered that my original assessment the boundary was off by about 1000 feet (and on that 1000 ft is where this feeding mecca is). Now I know this man is trying to make a living, and has a lot of hard work ahead of him, but man this sucks for me! The surrounding properies get hunted hard and this spot has the coverage, doe, food, water, and escape routes that a buck would need to hunker down and stay put at. I guess I'll just stay on that 50 acre and hope he gets pushed my way. Oh well, just had to vent and cry alittle bit.

Edited December 11, 2013 by BUCKANDAQUARTER

[PREDATE]

maybe if you help him cut blowdowns, he'll let you hunt.

[PooperScooper]

Is it possible that he is not aware of the late season and/or that someone is hunting there? If he just showed up, right after gun season closed, it may be that he thinks he's not disturbing anyone. ...or that he's safer out in the woods.  Either way. I'd try to bump into him and have a polite conversation. 

 

And how is it that deer know where property lines are and always seem to choose the safe side of the line?!?

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

He is from Vermont, and muzzleloader is still going on there as well. I know he is a hunter, and is informed of seasons. I ran into him last year when I was hunting the other side of he road. There is no use in talking to him, he has a ton of work ahead of him. But I really don't think his Jeep will be able to make it up there again, the leaves insulated the ground enough in some spots so the frost never penetrated the ground. I am just praying that the big one doesn't step over to the other side of ridge where the army will be waiting for him.