what do to do when being followed

Yesterday while bow hunting on public land I kept hearing a noise 100+ yards behind me but every time I'd turn around and scan I'd see nothing. Well I went ahead and kept on walking and ducked off the trail real quick into so very thick cover and scoped down the trail and finally I see some guy being very quiet and moving slowly up my trail and he has no orange on at all.. So I through the clip in my pistol and put the safety on and quickly hightailed it through the woods and met up with my dad and we called it a day....

You do know that a lot of times, deer will stay put and let you walk on by, then circle back from the way you came. Maybe the guy was hunting that way so you could push a deer to him.
Just a thought.

That could easily be possible but he should have had his orange hat on at least to signify he was a hunter not bigfoot so yeah that's what made me feel uneasy about the whole situation.

Coulda been the GW?? outta uniform??? was he wearin' bib overall's? OTOH didja hear any banjo's?? off in the distance??

I hate that kinda freaky stuff where some local tries to intimadate folks off Public Land, but's it's good you got away without a confrontation...mighta been fun to turn the tables on him though and see what he was all about.

What Public Hunting Land was this, so's nobody else will go in there "unprepared" ??
Ron

Have had that happen few times also.... It is public... OSBWMA used ta have squirrel & archery sepetate... Archery didnt have ta wear orange... Was walking from truck down old atv trail, could hear people behind. Got were cut in, it was two teens just walking trails, think none hunters supose ta wear orange, not sure.. Any ways set up stand seen deer just oit of range... 99% of time its just other hunters just out hunting...

Was the guy even hunting? Did he have a bow?

He could have been following you to see if you were going to set up a climber, or stand, or camera, and then relieve you of them.. Just no way to know why he would have been following you. You should have waited for him to pass, and then stepped out on the trail behind and then really loudly (with your gun in your hand) said "Howdy Neighbor-what's shaking?"..

I would have definitely let him know that you were aware that he was there. Maybe seeing his face would deter him from doing something stupid later on.

Woww, ya meen they coulda been terrists ? We are living in the age of leave the bible at home & bring your pistal ta church.. Maybe a Blessing that can't aford ta hunt this year... Ya'll be safe out thar...

Could have been hunting you? But then again I watch way too many Criminal Minds episodes!

honestly from that range I couldn't tell a walking stick from a bow but I sure could tell it was a man in camo holding something and doing a pretty decent job following me from a distance. If it was a game warden hell I sure woulda liked to talk to them but i'm pretty sure they didn't want me talking to them since I waived my hat at them after I scoped them with my bow.. It's tawakoni wma btw But either way it didn't ruin my hunt bc it was was close to 10 am and the sun wass beggin to spoil some meat. Before all that bs I did have a big beautiful doe walk across at about 40 yards away and stop to stare at me but she had a fawn right behind her sooo they walked for another day!

My pops and I went for an evening hunt about 4:30pm got there and after trekking about i'd say around 5:30 I walked up on a deer that was 30 yards or so away with its head down butt facing me naturally lol! Well to my surprise it was a young 6 point buck with like an 8 inch spread we locked eyes and he knew he was free to walk away dang it. well upon further inspection there's few kennels of corn on the trail.

Well I followed the trail to the water to see what might be thirsty other then me and there's nothing but I had to check so I went through some swampy stuff and decided lights fading quick gotta go find my dad. well I finally catch up to him bc hes been running from the texas humming birds all evening and tell him about the deer and hes like oo you shot and I look down and I'm missing a freaking arrow. So i decided to time to high tail it back to the swap and get my arrow!!!

So I'm trekking quickly lettting my dad take his time but where I had a meeting with the young buck there is now a large pile of corn... but I keep on moving bc lights fading and I want that arrow I dropped! As I'm almost running I'm about to plant my right foot and I see A wide open cotton mouth so I side stepped him and tried to persuade him to move off the trail... He decided he would only leave without a head.....

Anyways I make it to the swamp opening and there is a pile of freaking corn!!!!!!!! I'm like wtf mate that wasn't there an hour ago but i had to leave it bc I was looking for my arrow in the brush which I found minutes later!

Glad you made it out safe...reading stories like these make me feel lucky when I consider all the times I hunted alone!

Mike H.

HF is a wealth of information... Up in general discussion form... Learn about others complaining about neighbors stands & feeders to close ta fence.. Discutions on aging deer& judging racks, wicth ones they dont want you ta shoot... Already new about the ye pay ta play hunts... People investing time money, then time ta renew lease, price goes up, & loose lease cause of ecconomy.. First lease got told by credit adviser leases bad investment... Less than a buck a day, 24-7-365 hog hunts & chance for a deer, thought was pretty good deal.. Family time, we already camped, had ta find cheap camper for lease... Every one else doing it... When WMA opened up down road, stopped leasing... huntsolo starting out.. Pretty safe hunts, started bring rest of family..
Tawakoni have hunted several times... Have heard rumors of break-ins & crack houses... Think its archery only going on... So dont have ta wear orange... Carrying pistal during archery they got good thread in discution part of form... WMA has different rules, so woud check... People carring them ta Church these days so maybe ya can... Corn, think is illegal, baiting... Could have been GM checking on it... Would report it, so keep you from ticket... Hidden cameras could put dent in alot of illegal stuff... Then posts not worth #1 on ignorance list... Always good ta hunt with a friend... Hunting is easy part, work begins when ya get lucky... Cant drive on WMA like lease or privete land... Stay safe, its a jungle out thar... Edit: had few typo errors...

Yeah I'm to poor for a lease and all my friends don't hunt and they rather watch football or play their fantasy league lol! So I hunt mainly alone or with my father on public land..
I guess I'm confused about the wearing orange part bc I was under the impression that on public land you're required to have like 400 Square inches of orange no matter the season.... Guess I'll need to read more fine print

If there's an open gun season,squirrel etc,going on in that county you must wear the orange while walking to and from your stand. You can take it off while in your stand,but you must wear it to and from.

Everything goes up, except wages... We payed $200.00 for year round lease, think one might have been $250.00... We did it as family, 1buck counties... Got on one just before season started, old book said 2buck with up to 2 does... That year it went ta 1buck.. Beig rooky on lease, get whats left over... Ours we could hunt other stands... Change of view... WMA & think theirs other public land available not in booklet, no baiting for deer... Maybe some draw hunts ya can.. One or two during Hog only hunts... If GM would found ya by corn, yah might had ta do some answering... Only time i've ever brought pistal ta WMA was hog hunts & gonna hunt the realy thick stuff... Family or friend not bad idea, more fun when sharing memories, & its work getting something out by ones self... Mostly hog hunt, & backpack out, no gutting, have orange over back pack... Take backstaps, front shoulder is just a blade, easy ta do hind quarter has ball & socket, cut from under & lift up, it pops out... Deer feet & hog feet easy ta distingwish if stoped... For deer, a chain on stand with step ladder type... Usualy get safty harness & belt with stand... Can make a make shift two cart gurny like indians did with teepees... Straps for around tree used ta strap deer.. Harness & safty belt hook on drag.. Not best at explaining... Anyways Best wishes... Edit: If ya hunt solo ya learn tricks ta make it easier, what works best...

thanks for clearing that up and happy hunting yall!

You did good, except I keep a mag in the pistol and safety off. Expect the unexpected. Which wma was this?

Yagh, gotsta stay on your toes when ya be out their wondering about the woods... Never know whats gonna pop-out... Yagh one time mother nature called, eased over ta big ol tree... Answered the call, when noticed this shadow getten bigger & bigger at base of tree.... Sun twas out, yagh, standen thar with a smile.. When realized it was a snake... Turned around took off runnen, screamen & a hollern.. Hit a low branch, when woke up from me nap, couple hours had passed.. Finaly made it ta me truck, some hunters gathered around.. Asked if heard all that comotion back in the hollers, said it sounded like a girl screemen, nother one said a panther, another said could a been a squash.. Toldem was real close but what ever it was, think i scared it off.. Got in me truck an drove away.. That day forward started packen two, depends, just in case of them thar oh crap moments...

I followed a guy out one time. I did so because I didn't want him to see where I had been hunting -- so he couldn't "steal" my spot. I also didn't particularly want to talk to him.

You do know you can get in big trouble for carrying a handgun on federal land don't you? Its not state land, your rights change once you step foot on corp land, same rules do not apply...

Judged by 12 or carried by six? Take your pick and your chances!

Mike H.

We have walked out with a bow hunter once.

some interesting replies ta your post sir.... 9-11 changed things, people leaven bibles at home, & tootten guns ta church.. Deer no longer belong ta the public.. As pappy once said: Fencing tis no longer a sport... ... Be safe out thar...

What does this mean did you kill or beat him up?

May have just been a birder and fellow with new camera. Not all hunters know all rules and it is certain non hunters don't know.